ROHM Semiconductor today announced the addition of three new models, the R60xxRNx series, to its PrestoMOS™ lineup of 600V Super Junction MOSFETs. These devices are optimized for driving small motors in refrigerators, ventilation fans, and other applications where noise suppression is important.

In recent years, greater energy efficiency in equipment has become increasingly important in response to the tightening of the global power supply, with motor drives accounting for up to 50% of the world’s total power demand. For this reason, high efficiency MOSFETs are being used more often in inverter circuits that convert power to drive motors. At the same time, however, countermeasures against noise generated from MOSFET operation typically involve adding components and/or changing circuit patterns, so there is a need to reduce both man-hours and costs. But reducing power loss and noise are generally in a trade-off relationship, making it difficult to achieve both.

To meet these needs, in 2012, ROHM began mass production of the PrestoMOS lineup of Super Junction MOSFETs featuring the industry’s fastest reverse recovery time (trr) characteristics, which has received high marks for achieving lower power consumption. The lineup now includes three new models that provide best-in-class noise characteristics while maintaining the fast trr through an optimized structure.

The new R60xxRNx series maintains the high-speed trr characteristics of PrestoMOS while minimizing noise. An industry-best trr of 40ns is achieved by improving conventional lifetime control technology, reducing switching losses by approximately 30% over general products, which translates to lower application power loss. At the same time, the newly developed Super Junction structure reduces noise characteristics (which are inversely related to faster trr) by about 15dB compared to standard products (under ROHM measurement conditions at 40MHz). Delivering industry-leading characteristics reduces the number of man-hours and parts required for noise countermeasures.