Microchip AgileSwitch® 2ASC-12A2HP

This new technology enables electric buses and other e-transportation power systems to meet and exceed stringent environmental conditions while maximizing efficiency. As demand for electric buses and other electrified heavy transport vehicles increases to meet lower emission targets, silicon carbide-based power management solutions are providing greater efficiencies in these transportation systems. To complement its broad portfolio of silicon carbide MOSFET discrete and module products, Microchip announced a new 1200V production-ready SiC digital gate driver, providing system developers with multiple levels of control and protection for safe, reliable operation and qualified to stringent transportation requirements.

For designers of silicon carbide-based power conversion equipment, Microchip’s AgileSwitch® 2ASC-12A2HP 1200V dual-channel, configurable digital gate driver with its Augmented Switching™  technology is production qualified. To ensure reliable, safe operation, the 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver provides multiple levels of control and a higher level of protection for silicon carbide MOSFET-based power systems. When compared to conventional gate drivers, key performance attributes of the AgileSwitch digital gate driver products include the ability to dampen drain-source voltage (Vds) overshoots by up to 80% and slash switching losses by as much as 50%. The 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver can source/sink up to 10A of peak current and includes an isolated DC/DC converter with low capacitance isolation barrier for pulse width modulation signals and fault feedback.

Microchip’s 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver is compatible with the company’s latest release of the Intelligent Configuration Tool (ICT). This interface allows users to quickly configure gate driver parameters including the gate switching profiles, system critical monitors and controller interface settings. The result is a gate driver that is tailored to their applications without having to change hardware, helping to speed development time from evaluation through production and enabling designers to change control parameters during the design process. The ICT, which is a free-of-charge download, can save designers up to six months of development time on new designs.

Development Tools

The AgileSwitch 2ASC-12A2HP digital gate driver is supported by the ICT including starter settings for many commercially-available silicon carbide switches. The gate driver also is supported by a family of module adapter boards to help designers connect to several different footprints, as well as the Microchip’s Augmented Switching Accelerated Development Kits (ASDAK) that include gate drivers, module adapter boards, a programming kit and the ICT software for silicon carbide MOSFET modules.