The result: fast switching with a minimum gate input pulse width of 1.25 ns that contributes to smaller, more energy-efficient, and higher-performance applications.
In recent years, improved energy conversion efficiency and smaller power supplies in server systems have become crucial factors as the number of IoT devices increases. This necessitates further advancements in the power device sector. Simultaneously, LiDAR, used not only for autonomous driving but also for monitoring industrial equipment and social infrastructure, requires high-speed pulsed laser light to further enhance recognition accuracy.
Since these applications require high-speed switching devices, ROHM has developed a very high-speed gate driver IC that maximizes GaN performance, coinciding with the release of GaN devices. ROHM will continue to release smaller WLCSP products to enable further miniaturization.
Because GaN devices are sensitive to gate input overvoltage, ROHM has developed a unique method for suppressing gate voltage overshoots and implemented it in this driver. Furthermore, the optimal GaN device can be selected by adjusting the gate resistance according to the application requirements. ROHM also offers a range of GaN devices under the EcoGaN™ brand, contributing to a sustainable society through energy solutions when combined with gate driver ICs that maximize their performance. The BD2311NVX-LB gate driver with its unique gate overvoltage suppression feature—when used with ROHM EcoGaN™ products—further simplifies design and improves application reliability.
Professor Yue-Ming Hsin, Department of Electrical Engineering, National Central University (Taiwan), said,
“We expect GaN devices to be materials that can demonstrate high-frequency performance superior to silicon. In power switching applications, such as DC-DC and AC-DC converters, and in LiDAR applications, the performance of GaN devices can contribute to smaller, more energy-efficient, and higher-performing applications.
On the other hand, to demonstrate the performance of GaN devices, gate driver ICs that enable high-speed switching while considering the low drive voltage of GaN HEMTs are essential. Therefore, we focused our attention on ROHM, which aims to maximize the performance of GaN devices by developing optimized gate drive technologies.” Professor Yu-Chen Liu (National Taipei University of Technology) and Professor Chin Hsia (Chang Gung University), collaborating on the same project, tested ROHM's gate driver IC, the BD2311NVX.
The results showed that the BD2311NVX had a shorter rise time and less transient oscillation at the 1 MHz switching frequency for buck and boost converters compared to other gate driver ICs.
The reduced rise time of this gate driver IC will help maximize the reduction in switching losses, which is an advantage of GaN. We also look forward to ROHM's GaN solutions, which have very interesting aspects regarding analog technologies in power supplies and controllers.
Example of a LiDAR application
Product range
Application examples
• LiDAR excitation circuits (e.g., industrial equipment, infrastructure monitoring)
• DC-DC converter circuits in data centers and base stations, etc.
• Wireless charging for portable devices
• Class D audio amplifiers and more
Reference designs
for LiDAR incorporating these new products, along with ROHM's high-power 150V EcoGaN™ laser diodes, are now available on the ROHM website.
These designs can be used to reduce the development workload.
Reference design part number:
REFLD002-1 (square wave circuit),
REFLD002-2 (resonant circuit)
