Active bootstrapping drivers

A bootstrapping gate driver for a high side FET having a drain terminal connected to a supply voltage, a source terminal connected to an output, and a gate terminal, the bootstrapping gate driver comprising:

• an input for receiving a control signal;
• and
• a bootstrap capacitor electrically connected between the supply voltage and ground when the control signal corresponds to a charging phase, thereby charging the capacitor, the capacitor being electrically connected to the gate terminal of the high side FET when the control signal corresponds to a driving stage;
• an active charging circuit comprising:
• (i) a first charging FET, a diode or a diode-connected FET, and a second bootstrap capacitor for charging the first bootstrap capacitor up to the supply voltage without a diode voltage drop when the control signal corresponds to the driving stage;
• and (ii) a second charging FET to mitigate slow charging of the first bootstrap capacitor.