AgileSwitch Digital Gate Driver with Augmented Switching Technology for Silicon Carbide MOSFETs
Microchip Technology Inc. has announced a new 1200V production-ready digital gate driver to complement its broad portfolio of silicon carbide MOSFET discrete and module products. Microchip’s AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP 1200V dual-channel digital gate driver provides system developers with multiple levels of control and protection for safe and reliable operation. This digital gate driver with its Augmented Switching technology is production qualified and fully configurable. They are optimized for transportation and industrial applications including heavy-duty vehicles, auxiliary power units, charging, storage, inverters, and induction heating.
AgileSwitch gate driver products include the ability to dampen drain-source voltage (Vds) overshoots by up to 80% and slash switching losses by as much as 50%. These digital gate drivers provide a superior solution than standard analog drivers because they prevent false faults, mitigate ringing and reduce Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), overshoot, and undershoot in SiC and IGBT power devices. The 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver can source/sink up to 10A of peak current and includes an isolated DC/DC converter with a low capacitance isolation barrier for pulse width modulation signals and fault feedback.
Microchip’s 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver is compatible with the company’s broad portfolio of silicon carbide power devices and modules and is interoperable with other manufacturers’ silicon carbide products. Moreover, this digital gate driver is compatible with the company’s latest release of the Intelligent Configuration Tool (ICT). This interface allows users to configure gate driver parameters including the gate switching profiles, system critical monitors, and controller interface settings.
The AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver is now available for volume production and is supported by the ICT including starter settings for many commercially available silicon carbide switches. The gate driver also is supported by a family of module adapter boards to help designers connect to several different footprints, as well as the company’s Augmented Switching Accelerated Development Kits (ASDAK) that include gate drivers, module adapter boards, a programming kit, and the ICT software for silicon carbide MOSFET modules.
