I'm working on a power electronics project where it involves driving 4 different MOSFETs, (3 HighSide and 1 LowSide). Rather than using a different IC for the LowSide driver, I am thinking about using 4 HighSide drivers to drive all the MOSFETs.
I wonder it would have any negative impacts on the circuit as would it damage the LowSide-MOSFET?
It kinda feels to me like that the HighSide driver has a higher part count to support bootstrapping when the LowSide driver needs much less and that's why a LowSide driver is appropriate for a LowSide MOSFET. Also I kinda observed that LowSide drivers are a bit cheaper than HighSide drivers. Are those really the reasons why a LowSide driver is preferred for a LowSide MOSFET?
Best Answer
Yes, you can use the LTC7004 for driving a low-side switch.
Turn to the diagram of the output stage in the LTC7004 datasheet (fig.1). Connect the TS pin to GND. (The source of the low side N-channel MOSFET is also connected to GND.) Connect the BST to the gate driving voltage. Add a capacitor from BST to GND. Place the capacitor near the BST pin.
Interestingly, the LTC7004 has got an internal charge pump which can generate a +12V gate drive voltage from the Vcc. If you want to create, the gate drive voltage with the internal charge pump, then don't connect BST to an external gate drive voltage. Keep the capacitor between BST and GND.