Infineon Technologies IR2101

Overview

IR2101 from Infineon Technologies is a high-voltage, high-speed dual-channel gate driver IC for N-channel MOSFETs and IGBTs, featuring independent high-side (HO) and low-side (LO) outputs with in-phase logic inputs. It supports floating operation up to +600 V offset, delivers ±130 mA / +270 mA peak output current, and operates with 10–20 V gate supply voltage. It is used in half-bridge motor drives and SMPS inverters requiring robust bootstrap-based high-side switching.

For engineers reviewing the IR2101 datasheet, IR2101 pinout, IR2101 application, or IR2101 equivalent, key selection criteria include its 600 V offset tolerance, matched 160 ns / 150 ns propagation delays, undervoltage lockout thresholds (8.2–9.8 V), 3.3V/5V/15V logic compatibility, and SOIC/PDIP-8 packaging for industrial power stage integration.

Technical Context

The IR2101 integrates a high-voltage level shifter and latch-immune CMOS logic to enable reliable high-side drive referenced to a floating VS node. Its internal pulse filter and UV detection circuitry ensure noise immunity during fast dV/dt transients up to 50 V/ns.

It uses independent input paths for HIN and LIN, both referenced to COM, with outputs HO and LO directly driving gate capacitances. The high-side channel is powered via VB–VS bootstrap supply, while the low-side and logic share VCC, enabling synchronous half-bridge control without external level-shifting components.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

IR2101 is available in 8-lead PDIP (IR2101) and 8-lead SOIC (IR2101S) packages, both with standard 0.3-inch body width and 1.27 mm lead pitch (SOIC) or 2.54 mm pitch (PDIP).

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar high-side/low-side gate driver applications.

Compared with IR2104 and FAN7382, the IR2101 offers minimal external component count, guaranteed UVLO behavior, and precise delay matching-making it optimal for cost-sensitive, medium-power half-bridge designs where timing predictability and supply robustness are prioritized over peak current or integrated dead-time.

Availability

IR2101 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for motor drives, induction heating inverters, UPS systems, and industrial SMPS requiring stable component supply with long-term lifecycle visibility.

Supply support for IR2101 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

Infineon Technologies is a German semiconductor manufacturer specializing in power management, automotive, and industrial control ICs, with global manufacturing and quality certification to ISO 9001 and IATF 16949.

The IR21xx family was designed specifically for high-reliability, high-voltage gate driving in industrial power conversion-emphasizing dV/dt immunity, bootstrap stability, and logic-level flexibility across diverse power topologies.

FAQ

What is the maximum allowable dV/dt on the VS pin?

The IR2101 is rated for 50 V/ns dV/dt on the VS pin under all operating conditions. This specification ensures reliable level-shifting operation during fast switching transitions in high-voltage half-bridge circuits, preventing false turn-on of the high-side driver due to capacitive coupling. Exceeding this rate may cause temporary loss of high-side output control or increased propagation delay variation.

Can IR2101 drive IGBTs directly?

Yes, the IR2101 can directly drive medium-power IGBTs with gate charge ≤150 nC using its ±130 mA / +270 mA peak output current capability. Its 10–20 V VCC range aligns with typical IGBT gate-emitter voltage requirements, and the 160 ns / 150 ns propagation delays support switching frequencies up to 200 kHz. For high-Ciss IGBTs (>300 nC), external gate resistors or buffer stages are recommended.

Is bootstrap capacitor sizing critical for IR2101 operation?

Yes-bootstrap capacitor value directly impacts high-side gate drive stability. A minimum 0.1 µF ceramic capacitor is required for 100 kHz operation with 50% duty cycle; larger values (≥0.22 µF) are recommended for lower-frequency, high-duty-cycle applications to maintain VB ≥10 V during extended high-side conduction. Insufficient capacitance causes VBS droop, triggering UVLO and disabling HO output.

Does IR2101 require separate logic and gate supply rails?

No-the IR2101 uses a single VCC rail (10–20 V) for both logic circuitry and low-side gate drive, while the high-side channel is powered via the VB–VS bootstrap network. This eliminates the need for isolated or split supplies. However, VCC must be decoupled with ≥1 µF ceramic + 10 µF electrolytic near the IC, and VB must be independently filtered to prevent coupling noise into the high-side level shifter.