1.2 kV SOI level-shift gate driver with Miller clamp and short circuit clamp to drive SiC MOSFETs

SiC MOSFETs feature a remarkable intrinsic diode reverse recovery behavior that makes them beneficial for power inverter applications such as commercial air conditioners (CACs), heat pumps, and fans. Cost-effective, level-shift, high voltage gate driver ICs (HVICs) are not popular for driving SiC MOSFETs in these applications due to their limited capability for negative voltage transient safe operation. This paper describes the two main failure modes of the level-shift HVICs caused by the negative voltage transient, and introduces a new silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based 1.2 kV half-bridge, level-shift HVIC. Superior robust negative VS node voltage capability, Miller clamp, and short circuit clamp ensure that the 1.2 kV SOI-based, level-shift HVICs can be successfully used in these applications.