STMicroelectronics Launches STGAP3S Isolated Gate Driver Family for SiC and IGBT Power Designs

What STMicroelectronics' New STGAP3S Gate-Driver Family Actually Adds

STMicroelectronics has introduced the STGAP3S family of galvanically isolated gate drivers, a new product line aimed at simplifying power-stage design in systems that operate on high-voltage rails of up to 1,200V. The family includes the STGAP3S3S, optimised for silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, and the STGAP3S3IF, optimised for IGBTs. ST says the drivers are designed for power-factor correction (PFC) circuits, power supply units, DC/DC converters and inverters.

The new drivers use ST's galvanic isolation technology to protect power stages from transient voltages of up to 9.6kV, while offering common-mode transient immunity (CMTI) of up to 200V/ns. The family is certified to international safety and isolation standards including UL 1577 and IEC 60747-17, which ST says confirms reliable operation in high-voltage environments over the long term.

The product line spans three series with maximum sink/source currents of 10A, 6A and 3A, each with variants optimised for IGBTs and SiC MOSFETs. The new 3A STGAP3S3 series integrates the full active Miller clamp circuit, including the clamping MOSFET, preventing unintentional turn-on of power switches and avoiding shoot-through current. The 6A and 10A series integrate pre-drivers for external MOSFETs, allowing designers to optimise clamping speed for systems that need higher gate-drive current.

ST is positioning the family for charging stations, energy storage systems (ESS), solar inverters, industrial electric vehicles such as forklifts, induction heating equipment, general-purpose drives, pumps and fans. Evaluation boards EVLSTGAP3S3S and EVLSTGAP3S3IF are available for the 3A series, with pre-configured protection, test points and diagnostic LEDs.

Why the STGAP3S Launch Matters for High-Voltage Power Designs

Where STGAP3S Fits in ST's Power Portfolio

With this launch, ST extends its driver offering to cover the full range of gate-drive currents most commonly needed in high-voltage power conversion. The combination of IGBT-optimised and SiC-optimised variants within one family is significant because designers increasingly choose between the two switch technologies depending on application, efficiency targets and cost. A single driver family that spans both allows ST to support customers as they shift toward SiC without requiring a new supplier relationship.

The Engineering Problem ST Is Trying to Remove

The technical emphasis of the announcement is on avoiding the two classic failure modes in bridge circuits: unintentional turn-on and shoot-through. By integrating the active Miller clamp inside the 3A driver, ST removes the need for several external components and reduces board area. The 6A and 10A series instead use pre-drivers for external MOSFETs, which ST says gives flexibility for systems that need higher gate current. Combined with soft turn-off, DESAT detection, undervoltage lockout and thermal shutdown diagnostics, the family is designed to let protection logic live inside the driver rather than in the system controller.

These are vendor performance claims, and the source does not include independent test data. The stated 9.6kV transient protection and 200V/ns CMTI are the headline figures, but real-world immunity will depend on layout and system-level design.

What the Launch Signals for the Component Market

The applications list points directly at the fastest-growing segments in power electronics: EV charging infrastructure, energy storage and solar. ST does not disclose pricing, volume commitments or design-win numbers in the announcement, so the commercial impact should be measured cautiously. The competitive value of the family will depend on how quickly ST's SiC MOSFET and IGBT customers adopt the driver in new designs, and whether the integrated clamp and certification package translate into faster time-to-market for system builders.

What Design Engineers and Buyers Should Do With the STGAP3S Family

For design engineers evaluating isolated gate drivers for high-voltage power stages, the STGAP3S family offers several concrete points to test.

• For 1,200V rails in chargers, ESS, solar inverters and industrial drives, benchmark the STGAP3S3S (SiC MOSFET) and STGAP3S3IF (IGBT) 3A parts against the existing driver used in the design, using the EVLSTGAP3S3S and EVLSTGAP3S3IF half-bridge evaluation boards with pre-configured protection.
• Match the series to the gate-drive requirement: choose the 3A integrated-clamp option where board area and parts count matter most, and the 6A or 10A series with external MOSFET pre-drivers where higher gate current is needed.
• Verify the protection layout against the stated specs — 9.6kV transient overvoltage protection, up to 200V/ns CMTI, DESAT detection, UVLO and thermal shutdown diagnostics — before committing a full design.
• For procurement and compliance planning, confirm that UL 1577 and IEC 60747-17 certification evidence meets the target market's requirements for charging and energy infrastructure products.