Toshiba BLDC Motor Gate Driver IC

Toshiba has introduced commercial sample shipments of its TB9084FTG gate driver IC for three-phase BLDC motors, with a focus on automotive body electronics and auxiliary systems. This new device is an evolution of the TB9083FTG and is designed for compact motor control applications. The significance of this development for eeNews Europe readers lies in the increasing prevalence of BLDC-based actuators, pumps, and thermal systems in European vehicle platforms. Additionally, the integration of gate drivers plays a crucial role in reducing costs and optimizing board space in distributed architectures.

Device positioning and automotive context

The TB9084FTG from Toshiba integrates a charge pump, current-sense amplifier, SPI interface, oscillator, and various diagnostic circuits. These features are tailored to facilitate single-shunt current measurement and potentially decrease the number of external components required in small motor control units. Housed in a compact 6 × 6 mm VQFN36 package with a reduced pin count compared to its predecessor, the IC benefits from an optimized circuit architecture.

As highlighted by Toshiba, the adoption of BLDC technology continues to rise as automakers transition from brushed motors to enhance various body systems like power doors, liftgates, seats, fans, and pumps. In the context of European vehicle platforms, these actuators play a crucial role in supporting comfort features, ADAS-related cooling pumps, and thermal management subsystems. Therefore, the integration of gate drivers remains a pertinent design consideration for engineers working in this domain.

Reliability and package features

The TB9084FTG is designed to meet AEC-Q100 Grade 0 standards, enabling operation within a wide temperature range from –40 to +150 °C. This feature makes the IC suitable for deployment in harsh-environment zones commonly found in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles. Toshiba has also implemented a wettable-flank package structure in the design to simplify automated optical inspection processes and enhance the quality of solder joints.

Toshiba has expressed its commitment to further expanding its gate-driver portfolio by closely monitoring market demands and adjusting product features accordingly. This proactive approach ensures that the company remains responsive to evolving industry requirements and continues to deliver innovative solutions for motor control applications in the automotive sector.