Investigation of Output Stage in Gate Driver ICs

Abstract:
Gate driver ICs are an important component in power converters and their selection is critical to the application efficiency. Despite this, the converter designers have to make their initial decision using datasheet parameters, such as peak current and rise/fall times. Depending on the design of the output stage, gate drivers with similar datasheet capabilities could behave very differently, as a function of their internal design and what was prioritized when they were created. While some gate drivers can obtain high peak currents and fast times in datasheet verification, their average current capability can be limited during charging of the gate capacitance, especially in the range close to the gate driver supply voltage. This plays an important role when switching a power transistor, as it will impact its switching losses.