Nexperia’s new application-specific MOSFET (ASFET) increases SOA by 166%

Nexperia’s new application-specific MOSFET (ASFET) for hot-swap improves SOA by 166% and reduces PCB footprint by 80%

New 80 V and 100 V devices minimize derating and improve current sharing to deliver optimal performance, high reliability and reduced system cost

Nijmegen, August 4, 2021: Nexperia, the expert in essential semiconductor devices, today announced new 80 V and 100 V ASFETs with enhanced SOA performance for hot-swap and soft-start applications in 5G telecom systems and 48 V server environments, as well as industrial equipment requiring e-fuse and battery protection.

ASFET is a new type of MOSFET that is optimized for specific application scenarios. By focusing on specific parameters that are critical to an application, sometimes other less important parameters in the same design need to be sacrificed to achieve new performance levels. The new hot-swappable ASFET combines Nexperia's latest silicon technology with a copper clip package structure to significantly enhance the safe operating area (SOA) and minimize PCB area.

Previously, MOSFETs were severely affected by the Spirito effect, causing SOA performance to degrade rapidly due to thermal instability at higher voltages. Nexperia’s rugged enhanced SOA technology eliminates the “Spirito-knee” and increases SOA by 166% at 50 V compared to previous generations of D2PAK.

Another important improvement is the addition of a 125 °C SOA feature to the data sheet. "Previously, SOA was only specified at 25 °C, which meant that designers had to perform derating for operation in high-temperature environments," said Mike Becker, senior product marketing manager for Nexperia International. "Our new hot-swap ASFETs include a 125 °C SOA specification, eliminating this time-consuming task and confirming that Nexperia's devices deliver outstanding performance even at high temperatures."

The new PSMN4R2-80YSE (80 V, 4.2 m) and PSMN4R8-100YSE (100 V, 4.8 m) hot-swap ASFETs are available in the Power-SO8-compatible LFPAK56E package. The package's unique internal copper clip structure improves thermal and electrical performance while significantly reducing pin size. The new LFPAK56E product measures only 5 mm x 6 mm x 1.1 mm, which reduces the PCB pin size and device height by 80% and 75% respectively compared to the previous generation D2PAK. In addition, the device has a maximum junction temperature of 175 °C, which meets the requirements of IPC9592 for telecommunications and industrial applications.

“Another benefit is improved current sharing in high-power applications where multiple hot-swap MOSFETs are required in parallel, resulting in increased reliability and lower system costs,” added Becker. “Nexperia is widely regarded as the market leader in hot-swap MOSFETs. With these latest ASFETs, we are raising the bar once again.”

The new hot-swap ASFET is the latest device to be manufactured at Nexperia’s new 8-inch wafer fabrication facility in Manchester, UK, and is ready for volume production.

About Nexperia

Nexperia, as an expert in the production of high-volume basic semiconductor devices, its products are widely used in various electronic designs around the world. The company's rich product portfolio includes diodes, bipolar transistors, ESD protection devices, MOSFET devices, gallium nitride field effect transistors (GaN FETs), as well as analog ICs and logic ICs. Headquartered in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, Nexperia delivers more than 90 billion products each year, and its products meet the stringent standards of the automotive industry. Its products are widely recognized in the industry for efficiency (such as process, size, power and performance), and have advanced small-size packaging technology that can effectively save power consumption and space.

With decades of professional experience, Nexperia continues to provide efficient products and services to high-quality companies around the world, and has more than 12,000 employees in Asia, Europe and the United States. Nexperia is a subsidiary of Wingtech Technology Co., Ltd. (600745.SS), has a large intellectual property portfolio, and has obtained IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.