- Presents an effective alternative to Analog Devices' ADuM3223 and ADuM4223, and optocoupler-based gate drivers
- 4x faster timing compared to optocoupler-based products and 50-year operating lifetime guarantee

May 9, 2012 – Analog Devices (www.analog.com, NASDAQ: ADI), a world-leading high-performance semiconductor specialist for signal processing and the global leader in the data converter market, today unveiled the industry's fastest and most reliable isolated half-bridge gate driver. The award-winning 4A ADuM3223 and ADuM4223 gate drivers, which integrate ADI's iCoupler® digital isolator technology, deliver 4x faster speed than optocoupler technology-based devices and feature a 50-year operating lifetime. ADI's new gate drivers are designed to improve performance and efficiency in AC-DC and DC-DC power supply, solar power inverter, and motor control designs while meeting the safety requirements demanded by these applications.

The ADuM3223 and ADuM4223 isolated half-bridge gate drivers feature propagation delay speeds under 55ns and delay matching under 5ns. This is 4x faster than gate drivers designed using optocoupler technology. The new gate drivers comply with safety standards for enhanced isolation performance up to 5kV rms and provide 700VPEAK galvanic isolation between the high-side and low-side outputs of the driver. Moreover, they minimize the possibility of cross-conduction occurrence and further enhance stability and equipment safety levels.

Bob Briano, digital isolator marketing manager at Analog Devices, noted "Optocoupler-based gate drivers typically suffer from poor timing performance, resulting in longer dead time, which can negatively impact overall operational efficiency. Additionally, optocouplers use power-hungry LEDs, making them prone to failure and limiting the lifetime of the gate driver." He added, "Using a typical power supply as an example, ADI's new isolated gate driver features significantly superior reliability, higher switching speed and temperature tolerance, and a smaller package. This results in better power density and improved overall power supply efficiency, while dramatically reducing the need for additional passive components compared to optocouplers, thereby reducing overall board size."

The ADuM3223 and ADuM4223 gate drivers, equipped with two independent isolated channels, operate across an input voltage range of 3.3V to 5.5V, making them suitable for low-voltage systems. Each output can operate continuously up to 400V rms referenced to the input. With differential voltage between high-side and low-side capable of reaching 700VPEAK, these devices are well-suited for reliably controlling a wide range of bus voltages.

The ADuM3223 provides 3kV rms isolation performance in a narrow-body 16-lead SOIC package, while the ADuM4223 provides enhanced 5kV rms isolation performance in a wide-body 16-lead SOIC package.

Key Specifications for ADuM3223 and ADuM4223 Isolated Precision Half-Bridge Gate Drivers
• Fast Timing
o Propagation delay under 55ns
o Delay matching under 5ns
• Superior Reliability
o 50-year lifetime support at 400V rms operating voltage: safety certified
o 50-year lifetime support at 1130dc operating voltage: functional isolation
o Operation up to 125ºC
• 4A peak current drive

Pricing and Availability
Product Sample Availability Production Availability Unit Price (1,000 units) Package
ADuM3223 In Stock In Stock $1.57 16-lead SOIC_N
ADuM4223 In Stock In Stock $1.88 16-lead SOIC_W
ADuM3223/
4223 Evaluation Board In Stock In Stock $40.00 -

iCoupler Technology Overview
ADI's proven iCoupler digital isolator technology, the world leader in the digital isolation sector, is characterized by its basis in chip-scale transformers, unlike optocouplers which use LEDs and photodiodes. Transformers support higher data speeds than LEDs and photodiodes, consume less power, and offer superior reliability throughout the operating lifetime. Because transformers are fabricated directly on the chip through wafer-level processing, iCoupler digital isolation solution channels can be integrated with each other as well as with other semiconductor functions at low cost. The iCoupler digital isolator transformer features a planar structure formed through CMOS and gold metal layers.

Beneath the gold layer lies a thick polyimide layer with high breakdown voltage, which isolates the upper and lower transformer coils to implement the most reliable and superior digital isolation performance in the industry. CMOS circuitry connected to the upper and lower coils interfaces between each transformer and its corresponding external signal. To date, more than 500 million channels of ADI's iCoupler digital isolator technology have been deployed, designed into hundreds of applications, and this number continues to grow.

• View product pages, download datasheets, and order samples: http://www.analog.com/ADuM3223; http://www.analog.com/ADuM4223
• Learn more about ADI's gate drivers: http://www.analog.com/isolatedgatedrivers
• Discuss Analog Devices' interface and products and view FAQs on EngineerZone™, our online technical support community: http://ez.analog.com/community/interface-isolation
• Watch video on isolated gate drivers with iCoupler technology: http://videos.analog.com/video/products/interface/1555221460001/ADuM3223--4223-Isolated--Gate-Drivers-with-iCoupler-Technology/