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I have tried googling, but almost everything I can find on gate drivers discusses only the maximum current parameters.

I'm looking at a gate driver for a university project. The gate driver uses 3.3V logic, and on the datasheet lists the maximum 'Input Logic Current High" at 1uA.

I was planning on using a Raspberry Pi 3b, but the gpio pins can only be programmed to output 2mA-16mA. As it stands, is the Pi not compatible at all with this gate driver?

Part Number: MD1213 High-Speed Dual Mosfet Driver Datasheet: http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/20005713B.pdf

snowg
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The Pi outputs may be able to deliver up to 16 mA. The gate driver, or any other load you connect, will only draw the current it requires - same with any power supply and load.

Peter Bennett
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  • If the gpio pin leaving the Pi outputs 10mA, but there is only one node to travel through, directly to the gate driver input, would the gate driver still only draw 1uA current? – snowg Nov 17 '18 at 17:44
  • @snowg The gpio doesn't output current, it outputs a voltage. The current setting is a limit. – Hearth Nov 17 '18 at 18:18
  • The Pi output can deliver up to 16 ma, but does not force 16 mA through a load. Likewise, a 5 volt, 2 Amp power supply can deliver up to 2 Amps, but will only deliver 10 mA to an LED, if that is all that the LED wants. – Peter Bennett Nov 17 '18 at 18:44
  • Thank you I misunderstood a voltage supply and current supply. – snowg Nov 17 '18 at 19:06
  • You will need a return path for the gate-driver input current/charge. Use a very short piece of braid, or stranded wire, or a plane. Otherwise you risk oscillation of the gate-driver. – analogsystemsrf Nov 18 '18 at 04:55
  • Hmm. Would there be a pin on the gate-driver that I'd attach that wire to? – snowg Nov 18 '18 at 16:46