To Float Or Not To Float - Negative Supply Diagnostics For Gate Drivers

This paper presents an architecture for detecting the floating status of the negative power supply pin of gate drivers. The architecture monitors the negative supply voltage and compares it to an internal reference based on a diode voltage drop. This technique compensates the temperature variation of the negative power supply floating voltage. The proposed architecture was implemented as part of a galvanically isolated gate driver in a standard 0.25μ m BCD technology. Simulation and experimental results validate the proper functionality.