Diodes Incorporated AL5873QT16E-13

Overview

AL5873QT16E-13 from Diodes Incorporated is an AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified three-channel linear LED driver for automotive rear lighting, delivering up to 250mA per channel (750mA total) with ±4% current regulation accuracy, PWM and analog dimming control, and integrated thermal foldback. It operates from 5V to 55V input and supports stop/tail current switching via the FULL pin.

For engineers reviewing the AL5873QT16E-13 datasheet, AL5873QT16E-13 pinout, AL5873QT16E-13 application, or AL5873QT16E-13 equivalent, key selection criteria include its dual-resistor current setting (REF1/REF2), fault reporting on FAULTB, automatic standby entry/exit via PWM pin timing, and TSSOP-16EP thermal performance with θJA = 45°C/W.

Technical Context

The AL5873QT16E-13 integrates three independent low-side current sinks with matched ±3% channel-to-channel current accuracy and a shared bandgap reference (1.5V ±20mV) feeding both REF1 and REF2 inputs. Its dimming architecture supports simultaneous PWM (200Hz–1kHz) and analog (0.3V–1.5V ADIM) control, with internal logic automatically selecting between stop and tail current levels based on FULL pin state.

Protection circuitry includes UVLO (5.0V turn-on with 300mV hysteresis), LED open/short detection with 5ms deglitch and 128ms hiccup recovery, and thermal shutdown at 160°C with 30°C hysteresis. Fault conditions-UVLO, OTP, open, or short-are reported as active-low assertion on FAULTB.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

TSSOP-16EP (Type DX) package with exposed thermal pad internally connected to GND; requires external connection to PCB ground plane and thermal mass for θJA = 45°C/W performance.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar three-channel automotive LED driver applications.

Compared with AL5872QT16E-13, the AL5873QT16E-13 adds stop/tail flexibility and third channel at no cost in footprint; versus ASL3416SHN, it trades MCU dependency for deterministic hardware-based dimming and lower BOM count.

Availability

AL5873QT16E-13 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for automotive LED inner lamps, rear turn indicators, and brake light modules requiring stable component supply across extended temperature ranges and long production lifecycles.

Supply support for AL5873QT16E-13 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Diodes Incorporated is a global semiconductor manufacturer specializing in discrete, analog, and mixed-signal solutions for automotive, industrial, and consumer markets, with ISO/TS 16949-certified facilities.

The AL5873Q belongs to Diodes' automotive-grade LED driver product line, designed specifically for cost-sensitive, thermally demanding rear lighting applications where AEC-Q100 compliance and hardware-based reliability are mandatory.

FAQ

What is the maximum total power dissipation for AL5873QT16E-13 at 125°C ambient?

At TA = 125°C, maximum power dissipation is limited by junction temperature (TJ ≤ 150°C). With θJA = 45°C/W, allowable ΔT = 25°C → Pdiss_max ≈ 0.56W. This corresponds to ~750mA total output at 0.5V dropout (VIN = 12V, VLED = 11.5V), confirmed in Figure 11 of DS42780 Rev. 2–2.

Can AL5873QT16E-13 drive multiple LEDs in series per channel?

Yes-each channel supports up to 0.5V minimum LED regulation voltage at 125mA, enabling series strings with forward voltage up to VIN – 0.5V. At VIN = 12V, this allows up to three standard red LEDs (2.1V each) or two white LEDs (3.2V each) per channel without external boost.

How does the FAULTB pin behave during UVLO condition?

During UVLO (VIN < 4.75V), FAULTB is actively driven low for fault reporting. The pin remains low until VIN rises above 5.0V and the internal startup sequence completes, as specified in Table 2 (V_{VIN_UVLO} = 5.0V, hysteresis = 300mV).

Is the EXPOSED PAD electrically isolated or connected internally?

The exposed pad is internally connected to GND-not isolated-and must be externally soldered to the PCB ground plane. It serves as the primary thermal path and a low-impedance ground return; using it as a signal conductor violates the thermal design and risks malfunction.