Powering a range of Microchip’s dsPIC DSCs and PIC MCUs, the MCP8025 and MCP8026 devices drive MOSFETs, sense current, prevent short circuits, output zero crosses, control dead time and blanking time and monitor for fault conditions such as over/under-voltage, over-temperature and other thermal warnings. Operating over a temperature range from -40 to +150°C, the motor gate drivers are particularly suited for automotive designs that operate under the hood, such as pumps and HVAC blowers, or need to reduce key-off power consumption.
The highly integrated BLDC motor drivers reduce the resources needed from the MCU or DSC used for control. This lowers component count and overall BOM costs while providing maximum design flexibility. Microchip has claimed that the device’s adjustable buck regulator is among the industry’s most efficient for stepping down from 12V supplies to power 3 and 5V MCUs.
Microchip also offers the MCP8025 TQFP BLDC Motor Driver Evaluation Board (ADM00600) for $149.99. Supplied in 40-pin 5x5mm QFN and 48-pin 7x7mm TQFP packages, the MCP8025 and MCP8026 three-phase BLDC motor gate drivers are available now for sampling and in production quantities.