SAM4 Series: Automotive High-voltage 3-phase Motor Drivers
More Compactness and 700 V Breakdown Voltage in Your Circuit
The SAM4 series are high-voltage 3-phase motor drivers with a breakdown voltage of 700 V for automotive applications.
This series offers two products with output currents of 30 A and 50 A (under development).
The SAM4 series are all-in-one IPMs that integrate the following components into a single package: output transistors, pre-drive circuits, bootstrap diodes with current-limiting resistors, and a temperature-sensing thermistor.
The SAM4 series comes in a package that is over 25% smaller than our existing motor drivers but still ensures much lower loss even with the same functions incorporated.
In addition, the series stands out from competitors’ similar products with its breakdown voltage increased from 650 V to 700 V.
As higher and higher voltages have been used in xEV batteries, our products will enable a power supply to operate at higher voltages and boost the overall performance of your application.
The SAM4 series will also benefit automotive electric compressors with more stringent requirements — higher reliability, lower mounting workloads, and smaller application sizes.
Features
- AQG-324 qualified
- Over 25% smaller in package size (vs. our existing ICs)
- Reduced saturation voltage, VCE(SAT)
- Industry-leading* temperature-sensing accuracy and noise characteristics
- Direct bonding copper (DBC) substrate with excellent heat dissipation
- Built-in bootstrap diodes
- Built-in thermistor
- Isolation voltage: 2500 V (for 1 min)
- CMOS-compatible input (3.3 V or 5 V)
- Fault signal output at protection activation
Protections
- Undervoltage lockout for power supply
VBx pin (UVLO_VBx): auto-restart
VCCL pin (UVLO_VCCL): auto-restart - Overcurrent protection (OCP): auto-restart
Applications
For driving 3-phase motors of automotive high-voltage auxiliary systems, such as:
- Electric compressor
- Electric oil pump
* Based on our survey as of December 23, 2024.
SAM4 Series Selection Guide
| Part Number / Data Sheet | VCES | IC | VCE(SAT)(Typ.) | Package |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SAM470M30AF1  | 700 V | 30 A | 1.55 V |  DIP27 (LF4550) 44 × 26.8 × 5.5 mm |
| SAM470M50AF1 ** | 700 V | 50 A | 1.70 V |
If you need to request samples or have any questions, please feel free to contact us using the form below.
Package Size Decreased by ≥25%, Breakdown Voltage Increased to 700 V
With a direct bonding copper (DBC) structure in which a chip and other parts are directly mountable on a substrate, the SAM4 series comes in a package that is over 25% smaller than our existing motor drivers but still incorporates the same conventional functions.
In addition, the SAM4 series is the same in package size as competitors’ similar products but has a higher breakdown voltage of 700 V.
Our products will enable a power supply to operate at higher voltages and boost the performance of your application.
Suppressed Conduction Loss, Lowered Heat Generation
A higher output current, ICE, generally leads to a higher saturation voltage, VCE(SAT). So the lower the VCE(SAT) level in a high-power region, the lower the conduction loss in an on-state. As a result, heat generation is minimized.
Here, we compared a SAM4 series device with our existing product and a competitor’s similar product. In the high-power regions, the SAM4 series device has lower VCE(SAT) levels than those of the two products. Which means our products suppress a rise in IC temperatures and withstand a high ambient temperature.
All-in-One IPMs, Fewer External Parts
Since multiple components are single-packaged, our IPMs require no external parts, such as bootstrap diodes, current-limiting resistors, and temperature-sensing thermistors.
Your application will not only have a smaller PCB mounting area and lower design workloads but also enhance its reliability with reduced component counts.
Industry’s Highest* Temperature-sensing Accuracy
The temperature-sensing thermistor in the SAM4 series is placed on the same DBC substrate as the power chip, not on the lead frame.
This helps your application have the industry’s highest* temperature-sensing accuracy and the followability to a rapid temperature change.
Its high sensitivity to an abnormal IC temperature widens a range of actual operating temperatures and improves motor system quality.
* Based on our survey as of December 23, 2024.
Industry’s Lowest* Noise Characteristics
We built our own freewheeling diodes, whose soft recovery characteristics are outstanding, into this series.
And this approach turned out to be very effective for suppressing noise at turn-on and for reducing conduction noise as well or better than the competitor product.
You can also design your application with fewer filter circuits.
* Based on our survey as of December 23, 2024.
If you need to request samples or have any questions, please feel free to contact us using the form below.
Related Information
Questions or Comments?
Please feel free to contact us if you cannot find the desired product from the lineup.