About Isolated Gate Drivers
Chipanalog Isolated Gate Drivers
Isolated gate drivers are electronic components used to drive power switches such as MOSFETs, IGBTs, and SiC MOSFETs, in a safe and efficient manner. They are called "isolated" because they provide electrical isolation between the control circuitry and the high voltage/power side of the system. This isolation is important because it helps prevent dangerous electrical faults, such as short circuits or voltage spikes, from damaging sensitive electronic components and posing a risk to human operators.
Isolated gate drivers typically consist of a small signal side and a power side, with a high voltage isolation barrier in between. The small signal side is connected to the control circuitry, typically a microcontroller or a DSP, and is responsible for generating the gate drive signals for the power switches. The power side, on the other hand, is connected to the high voltage side of the system and is responsible for driving the gate of the power switch.
Isolated gate drivers can provide a variety of additional features, such as overcurrent protection, overtemperature protection, and fault reporting. Some isolated gate drivers also provide additional isolation between the power switch and the load, such as in the case of high-side gate drivers that are used to drive power switches in floating loads.
Overall, isolated gate drivers are a critical component in many power electronics applications, especially in high voltage and high power systems. They help to ensure safe and efficient operation of power switches while providing the necessary isolation to protect sensitive electronic components and human operators from harm.