MOSFET Gate Driver (ex. TC4429)

[sir lansford]

I am working on a circuit for a "plasma speaker". Here are a couple links for reference.

http://www.smbaker.com/plasma-speaker
http://www.mh-audio.nl/gif/plasma/arc-speaker_TL494.png

I am working on improving my circuit and part of that includes using a gate driver. I know that they are definitely good to have but I can't find anything useful with regards of how to use it. Any ideas as to how it works and what is required to make it function in this context?

Thanks!

 

[(*steve*)]

Essentially a gate driver connects between your control signal and the gate of the mosfet. It provides a low impedance drive to the gate of the mosfet to allow the mosfet to switch faster.

Faster switching will result in lower switching losses.

Some gate drivers provide level translation. Others may create an elevated supply rail to allow use of an N channel mosfet as a high side switch. Beware that some can invert the control signal. Those designed for H bridges may have built in dead times.

 

[sir lansford]

Ok so for the use of driving this one mosfet I want a noninverting driver? The guy who made this circuit

http://www.smbaker.com/plasma-speaker

used a inverting and I'm confused as to why that is.

 

[(*steve*)]

You also might be interested in this http://wiki.artifactory.org.au/doku.php?id=projects:arcophone I'm pretty sure the design is open source.