Skyworks Solutions has unveiled the Si829x isolated safety gate driver for EV traction inverters across SiC and IGBT platforms. Production is planned for July 2026.

The ProVCD is Skyworks’ second-generation variable current drive. Conventional isolated gate drivers use voltage-mode control—the output voltage is set, and fixed resistors determine the gate current. ProVCD instead controls gate current directly, cycle by cycle, through a digital interface, shaping the turn-on and turn-off waveform with higher resolution than voltage-mode approaches allow. The result is 15 A of 3-phase gate current control with up to 44% reduction in switching losses compared to voltage-mode operation. Lower switching losses translate directly into higher inverter efficiency and reduced thermal load—meaning smaller heat sinks or the ability to run harder within the same thermal envelope.

Skyworks says the Si829x includes a VPOS regulator that generates the negative gate bias voltage needed for reliable SiC MOSFET turn-off, eliminating an external negative supply rail that’s typically required in SiC inverter designs. The device is developed to ISO 26262 functional safety standards and is rated for use in systems up to ASIL D, with integrated diagnostic fault coverage, power-up self-checks and safe-state enforcement built in.

Gate drive parameters are software-configurable rather than fixed by hardware components, the same Si829x design can be reused across multiple vehicle platforms and tuned for different power semiconductor types—SiC or IGBT—without a hardware spin. Skyworks says this is a path to faster development cycles and lower system cost across high-volume programs.

“The Si829x introduces a new class of gate driver technology that can enable all of these,” said Mario Battello, VP of Product Line Management at Skyworks. “By allowing customers to standardize inverter designs across multiple platforms while optimizing performance through software, we believe this solution can help optimize EV drivetrains and improve system-level economics.”

Source: Skyworks Solutions