27 April 2011

CISSOID releases THEMIS-ATLAS power driver evaluation kit; chipset for SiC switches selected by FUPET consortium

Fabless high-temperature semiconductor firm CISSOID of Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium has released an Evaluation Kit for THEMIS and ATLAS, a power transistor driver chipset specifically designed for motor drives and power converters for applications such as aerospace, renewable energies and electric & hybrid vehicles. The Japanese R&D consortium for Future Power Electronics Technology (FUPET), which involves 22 firms (including Nissan Motor, Fuji Electric and Sanken Electric) and three academic sectors in these areas, has selected THEMIS-ATLAS for its developments around silicon carbide (SiC) and power conversion.

CHT-THEMIS and CHT-ATLAS integrated circuits are designed to drive SiC MOSFETs and JFETs as well as silicon IGBTs and MOSFETs and gallium nitride (GaN) power switches. CISSOID’s new chipset can be used either in applications operating in a hot environment or in systems that will see an increase in the junction temperature due to the power density in the power stage. THEMIS and ATLAS can also be used in lower-temperature applications to achieve a dramatic increase in the lifetime (more than an order of magnitude gain compared to traditional solutions, it is reckoned).

CISSOID says that, with the new chipset, aeronautic applications such as EMA- and EHA-type actuators for X-by-wire, as well as solar inverters, can now reach more than 25 years of lifetime expectancy at 125°C.

CHT-THEMIS and CHT-ATLAS are available in ceramic package forms, guaranteed for operation from –55°C up to +225°C. The Evaluation Board implements one CHT-THEMIS IC and one CHT-ATLAS IC, respectively the controller and the push–pull driver stages of the power transistors. Current output is controllable through two distinct channels capable of sourcing/sinking up to 4A total to the gate of the power transistor. Depending on the type of power transistor that the user implements, this typically translates into a total current capability of up to 150A in the power stage. A complete set of built-in protection features, such as under-voltage lockout, de-saturation detection, soft-shutdown and active Miller clamping are included.

The Evaluation Board is built from a 200°C polyimide PCB, and is populated with CHT-THEMIS and CHT-ATLAS ICs in ceramic packages guaranteed for –55°C up to +225C. It hence supports short excursions to 200–225°C for testing. The Evaluation Kit includes the Evaluation Board, the complete electrical schematic, the Gerber files, the bill of materials and an Application Note.

The Evaluation Kit THEMIS-ATLAS (EVK-TIT9036) is priced at €2850. The ICs CHT-THEMIS and CHT-ATLAS are available for sampling and evaluation. Pricing starts at €532.53/chipset up to 200 units in CSOIC ceramic package. The chipset is also available in plastic SOIC package (as CMT-THEMIS and CMT-ATLAS) for maximum temperature of 175°C.

See related items:

CISSOID launches high-voltage 225°C SiC power switch with logic-level gate control

Tags: CISSOID SiC switches SiC

Visit: www.cissoid.com