A modular gate drive circuit for insulated gate bipolar transistors

A novel gate drive circuit for insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) is presented which provides high-speed switching with attention to dV/dt requirements. It also provides pulse-by-pulse overcurrent protection through on-state voltage monitoring while sending out a fault signal to the control circuit. It also incorporates a backup overcurrent protection with shutdown and a trip signal feedback to the control circuit. It provides self-isolation in the event of IGBT destruction, possible self-derived power supply from the IGBT power terminal voltage, and direct mounting (including electrical contacts) in the form of a PCB onto an ISOTOP package IGBT, all resulting in a reliable and modular construction, easy for maintenance. Oscillograms from an experimental chopper circuit using a prototype drive circuit are presented.<>