Infineon Technologies IGBT Gate Drives with Murata DC-DC Converters

Infineon IGBTs are commonly used in high-power inverter and converter circuits that require significant isolated gate drive power to switch optimally. Murata small isolated DC/DC converters can provide that power. The same considerations apply in principle to gate drives for silicon, silicon carbide, and gallium nitride MOSFETs.

IGBTs are ideal for high-power applications using devices with effective gate capacitances measured in hundreds of nanofarads. The capacitance has to be charged and discharged to turn the IGBT on and off. The circulating current to do so causes significant power dissipation in voltage drops in the gate driver circuit and within the IGBT. DC/DC converters providing gate drive power for IGBTs need specific performance characteristics. The converters must also provide significant advantages over alternative techniques in obtaining optimum IGBT efficiency and security under all start-up, transient, and continuous operating conditions.