Low-side gate drivers suit SMPs, digital lighting and wireless battery chargers

Switch-mode power supplies, digital lighting and wireless battery chargers are typical applications for STMicroelectronics' PM8841 low-side gate drivers - which are now available from Mouser stock. The device is a high-frequency single-channel low-side MOSFET driver specifically designed to work with digital power conversion microcontrollers, such as the STMicroelectronics STLUX family. The PM8841 output can sink 1A and source 0.8A. The input levels of the driver are derived by the voltage present at the IN_TH pin (between 2V and 5.5V). This pin is typically connected at the same voltage of the microcontroller supply voltage. The PM8841 device includes both input and output pull-down resistors. UVLO circuitry for input and output stages is present preventing the IC from driving the external MOSFET in unsafe condition, says the company.