Minimizing stray or parasitic gate loop inductance
is key to optimizing gate drive switching performance, whether series gate
inductance resonates with MOSFET gate capacitance or common source inductance
(common to gate and power loops) provides a negative feedback component opposing the
gate drive command, thereby increasing MOSFET switching times. The following loops
are important:
- Loop 3: high-side MOSFET,
QH. During the high-side MOSFET turn-on, high current flows
from the bootstrap capacitor through the gate driver and high-side MOSFET,
and back to the negative terminal of the boot capacitor through the SW
connection. Conversely, to turn off the high-side MOSFET, high current flows
from the gate of the high-side MOSFET through the gate driver and SW, and
back to the source of the high-side MOSFET through the SW trace.
- Loop 4: low-side MOSFET,
QL. During the low-side MOSFET turn-on, high current flows
from the VCC decoupling capacitor through the gate driver and low-side
MOSFET, and back to the negative terminal of the capacitor through ground.
Conversely, to turn off the low-side MOSFET, high current flows from the
gate of the low-side MOSFET through the gate driver and GND, and back to the
source of the low-side MOSFET through ground.
TI recommends following circuit layout guidelines
when designing with high-speed MOSFET gate drive circuits.
- Connections from gate driver
outputs, HO and LO, to the respective gates of the high-side or low-side
MOSFETs must be as short as possible to reduce series parasitic inductance.
Be aware that peak gate drive currents can be as high as a few amperes. Use
0.65mm (25mils) or wider traces. Use via or vias, if necessary, of at least
0.mm (20 mils) diameter along these traces. Route HO and SW traces as a
differential pair from the device to the high-side MOSFET, taking advantage
of flux cancellation. Also, route LO trace and PGND trace/copper area as a
differential pair from the device to the low-side MOSFET, taking advantage
of flux cancellation.
- Locate the bootstrap
capacitor, CCBOOT, close to the CBOOT and SW pins of the device
to minimize the area of loop 3 associated with the high-side driver.
Similarly, locate the VCC capacitor, CVCC, close to the VCC and
PGND pins of the device to minimize the area of loop 4 associated with the
low-side driver.