Smart Gate Drive Optocouplers

Broadcom's smart gate drive optocouplers ACPL-352J, ACPL-339J, ACPL-302J, and ACPL-337J offer integrated IGBT protection and FAULT feedback. Gate drive optocouplers are widely used to provide reinforced insulation and to deliver high gate voltage and current to drive power switches like IGBT or power MOSFET. Due to their simplicity, designers often have to add the following external discrete components to complete the drive and protection of the power switches:

• LED driver for transmitting PWM signal
• DC/DC controller for isolated secondary power supply
• Buffer stage to amplify the current
• Protection to detect FAULT in the IGBT
• Miller clamp to prevent false input
• Isolated feedbacks to the controller

Broadcom smart gate driver optocouplers integrate all these discrete functions into a single component to reduce discrete component count, PCB space, costs, and design cycle time. The smart gate driver optocouplers help to protect the expensive IGBT from a short circuit or overcurrent, false output, and damaging high-voltage transients. This improves the reliability of expensive power switches and reduces system failures and operating costs.