Sample shipments start today, with mass production scheduled to start in 2018. The IC will be showcased at “TECHNO-FRONTIER 2016” to be held from 20 to 22 April at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.

Inverter control is used to drive the motors of electric and hybrid vehicles efficiently. As the control and drive functions have different operating voltages, they must be isolated from each other, which is secured with a device like a photocoupler. This solution results in loud noise from the drive circuit. Another concern is that efficient IGBT driving requires small, versatile, high performance IGBT gate pre-driver ICs with built-in protective functions.

Toshiba "TB9150FNG" integrates a photocoupler that secures high-level isolation characteristic between control (the primary side) and drive (the secondary side). It incorporates a highly-precise IGBT temperature detection function, a flyback transformer controller and a short circuit detection function (current sense and DESAT monitor) that all contribute to system downsizing.

Performance can be optimized by monitoring the IGBT’s operating temperature with the high accuracy IGBT temperature detection function, contributing both to downsizing of the IGBT and improved fuel consumption by electric and hybrid vehicles.