Bipolar Power Transistor Rivals MOSFET Energy Efficiency

The STMicroelectronics 3STL2540 combines the cost and silicon-area efficiencies of a bipolar transistor with energy efficiency similar to MOSFETs of comparable rating, giving designers a space-saving solution for cost-conscious power-management applications and DC-DC converters.

The 3STL2540 is a -40V/-5A PNP transistor capable of full saturation with maximum voltage drop of 200mV at only 10mA base current. It can achieve an equivalent on-resistance of only 90m?, which is close to the performance of comparable super logic-level MOSFETs.

At the heart of this new device, ST's advanced double-metal planar base island technology enables the 3STL2540 to maintain consistently high current gain (hFE) of at least 100 over a wide output-voltage range from 0.2 to 10 V and a temperature range from -30°C to 150°C, offering the industry's lowest conduction losses for this type of device. The thermally efficient PowerFLAT™ package is only 0.6mm high with a 2mm x 2mm footprint enabling reliable, high-performance power circuitry within minimal pc-board space. The 3STL2540 is in volume production, and available from $0.30 in the PowerFLAT 2x2 package for orders over 1,000 pieces.