Current Sensing Power Mosfets
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Conceptually simple in nature, these APPLICATION NOTE devices split load current into power and sense components, and thereby allow signal level resistors to be used for sampling. Since this technique results in higher efficiency and lower costs than competing alternatives, ILOAD understanding how to use SENSEFET product is an Drain important design issue. Getting accustomed to these devices is relatively, but not completely, straightforward. They are conceptually simple, but have their own unique set of characteristics and subtle Gate properties. The following discussion examines both, and Source starts with a description of how SENSEFET devices work. Mirror I I Principle of Operation SENSE SOURCE Their operation is based on the matched devices principle that is so commonly used in integrated circuits. Like integrated circuit transistors, the on-resistance of Figure 1. SENSEFET Equivalent Circuit individual source cells in a power MOSFET tends to be When a signal level resistor is connected between mirror well matched. Therefore, if several out of several thousand and source terminals, a known fraction of load current is cells are connected to a separate sense pin, a ratio between sampled without the insertion loss that is associated with sense section on-resistance and power section power sense resistors. For this reason, the technique of on-resistance is developed. Then, when the SENSEFET measuring load current with SENSEFET devices is called device is turned on, current flow splits inversely with “lossless current sensing”. As long as the sense resistor is respect to the two resistances, and a ratio between sense less than 10% of the mirror section’s on-resistance current and source current is established. RDM(on), the current that is sampled is approximately load The separate source connection is called a mirror. current divided by the current mirror ratio or ILOAD/n. In Typically SENSEFET product is designed such that the practice, the amount of sense voltage that is developed with ratio between mirror cells and source cells is on the order such low values of sense resistance is usually not sufficient of 1:1000 Schematically, this looks like two parallel FETs to drive current limiting circuits. Therefore, larger values with common gate and drain connections, but separate of RSENSE are normally used. These larger values appreciably source leads. An illustration of this configuration appears affect the total resistance in the mirror leg, and therefore, in Figure 1. The relative size of the two devices determines alter the current mirror ratio. How to model this behavior how current is split between source and mirror terminals. and calculate sensing parameters is discussed as follows. The ratio of source current to mirror current is specified by n, the “Current Mirror Ratio”. This ratio is defined for Calculating Sense Resistance conditions where both source and mirror terminals are held With the aid of the model that is shown in Figure 2, at the same potential. Since n is on the order of 1000:1, load calculating sense voltage and sense resistance is very current is approximately equal to source current, and the straightforward. In this model, RDS(on) is separated into current mirror ratio also describes the ratio of load current bulk and active components. Bulk drain resistance is to sense current. common to the entire device, and is represented by Rb. This document may contain references to devices which are no longer offered. Please contact your ON Semiconductor representative for information on possible replacement devices. © Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC, 2002 1 Publication Order Number: March, 2017 − Rev. 6 AND8093/D AND8093/D Active components of RDS(on) are modeled by Ra(on) for the The results obtained from using these equations agree power section, and RDM(on) for the mirror. RSENSE is the very well with measured values. Using the MTP10N10M external sense resistor. as an example, calculated and measured values are compared in Table 1. They are based upon 5 amps of drain current, Ra(on) = 116 milliohms, Rb = 44 milliohms, and Drain Drain RDM(on) = 209 ohms. Rb Table 1. CALCULATED VERSUS MEASURED SENSE VOLTAGE Calculated Measured RDM(on) Ra(on) D Mirror Source RSENSE VSENSE VSENSE (W) (mV) (mV) (%) Kelvin RSENSE Mirror 20 51 50 2 47 106 105 1 RSENSE Kelvin 100 179 185 −3 200 284 290 −2 Source a. Model 1.0 k 480 480 0 Since all of the actual values were measured on an oscilloscope, the discrepancies which are shown here are Gate all within measurement accuracy. Given static conditions, Drive Source the model in Figure 2 does a good job. Mirror In a typical application such as the one shown in + Figure 2b, a current trip is produced when VSENSE is equal − R Kelvin SENSE to the comparator’s reference voltage, Vref. Therefore, substituting Vref for VSENSE in these equations yields combinations of ID and RSENSE for which a current limit Vref signal is produced. For reasons which will soon be discussed, it is generally b. Typical Connection advisable to choose a value of RSENSE that does not exceed Figure 2. Model and Typical Connection RDM(on). As the values in Table 1 indicate, this constraint produces sense voltages on the order of 250 mV at the If RSENSE is an open circuit, the maximum voltage that MTP10N10M’s normal operating current. Although this is × can appear at the mirror terminal is VDS(on) Ra(on)/(Ra(on) sufficient for most applications, lower operating currents + Rb). In other words, the mirror terminal does not sample and device types with lower mirror compliance ratios can the full drain-source on voltage, but sees only the fraction lead to problems with generating usable values of sense of drain-source voltage that is represented by Ra(on)/(Ra(on) voltage. Where higher values of sense voltage are required, + Rb). This ratio is called the mirror compliance ratio, KMC. the technique shown in Figure 3 can be used. In this Values for Ra(on) and Rb are determined by measuring the circuit,the SENSEFET mirror is held at the same potential mirror compliance ratio, and multiplying RDS(on) by this as its source, and op amp OA1 generates a negative output ratio to get Ra(on). Bulk resistance, Rb, is then determined voltage that equals sense current times the feedback by subtracting R from R . Given these values, a(on) DS(on) resistor Rf. Sensing equations for this type of virtual ground RDM(on) is determined by multiplying Ra(on) times the circuit are listed as follows: current mirror ratio, n. Given values for the model’s internal resistors, sense Virtual Ground Sensing Equations (4) voltage, sense resistance, and drain current can be VSENSE +*ID @ n @ Rf calculated from simple resistive divider equations. These + ń @ (5) equations are summarized as follows: Rf VSENSE ID n +* ń (6) Sensing Equations ID (VSENSE Rf)n (1) These equations assume that the op amp’s input bias RSENSE V + I @ R @ current and input offset voltage are both zero.