Renesas introduces grid drive ics for IGBTs and SiC MosFeTs for EV inverters

     Renesas Electronics announced the launch of a new grid-driven IC, the RAJ2930004AGM, for high voltage power devices such as IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors) and SiC (silicon carbide) mosFets for electric vehicle (EV) inverters.As an important part of the electric vehicle inverter, the grid drive IC provides the interface between the inverter control MCU, and the IGBT and SiC mosFETs that supply power to the inverter. They receive control signals from the MCU in the low-voltage domain and transmit these signals to the high-voltage domain to quickly turn on and off power devices. In order to adapt to the higher voltage of electric vehicle battery, the RAJ2930004AGM has a built-in 3.75kVrms (kV root mean square) isolator, which is higher than the 2.5kVrms isolator of the previous generation, and can support power devices up to 1200V.

     In addition, the new driver IC has CMTI (common-mode transient immunity) performance of 150V/ns (nanosecond) or higher, providing reliable communication and enhanced noise resistance while meeting the high voltage and fast switching speeds required for inverter systems. The new product implements the basic functions of a grid driver in a small SOIC16 package, making it an ideal choice for low-cost frequency converter systems.

     The RAJ2930004AGM can be used with Renesas IGBT products and IGBT and SiC MOSFET devices from other manufacturers. In addition to traction inverters, the grid driver IC is ideal for applications that use power semiconductors, such as on-board chargers and DC/DC converters. To help developers get their products to market quickly, Renesas has introduced its xEV Inverter Suite solution, which combines gate drive ics with MCU, IGBT and power management ics, and plans to release a version containing the new gate drive IC in the first half of 2023.

     "Renesas is pleased to introduce the second generation grid drive IC with high isolation voltage and superior CMTI performance for in-vehicle applications," said Dan Zhao, Vice President, Automotive Analog Applications Specific Business Unit, Renesas Electronics. We will continue to drive the development of applications for electric vehicles to build solutions that reduce power loss and meet the high level of functional security of our customers' systems."