Infineon HEXFET® IRF540NPBF, N-Channel MOSFET, 100 V Vdss, 33 A Id, 44 mOhm Rds(on) @ 16 A 10 V, 71 nC Qg, TO-220-3, -55 to 175 °C.
| Parameter / Attribute | Specification / Value |
|---|---|
| Series | HEXFET® |
| FET type | N-Channel |
| Mounting | Through Hole |
| Drain to source voltage | 100 V |
| Drive voltage (Max rds on, min rds on) | 10V |
| Current - continuous drain (Id) @ 25°C | 33A (Tc) |
| Power dissipation | 130W (Tc) |
| Operating temperature | -55°C ~ 175°C (TJ) |
| Package | Tube |
| Vgs | ±20V |
| Technology | MOSFET (Metal Oxide) |
| Case | TO-220-3 |
| Vgs(th) (Max) @ id | 4V @ 250µA |
| Rds on (Max) @ id, vgs | 44mOhm @ 16A, 10V |
| Gate charge (Qg) (Max) @ vgs | 71 nC @ 10 V |
| Input capacitance (Ciss) (Max) @ vds | 1960 pF @ 25 V |
Package: TO-220AB · Pin-compatible replacements with immediate Shenzhen spot stock
The IRF540N is the most famous TO-220 N-MOSFET in the world - the default choice of motor drivers, LED strips and hobby-class power switching, and still a production part in industrial boards. Three things make it the most-swapped MOSFET: the standard-drive specification (its low on-resistance is rated at a 10V gate, so a 5V microcontroller pin only half-drives it), a very common counterfeit problem at flea-market prices, and a suffix history (IRF540 versus the improved IRF540N die) that buyers confuse. The logic-level part of the same family, IRLZ44N, is the correct answer to most of these situations.
The Logic-Level Answer
Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)
N-channel 55V / about 50A logic-level MOSFET: the low on-resistance spec (roughly 22-28 milliohms) applies at a 5V gate, so 3.3V and 5V logic drive it fully where the IRF540N is half-enhanced.
VDSS 55V versus 100V on the IRF540N - the voltage ceiling is the trade for the easy drive.
Lower Voltage, Lower Loss
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55V / 49A standard-drive MOSFET with on-resistance about 17.5 milliohms at 10V - conducts better than the IRF540N below 55V but needs the same 10V-class gate drive.
VDSS 55V; same standard-drive caveat at 5V gates.
The High-Current Ladder Step
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55V / about 110A with on-resistance near 8 milliohms at 10V - the standard choice when currents outgrew the IRF540N but the voltage stays under 55V.
VDSS 55V; standard gate drive at 10V.
Logic-Level at the Full 100V
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The logic-level member of the 100V family: same 100V class as the IRF540N with the 5V-compatible gate, for circuits that need both the voltage ceiling and easy drive.
VDSS 100V; on-resistance rated at the logic-level gate.
The 55V Row, Lower Current
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The 55V standard-drive member rated 17A with on-resistance about 70 milliohms at 10V and 45W dissipation - the lighter sibling in the same TO-220 body, still fully avalanche rated.
VDSS 55V; standard-drive specification like IRF540N and IRFZ44N - its low on-resistance also lives at the 10V gate.
Q: Why does my IRF540N overheat when the Arduino pin drives the gate?
A: Because 5V is under-driving it: the part needs about 10V at the gate to reach its rated on-resistance. At 5V it operates in the linear region and burns the difference as heat. Fix it with a logic-level MOSFET (IRLZ44N below 55V, IRL540 for 100V) or a proper 10-12V gate driver.
Q: Can IRLZ44N replace IRF540N directly?
A: In circuits up to 55V it is the standard substitution - same TO-220 footprint and pin order, fully driven at 5V. The trade is the lower voltage ceiling: above 55V use the IRL540 to keep both the logic-level drive and the 100V class.
Q: What is the difference between IRF540 and IRF540N?
A: The N suffix is the improved die generation with lower on-resistance at the same 100V / 33A ratings class. They are interchangeable in practice, but the market mixes them - and counterfeit N-marked parts that measure like the older die are common.
Total gate charge is 71 nC at 10 V, which sets the gate-drive energy per switching cycle.
The 130 W power dissipation at case temperature is derated above 25 °C; the TO-220 tab must be bolted to a heatsink to approach that limit in continuous operation.
The IRF540NPBF is the lead-free (PbF) version of the original IRF540N. The electrical specifications — 100 V Vdss, 33 A Id, 44 mOhm Rds(on) — are identical. The 'PBF' suffix indicates ROHS3 compliance; the part is a drop-in replacement for the older non-PbF variant in the same TO-220 package.