MOSFET Drivers
When utilizing NChannel MOSFETs to switch a DC voltage across a load, the drain terminals of the high side MOSFETs are often connected to the highest voltage in the system. This creates a difficulty, as the gate terminal must be approximately 10V higher than the drain terminal for the MOSFET to conduct. Often, integrated circuit devices known as MOSFET drivers are utilized to achieve this difference through charge pumps or bootstrapping techniques. These chips are capable of quickly charging the input capacitance of the MOSFET (Cgiss) quickly before the potential difference is reached, causing the gate to source voltage to be the highest system voltage plus the capacitor voltage, allowing it to conduct. A diagram of an NChannel MOSFET with gate, drain, and source terminals is shown in Figure 8.