Allegro Unveils A3974 Dual DC Motor Driver IC
Allegro MicroSystems Inc. (Worcester, MA) announced the new serially programmable dual dc motor driver IC, the A3974. Designed to independently drive two separate dc motors, the A3974 features two DMOS H-bridges, each capable of output currents to ±1.5A and operating voltages to 50V.
The DMOS output transistors feature a low RDS(on) rating and are synchronously rectified during pulse-width modulated (PWM) operation for low power dissipation. Synchronous rectification circuitry reduces the power dissipation of the device up to 30 percent, which allows for faster switching speeds, higher operating currents and lower die temperatures.
The A3974 is programmed and controlled via a three-wire serial interface. The serial interface allows maximum flexibility in configuring the internal PWM current control circuitry to match the specific driving requirements of each dc motor. The serial interface reduces the number of external components and control lines necessary to run two dc motors.
The A3974 is supplied in a 44-lead plastic PLCC with four copper batwing tabs for maximum heat dissipation. It has a 10-week lead-time and is priced at $3.87 per part for quantities of 1,000.
