New Linear MOSFET Power Modules operate where switch-mode devices can nott

New Linear MOSFET Power Modules operate where switch-mode devices can’t.

Microsemi Corporation has launched a family of linear power modules for applications where conventional switch-mode operation is not allowed or possible, and where power devices must operate with high voltage and high current simultaneously in near DC conditions.

Applications for the new modules range from factory automation to electric vehicles and industrial power supplies.

Specifically designed to meet a wider guaranteed Forward Safe Operating Area, - which ensures better system reliability and the minimum number of devices to achieve given power levels - the ten modules in the new family offer 100V, 200V, 500V, 600V and 1000V voltages and a choice of single or dual switch configurations in SP1 or SP3 low profile high performance packages. Modules in the SP1 package include a single MOSFET switch with a series shunt resistor to accurately control the current in the switch, and a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor that monitors the base plate temperature and facilitates the adjustment of the module’s power dissipation.

Modules in the SP3 package incorporate two identical cells. The dual switch integration enables designers of high-power applications to minimize the number of modules required when many cells are required in parallel. Both the SP1 and SP3 modules use ALN substrates to achieve the highest possible power density.

The new modules may be connected in series for voltage operation higher than 1000V. A matrix comprised of multiple linear cells connected in series and in parallel can be used to drive high voltage and high power loads.

According to Philippe Dupin, Microsemi’s Director of Power Module Products, the new linear MOSFET modules offer outstanding operation compared to switch-mode MOSFETs: “Our new linear MOSFETs feature a positive temperature coefficient thermistor that makes them stable and much less prone to thermal runaway and series shunt resistors enable the current to be precisely controlled”, Dupin said. “Many cells can be used safely in parallel without risking current imbalance between the switches. The result is that the total power dissipated by the combination of devices is equal to the dissipation of each individual device multiplied by the number of devices used. There is no need for additional safety margin judgment which is usually required when switch-mode devices are used in parallel”.

Typical applications for the new linear power modules include multi-function power controllers in DC solid state relays, DC circuit breakers, electronic load, inrush current limiters and Amp-hour and Watt-hour counters as used in factory automation, motor drives, power distribution, industrial power supplies, uninterruptible power supplies, electric vehicles and battery isolation.