Designers can speed timetomarketfor their on-board charger application with key technologies from one supplier, includingthe control, gate drive and power stage

The market for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in HybridElectric Vehicles (PHEVs) continues to grow as the push towardsdecarbonization requires sustainable solutions to reduce emissions. A critical application for EVs is the on-board charger, which converts AC power into DC powerto recharge the vehicle’s high-voltage battery. Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) today announces anOn-Board Charger (OBC) solutionthat uses a selection of itsautomotive-qualifieddigital, analog, connectivity and power devices,including the dsPIC33C Digital Signal Controller (DSC), the MCP14C1 isolated SiCgate driver and mSiC™ MOSFETs in anindustry-standard D2PAK-7L XL package.

This solution is designed toincreasean OBC system’s efficiency and reliability by leveraging thedsPIC33 DSC’s advanced control functions,the MCP14C1 gate driver’s high-voltage reinforced isolation with robust noise immunity and the mSiC MOSFETs’reduced switching losses and improved thermal management capabilities.To further simplify the supply chain for customers, Microchip provides the key technologies that support the other functions of an OBC, including communication interfaces, security, sensors, memory and timing.

To accelerate system development and testing, Microchip offers a flexible programmable solution with ready-to-use software modules for Power Factor Correction (PFC), DC-DC conversion, communication and diagnostic algorithms. The software modules in the dsPIC33 DSC are designed to optimize performance, efficiency and reliability, while offering flexibility for customization and adaptation to specific OEM requirements.

“Microchip established an E-Mobility megatrend team with dedicated resources to support this growing market, so in addition to providing the control, gate drive and power stage for an OBC, we can also provide customers with connectivity, timing, sensors, memory and security solutions,” said Joe Thomsen, corporate vice president of Microchip’s digital signal controller business unit. “As a leading supplier to OEMs and Tier-1s, Microchip offers comprehensive solutions to streamline the development process,including automotive-qualified products, reference designs, software and global technical support.”

Here is an overview of the key components in this OBC solution:

• The dsPIC33CDSC is AEC-Q100 qualified andfeaturesa high-performance DSP core, high-resolution Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) modules and high-speed Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs), making it optimal for power conversion applications. It isfunctional safety ready and supports the AUTOSAR® ecosystem.

• The MCP14C1 isolated SiCgate driver is AEC-Q100 qualified and is offered in SOIC-8 wide-body package supporting reinforced isolation and SOIC-8 narrow-body supporting basic isolation. Compatible with the dsPIC33 DSC,the MCP14C1 is optimized to drive mSiC MOSFETs via Undervoltage Lockout (UVLO) for V_GS = 18V gate drive split output terminals, which simplifies implementation andeliminates the need foran external diode. Galvanic isolation is achievedby leveraging capacitive isolation technology, which results in robust noise immunity and high Common-Mode Transient Immunity (CMTI).

• The mSiC MOSFETin an AEC-Q101-qualified D2PAK-7L XL surface mount package includes five parallelsource sense leadsto reduce switching losses, increase current capability and decrease inductance. This device supports 400V and 800V battery voltages.

Microchip has published awhite paperthat provides more information about how this OBCsolution can optimize a design’s performance and speed up its time to market.

For more information about Microchip’s OBC solutions for EVs, visit Microchip’s website.