Technologies | Gate Drive
Scalable, isolated gate drivers for cost-effective systems
Innovative Gate Driver Solutions
ICERGi has developed state-of-the-art magnetic-coupling technology, enabling precise, fully isolated driving of a wide range of semiconductor devices, including Si and SiC. Our unique patented solution transmits both the control signal and drive power over a single path. This approach reduces the size of magnetic components and eliminates the need for bootstrap diodes or local floating power supplies.
ICERGi’s gate driver technology supports both single and dual floating configurations. The dual floating variants are specifically engineered to drive half-bridge topologies, ensuring complementary switching with built-in interlock protection to prevent shoot-through. All ICERGi drivers offer a compact, low-cost solution with fast propagation delays, precise timing, and galvanic isolation – available with ratings up to 5 kV. Designed for ease of integration, our drivers enable “drop-in” deployment in a wide range of power conversion systems. A performance comparison with leading alternatives is illustrated in the radar chart.
Key Features
- Wide operating range: duty cycle from 0% to 100%, frequency up to 500 kHz
- Low quiescent current consumption < 700 µA
- Fast, precise switching with typical propagation delay < 15 ns
- Dual-driver architecture supports power switches rated up to 600 V / 2 kV
- Compatible with 2.5V to 3.3V digital logic inputs
- Fully isolated floating outputs enable independent high-side and low-side device control
- Supports both planar and standalone transformer designs
Specific Advantages
- No bootstrap components required – operates without external diode or capacitance
- No local power supply required, simplifying isolated gate driver design
- Ultra-low power consumption when idle
- Integrated pull-down safely holds gate low when inactive
- XOR gate drive logic simplifies deadtime control
- Enables efficient layout and manufacturing via easy surface-mount integration
- Minimal control output capacitance – enhances CMTI and noise immunity
ICERGi Gate Driver Concept
At the core of ICERGi’s gate driver are two small transformers. These convert input pulse edges (rising and falling) into isolated drive signals. This method allows precise pulse-width modulation (PWM) to drive power switches. The structure ensures interlocked operation by design, which means that if no input pulses are present, the output will safely revert to a low state.
Applications and Deployment
ICERGi gate drivers can be used to drive:
- Low-side and high-side switches
- Any floating power MOSFETs, such as in multilevel converters
- Complementary switch pairs
- Devices using either traditional PWM or ICERGi’s pulse-drive methods
The gate driver can be used in:
- Switching applications that require level-shifting, high-side, or floating operation
- Controllers for PFC, LLC, or Asymmetric Half-Bridge designs
- Si and SiC MOSFET applications across a wide range of voltages
- Synchronous rectifiers on the secondary side of converters
Transistor Stacking & Voltage Sharing
Stacking low-voltage MOSFETs in series is a proven approach for achieving higher blocking voltage ratings in compact, high-efficiency designs. However, precise voltage sharing between devices is critical – both in steady-state and during fast switching. Uneven switching can overstress devices, reducing lifetime and compromising reliability.
At ICERGi, we ensure robust voltage sharing by combining:
- Precisely matched gate drive signals using isolated, floating outputs
- Component selection strategies that minimize parasitic mismatches
- Careful PCB layout using planar windings and symmetrical structures
Our dual-output driver configuration enables synchronous control of each MOSFET pair by replicating input pulses with nanosecond-level timing accuracy. Each channel is fully isolated and independently reconstructed to minimise skew.
Experimental results confirm that this method delivers matched gate signals with less than 1ns skew, smooth voltage transitions without overshoot or ringing, quiet switching with negligible Miller plateaus, and fast response times with turn-on and turn-off delays under 10ns. This enables MHz-range operation with high efficiency and reliability, making it ideal for compact, high-voltage power conversion systems.
