---

STMicroelectronics has announced two half-bridge GaN gate drivers designed for high-speed switching in power conversion and motion-control systems. The devices aim to support more compact and efficient designs by integrating key control and protection functions within a single package.

For eeNews Europe readers working on industrial drives or power stages, the announcement reflects a broader shift towards tighter integration around wide bandgap devices, where control accuracy and protection are increasingly critical.

Integrated control and protection for GaN switching

The STDRIVEG212 and STDRIVEG612 are designed to drive enhancement-mode GaN HEMTs with regulated 5V gate signals. They support high-side operation up to 220V and 600V, respectively, targeting applications such as motor drives and high-frequency converters.

Both devices integrate high-side and low-side LDO regulators, a bootstrap diode, and protection features including under-voltage lock-out. An embedded comparator disables both switches in the event of overcurrent, while a SmartSD shutdown mechanism keeps the system off long enough to manage thermal stress. A fault pin consolidates reporting for overcurrent, overtemperature, and UVLO events.

An internal fast-startup regulator stabilises the gate drive supply, helping maintain consistent switching behaviour, which can be important in fast transient conditions typical of GaN-based designs.

Performance tuning for high-speed applications

The GaN gate drivers are engineered to support fast switching, with a propagation delay of 50ns and closely matched timing between high-side and low-side channels. Combined with ±200V/ns dV/dt immunity and a high-side startup time of 5µs, this can enable higher switching frequencies and potentially faster motor speeds.

The output stage allows designers to independently tune turn-on and turn-off impedance. This approach helps control switching transients without requiring additional external components such as turn-off diodes, which may reduce bill of materials and simplify layout. Separate sink and source paths, with up to 1.8A sink and 0.8A source capability, further support switching optimisation.

The devices also include 20V-tolerant logic inputs and a dedicated shutdown pin for low-power standby operation. Packaged in a 4mm × 5mm QFN, they are rated for operation from -40°C to 125°C and are available alongside an evaluation board supporting both variants.

---

---