STMicroelectronics — STDRIVEG600 GaN Gate Driver

The STDRIVEG600 from STMicroelectronics is a single-chip half-bridge gate driver for enhancement-mode gallium nitride (GaN) power switches or N-channel power MOSFETs.

The popularity of GaN transistors is growing because of the superior switching characteristics of the wide bandgap material compared to conventional silicon MOSFETs. GaN transistors switch fast and efficiently, enabling the use of smaller and lighter capacitive and magnetic components.

The STDRIVEG600 supports the fast-switching operation of GaN transistors because of its short 45 ns propagation delay and high current capability. The driver operates from a supply voltage as low as 5 V.

The high-side portion of this half-bridge gate driver withstands voltages of up to 600 V. The STDRIVEG600 may be used in power systems with a bus voltage of up to 500 V.

The logic inputs are CMOS/TTL-compatible at voltages down to 3.3 V, making it easy for the system designer to interface the STDRIVEG600 to a microcontroller or DSP.

This half-bridge driver features an interlocking function which eliminates the risk of cross-conduction, alongside over-temperature and under-voltage lock-out functions on both the high- and low-side drive sections which protect the device from exposure to abnormal operating conditions.