What is a Gate Driver IC?

A Gate Driver IC is the interface between a low-power controller and a power semiconductor switch. It receives a logic-level command from a microcontroller, DSP, FPGA, or power controller and delivers the voltage and source/sink current needed to turn the switch on and off with controlled timing. The power device may be an IGBT, silicon MOSFET, silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET, or gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT.

In one sentence...

A Gate Driver is a power amplifier, level translator, and timing/protection element for the gate of a power switch.

Why a controller usually cannot drive a power switch directly?

A controller output is designed for logic signaling, not for repeatedly moving the gate charge of a power transistor. Direct drive can cause slow transitions, excessive switching loss, insufficient gate voltage, poor immunity to fast transients, or operation outside the controller pin rating. A Gate Driver supplies the required drive strength while separating control logic from the switching node.

Next step
Learn how a Gate Driver works

Where does the Gate Driver sits in the power-conversion chain?

The simplified path is controller → Gate Driver IC → power switch → load.

The driver does not carry the main load current. It controls the switch that modulates the higher-voltage or higher-current power path, so driver selection directly affects switching loss, electromagnetic interference (EMI), fault behavior, and reliability.

Gate Drivers by topology

Low-side

Switch / channel arrangement : Ground-referenced single or dual switch. One or two ground-referenced channels drive switches whose source or emitter is tied to the local ground or negative rail. This configuration requires only a low voltage offset between the input and output domains. It is ideal for applications requiring simple, robust switching of grounded loads.

Half-bridge

Switch / channel arrangement : Complementary bridge leg. Two channels drive one high-side and one low-side switch as a complementary bridge leg. The high-side channel supports a high voltage offset. Devices may include interlock and/or deadtime to help prevent shoot-through; verify the selected product because these functions are device-dependent.

Full-bridge

Switch / channel arrangement : Four channels in one package, arranged as two independent half bridges. Four outputs control two high-side and two low-side switches, forming two coordinated bridge legs. The load is typically connected between the two switching nodes.

Isolated, single- or dual-channel 

Switch / channel arrangement : Input and output domains separated galvanically. One or two channels transfer gate-control signals across an insulation barrier. The input and output sides have separate electrical references. Isolation may use magnetic, capacitive, optical, or another isolation technology; Infineon isolated Gate Drivers use coreless-transformer technology.

High-side

Switch / channel arrangement : Floating switch referenced to a moving node. A floating output drives a switch whose source follows the switching node. A high-voltage level-shift function supports a large voltage offset between the ground-referenced input and floating output. Implementations may use junction isolation (JI), silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or Coreless transformer (CT) technology.

High-side and low-side driver

Switch / channel arrangement : Two independent, non-interlocked channels. Provides one high-side channel for a high voltage offset and one low-side channel for a ground-referenced switch. The channels are independently controlled rather than inherently complementary. The industry may also group this configuration with half-bridge drivers, so the input logic and interlock behavior should be verified.

Three-phase

Switch / channel arrangement : Six channels in one package, arranged as three independent half bridges. Six outputs control three high-side and three low-side switches, forming the U, V, and W phase legs of a three-phase inverter, enabling reliable operation of three-phase systems.

Transformer driver, bias-supply support 

Switch / channel arrangement : Drives a transformer to create isolated Gate Driver. power. A transformer-driver IC excites an external transformer. The transformer, together with the secondary-side rectification and filtering network, creates isolated bias power for a gate-driver circuit. The external transformer provides galvanic isolation in the bias-power path.

Next step

Browse high-side, low-side, half-bridge, three-phase, and isolated product families.

Explore Gate Driver Sub Families

Gate Drivers by switch

Common selection priorities include adequate gate current, UVLO matched to the bias scheme, isolation where needed, DESAT protection, active Miller clamp, and controlled short-circuit turn-off.

Learn more about IGBT Gate Drivers

Match the supply range, gate voltage, gate charge, switching frequency, topology, and logic interface. Both low-voltage and high-voltage implementations are common.

Learn more about Si MOSFET Gate Drivers

Fast edges and demanding fault behavior make CMTI, isolation, suitable UVLO, bipolar-bias support, DESAT timing, Miller clamp, and controlled turn-off particularly important.

Learn more about SiC MOSFET Gate Drivers

Low gate charge and fast switching require tight gate-voltage control, low inductance, short delay, small packages, robust sink behavior, and careful management of ground bounce and reverse current.

Learn more about GaN HEMT Gate Drivers

Common selection priorities include adequate gate current, UVLO matched to the bias scheme, isolation where needed, DESAT protection, active Miller clamp, and controlled short-circuit turn-off.

Learn more about IGBT Gate Drivers

Match the supply range, gate voltage, gate charge, switching frequency, topology, and logic interface. Both low-voltage and high-voltage implementations are common.

Learn more about Si MOSFET Gate Drivers

Fast edges and demanding fault behavior make CMTI, isolation, suitable UVLO, bipolar-bias support, DESAT timing, Miller clamp, and controlled turn-off particularly important.

Learn more about SiC MOSFET Gate Drivers

Low gate charge and fast switching require tight gate-voltage control, low inductance, short delay, small packages, robust sink behavior, and careful management of ground bounce and reverse current.

Learn more about GaN HEMT Gate Drivers

How to start selecting a Gate Driver?

  • Identify the power-switch technology and recommended turn-on and turn-off voltages. 
  • Define the topology, channel count, and reference for every output
  • Determine whether galvanic isolation is required and identify the applicable insulation standard. 
  • Estimate source and sink current from gate charge and target transition time. 
  • Check voltage class, supply range, propagation delay, delay matching, minimum pulse width, CMTI, UVLO, package, temperature, and qualification. 
  • Add required protection and control features, then verify the design by simulation and hardware testing.
Next step

Filter and compare EiceDRIVER™ ICs by topology, isolation level, output current, voltage, package, protection features and other parameters.

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Frequently asked questions about selecting Gate Driver ICs

What does a Gate Driver IC do?

It converts a controller’s logic command into the voltage and source/sink current needed to charge and discharge a power-switch gate with controlled timing.

A small, slow, low-charge MOSFET may sometimes be driven directly, but power-conversion designs normally use a dedicated driver for adequate gate voltage, peak current, switching speed, noise immunity, and protection. 

MOSFET driver is a common name for a gate driver intended for MOSFETs. Gate driver is the broader term and also covers IGBT, SiC MOSFET, and GaN HEMT drive solutions. 

It transfers the control signal across a galvanic isolation barrier and drives the power switch from an isolated output-side supply.  

A low-side driver controls a ground-referenced switch. A high-side driver controls a switch whose source or emitter moves with a floating switching node. 

Yes. A half-bridge gate driver can integrate one high-side and one low-side channel and may include timing, interlock, bootstrap, UVLO, or fault functions. 

They need drivers that match their gate-voltage, speed, layout, CMTI, and protection requirements. Some drivers support multiple switch types, but suitability must be verified against both datasheets. 

Use the switch's gate-charge data and target transition time as a starting point, then include external and internal gate resistance, Miller-plateau behavior, loss, EMI, and thermal limits.  

No. They normally generate an isolated bias supply used by gate-driver circuits; the gate driver still applies the command to the switch gate.