Drivers with more source current than LM5112?

And I make a fair amount testifying to infringement ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I guess the shops without company logos but lots of Ferraris in the parking lot have something like that ;-)

Not enough time for that on this one. I might just ditch it and go discrete.

But then you have to dress up. No Eccos and stuff ;-)

Are you going to characterize your discrete design ?:-)

...Jim Thompson

Naaaaaah! In the past 15 years I've only had to testify once. Most of the time a simple expert witness summary satisfies. Occasionally depositions. It's actually a lot of fun tweaking attorneys ;-)

...Jim Thompson

I helped these guys get started... got some stock, too. They can make a 3D image of a small sample at the atomic level.

The purple dots are single dopant atoms:

John

No, the goal of these drivers is to rapidly get a MOSFET gate well past the Miller plateau voltage, not all the way to within an itty-bitty from the positive rail. So a p-channel MOSFET pulls up the base of an NPN BJT, and that's what you get, plus another MOSFET in parallel to slowly finish up to the HI rail, if one waits long enough. That's a common way to make high- current MOSFET drivers. For example, the ucc3721.

However, plenty of designs do spend their silicon on MOSFETs rather than BJTs. Such as the TC44xx series, e.g., the 4427, which although the weakest member, still sports two 8.5-ohm drivers, (4 ohms in parallel, for Vcc = 12V, or 7.5 ohms at 5V) and costs 84 cents qty 100. Or use a 4420, 4.5 ohms at 5V, for $1.12.

But I'll wager the LM5112 beats these, for positive rail voltage drop at 250mA. Ditto for the ucc3721. To do better than, you'll want discrete MOSFETs.

Micrel has a lot of those but they are too expensive. I wonder what made the vast majority of the TPIC fizzle. IMHO it was the prices, they aimed too high. For mass market stuff that backfires since then people like me stay with discretes. It's sad, years ago they gave me a few samples and on the bench they showed some stunning performance. But I never used any in a design, on account of the costs.

But why don't they spec that? Don't they even try to see other markets? What is it with the marketing folks these days?

Yep. Again. Like usual.

Oh yes.

I've had a few contacts but not much came of it, so far. Seems companies are willing to spend tons of money on attorneys but little on EE support. And then they get a black eye ...

Due diligence I've done numerous times. Sometimes it's an eye opener to bankers and attorneys. I got pretty good at explaining hardcore nerd stuff in a way they'd understand.

I had a big-bux run-in with a major Silicon Valley Venture Parasite firm, and their evil Palo Alto lawyers. It *was* fun tweaking them, listening to their obnoxious posturing one week and their panicked telephone screaming the next. My attorneys especially enjoyed it. But it's like shooting some exotic water buffalo, fun once but not worth the trouble to repeat.

John

Ok, folks, found one that looks good. Pricing at pain threshold but very nicely spec'd, in case someone else runs into this problem:

Neat! Much more punch that the 4420.

My favorite shoes. I have a pair of loafers... on right now, and a pair of lace-ups... for dress occasions ;-)

...Jim Thompson

Wal-Mart velcro tennies for me, about $11 a pair.

John

I'm like the princess and the pea... Eccos are one of the few brands that don't hurt my feet ;-)

...Jim Thompson