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Choose an ST GaN half-bridge driver by starting with three questions: does the design need a 220 V or 600 V-class rail, are the GaN switches external or integrated, and does the switch require 5 V or 6 V gate drive? For motion-control designs that benefit from an integrated power stage, GANSPIN612 is a different kind of option: it combines two GaN transistors and a driver in one SiP and is aimed at motor control.

Which ST GaN half-bridge driver fits the design?

The table compares the devices using figures in their named STMicroelectronics datasheets. A rail rating is not the same thing as a guaranteed operating bus voltage: the complete design must also meet the datasheet’s operating limits, transient requirements, and thermal conditions.

Device Voltage class or rail Switches and gate drive Drive strength and timing Notable features and fit
STDRIVEG211
DS14856, Rev. 2, February 2025
220 V high-voltage rail External GaN switch; 6 V gate-drive regulators 2.4 A sink, 1.0 A source; 45 ns propagation delay; 15 ns minimum output pulse More sink/source capability than G212 among these two 220 V drivers; switching above 1 MHz
STDRIVEG212
DS15057, Rev. 1, October 2025
220 V high-voltage rail External GaN switch; 5 V gate-drive regulators 1.8 A sink, 0.8 A source; 50 ns propagation delay; 15 ns minimum output pulse For a design whose GaN gate-drive requirement is 5 V; switching above 1 MHz
STDRIVEG611
DS14457, Rev. 2, December 2024
High-side rail up to 600 V External enhancement-mode GaN switch 2.4 A sink, 1.0 A source; 45 ns propagation delay; 15 ns minimum output pulse ±200 V/ns transient immunity, 600 V bootstrap diode, Smart Shutdown overcurrent detection; switching above 1 MHz
STDRIVEG600W
DS13784, Rev. 1, September 2021
600 V-class driver External enhancement-mode GaN FET or N-channel MOSFET; separate turn-on and turn-off pins 45 ns propagation delay. At 6 V: 1.3 A source/2.4 A sink typical; at 15 V: 5.5 A source/6 A sink typical. Both current pairs are specified at 25 °C. Logic inputs work down to 3.3 V; positioned for PFC, DC-DC/DC-AC, UPS, solar, and motor-driver designs
GANSPIN612
DS15033, Rev. 1, January 2026
Integrated GaN devices with 650 V drain-source breakdown; that breakdown figure is not itself a recommended bus-voltage rating Two enhancement-mode GaN transistors and a high-voltage driver in one SiP; integrated regulation 5.5 A maximum drain current; 55 ns gate-driver timing and 150 ns typical overall output propagation delay 270 mΩ RDS(ON), 10 V/ns typical output dV/dt; designed for motion control

For the 220 V choices, match gate voltage first: STDRIVEG211 is the 6 V option and STDRIVEG212 the 5 V option. For a high-voltage external-switch design, STDRIVEG611 offers explicit transient-immunity and pulse-width figures; STDRIVEG600W is useful when separate turn-on and turn-off paths or MOSFET compatibility matter. For a motor power stage with integrated switches, assess GANSPIN612 rather than treating it as a drop-in gate-driver-only substitute.

Can these devices run a motor inverter?

When an integrated motor half-bridge is useful

GANSPIN612 is the most directly motor-focused option in this group. Its SiP combines the two enhancement-mode GaN transistors with the high-voltage driver, and ST positions the GaNSPIN platform for motion control. Listed applications include home appliances, compressors, pumps, fans, personal-care appliances, factory automation, servo drives, and power tools.

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ST gives its 10 V/ns typical output dV/dt as a motor-control design characteristic relevant to EMI, winding stress, and bearing reliability. Treat it as a typical device figure, not a promise that the complete inverter will meet an EMI or motor-insulation target: board layout, cabling, motor construction, switching conditions, and the rest of the system still matter. The 5.5 A figure is a maximum drain-current rating, not a substitute for checking operating conditions and thermal limits in the datasheet.

When to use an external-switch driver

STDRIVEG600W is explicitly positioned for motor-driver designs, while STDRIVEG211, G212, and G611 can drive external GaN switches in a half-bridge. In these designs, the driver is only one part of the power stage: the chosen transistors, gate-drive supply, bootstrap arrangement where used, protection, layout, and cooling must all be compatible.

A single half-bridge is not a complete three-phase inverter. A three-phase motor drive generally needs three half-bridge legs plus the controller, sensing, power supply, protection, and thermal design required by the application. Confirm that the selected part’s ratings and protection behavior suit the intended topology rather than inferring complete-inverter capability from the phrase “motor driver.”

What matters for reliable power conversion?

Match the voltage and gate-drive requirements

Do not choose solely from a headline voltage number. Check the actual DC bus, switching-node excursions, startup and fault conditions, and the device’s specified operating limits. In particular, GANSPIN612’s 650 V drain-source breakdown describes its integrated transistors; it should not be read as a 650 V recommended DC bus. Likewise, a driver’s high-side rail figure does not establish that every bus voltage or transient is acceptable in a finished converter.

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For external GaN FETs, verify their required gate voltage against the driver’s regulated output and ensure that the selected switch’s gate limits are respected. G211 and G212 differ specifically in 6 V versus 5 V gate-drive regulation; a close-looking part number is not a reason to assume interchangeability.

Use protection and timing as system-design inputs

STDRIVEG611 specifies a 600 V bootstrap diode, UVLO, interlocking, Smart Shutdown overcurrent detection, and 3.3–20 V logic inputs. G211 and G212 include bootstrap, UVLO, Smart Shutdown, and interlocking. G600W includes UVLO, interlocking, shutdown, and over-temperature protection. GANSPIN612 includes an internal bootstrap diode, linear regulators, a Smart Shutdown overcurrent comparator, UVLO on VCC/VHS/VLS, interlocking, shutdown, standby, and fault pins.

Propagation delay and minimum pulse width describe driver timing, not guaranteed converter efficiency or safe switching by themselves. Include propagation mismatch, dead time, pulse-width requirements, and protection response in the controller and power-stage review. Check the exact datasheet conditions and pin behavior for the intended operating range.

Review layout, thermal limits, and motor-side effects

Fast GaN switching makes the physical implementation part of the reliability case. Follow the selected device’s datasheet guidance for power-loop and gate-loop layout, decoupling, source return, and any Kelvin-source connection. Keep switching-node coupling away from sensitive logic and current-sense paths, and validate ringing and emissions on the actual assembly. The five devices do not have comparable package thermal figures or a universal layout prescription, so use the individual datasheet and application circuit rather than assuming a shared footprint or cooling requirement.

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For motor applications, evaluate common-mode noise and the voltage stress seen by the winding and bearings in the assembled drive. GANSPIN612’s low typical output dV/dt is relevant to those concerns, but actual motor-side behavior depends on the complete switching system. Validate against the motor and installation, not just the semiconductor’s headline specification.

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Practical selection checklist

  1. Set the voltage boundary. Determine the bus and transient envelope, then check the part’s stated operating ratings; do not use a breakdown voltage as a bus rating.
  2. Decide whether the switches are integrated. Choose GANSPIN612 when its integrated half-bridge SiP and motion-control focus suit the design; choose a gate-driver-only part when selecting external switches is intentional.
  3. Match gate voltage and transistor type. For the 220 V family, distinguish 5 V G212 from 6 V G211. Check MOSFET compatibility if considering G600W.
  4. Check timing and drive current against the selected switch. Confirm source/sink needs, minimum pulse width, switching frequency, propagation behavior, and the datasheet conditions behind each number.
  5. Map protection and controller interfaces. Verify UVLO thresholds and rails, interlocking, shutdown/fault behavior, overcurrent handling, logic levels, and bootstrap requirements at pin level.
  6. Close the thermal and EMC design. Use the package-specific datasheet limits and layout guidance, then evaluate switching-node behavior and, for motor drives, motor-side EMI and insulation concerns.

The part numbers and specifications above are tied to the named ST datasheet revisions. Distributor stock, lifecycle status, and pricing are time-sensitive and are not established by those specifications.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.