
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
TheL9821isa highsidedrivemonolithicswitch,dri-
ven by TTL,CMOS input logic, able to supplyresi-
stive or inductive loads up to 6A DC allowing a
currentpeakof 25A witha R
DS(ON)
=0.1. The elec-
tronicswitch,inadditiontoitsmainfunction,protects
itself, the power networkand the load againstload
dump (upto 60V)and overloadand it detectsshort
circuit, open load and overtemperatureconditions.
All these functions(logic controland power actua-
tion)arepossibleon asinglechipthankstothe new
mixedSTMultipowerBCDtechnologythatallowsto
integrateisolated DMOS power transistorsin com-
binationwithBipolarandCMOSsignalstructureson
thesame chip.
The high side drive connection (series switch bet-
weentheloadandthepositivepowersource)is par-
ticularlysuitedinautomotiveenvironmentwherethe
electrochemicalcorrosionwithstandinghasprimary
importance.For thisconnectionthebest solutionis
a PowerMOS N-channelwhich requiresfordriving
only a capacitivecharge pump completely integra-
tedon theswitch chip.
The L9821is based on a power DMOS seriesele-
ment,a drivingcircuit with a chargepump,an input
logicinterfaceandon someprotectionand faultde-
tectioncircuits.
The power DMOS transistor has a R
DS(ON)
= 0.1
(typ.value@ T
J
=25
°
C,V
GS
= 10V).Thelow value
of R
DS(ON)
is important both to increase the power
transferred to the load and to minimize the power
dissipatedin the device.
Thechargepumpisa capacitivevoltagetriplerstar-
ting from power supply (car battery), driven by a
500kHzoscillator.
The input interface is based on a circuitry solution
able to guaranteethe stability over temperatureof
theTTL logic levels andvery low quiescentcurrent
in OFFcondition.
When the supply reaches the maximum operating
voltage(32V) the device is turnedOFF, protecting
itselfandtheload; moreoverlocalzenerclampsare
providedin somecritical pointsto avoidthatV
GS
of
any MOS transistor could reachdangerousvalues
even during60V load dumptransient.
The inrushcurrent limitingis a significantfeatureof
theL9821.Thisfunctionallowsto protectthepower
supplynetworkandmayextendthelifeoftheloads.
Forexample,in thecaseof thelamps,the tungsten
wireresistancevalue in coldconditionis aboutone
tenthofthenominalsteadystateandthentheinrush
current during the turn on is statistically one of the
main causes of lamps failures. If the high current
condition persists (e.g. load short circuit) and the
junctiontemperaturerisesabove150
°
C,thethermal
protectioncircuitturnsoffthedevicepreventingany
damage.The current limiting and the thermalshut-
downaresufficientto protectthedeviceagainstany
overloadbecausethe powerDMOShasnotthe se-
cond breakdown.
When the L9821 is driven and one of the protec-
tions (overtemperature, overvoltage, overload) is
present, a fault detection open drain output turns
on. This output is active also when I
load
is lower
than0.6Adetectingtheopenload (disconnectedor
burned out). The diagnostic output detects fault
conditions with 25ms delay in order to avoid spu-
rious diagnosys(i.e. : turn on overcurrent,overvol-
tage spikes etc.). In OFF conditions the fault
detectioncircuits arenot activeto allow a minimum
quiescentcurrent.
The devicecan drive unipolarDCmotors andsole-
noidsaswellbecauseitcanrecirculate aninductive
current when the output voltage goes lower than
V
clamp
value (typically - 6.5V in respect to ground).
The possibility to have a start up current is useful
also for DC motors allowing the maximum starting
torque.
TYPICAL APPLICATION OF THE L9821
The L9821 integratedhigh side driver can be used
to replacean electromechanicalrelay.
Inductiveload(i.e.solenoids,motors)canbedriven
bytheL9821.Noexternalcomponentsarerequired
forthecoilcurrentrecirculation,becausethedevice
providesthis functioninternally.
L9821
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