STMicroelectronics (ST) has introduced the STGAP4S galvanically isolated automotive gate driver to support electric vehicle (EV) powertrain design.

STGAP4S supports SiC MOSFETs and IGBTs and is designed to provide flexible control of high power rating inverters.

STGAP4S has a safety design that meets ISO 26262 ASIL D (Automotive Safety Integrity Level D) certification.

In particular, it enables the development of various safety-certified drivers by integrating an ADC (Analog-Digital Converter) and a flyback controller with built-in protection functions, providing expandability and design flexibility for electric vehicle powertrains.

It supports an excellent output circuit that can expand the gate current capacity by connecting a high-power stage and a push-pull buffer of an external MOSFET, and can generate a gate drive current of up to several tens of amperes (A).

Additionally, it can handle operating voltages of up to 1,200 V, making it optimized for high-power inverter design.

The STGAP4S features advanced diagnostic features to perform connection integrity, gate drive voltage detection, and desaturation detection in automotive applications.

Also self The check function can be used to check whether the internal circuit is operating normally, and the diagnostic status register can be read using the IC's SPI port.

Two diagnostic pins allow fault detection signals to be checked in hardware, increasing system reliability.

This driver provides features such as Active Miller Clamping, Undervoltage and Overvoltage Lockout (UVLO/OVLO), Desaturation Detection, Overcurrent Protection, and Overtemperature Detection.

Additionally, various parameters such as protection thresholds, deadtime, and deglitch filtering can be configured via SPI programming, supporting a wide range of design options.

The STGAP4S optionally integrates a fully protected flyback controller.

In particular, high-voltage section supplies for the anode and cathode gate drive signals can be generated to implement fast and efficient switching of SiC MOSFETs.

The galvanic isolation barrier provides 6.44 kV of isolation between the low-side and high-side circuits, ensuring high reliability.

ST supplies the EVALSTGAP4S evaluation board, which features the STGAP4S driver, allowing quick evaluation of the driver's functionality in half-bridge applications.

Additionally, multiple evaluation boards can be easily connected, enabling evaluation of complex circuits such as three-phase inverters.

The STGAP4S is currently in production in an SO-36W wide-body dual-inline package (DIP), priced at $4.66 each in quantities of 1,000.