Toshiba has launched two driver chips for high-side power rail mosfets.

Aimed at automotive applications, they are AEC-Q100 qualified and have robustness-increasing features not normally seen in high-side switches.

“TPD7106F (right) and TPD7107F (below right) have functions that support the high reliability required by automotive ECUs,” according to the company. “These include a self-protection function and various built-in diagnostic features that are output to the microcontroller. As a result, the devices can monitor load operation as well as the mosfet to which they are connected. Should abnormal operation occur, they can rapidly turn off the mosfet to reduce the load current flowing through it – without the need for microcontroller intervention.”

An inbuilt charge pump allows n-channel external fets to be used. Output current is -10mA and +400mA in both devices. In the data sheets, 7106 is always shown driving back-to-back mosfets for reverse current blocking, while 7106 drives single mosfets.

TPD7106F-high-side-switch-outputTPD7106F output drive detail

Standard gate drive to the output mosfet is though ~630Ω (and internal fet M2, see diagram) to ease switching transients, under the command of the host microcontroller.

If abnormalities are detected externally, such as short-circuits around the external FET and load, a separate chip input on the TPD7106F allows M3 to be bought into play, pulling charge out of the external gate through ~5Ω, turning the switch off in <200μs. In the TPD7107F, working with an external resistor, an internal current sense circuit activates this fast-off circuit.

Transistor M4, amongst other devices, is included in the chip for reverse polarity protection.

toshiba-TPD7107F-high-side-driver-automotiveAlongside short-circuit (7107 only, right) and reverse-power, other protections include: voltage abnormality, over-current, over-temperature, charge pump voltage fall, floating ground pin and short to Vdd.

Operation is across 4.5V to 27V, and -40°C to +125°C for TPD7107F  or -40°C to +150°C for TPD7106F.

At 12V, supply current is 6mA max, and the TPD7106F will shut-down to <5μA, or <3μA for TPD7107F.

TPD7106F comes in a 16pin SSOP, while TPD7107F is in a WSON10A.

For companion mosfets, Toshiba is suggesting its own TPHR7904PB (40V/150A) or TPH1R104PB (40V/120A).

Other potential applications are in power distribution modules and semiconductor relays.