The STGAP3S family of gate drivers from STMicroelectronics combines flexible Miller-clamp architecture, enhanced desaturation protection, and the most recent robust galvanic isolation technology for silicon-carbide (SiC) and IGBT power switches.
The STGAP3S has 200V/ns common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) and can tolerate 9.6kV transient isolation voltage (VIOTM) thanks to strengthened capacitive galvanic isolation between the gate-driving channel and the low-voltage control and interface circuitry.
The STGAP3S Gate Drivers improve motor drive reliability for industrial applications including air conditioning, factory automation, and home appliances with its cutting-edge isolation. The new drivers are also utilized in energy and power applications such as solar inverters, DC/DC converters, power-factor correction (PFC), energy storage systems, and charging stations.
With varying 10A and 6A current capabilities, the STGAP3S product family offers a variety of alternatives with distinct desaturation intervention thresholds and Under Voltage Lock-Out (UVLO) features.
This aids designers in choosing the optimal device to complement the functionality of the SiC MOSFET or IGBT power switches they have selected.
By using an external resistor to modify the turn-off strategy, the desaturation protection maximizes the protection turn-off speed while preventing excessive overvoltage spikes.
It also provides overload and short-circuit protection for the external power switch. Turn-on with insufficient drive voltage is prevented by the undervoltage-lockout safeguard.
An external N-channel MOSFET can be pre-driven by the driver’s inbuilt Miller Clamp design.
Thus, designers can use flexibility to choose an appropriate intervention pace that avoids cross-conduction and induced turn-on.
For optimal performance, the selected power switch with desaturation-detection and UVLO thresholds tuned for IGBT or SiC technology can be used with either the 10A sink/source or the 6A sink/source drive-current capabilities offered by the available device variations.
Two specific open drain diagnostic pins are used to alert users to the desaturation, UVLO, and overtemperature protection fault states.
Availability, Packaging and Pricing
The STGAP3SXS is in production now, in the SO-16W wide-body package, from $2.34 for orders of 1000 pieces. Please contact your ST sales office for pricing options and sample requests.