PCIM 2012, Nuremberg, Germany: Analog Devices says that its two latest isolated half-bridge gate drivers are four times faster than devices based on optocoupler technology. The 4A drivers feature sub-55-ns propagation delay and less than 5ns delay matching. Designed for power supplies, solar inverters, and motor control, the devices have a 50-year operating life.
The ADuM3223 and ADuM4223 meet safety standards for up to 5kV rms reinforced isolation and provide 700-VPEAK galvanic isolation between the drivers’ high-side and low-side outputs. This will minimise the potential for cross-conduction as well as improve reliability for a wide range of bus voltages) and equipment safety.
With two independent isolation channels, the gate drivers operate with an input supply range from 3.3V to 5.5V, which suits them for lower-voltage systems. Each output may be continuously operated up to 400V rms relative to the input.
Specifically, the ADuM3223 provides 3kV rms isolation in a narrow-body, 16-lead SOIC package, while the ADuM4223 provides 5kV rms reinforced isolation in a wide-body, 16-lead SOIC package.
The devices are based on the company’s iCoupler digital isolator technology, which uses chip-scale transformers to support high data rates, lower power, and longer life than LEDs and photodiodes. By fabricating the transformers directly on-chip using wafer-level processing, iCoupler digital isolation channels can cost-effectively be integrated with each other and other semiconductor functions.