Novosense Unwraps Trio of Chips for GaN, Automotive, and Battery Safety

As power systems across industries become more compact and complex, engineers are being pushed to rethink how they manage efficiency, control, and protection in high-voltage, automotive, and battery-powered designs. Gallium nitride (GaN) technology promises higher power density, automotive electronics demand multi-motor control with tight EMC limits, and lithium battery systems are rapidly increasing in energy and current demands. The challenge is finding components that meet these demands without making circuit design more complicated or less reliable.

Novosense has responded with three purpose-built solutions for these fast-evolving sectors. The NSD2622N is a half-bridge driver IC designed specifically for enhancement-mode GaN transistors. The NSD3602-Q1 targets the unique demands of multi-motor automotive body applications with dual-channel drive and configurable current profiles. For lithium battery protection, the new NPM12017A CSP MOSFET offers robust, low-resistance performance in a tiny footprint. Together, these components reflect a push toward higher integration, better protection, and greater design flexibility.

NSD2622N: A GaN Driver for Speed, Stability, and Simplified Power Design

Getting enhancement-mode GaN devices to switch cleanly isn't easy. Because they turn on at low gate voltages, sometimes as little as a volt or so, it doesn't take much noise or crosstalk to cause unwanted switching, especially when you're dealing with high voltages and fast edges. Most traditional driver setups rely on a patchwork of external circuits to generate the right gate voltages, but those can introduce parasitic inductance and often lead to unreliable turn-off behavior.

Functional block diagram of NSD2622N.

Novosense took a more integrated approach with the NSD2622N. The device bakes both the positive and negative gate bias voltages directly into the chip, offering a clean 5-V to 6.5-V turn-on and a solid -2.5-V turn-off, without needing external regulators. That makes it easier to maintain stable operation across temperature swings, startup transients, and long off-periods.

With support for bootstrap supply, a ±700-V switching node range, and 200-V/ns dv/dt immunity, the NSD2622N is designed for hard-switching, high-frequency designs. It delivers up to 2-A source and 4-A sink peak currents per output, and features built-in undervoltage lockout and thermal protection. The result is a driver that simplifies board layout, improves robustness, and reduces the bill of materials for GaN-based systems such as data center power supplies, onboard EV chargers, and solar inverters.

NSD3602-Q1: A Dual-Channel Half-Bridge Driver for Multi-Motor Designs

Automotive body systems are increasingly modular and motor-heavy, from power seats to tailgates. Managing multiple motors or solenoids in a confined space, while also maintaining electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), is a real design headache. Systems must balance precision control with protection, fault detection, and space-saving integration.

Novosense built its NSD3602-Q1 with this complexity in mind. It combines two half-bridge gate drivers into a single IC and includes a configurable charge/discharge current profile driver (CCPD). This feature allows engineers to fine-tune current drive waveforms across three stages, reducing EMI and eliminating the need for external gate resistors or snubber components.

NSD3602-Q1 functional block diagram. 

The IC also includes a programmable current-sense amplifier, extensive diagnostic feedback through SPI or hardware I/O, and protection features such as undervoltage, overvoltage, overtemperature, and open-load detection. It supports up to 40-V load dump and operates across a wide -40°C to 150°C range. Designed for 12-V battery systems, the NSD3602-Q1 may benefit zonal controllers, seat and window actuators, and other distributed load systems in modern vehicles.

NPM12017A: A MOSFET That Protects Lithium Batteries

Portable devices continue to demand faster charging and higher power, which puts more stress on lithium battery protection circuits. Compact MOSFETs in wafer-level chip-scale packaging (CSP) are often restricted by mechanical fragility and thermal limitations. The NPM12017A aims to close that gap with both electrical performance and ruggedness.

The NPM12017A exceeds its predecessor in several key areas. It lowers on-resistance by about 26%, helping to reduce power loss during charge and discharge cycles, a factor that becomes increasingly important as fast-charging currents continue to climb. It also runs cooler under load and holds up better under electrical stress. The device can now handle short-circuit conditions up to 400 A and has a higher avalanche energy tolerance, up to 50 A, making it more robust for demanding battery protection roles.

Reengineered for strength, the NPM12017A routes current laterally to boost durability and simplify drop-in upgrades for CSP-based battery protection designs.

To deal with the physical limitations of CSP packaging, such as cracking or warping under pressure, Novosense reworked the internal layout so that current flows across the surface of the chip rather than vertically through it. This change boosts mechanical strength to over 60 newtons (N) and removes the need for thinning the silicon, which often leads to reliability issues during assembly. The NPM12017A also maintains pin compatibility with the previous generation, giving manufacturers an easier upgrade path without having to redesign the board.

From high-voltage GaN switching to compact automotive control and ultra-dense battery protection, Novosense's latest product lineup reflects a broader trend toward smarter, more integrated power solutions. With built-in regulation, advanced drive control, and reinforced ruggedness, these devices help engineers streamline complex systems without giving up performance or reliability.

All images used courtesy of Novosense.