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6 months ago in Power Systems Engineering By Shobha

Why do we drive mosfets with 15v when threshold is only 2-4v?

If a MOSFET turns on at 3V, why do gate drivers typically pump 12-15V into it? Isn't that overkill?

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By Rani Answered 4 months ago

Vth gets the party started 12-15V makes it dance. The threshold voltage is the minimum to begin conduction. A higher gate voltage fully enhances the channel, minimizing on-state resistance (Rds(on)) and thus conduction losses. It also ensures fast, clean switching by providing strong overdrive, improving noise immunity and reducing switching losses. You're not just turning it on. You're turning it on hard.

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