The BM6GD11BFJ-LB is an isolated gate driver IC that ROHM has developed. It is made especially to drive high-voltage GaN HEMTs of the 600V class. This driver helps to increase the efficiency and compactness of high-current applications such server power supplies and motors by enabling stable operation under high-frequency, high-speed switching situations when paired with GaN devices.
As the world’s energy consumption keeps rising, energy-saving measures have gained international attention.
An estimated 97% of the world’s electricity consumption is attributed to motors and power supplies alone. Utilizing wide bandgap devices like SiC and GaN to more effectively manage and convert energy is becoming more and more necessary to achieve improved efficiency in these systems.
As the first in a line of isolated gate driver solutions tailored for GaN devices, ROHM has unveiled this innovative integrated circuit (IC), drawing on experience in creating isolated gate driver ICs for silicon semiconductors and SiC devices. Isolating the device from the control circuitry during switching operations involving rapid cycles of voltage rise and fall ensures safe signal transmission.
High-frequency operation up to 2MHz is made possible by the BM6GD11BFJ-LB’s use of propreitary on-chip isolation technology to lower parasitic capacitance. This optimizes GaN devices’ high-frequency switching capabilities. In addition to improving applications’ performance and energy efficiency, this minimizes mounting space by making peripheral components smaller.
In order to prevent problems brought on by the high slew rates typical of GaN HEMT switching, CMTI (Common-Mode Transient Immunity), an indicator of noise tolerance in noise isolated gate driver ICs, has been raised to 150V/ns, which is 1.5 times greater than traditional devices.
Additionally, compared to traditional goods, the minimum pulse width has been lowered by 33% to just 65 ns. Through improved duty cycle regulation and reduced power loss, these performance enhancements enable steady, dependable operation at higher frequencies.
The BM6GD11BFJ-LB is made to completely handle a variety of high-voltage GaN devices, including ROHM’s recently introduced 650V EcoGaN HEMT, with a gate drive voltage range of 4.5V to 6.0V and an isolation voltage of 2500Vrms.
In addition to lowering standby power, the industry-best low output-side current consumption of 0.5mA (Max) increases system efficiency.
Application Examples
Industrial Equipment: Power supplies for PV inverters, ESS (Energy Storage Systems), communication base stations, servers, and industrial motors
Consumer Devices: White goods, AC adapters (USB chargers), PCs, TVs, refrigerators, Air Conditioners.
Availability and Pricing
The BM6GD11BFJ-LB is now available. It is offered through online distributors such as DigiKey™ and Mouser™. The sample price is $4.0/unit (excluding tax).
Going forward, ROHM plans to offer gate driver ICs for GaN device control together with GaN device products, supporting simpler application design.
