To meet the growing demand for silicon carbide (SiC) power conversion due to automotive transition to electric vehicles (EVs), Skyworks has introduced new isolated gate driver reference designs to work with Wolfspeed’s field-effect transistor (FET) power modules.
The goal of the Si828x gate driver board (GDB) kit from Skyworks is to simplify the design and increase adoption of automotive applications using SiC technology. Specifically, the GDB is designed to:
- Simplify automotive traction inverter design by providing a complete, high-power reference design.
- Allow design engineers to implement power switching stage on systems and provide extensive pre-testing.
- Enable a system to survive and operate under extreme short-circuit conditions.
The board was tested and designed for Wolfspeed XM3 SiC FET modules on an evaluation board. The company found the GDB kit keeps the voltage and current from overload and circuit damage.
The Skyworks GDB and the Wolfspeed XM3 SiC modules can be used for fast charging and power conversion applications, EV drivetrains, drive motors and uninterruptible power supplies for industrial environments.
“The Si828x gate driver board is very robust for protecting the power module during a short circuit event, detecting the load fault and shutting off the XM3 in less than one microsecond,” said Austin Curbow, manager of the applications and systems team for power modules at Wolfspeed. “Further, its robust 15 Amp source and sink capability maximizes switching speed, minimizing switching losses and increasing efficiency.”
Skyworks will be showcasing the GDB kit at Electronica 2022, taking place this week in Munich, Germany.
