Infineon Technologies Introduces Advanced 160 V 2-Channel Gate Drivers to Boost Motor Control in Battery-Operated Applications

Infineon Technologies AG has taken a significant step in enhancing automotive and industrial motor control with the expansion of its MOTIX™ family. The introduction of four new 160 V 2-channel gate driver ICs - 2ED2742S01G, 2ED2732S01G, 2ED2748S01G, and 2ED2738S01G - is poised to revolutionize the realm of battery-powered applications, including cordless power tools, multicopters, drones, and light electric vehicles with batteries up to 120 V.

Central to these new offerings is Infineon's Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology. This innovative approach eliminates the parasitic thyristor structure, which is a breakthrough in enhancing the robustness of the gate drivers and providing exceptional immunity to negative transient voltages. The compact design of these devices, housed in a 3 x 3 mm² VSON10 package, is not just space-efficient but also comes with integrated monolithic bootstrap diodes. This integration significantly reduces system-level Bill of Materials (BOM) costs, a critical factor in large-scale industrial and automotive applications.

The four models cater to varying power needs, with the 2ED2732S01G and the 2ED2742S01G delivering a source current of 1 A and a sink current of 2 A, while the 2ED2738S01G and the 2ED2748S01G offer a source current of 4 A and a sink current of 8 A. This flexibility in current capacities ensures that the gate drivers can be optimized for a wide range of applications. Moreover, all products feature independent undervoltage lockout (UVLO) on both VCC and VB pins, with the half-bridge (HB) products integrating additional shoot-through protection (STP).

Infineon's utilization of SOI technology in these gate drivers underscores the company's commitment to advancing motor control technology. SOI technology, a cornerstone in modern microelectronics, isolates the electronic components with an insulating layer, thereby reducing parasitic capacitance. This is particularly beneficial in high-voltage applications where device stability and efficiency are paramount.

The introduction of these gate driver ICs by Infineon marks a new era in motor control technology for battery-powered devices. With a range of configurations and current capacities, these products are designed to meet diverse needs in the automotive and industrial sectors. The fact that these solutions are fully qualified for industrial applications, in accordance with the relevant JEDEC78/20/22 tests, adds to their reliability and applicability in various fields.

This expansion of the MOTIX™ family by Infineon is set to make a significant impact in the automotive and industrial sectors, particularly in electric mobility and automated industrial processes. The development of more efficient, robust, and cost-effective motor control solutions could pave the way for new innovations and advancements in these areas.