STMicroelectronics EV-VNQ5E050K

Overview

EV-VNQ5E050K from STMicroelectronics is a pre-assembled evaluation board for the VNQ5E050K-E quad-channel high-side driver IC in PowerSSO-24 package, designed for automotive grounded-load control with 4.5–28 V operation, 50 mΩ R_ON, and integrated diagnostics including per-channel status pins and STAT_DIS enable/disable. It supports prototyping of body electronics modules requiring load current limitation (27 A typ), overtemperature auto-restart, and short-circuit detection.

For engineers reviewing the EV-VNQ5E050K datasheet, EV-VNQ5E050K pinout, EV-VNQ5E050K application, or EV-VNQ5E050K equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of VIPower M0-5 high-side driver integration, thermal management under pulsed load conditions, CMOS-compatible 3 V/5 V microcontroller interfacing, and diagnostic feedback wiring in automotive-grade prototypes.

Technical Context

The EV-VNQ5E050K implements a dedicated hardware interface for the VNQ5E050K-E, featuring dual 12-pin headers (J1/J2) mapping all device pins-including four INPUT/STATUS pairs, STAT_DIS, VCC, GND, and paralleled OUTPUT terminals-to 2-layer FR4 PCB with thermal vias (0.3 mm Ø, 1.2 mm pitch) and copper thickness of 70 µm. Board dimensions are 38 × 43 mm.

It provides passive heat-sinking via exposed copper pads and thermal vias beneath the PowerSSO-24 footprint, achieving R_thj-amb = 29.5 °C/W under defined test conditions. No on-board regulation or filtering components are included-external decoupling, flyback protection, and battery reverse-polarity safeguards must be added per UM1556 design guidelines.

Key Specifications

Availability

EV-VNQ5E050K is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for automotive body control module development, smart junction box prototyping, and chassis electronics validation requiring stable component supply, traceable sourcing, and long-term lifecycle availability.

Supply support for EV-VNQ5E050K 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

STMicroelectronics is a global semiconductor leader headquartered in Geneva, delivering automotive, industrial, and power management solutions with emphasis on functional safety and reliability.

This evaluation board belongs to ST's VIPower® evaluation platform family, engineered specifically to accelerate design-in of high-side drivers in automotive load-control applications with validated thermal and signal integrity performance.

FAQ

Does EV-VNQ5E050K include the VNQ5E050K-E IC pre-soldered?

Yes. The board ships fully assembled with the VNQ5E050K-E quad high-side driver IC mounted in PowerSSO-24 package. No soldering or component placement is required to begin functional evaluation. All four channels are electrically connected and thermally coupled to the PCB's copper pour and thermal vias as specified in Doc ID 023995 Rev 2.

What external components are mandatory for safe operation?

Per UM1556 and AN4212, mandatory external components include: input decoupling capacitors (≥10 µF ceramic + ≥100 µF electrolytic near VCC/GND), reverse-battery protection diode, and inductive load flyback suppression (e.g., TVS or freewheeling diode). No on-board protection devices are integrated-the board assumes system-level implementation of these safeguards.

Can STAT_DIS be used to disable diagnostics globally?

Yes. Pulling STAT_DIS high disables all four STATUSx outputs simultaneously, enabling wired-OR connection with other VIPower devices on a shared diagnostic bus. This allows centralized fault polling without contention. The pin accepts standard CMOS logic levels and requires no external pull-up if driven actively by a microcontroller GPIO.

Is the EV-VNQ5E050K rated for automotive temperature range?

No. The board itself has no independent qualification; its operational temperature envelope follows the VNQ5E050K-E IC rating (−40 °C to +150 °C junction). Thermal performance depends on user-implemented heatsinking and airflow. The documented R_thj-amb = 29.5 °C/W applies only to the bare board in still air per JEDEC JESD51-2.