Minimizing R&D and cost input, as well as ensuring robust and efficient operation of medium voltage gallium nitride (GaN) switches, are several core requirements for the design of modern power electronics systems. Infineon Technologies, in line with its strategically designed GaN portfolio, continues to strengthen its total system solution with the introduction of the EiceDRIVER 1EDN71x6G HS 200V single-channel gate driver IC family. The new line of products not only enhances the performance of the CoolGaN Schottky Gate (SG) HEMTs, but is also compatible with other GaN HEMTs and silicon MosFeTs. The gate driver family can be widely used in the fields of DC-DC converters, motor drivers, telecommunications, servers, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, power tools and Class D audio amplifiers.


     With optional pull-up and pull-down drive strength features, 1EDN71x6G series products achieve waveform and switching speed optimization without grid resistance, thus enabling a smaller power level circuit layout area and fewer BOM components. The driver product with the strongest driving capacity and the fastest switching speed (1EDN7116G) is suitable for multi-parallel half-bridge combined circuits. The drive product with the smallest drive capacity and slowest switching speed (1EDN7146G) can be used in applications where demand dv/dt changes slowly, such as motor drives or small chip GaN (high RDS(on), low Qg) HEMTs. Not only that, but each product has a different blanking time that is proportional to the minimum recommended dead time, minimum pulse width, and propagation delay.


     True differential logic input (TDI) not only eliminates the risk of false triggers due to ground rebound voltage in low edge applications, but also enables 1EDN71x6G to handle high edge side applications. In addition, all lines feature active Miller clamp technology, which has a very strong pull-down capability to avoid induction opening. This provides greater robustness against burr voltages in the grid driver loop, especially when driving transistors with high millerratios.


     In addition, the 1EDN71x6G is provided with a source lift clamp to avoid overcharging the bootstrap capacitor during dead time. This enables bootstrap power supply voltage regulation without the need for additional regulation circuits to protect the gate of the high side transistor. The line also offers a programmable charge pump with an adjustable negative switch-off power supply for additional Miller induction on-off immunity if required (e.g. where full PCB layout optimization is not possible).