Texas Instruments Releases Family of Ultra-Small Gate Drivers (and Accompanying Power FETs)

Texas Instruments recently introduced two new device families: the DRV832x brushless DC (BLDC) gate drivers and CSD88584/99 NexFET Power Blocks. This News Brief goes over each family and then why TI intends for them to be used together for motor module design.

With a focus on keeping designs small, TI has released two a family of gate drivers and a family of power blocks intended to work in tandem.

DRV832x Brushless DC Gate Drivers

The DRV832x brushless DC gate drivers are designed to take up less space in a design, replacing up to 24 components traditionally needed for current gate driver design. Designers have the ability to adjust the field-effect transistor switching to account for power loss and electromagnetic compliance.
Each device option is available in a hardware or serial interface and comes in quad flat no-lead (QFN) packaging. The DRV832x gate driver's passive component integration minimizes board traces.

The two new families are meant to be used together to create more power motors for small power tools and drones. Image courtesy of TI.

CSD88584/99 NexFET Powers Blocks

The CSD88584Q5DC and CSD88599Q5DC power blocks use two FETs in a stacked-die configuration that doubles the power density and minimizes the FET resistance and parasitic inductance that can give designers problems in side-by-side FET configurations. Their enhanced packaging provides a decrease in thermal impedance.
The CSD88584/99 power blocks come in small outline, no-lead (SON) packaging with 40- or 60-V breakdown voltage (BVDSS) choices.

Two Device Families Meant to Be Used Together

The two products are meant to be used together to assist in designing integrated motor modules, such as the ones in drones or power tools. Utilizing a CSD88584/99 and DRV832x device together in a design can provide:

• A peak current of up to 160A for more than 1 second
• Shorter trace lengths while preventing unintended FET turn-on, while also providing undervoltage, overcurrent, and thermal protection
• A smaller footprint (e.g., 700 W of motor power without the need for a heat sink)​

For users interested in exploring how the two families work together in designs, TI has provided a reference design here. Or explore other motor drives reference designs here.