Microsemi Corporation, a leading provider of semiconductor solutions and Analog Devices, Inc., the leading global high-performance analog technology company; have together introduced a scalable Silicon (SiC) driver reference design solution. The solution is based on a range of Microsemi SiC MOSFET products and Analog Device’s ADuM4135 5KV isolated gate driver. This reference design offer user-friendly design guides rendering faster time to market and support the transition to Microsemi’s next-generation SiC MOSFETs.

 

The design also allows customers with a highly isolated SiC MOSFET dual-gate driver switch as a means for evaluation of SiC MOSFETs in a number of topologies. It includes modes optimized for half-bridge switching with synchronous dead time protection and asynchronous signal transfer with no protection. 

 

It can also be configured to provide a concurrent drive with the requirement to study unclamped inductive switching (UIS) or double pulse testing. The board supports the modification of gate resistor values to accommodate most Microsemi discretes and modules.

 

SiC products offer a number of advantages like improved system efficiency with 25-50 percent power output, efficiency at higher switching frequencies over Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), reduced system size and weight, operating stability over temperature (+175 degrees C) and significant cooling cost savings.

 

The dual SiC MOSFET driver reference design is ideal for a wide range of end markets and applications, including;

 

• Aerospace (actuation, air conditioning, and power distribution), 

• Automotive (hybrid/electric vehicle powertrains, electric vehicle battery chargers, DC-to-DC converters, and energy recovery), 

• Defense (power supply and high power motor drive), 

• Industrial (photovoltaic inverters, motor drives, welding,  uninterruptible power supply, switched-mode power supply, induction heating and oil drilling) 

• Medical (MRI and X-ray power supply).

 

 

The dual SiC driver reference design (MSCSICMDD/REF1), which includes an evaluation board, is available for purchase orders now. The device will be showcased at the Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe exhibition in Nuremburg, Germany May 16-18, 2017 in Microsemi’s booth, #6-318 and in Analog Devices’ booth, #6-458.

 

 

Analog Devices is the leading global high-performance analog technology company dedicated to solving the toughest engineering challenges. It enables customers to interpret the world around us by intelligently bridging the physical and digital with unmatched technologies that sense, measure, power, connect and interpret.

 

 

Microsemi Corporation offers a comprehensive portfolio of semiconductor and system solutions for aerospace & defense, communications, data center and industrial markets. Products include high-performance and radiation-hardened analog mixed-signal integrated circuits, FPGAs, SoCs and ASICs; power management products; timing and synchronization devices and precise time solutions, setting the world’s standard for time; voice processing devices; RF solutions; discrete components; enterprise storage and communication solutions, security technologies and scalable anti-tamper products; Ethernet solutions; Power-over-Ethernet ICs and midspans; as well as custom design capabilities and services. Microsemi is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California, and has approximately 4,800 employees globally.