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Using the wrong IDRIVE setting can damage your FET or DRV as it often causes excessive ringing and/or cross-conduction when the Gates are slammed on or off too strongly. This document discusses the methods and some Do's and Don'ts
DO:
DON'T
Configuring IDRIVE for an exact FET part number is essential to the well tuned operation of the system. This tuning balances Thermal performance with Device performance while ensuring longevity of your DRV and FETs. To best select IDRIVE settings, please follow the following steps:
Use the following equation to calculate the needed IDRIVE current in mA (rise and fall use the same equation):
Concerning multiple FETs in parallel: When more than one FET is used per gate output (2/3/4/etc. FET in parallel, often used to reduce current handling per FET for the same phase or to reduce effective RDSON) this equation needs to take into account the TOTAL Qgd represented by all FETs on the gate output of note. If excessive gate ringing cannot be avoided through IDRIVE adjustment, the FET-to-FET parasitic mismatch may be too much and series gate resistors of up to 20 ohm can be used to smooth gate signals. IDRIVE will need to be higher if gate resistors are added.
Summary: The goal of the correct IDRIVE setting is to allow fast switching of the FET so that the resistive region of the FET is limited while also preventing ringing of the switch node and gate signals. Driving the gates too hard can damage the FET, DRV, or cause excess ringing and noise in the system. If this IDRIVE setting is too low and not fully enhancing the FET, the FET and DRV may undergo unnecessary heating. To resolve this, the IDRIVE can be increased one or two settings higher until better enhancement is reached but not so much that ringing is caused.
Further Reading and Source: http://www.ti.com/lit/an/slva714c/slva714c.pdf
Regards,
-Adam