Analysis and design of DC-isolated gate drivers

A circuit for operating high-side MOSFET transistors using a ground-referred low-side driver is proposed and investigated analytically and experimentally. The circuit is implemented solely with low-cost non-inductive passive components. The targeted application is for cases in which the source of the floating transistors (N or P type) can be connected to DC buses. Design guidelines are introduced, including design considerations that were developed and verified experimentally. The inexpensive implementation is shown to introduce negligibly small losses, making it energy-efficient and cost-effective, surpassing existing flotation solutions since neither active nor inductive devices are needed.