UCC21520 - 4A/6A 5.7kVRMS Isolated Dual Gate Driver | TI
MPN: UCC21520 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.85 | $2.85 |
| 10 | $2.56 | $25.60 |
| 100 | $2.15 | $215.00 |
| 500 | $1.85 | $925.00 |
| 1,000 | $1.55 | $1,550.00 |
UCC21520 Overview
An isolated gate driver is an IC that combines galvanic isolation and signal amplification between a low-voltage controller and high-voltage power switches. Within the power management IC hierarchy, it sits between logic-level drivers and full gate-drive optocoupler solutions, enabling safe control of high-side and low-side switches in half-bridge, full-bridge, and LLC topologies.
Key features include a wide VDD range of 6.5V to 25V, TTL/CMOS-compatible input thresholds, a DIS disable pin for output control, and UVLO protection on all supply pins. The device achieves a 19-ns propagation delay and 6-ns pulse-width distortion, best-in-class figures that preserve PWM accuracy at high switching frequencies.
Technically, the UCC21520 uses TI capacitive isolation technology providing 100 V/ns common-mode transient immunity (CMTI), which prevents false triggering from fast dv/dt switching edges typical of SiC and GaN power stages. Programmable dead time via resistor setting and interlock function prevent shoot-through in bridge configurations.
Typical applications include solar inverters, motor drives, EV charging and on-board chargers, isolated DC-DC converters, and UPS power stages, where high peak current efficiently charges large gate capacitances.
Design tip: provide tight VDDA/VDDB decoupling and minimize gate-loop parasitic inductance; PCB layout critically affects realized CMTI and gate ringing performance.
Drop-in alternatives for UCC21520 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with UCC21520 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Package, Isolation Technology, Isolation Rating, Input Threshold, CMTI.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
UCC21521DWR
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.15 / Unit
View Datasheet →UCC21520ADW
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
UCC21520Q-Q1
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$2.85 / Unit
View Datasheet →UCC21530DW
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
UCC21540DW
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
UCC21550DW
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
NCP51530
⚡ Same Package ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
UCC21520 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Channel Count | 2 (dual-channel) |
| Peak Source Current | 4 A |
| Peak Sink Current | 6 A |
| Isolation Rating | 5.7 kVRMS (reinforced) |
| Max Switching Frequency | 5 MHz |
| Propagation Delay | 19 ns |
| Pulse-Width Distortion | 6 ns |
| CMTI | 100 V/ns |
| Supply Voltage VDD | 6.5 V to 25 V |
| Input Threshold | TTL/CMOS compatible |
| UVLO Protection | Yes, on all supply pins |
| Control Pin | DIS (disable) |
| Primary-side Input Voltage | up to 18 V |
| Isolation Technology | Capacitive |
| Package | 16-SOIC (DW) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
UCC21520 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | VCCI — Input-side supply voltage |
| Pin 2 | GND — Input-side ground |
| Pin 3 | INB — Input channel B |
| Pin 4 | INA — Input channel A |
| Pin 5 | DIS — Disable pin (high disables outputs) |
| Pin 6 | NC — No connect |
| Pin 7 | DT — Dead time programming resistor pin |
| Pin 8 | NC — No connect |
| Pin 9 | VDDB — Output-side B supply |
| Pin 10 | OUTB — Output channel B |
| Pin 11 | GNDB — Output-side B ground |
| Pin 12 | NC — No connect |
| Pin 13 | GNDA — Output-side A ground |
| Pin 14 | OUTA — Output channel A |
| Pin 15 | VDDA — Output-side A supply |
| Pin 16 | NC — No connect |
Typical Applications
UCC21520 is suitable for 6 applications: Solar Inverters, Motor Drives, EV Charging and On-Board Chargers, Isolated DC-DC Converters, UPS Power Stages, Industrial SiC Power Modules.
Solar Inverters
The UCC21520's 5.7-kVRMS reinforced isolation safely separates low-voltage MPPT controllers from high-voltage DC-link and grid-tied bridge stages, while 100 V/ns CMTI withstands the fast dv/dt of SiC MOSFET legs. Its 4-A source and 6-A sink currents charge and discharge large gate capacitances quickly, cutting switching losses in 3-phase string-inverter bridges. Placed between the MCU PWM outputs and half-bridge gates with 0.1-uF/10-uF decoupling on VDDA/VDDB, it preserves PWM accuracy via 19-ns propagation delay and 6-ns PWD, improving efficiency and THD across the load range.
Recommended
Motor Drives
In industrial variable-frequency drives and servo drives, the UCC21520 drives IGBT and SiC half-bridge modules with 5.7-kVRMS reinforced isolation meeting safety separation between 400V/690V buses and control electronics. Its programmable dead time and interlock prevent shoot-through in bridge legs, while 6-ns pulse-width distortion keeps inverter output distortion low. The 100 V/ns CMTI tolerates the high slew rates of modern SiC motor-drive switching. Using the DIS pin enables safe fault shutdown; layout with minimized gate-loop inductance suppresses ringing at 5-MHz-capable edge rates.
Recommended
EV Charging and On-Board Chargers
EV on-board chargers and DC fast-charger power stages use LLC, CLLLC, and PFC topologies requiring isolated, high-frequency gate drive. The UCC21520's 5-MHz capability and 19-ns delay support high-frequency LLC converters that shrink magnetics for power density, while reinforced 5.7-kVRMS isolation satisfies creepage/clearance between the traction battery and grid. The 6.5V to 25V VDD range accommodates IGBT-friendly 15V gate drives or logic-level SiC. UVLO on all supply pins prevents partial gate drive during startup, protecting expensive SiC power stages from linear-mode operation.
Recommended
Isolated DC-DC Converters
For telecom rectifiers and server power isolated DC-DC stages, the UCC21520 provides symmetric isolated drive for primary-side full/half-bridge switches up to 5 MHz. Best-in-class 19-ns propagation delay and 6-ns pulse-width distortion maintain duty-cycle accuracy that directly determines output regulation and transformer flux balance. The dual channels let one device drive both primary switches, halving component count versus single-channel optocoupler drivers. Its 100 V/ns CMTI is essential where the primary-referenced switch nodes slew hundreds of volts per nanosecond at the isolation barrier.
Recommended
UPS Power Stages
Online double-conversion UPS inverters require robust isolated gate drive for their high-power bridge stages. TI's reference design for UPS and inverter power stages is based on the UCC21520 reinforced-isolation driver, capable of driving MOSFETs and SiC-FETs. The 4-A/6-A drive strength switches high-current modules efficiently, reducing heat-sink size, while reinforced isolation maintains safety separation from the battery bus. The DIS pin allows instantaneous output shutdown on fault detection, and UVLO ensures clean startup sequencing when transferring between mains and battery power.
Recommended
Industrial SiC Power Modules
SiC power modules switch at edge rates exceeding 50 V/ns, demanding gate drivers with CMTI well above conventional optocouplers. The UCC21520's capacitive isolation provides 100 V/ns immunity, preventing false gate pulses at high dv/dt. Its 6-A sink current rapidly pulls SiC gate charge below the miller-plateau, mitigating parasitic turn-on, and the 6.5V to 25V VDD range supports negative gate-drive bias rails common in SiC designs. Reinforced 5.7-kVRMS isolation in the 16-SOIC DW package delivers compact, high-density power stages for robotics and automation drives.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for UCC21520 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | UCC21521DW | UCC21530DW | UCC21540DW | NCP51530 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 16-SOIC (DW) | 16-SOIC (DW) - same | 16-SOIC (DW) - same | 16-SOIC (DW) - same | 16-SOIC - different pinout |
| Brand | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | Texas Instruments | onsemi |
Key Differentiators
- DIS pin for output disable (vs UCC21521DW)
- 18V primary-side input tolerance (vs UCC21540DW)
- 5-MHz switching capability with 19-ns delay (vs NCP51530)
Design Notes
Place 0.1-uF and 10-uF ceramic decoupling capacitors directly across VDDA-GNDA and VDDB-GNDB with minimal loop area. Minimize gate-loop parasitic inductance by routing OUT to gate with tight return-path ground. PCB layout critically affects realized CMTI and gate ringing performance; keep the isolation gap clear of ground planes to preserve 5.7-kVRMS creepage and clearance.
With SiC switching at 100 V/ns dv/dt, stray coupling across the isolation barrier can cause false triggering. TI capacitive isolation with 100 V/ns CMTI handles this, but route input-side traces away from output-side traces and avoid crossing the barrier with signal lines. Use a solid input-side ground plane to return high-frequency gate currents locally.
Note the control-pin polarity: UCC21520 uses a DIS pin while UCC21521 uses an EN pin - these are active differently, per TI E2E FAQ. Also, the UCC21520 primary-side VCCI tolerates up to 18V but the UCC21540 variant only supports 5.5V, so do not interchange without checking VCCI. Use 1% dead-time resistors and never leave DT pin floating.
Compliance Information
Compliance details not present in provided verified data. Automotive variant UCC21520Q-Q1 is AEC-Q100 qualified. [DATA_NEEDED: RoHS/REACH status from TI product page].