As demand for electric buses and other electrified heavy-duty transportation vehicles increases to meet lower carbon emissions targets, silicon carbide-based power management solutions are delivering greater efficiency for such transportation systems. To further complement its broad portfolio of SiC MOSFET discrete and module products, Microchip Technology Inc. today announced a new 1200V production ready digital gate driver for system developers Multiple levels of control and protection for safe, reliable operation and stringent shipping requirements.

For designers of silicon carbide-based power conversion equipment, Microchip’s AgileSwitch™ 2ASC-12A2HP 1200V dual-channel digital gate driver with Augmented Switching™ technology is fully production compliant and highly configurable. To ensure reliable and safe operation, the 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver provides multiple levels of control and higher protection levels for SiC MOSFET based power systems. Key features of AgileSwitch gate driver products include the ability to suppress drain-to-source voltage (Vds) overshoot by up to 80% compared to conventional gate drivers, reducing switching losses by up to 50%. The 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver sinks/sources up to 10A peak current, has an internal isolated DC/DC converter, and has a low capacitance isolation barrier for pulse width modulated signals and fault feedback.

Microchip’s 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver is compatible with the company’s newly released Intelligent Configuration Tool (ICT). This interface allows the user to configure gate driver parameters, including gate switch profiles, system key monitors, and controller interface settings. This equates to a tailor-made gate driver for the user’s application without changing hardware, helping to speed development time from evaluation to production and enabling designers to change control parameters during the design process. ICT offers free downloads, which can save designers about 3 to 6 months of development time for new designs.

“The societal trend toward electrification of all vehicles, including buses, trains, trams, and agricultural transportation, depends on innovative power electronics solutions that deliver more energy with less energy,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete business unit. Production efficiency. When combined with Microchip’s silicon carbide power devices, the new gate driver technology enables engineers to achieve new levels of power density in transportation systems and industrial applications.”

In addition to commercial vehicles, other applications include charging infrastructure, energy storage systems, solar inverters and aircraft flight actuators.

Microchip’s 2ASC-12A2HP gate driver is compatible with its broad portfolio of SiC power devices and modules, and interoperates with SiC products from other manufacturers. Microchip’s combination of silicon carbide power modules and digital gate drivers enables designers to affect dynamic issues including voltage overshoot, switching losses and electromagnetic interference. Microchip offers SiC MOSFET avalanche and short circuit robustness while also providing total system solutions designed to simplify the development process from design to production.

Microchip’s silicon carbide product portfolio further expands its broad portfolio of microcontroller (MCU) and analog solutions, designed to provide total system solutions for high power applications.

development tools

The AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver is powered by ICT and includes start-up settings for many commercial silicon carbide switches. The gate driver is also supported by a range of modular adapter boards to help designers interface to many different packages. The gate driver also supports the use of Microchip’s Enhanced Switching Acceleration Development Kit (ASDAK), which includes the gate driver, module adapter board, a programming kit and ICT software for SiC MOSFET modules.

supply

The AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver is now in volume production. To purchase the products mentioned in this document, please visit Microchip’s direct sales website or contact an authorized Microchip distributor. For more information, please contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized distributor worldwide or visit the Microchip website.