Gate Driver

Behavioral model of gate driver integrated circuit

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Libraries:
Simscape / Electrical / Semiconductors & Converters

Description

The Gate Driver block provides an abstracted representation of a gate driver integrated circuit. The block models input hysteresis, propagation delay, and turn-on/turn-off dynamics. Unless modeling a gate driver circuit explicitly, always use this block or the Half-Bridge Driver block to set gate-source voltage on a MOSFET block or gate-emitter voltage on an IGBT block. Do not connect a controlled voltage source directly to a semiconductor gate, because this omits the gate driver output impedance that determines switching dynamics.

You can model electrical or physical signal input ports by setting the Modeling option parameter to either:

• PS input — The driver output state is controlled by a physical signal input u. Use this modeling option if all of your controller, including PWM waveform generation, is determined by Simulink^® blocks. This modeling option is the default.

• Electrical input ports — The driver output state is controlled by two electrical input connections, PWM and REF. Use this option if your model has upstream analog components, such as the Controlled PWM Voltage source.

When the input rises above the logic 1 input level, the transition of the output state from off to on is initiated after a delay equal to the turn-on propagation delay. The demanded output voltage across the G and S ports steps in value from the off-state output voltage to the on-state output voltage, but the actual output voltage is set by the RC time constant associated with the On-state gate drive resistance value and the total load capacitance. Similarly, when the input falls below the logic 0 input value, the transition of the output state from on to off is initiated after a delay equal to the turn-off propagation delay and with dynamics now set by the Off-state gate drive resistance value.

Faults

To model a fault in the Gate Driver block, in the Faults section, click the Add fault hyperlink next to the fault that you want to model. In the Add Fault window, specify the fault properties. For more information about fault modeling, see Fault Behavior Modeling and Fault Triggering.

You can insert a fault into the output of the gate driver at a specified simulation time, to make the connected semiconductor device either permanently off or permanently on. Use this feature to represent a failed semiconductor device as failed at open-circuit or at normal on-state conditions.

Examples

HEV PMSM Drive Test Harness

A test harness for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) drive sized for use in a typical hybrid vehicle. The test harness can be used to determine overall drive losses when operating at a given speed and torque. Tabulated losses information from this test harness can then be used by the Simscape™ Electrical™ Motor & Drive (System Level) block for rapid simulation of complete drive cycles whilst still accurately predicting overall system efficiency.

• Open Model

IGBT Dynamic Characteristics

How the dynamic characteristics of an IGBT depend on its parameters. A prerequisite to matching dynamic characteristics to datasheet values or measured data is to set the parameters defining the static I-V curve. For this, see the 'IGBT Characteristics' example, IGBTCharacteristics. With static parameters correctly set, the dynamic parameters can then be set as follows:

• Open Model

Parameterize Gate Driver from SPICE Netlist

Parameterize the Simscape Electrical Gate Driver block from a manufacturer netlist using LTspice.

• Since R2023b
• Open Live Script

Ports

Input

u — Control signal, unitless

physical signal

Input physical signal that specifies the input control value.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to PS input.

Conserving

PWM — Pulse-width modulated signal

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the pulse-width modulated signal.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to Electrical input ports.

REF — Floating zero volt reference

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the floating zero volt reference.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to Electrical input ports.

G — Gate connection

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the gate. Connect this port to the gate of a MOSFET or IGBT block.

S — Source or emitter connection

electrical

Electrical conserving port associated with the source or emitter. Connect this port to the source of a MOSFET block or the emitter of an IGBT block.

Parameters

Modeling option — Whether to model electrical or physical signal input ports

PS input (default) | Electrical input ports

Whether to model physical signal or electrical input ports.

Input Logic

Logic 1 input value — Signal value for logic 1

0.7 (default)

Value of the input signal corresponding to the logic 1 level.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to PS input.

Logic 0 input value — Signal value for logic 0

0.3 (default)

Value of the input signal corresponding to the logic 0 level.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to PS input.

Logic 1 input voltage — Voltage value for logic 1

2.0 V (default)

Value of the input voltage corresponding to the logic 1 level.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to Electrical input ports.

Logic 0 input voltage — Voltage value for logic 0

0.8 V (default)

Value of the input voltage corresponding to the logic 0 level.

Dependencies

To enable this port, set Modeling option to Electrical input ports.

Outputs

On-state gate-source voltage — Demanded output voltage for on state

15 V (default)

Demanded output voltage when the driver is in on state.

Off-state gate-source voltage — Demanded output voltage for off state

0 V (default)

Demanded output voltage when the driver is in off state.

Timing

Propagation delay (logic 0->logic 1) — Turn-on propagation delay

50 ns (default)

When the input rises above the logic 1 input level, the transition of the output state from off to on is initiated after a delay equal to the turn-on propagation delay.

Propagation delay (logic 1->logic 0) — Turn-off propagation delay

50 ns (default)

When the input falls below the logic 0 input value, the transition of the output state from on to off is initiated after a delay equal to the turn-off propagation delay.

Dynamics

Parameterization — Select driver parameterization

Output impedance (default) | Rise and fall times

Select the type of driver parameterization:

• Output impedance — Specify on-state and off-state gate drive resistances.

• Rise and fall times — Specify rise time, fall time, and load capacitance.

On-state gate drive resistance — Gate drive resistance for on state

2 Ω (default)

Gate drive resistance when the driver is in on state.

Dependencies

Enabled when the Parameterization parameter is set to Output impedance.

Off-state gate drive resistance — Gate drive resistance for off state

2 Ω (default)

Gate drive resistance when the driver is in off state.

Dependencies

Enabled when the Parameterization parameter is set to Output impedance.

Rise time — Driver rise time

20 ns (default)

Driver rise time from 10% to 90%.

Dependencies

Enabled when the Parameterization parameter is set to Rise and fall times.

Fall time — Driver fall time

20 ns (default)

Driver fall time from 90% to 10%.

Dependencies

Enabled when the Parameterization parameter is set to Rise and fall times.

Load capacitance for rise and fall times — Driver load capacitance

10 nF (default)

Driver load capacitance.

Dependencies

Enabled when the Parameterization parameter is set to Rise and fall times.

Faults

State fault — Option to model faulty state in gate driver

Add fault (default)

Option to model a faulty state in the Gate Driver block.

To add a fault, click the Add fault hyperlink.

Failure mode — State of driver after failure

Fail off (default) | Fail on

Select whether the driver fails by making the connected semiconductor device permanently turned off or on.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, add a fault to the Gate Driver block by clicking the Add fault hyperlink in the State fault parameter.

After you create the fault, you can change the properties in the Fault Inspector window. When you open a block that has a fault, the Open Fault Inspector hyperlink appears instead of the Add fault hyperlink. For an example that shows how to include faults, see Analyze a DC Armature Winding Fault.

Trigger fault at time — Time before entering faulted state

0 s (default) | nonnegative scalar

Simulation time at which the block enters the faulted state.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, in the Fault Inspector window, set Trigger Type to Timed.

This parameter appears in the Trigger section of the Fault Inspector window. For more information, see Set Fault Triggers.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2017b