STMicroelectronics EVAL6498L

Overview

EVAL6498L from STMicroelectronics is an evaluation board designed to validate the L6498L high-voltage half-bridge gate driver IC for N-channel MOSFETs and IGBTs in TO-220/TO-247 packages. It supports 3.3 V/5 V TTL/CMOS logic inputs, features integrated bootstrap diodes, interlocking protection, and dV/dt immunity up to 50 V/ns across –40 °C to +125 °C.

For engineers reviewing the EVAL6498L datasheet, EVAL6498L pinout, EVAL6498L application, or EVAL6498L equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of gate drive timing, bootstrap capacitor sizing, dead-time tuning, and high-side/lower-side switching behavior under real-world load conditions with user-selected power devices.

Technical Context

The EVAL6498L implements a dedicated test platform for the L6498L SO-14 gate driver, supporting independent high-side (HVG) and low-side (LVG) output control with 2 A source / 2.5 A sink capability per channel. Its layout separates power and signal domains, includes test points (TP1, TP4, TP5), and provides configurable jumpers (JP1, JP2) and trimmer (TR1) for dynamic parameter adjustment.

Designed around the BCD6 "OFF-LINE" process, the board accommodates external MOSFET/IGBT selection (Q1/Q2), adjustable gate resistors (R2/R4/R6), and dual bootstrap paths (D2/D3 STPS2L30A Schottky diodes). It integrates C2 (68 µF/450 V electrolytic) for high-side rail stability and C3 (2.2 µF/50 V) for local decoupling near U1.

Key Specifications

Availability

EVAL6498L is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for motor control development, industrial SMPS design, and EV auxiliary power module prototyping requiring stable component supply and fast-turn evaluation cycles.

Supply support for EVAL6498L includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, specializing in automotive, industrial, power, and microcontroller solutions with vertical manufacturing and broad IP portfolio.

The EVAL6498L belongs to ST's power evaluation board family, engineered to accelerate adoption of high-voltage gate drivers in medium-power switching applications such as brushless DC motor drives and resonant converters.

FAQ

What power devices can be used with the EVAL6498L?

The board supports user-selected N-channel MOSFETs or IGBTs in TO-220 or TO-247 packages. Q1 and Q2 positions are unpopulated, allowing direct mounting of discrete devices with appropriate thermal and layout considerations. The board's gate drive strength (2 A source / 2.5 A sink) targets medium-to-high capacity switches rated up to 600 V.

Does the EVAL6498L include the L6498L IC?

Yes, the board includes U1: L6498LD - the SO-14 packaged version of the L6498L gate driver. This is confirmed in the Bill of Materials (Table 1, DB3425 Rev 2, page 3/7). The IC is pre-mounted and soldered, ready for immediate functional testing with external power devices.

How is high-side floating supply implemented on this board?

High-side supply uses a bootstrap configuration with D2 and D3 (STPS2L30A Schottky diodes) and C3 (2.2 µF/50 V ceramic capacitor). During low-side conduction, C3 charges via D2/D3 from Vcc; during high-side conduction, C3 supplies gate drive voltage to HVG. The board provides test point TP4 for monitoring the HV node voltage waveform.

Can dead time be adjusted on the EVAL6498L?

Dead time is controlled externally via the PWM_H and PWM_L input signals applied to J3 pins 1–2 and 3–4 respectively. While the board does not include onboard dead-time generation circuitry, it provides R3 and R8 (1 kΩ pull-up resistors) and configurable gate resistors (R2/R4/R6) to influence rise/fall times and enable empirical dead-time optimization during system-level testing.