Overview: Index
AN-957 (v.Int) Measuring HEXFET®Characteristics
(HEXFET is the trademark for International Rectifier Power MOSFETs) Topics covered: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Converting the nomenclature from bipolars to MOSFETs P-Channel HEXFET Power MOSFETs Initial settings Breakdown Drain leakage Gate threshold Gate leakage Transconductance On-resistance Diode drop Characteristics in synchronous rectification Transfer characteristics Measurements without a curve tracer Device capacitances Switching times Gate charge Reverse recovery A fixture to speed-up testing time Related topics 1. General Curve tracers have generally been designed for making measurements on bipolar transistors. While power MOSFETs can be tested satisfactorily on most curve tracers, the controls of these instruments are generally labeled with reference to bipolar transistors, and the procedure to follow in the case of MOSFETs is not immediately obvious. This application note describes methods for measuring HEXFET Power MOSFET characteristics, both with a curve tracer and with special-purpose test circuits.
