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MV Power Systems
2024

Isolated Gate Driver for SiC MOSFETs

High-performance isolated gate driver design optimized for 1700V SiC MOSFETs with advanced protection features.

Role

Hardware Design Engineer

Client

Power Electronics Lab

Duration

6 months

Year

2024

Technologies

SiC MOSFETsIsolated Gate DriversAltium DesignerEMC DesignHigh-Speed PCBSignal Integrity
Key Highlights
  • 100kV/us CMTI rating
  • Sub-50ns propagation delay
  • Integrated desat protection
  • Compact 40x30mm form factor

Gate driver design is critical for achieving optimal performance from wide-bandgap semiconductors. This project developed a high-performance isolated gate driver specifically optimized for 1700V SiC MOSFETs in medium voltage applications.

Design Features

Isolation

  • Reinforced isolation rated for 5kVrms working voltage
  • Common-mode transient immunity > 100kV/us
  • Isolated DC-DC power supply with 1W output

Protection

  • Desaturation detection with < 1us response time
  • Active Miller clamping
  • Under-voltage lockout (UVLO)
  • Soft turn-off for fault conditions

Performance

  • Peak source/sink current: +15A/-20A
  • Propagation delay < 50ns
  • Pulse width distortion < 5ns

PCB Design

The 4-layer PCB design emphasizes:

  • Minimized gate loop inductance
  • Proper creepage/clearance distances
  • Thermal management for driver ICs