Inductive-load switching normally requires a freewheeling diode to suppress the voltage spike that typically results when the switch is opened. The DMN61D8LVTQ inductive-load driver is said to avoid this requirement by using a low-side circuit configuration that employs back-to-back Zener diodes to provide an active over-voltage drain clamp of the internal MOSFET. The MOSFET is also protected from potentially destructive transient voltages by ensuring that this clamp voltage is set below the MOSFET’s avalanche breakdown voltage.
System design is eased with inputs that can be directly driven by standard logic devices, MCUs and FPGAs. These inputs feature ESD protection provided by further Zener stacks. The MOSFETs are rated with a drain-source voltage of 60V and a maximum gate-source voltage of ±12V.
