Microchip Tech Announces New 0.5A MOSFET Drivers

Microchip Technology Inc. announced the MCP1401 and MCP1402 (MCP140X) single-output MOSFET drivers. The inverting MCP1401 and non-inverting MCP1402 MOSFET drivers are rated for a peak output current of 0.5A, over a wide operating voltage range of 4.5 - 18V. They are claimed to have excellent latch-up immunity, and are available in miniature, 2 mm x 3 mm DFN and 5-pin SOT-23 packages.

According to the company, because the MCP140X MOSFET drivers are available in such small packages, designers can position the gate driver close to the MOSFET’s physical gate connection, which minimizes gate bounce caused by the parasitic PCB layout. This is also claimed to minimize gate rise-and-fall times, propagation-delay times and shoot-through current, all of which help to increase system efficiency and reduce power dissipation.

"With the constant push for smaller and more efficient designs, the need for equally small gate drivers is clear," said Bryan Liddiard, Vice President of Marketing with Microchip’s Analog & Interface Products Division. "The MCP1401 and MCP1402 MOSFET drivers were designed to meet these needs, and to provide the robustness and latch-up immunity required for modern switching applications."

The MCP1401 and MCP1402 MOSFET drivers are well suited for a variety of consumer electronic, industrial and medical applications that use power supplies. Examples include personal computers (PCs), laptops, portable measurement devices and centrifuges, among others.

The MCP1401 and MCP1402 MOSFET drivers are both available in a 2 mm x 3 mm DFN package, for $0.55 each in 10,000-unit quantities. Both devices are also available in a 5-pin SOT-23 package, for $0.50 each in 10,000-unit quantities.