Smart power technologies

A smart power device can be defined as an intelligent power circuit used for interfacing a microcomputer/controller and an actuator such as an electromagnetic valve or an electric motor. With DC ratings up to 50 V, the first products of this category are designed for automotive and industrial electronics. There are various alternative approaches to the isolation problem, and strenuous efforts are being made by developers to determine the optimum isolation scheme for smart power devices intended for key applications. Smart power devices generally consist of an IC section and one or more power switches, for which VDMOS transistors may advantageously be chosen. The operating voltage is significantly higher than that of logic ICs, especially in the case of the widely used VLSI circuits.<
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