STMicroelectronics VND920P-E

Overview

VND920P-E from STMicroelectronics is a high-side power switch IC designed for automotive and industrial load control, featuring 4.5 A continuous current rating, 40 V maximum supply voltage, integrated thermal shutdown and overcurrent protection, and compliant with AEC-Q100 Grade 1. It drives resistive, inductive, or capacitive loads in 12 V vehicle electrical systems.

For engineers reviewing the VND920P-E datasheet, VND920P-E pinout, VND920P-E application, or VND920P-E equivalent, key selection criteria include its diagnostic feedback capability (open-load and short-to-V_CC/GND detection), fast turn-on/turn-off times (<10 µs/<5 µs), and embedded reverse-battery protection - critical for body electronics and ECU output stage design.

Technical Context

The VND920P-E integrates a vertical Power MOSFET with analog current-sense circuitry and digital logic for fault reporting via dedicated nFAULT pin. Its internal charge pump enables full enhancement of the N-channel output stage from 4.5 V to 28 V supply rails without external components.

It operates in two modes: standard (with active-high IN) and standby (IN held low), where quiescent current drops to <10 µA. The device supports PWM switching up to 20 kHz and includes undervoltage lockout (UVLO) at 3.5 V nominal with hysteresis.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

Supplied in PowerSSO-16 (exposed pad) package with thermal performance optimized for surface-mount automotive PCBs. Pin 1 marked by dot; exposed thermal pad soldered to PCB ground plane for enhanced heat dissipation.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar high-side power switch applications.

Compared with TPS4H160-Q1 and IPS1025H, the VND920P-E delivers optimal balance of analog current sensing, diagnostic richness, and thermal robustness for mid-power automotive body applications - especially where space-constrained PCBs demand integrated protection without sacrificing visibility into load behavior.

Availability

VND920P-E is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for automotive body electronics, industrial PLC output stages, smart fuse replacements, and electric power steering auxiliary load management requiring stable component supply and AEC-Q100 qualified assurance.

Supply support for VND920P-E 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, Switzerland, designing and manufacturing silicon solutions for automotive, industrial, and consumer markets since 1987.

The VND920P-E belongs to ST's VIPower™ M0-7 family of intelligent power switches, engineered specifically for automotive-grade high-side load control with embedded diagnostics and robust transient immunity.

FAQ

What is the maximum allowable PCB copper area under the exposed thermal pad for VND920P-E?

The recommended minimum copper area is 120 mm² (10 mm × 12 mm) with ≥4 thermal vias (0.3 mm diameter) connecting the pad to an internal ground plane. This achieves ≤45°C/W junction-to-board thermal resistance, enabling full 4.5 A operation at 85°C ambient without forced airflow.

Can VND920P-E drive inductive loads like fuel injectors without external flyback diodes?

No - although the device includes internal clamp circuitry for moderate inductive energy, STMicroelectronics specifies external flyback diodes for injector-class inductive loads (L > 1 mH, I > 2 A). The internal clamp sustains only 100 mJ per switching cycle; external diodes ensure reliable suppression of >500 mJ transients per ISO 7637-2 Pulse 1.

How does the SENSE pin scaling work, and what ADC resolution is required to detect 100 mA load current?

The SENSE pin outputs 1/2000 of the load current (e.g., 4.5 A → 2.25 mA). With a 1 kΩ pull-up to 5 V, this yields 2.25 V at full scale. To resolve 100 mA (50 mV at SENSE), a 10-bit ADC with 5 V reference (4.88 mV/LSB) provides ~10 LSB resolution - sufficient for basic load presence detection but not precision measurement.

Is VND920P-E compatible with 3.3 V microcontrollers driving the IN pin directly?

Yes - the IN pin has CMOS-compatible thresholds (V_IL ≤ 0.8 V, V_IH ≥ 2.0 V) and draws <1 µA. A 3.3 V MCU GPIO can drive it directly without series resistor or level shifter, provided the MCU's output high voltage exceeds 2.0 V (true for all standard 3.3 V logic families).