EL SEGUNDO, CA. December 1998 - International Rectifier (IR(), the power expert, now offers an enhanced third generation version (IR2153) of the first generation (IR2155) and second generation (IR2151) 600V self-oscillating half-bridge controller IC products. This very popular product family integrates a "555" type oscillator circuit with the 600V half-bridge gate driver to drive two output FETs or IGBTs. While maintaining functional compatibility, the new design improves electrical specifications, device ruggedness and start-up behavior, and adds a new shutdown mode as well. "The improvements we have made will help simplify existing application circuits and strengthen their robustness, as well as open up new applications," said David Tam, Vice President for Control IC Products at IR. "The 600V rating, simple 8-pin configuration and cost effectiveness of the new IR2153 are ideal for high volume, low cost electronic ballasts, universal input ac-adapters and chargers." Added value benefits include:

Simple and low cost startup from high voltage bus

The IR2153 has a micro-power startup mode that requires only 150uA of quiescent current. Now, only a 1/8W resistor is needed to get proper and noise free startup from the high voltage bus. Normal operation runs off a charge pump supply after the startup sequence.

Repeatable low losses soft switching

Soft switching technique allows the half-bridge power circuit to have nearly loss-less switching while driving inductive or resonant load, as long as self-commutation occurs within the dead-time band. The IR2153 has an accurate and temperature independent dead-time specification to promote repeatable soft switching over wide operating conditions.

Shutdown mode

The IR2153 has a new shutdown mode to turn off both output switches for protection against fault conditions.

Reduced EMI

The IR2153 has a reduced di/dt output buffer stage that is designed to reduce EMI, while maintaining low steady state gate drive impedance to avoid false turn-on from Miller effect.

Ruggedness against latching

The IR2153 has improved latch immunity structures that avoid ESD induced damages and counter parasitic induced latching from transient voltage spikes. The new third generation product family has eight part types. Besides the basic IR2153, the IR2154 reverses the polarity from the oscillator input pin to the gate drive output, which is preferable for certain closed loop control systems. For higher frequency operation to 100-200kHz, such as required by ac-adapter and charger, the IR21531 and IR21541 have 0.6us dead-time specification versus 1.2us in IR2153 and IR2154, which are more widely used in electronic ballast switching at around 20-40kHz. The other four part types, identified by the part number IR215xD, have the same functionality with an additional internal bootstrap diode added to simplify circuit implementation.

Reference Design Kits of electronic ballast designs are available for driving compact fluorescent lamp (IRPLCFL1) and for driving 2*T8 linear tubes (IRPLLNR1).