Skyworks Si829x isolated safety gate driver with ProVCD™ technology has completed AEC-Q100 automotive qualification and is now available for advanced prototyping. Samples, tools, user guides, and application notes are available now.
For EV and Hybrid traction inverter engineers, Si829x is the isolated safety gate driver that provides the benefits of ProVCD™ current mode-controlled gate drive, unlike competitors who provide traditional voltage mode drivers. Designed according to ISO 26262, Si829x supports rigorous functional safety and is suitable for ASIL D applications.
Features and Benefits
15A variable current drive ProVCD™
Current mode-controlled gate drive lowers switching losses in traction inverters by up to 44% compared with TVMD, leading to improved efficiency. Simulation results demonstrate increased driving range per battery charge in EVs.
Bill of Materials (BOM) integration
Smaller physical size of a traction inverter PCB means more room for other EV electronics and lower material cost, and is accomplished through reduced BOM, easier cooling, and lower EMI filtering burden.
Simplified development cycles and deployment flexibility
Traction inverters have long development cycle times, including selection of permanent, fixed gate resistors for TVMD. With ProVCD™, there is no gate resistor, so configurations are flexible, eliminating the remove/replace resistor step and allowing changes via software. Si829x can be deployed to multiple inverter variants without a gate driver change.
Rigorous functional safety support
Traction inverters require components that are rigorously analyzed for functional safety suitability. Developed according to ISO 26262, Si829x is suitable for use in functional safety systems up to ASIL D.
Versatile packaging solutions
Delivers scalable, cost-effective packaging solution proportional to traction inverter power unlike some competitors’ single-package solutions with no thermal expandability.
Silicon Carbide (SiC) FET Optimization
Tightly couples gate drive capabilities to SiC FET needs, demonstrated by DPT/efficiency gains unlike some competitors who leverage existing IGBT TVMD for sub-optimal SiC drive.
On-chip gate bias generation
Regulates positive gate bias (VPOS) on-chip with programmable settings and generates negative rail (VNEG), at lower net cost than incumbent solution of transformer winding and LDO or Zener diode combinations.
