A power amplifier that takes in the low power input with the help of a controller IC and generates a high current gate drive for a power device is known as a gate driver. It is utilized whenever a PWM controller is not able to provide the output current needed to drive the gate capacitance of the power device linked to it.

In the power electronic systems, the gate driver circuit is the most important part. It forms an interface between the control circuits and the high-power electronics and is utilized to drive powerful semiconductor devices. The output from the SMPS and DC-DC converters depends mainly on the gate driver's circuits. This leads to the conclusion that if the gate driver circuit is not able to drive the gate of a power device in the right manner, the output of the DC-DC converter will not be as per the design requirement. Thus, the gate driver circuit’s design is significant in the structuring of power electronic converters.

Gate Drivers Types

1. High Side Low Side Drivers – This kind of gate drivers is utilized in driving 2 switches that are connected in the bridge arrangements (both ground referenced and floating switches).
2. Low Side Drivers - This kind of gate drivers is utilized in driving ground-referenced switches.

Gate Driver Isolation

Gate drive circuits for power converters and inverters commonly require electrical isolation for both safety and functional purposes. Isolation is ordered by administrative and security accreditation organizations to forestall stun dangers. The gate drivers also help in protecting low voltage electronics from any kind of damage caused by faults on the high power side circuit. On the control side, these drivers also provide protection from error due to humans. In the system, due to the electrical separation between several functional circuits, a direct conductional path between them is prevented. Not only this, but it also enables individual circuits to have different ground voltage. Power and signals can still pass between isolated circuits with the help of capacitive, optical, or inductive methods.

Several applications of power devices need an isolated gate drive circuit. For instance, in power converter topologies like the two-switch forward, buck, active-clamp forward, full-bridge and, half-bridge, both the high as well as low switches are present because low side drivers cannot be utilized directly for driving the higher power equipment. This equipment needs an isolated gate driver because the emitter and source of the upper devices are not sitting at the ground potential.

Two things are required for driving high side switches:

• Level shifter - to pass on the PWM control signal to the floating driver circuitry.
• Floating Supply – to support any circuitry by providing power with this floating midpoint potential.

Techniques of Isolation

Generally, there are two most common methods to actualize isolated gate drivers:

• Optical – Takes place with the help of Opt coupler.
• Magnetic – Takes place with the help of Gate drive transformers.

This was all we have regarding Gate drivers. Hope you liked going through it. Brands that manufacture them are TE Connectivity, ITT, and Molex. Make sure to visit them using the links as provided.

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A DIN connector is defined as an electrical connector which came into existence in the very beginning of the 1970s by a German organization named as Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN). There are a diverse number of connectors with DIN standards, thus it is mandatory to add the document number with each of them for their exact identification (e.g., “DIN 41612 connector”). Some of the DIN standards are as follows:

• DIN 41524 – This takes in circular connectors which are utilized for audio signals.
• DIN 41585 – This includes automotive coaxial connectors.
• DIN 41612 – This includes rectangular connectors for connecting plug-in cards to a motherboard.
• DIN 41652 – This takes in D-subminiature connectors utilized in computer data and video.

While dealing about consumer electronics, DIN connector generally refers to the class of circular connectors that were standardized for analog audio signals by DIN. These connectors have also helped in digital interfaces like IBM AT keyboard for computers or MIDI, analog video application and in setting up power connections. Keep reading this article below to get good knowledge about these circular connectors.

Circular Connectors

Every male connector (plugs) of this class highlight a 6.6 mm radius metal shield with an indent that restricts the orientation in which socket and plug can mate with each other. Circular connectors that can be distinguished by their pin configuration are standardized, originally in DIN 45326 / IEC/DIN EN 60130-9 (8-pin at an angle of 45°), DIN 41524 / IEC/DIN EN 60130-9 (5-pin at an angle of 45° and 3-pin at an angle of 90°), DIN 45329 (7-pin at an angle of 45°), DIN 45322 (6-pin and 5-pin at an angle of 60°) etc.

The plugs comprise of a circular protecting skirt of metal defending various straight round pins. The diameter of the pin is around 1.45mm and are spaced equally (at 45°, 60°, 72°, 90°or angles) in a circle of diameter 7.0mm. The skirt is keyed just to make it sure that the plug is fitted with the right format to nullify the occurrence of any damage to the pins. The primary framework likewise guarantees that the shielding is associated with plug and socket before the establishment of any signal path connection. Since the keying is same in all the connectors, it leads to the mating of incompatible connectors which causes damage. But Mini-DIN keys various connectors to solve the above problem. Apart from that some "domino" 5 – pin connectors consist of keyway on the side opposite to the plug.

Seven regular patterns can be formed with any number of pins ranging from 3 to 8. Three kinds of 5-pin connector that exists are domino/360°/270°, 240°, and 180° after the point of the curve covered between the first and last stick. There is also two categories of 8-pin connector (one where the external pins structure 262° and one where they structure 270°), 7-pin connector (one where the external pins structure 270° and one where they structure 300° or 360°) and 6-pin connectors. In addition to them, there are connectors with 14, 12 and 10 pins. Some high rated equipment utilizes 7 pin connector where 2 external pins serve with digital system data. If the equipment is not compatible with the outer pins, it can be detached from the plugs to fit into standard 5-pin 180° sockets with no data connection.

We hope that the above info has made you accustomed with the knowledge about Circular DIN Connectors. Brands which manufactures them are TE Connectivity, Amphenol, ITT. Make sure to follow them using the links as provided.

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