Optically Isolated Gate Driver Suits Industrial Applications

Fairchild Semiconductor’s FOD3180 and FOD3181 are the first in a family of high-frequency optically isolated MOSFET gate drivers capable of driving up to 30 A at 1200 V in industrial applications. Exhibiting 200-ns (max) rise/fall times, the devices quickly switch MOSFETs to limit power dissipation. The FOD3180 device features a 2-A peak output current that allows a wide range of MOSFETs to be driven without additional amplification.

Additional reliability features of the FOD3180 and FOD3181 include a 5000-V isolation rating that meets most safety-certification standards, UVLO protection for the MOSFET and coplanar construction that provides fail-safe insulation. These devices also provide a wide (20-V max) operating voltage, while their PMOS pull-up and NMOS pull-down transistors provide a 17-V signal swing. The FOD3180 and FOD3181 are available in 8-pin DIP packaging. Pricing for 1000 pieces is $1.91 for the FOD3180, and $ 1.40 for the FOD3181.