Enhanced SOA for improved linear mode performance

When choosing a MOSFET to regulate the supply voltage to the squibs in an airbag system, the choice has traditionally been limited to older generations of silicon technology, such as the legacy wire-bonded DPAK package. This is due to the safe operating area (SOA) being greater for trench technologies with wider cell pitch when operating in linear mode. The MOSFET must be able to handle a current proportional to the number of squibs in the system, whilst regulating their supply voltage for long enough to activate the airbags. Nexperia have designed a range of Application Specific MOSFETS (ASFETs) to address the specialised needs of airbag applications, focused on enhanced SOA performance for improved linear mode.