Microchip introduces the first fully configurable silicon carbide MOSFET digital gate driver

As the demand for electric buses and other electrified heavy transport vehicles increases to meet lower carbon emission targets, power management solutions based on silicon carbide are providing greater efficiency for such transport systems. To further complement its rich portfolio of silicon carbide MOSFET discrete and module products, Microchip Technology announced the introduction of a new 1200V production-ready digital gate driver that provides system developers with multiple levels of control and protection. To achieve safe, reliable operation and meet stringent transportation requirements.

For designers of silicon carbon-based power conversion devices, Microchip's AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP 1200V dual-channel digital gate driver uses Augmented Switching technology, fully compliant with production requirements and extremely configurable. To ensure reliable and safe operation, the 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver provides multiple levels of control and a higher level of protection for silicon carbide MOSFEt-based power systems. Key features of AgileSwitch gate driver products include the ability to suppress drain-source voltage (Vds) overshooting by up to 80%, reducing switching losses by up to 50% compared to conventional gate drivers. The 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver can pump/pull up to 10A peak current and has an isolated DC/DC converter with low capacitance isolation barriers for pulse width modulated signals and fault feedback.

Microchip's 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver is compatible with the company's newly released Intelligent Configuration Tool (ICT). This interface allows users to configure gate driver parameters, including gate switch profiles, system critical monitors, and controller interface Settings. This equates to tailor-made gate drivers for the user's application without hardware changes, helps speed up development time from evaluation to production, and enables designers to change control parameters during the design process. ICT is available as a free download and can save designers approximately 3 to 6 months of new design development time.

Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip's Discrete Products business unit, said: "The societal trend of electrification of all vehicles, including buses, trains, trolleys, and agricultural transportation, depends on innovative power electronics solutions to achieve greater production efficiency with less energy. When combined with Microchip's silicon carbide power devices, the newly introduced gate driver technology enables engineers to achieve new levels of power density in transportation systems and industrial applications."

In addition to commercial vehicles, other applications include charging infrastructure, energy storage systems, solar inverters and aircraft flight actuators.

Microchip's 2ASC-12A2HP gate drivers are compatible with their broad portfolio of silicon carbide power devices and modules and interwork with silicon carbide products from other manufacturers. By combining silicon carbide power modules and digital gate drivers, Microchip enables designers to influence dynamic issues including voltage overshooting, switching losses, and electromagnetic interference. Microchip offers silicon carbide MOSFET avalanche and short circuit robustness along with total system solutions designed to simplify the development process from design to production.