SOI-based integrated circuits for high-temperature power electronics applications

The growing demand for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) has increased the need for high-temperature electronics that can operate at the extreme temperatures that exist under the hood. This paper presents a high-voltage, high-temperature SOI-based gate driver for SiC FET switches. The gate driver is designed and implemented on a 0.8-micron BCD on SOI process. This gate driver chip is intended to drive SiC power FETs for DC-DC converters and traction drives in HEVs. To this end, the gate driver IC has been successfully tested up to 200 degrees C. Successful operation of the circuit at this temperature with minimal or no heat sink, and without liquid cooling, will help to achieve higher power-to-volume as well as power-to-weight ratios for the power electronics modules in HEVs.