Controlling IGBTs from a microcontroller

[stube40]

Anyone have any suggestions how to drive an IGBT via a microcontroller? I'm trying to drive a STGE200NB60S with an Atmel AVR CPU.

The AVR can run at both 3.3V and 5V and the gate threshold of the IGBT is 3V, so in theory I could just connect up an go. But, i cant help thinking that it can't be that simple, can it?

Also, if anyone has any suggestions where I can source low numbers (<= 5) of the 64-lead TQFP version of the AVR (id AT90CAN128-16AU or AT90CAN128-16AI) then I'd love to hear them - Digikey dont do the TQFP package.

 

[Tahmid]

Hi,

You should use a logic level driver like TC427/TC426/TC428.
If you drive IGBT with 3v, it will turn on but you cannot really drive a load. For full power and efficient drive, your IGBT must be driven at 10-15v. You can achieve this with a TC42x with 15v VCC and it can be directly driven by the AVR as it has logic-level input.

Datasheet of TC42x:

ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/21415C.pdf

Datasheet of STGE200NB60S:

www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/stmicroelectronics/9145.pdf

Hope this helps.
Tahmid.

 

[stube40]

Hi,

You should use a logic level driver like TC427/TC426/TC428.
If you drive IGBT with 3v, it will turn on but you cannot really drive a load. For full power and efficient drive, your IGBT must be driven at 10-15v. You can achieve this with a TC42x with 15v VCC and it can be directly driven by the AVR as it has logic-level input.

Datasheet of TC42x:

ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/21415C.pdf

Datasheet of STGE200NB60S:

www.datasheetcatalog.org/datasheet/stmicroelectronics/9145.pdf

Hope this helps.
Tahmid.

Wow!! Thanks for your mega-quick reply. I didn't think for a second that it could be that easy. So all I need is 2x TC427 (drive 4x IGBTs in total) and that's all - magnificent!

You've made my day.