IRL540NSTRLPBF

Infineon Technologies · HEXFET® Series

Infineon HEXFET® IRL540NSTRLPBF, N-Channel MOSFET, 100 V Vdss, 36 A continuous drain, 44 mOhm Rds(on) at 18 A, 10 V, D2PAK (TO-263) surface mount, -55°C to 175°C junction.

Infineon Technologies IRL540NSTRLPBF
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[IN STOCK] In Stock: 85 pcs
$2.06/ pc

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MOQ 1 · Tape & Reel (TR) Cut Tape (CT) · RoHS · EIA-481 · DAP/DDP · T/T

Technical specifications

IRL540NSTRLPBF specifications
Parameter / AttributeSpecification / Value
SeriesHEXFET®
FET typeN-Channel
MountingSurface Mount
Drain to source voltage100 V
Drive voltage (Max rds on, min rds on)4V, 10V
Current - continuous drain (Id) @ 25°C36A (Tc)
Power dissipation3.8W (Ta), 140W (Tc)
Operating temperature-55°C ~ 175°C (TJ)
PackageTape & Reel (TR) Cut Tape (CT)
Vgs±16V
TechnologyMOSFET (Metal Oxide)
CaseTO-263-3, D²Pak (2 Leads + Tab), TO-263AB
Vgs(th) (Max) @ id2V @ 250µA
Rds on (Max) @ id, vgs44mOhm @ 18A, 10V
Gate charge (Qg) (Max) @ vgs74 nC @ 5 V
Input capacitance (Ciss) (Max) @ vds1800 pF @ 25 V
100% Footprint Match · Solder-Ready (No PCB Redesign Needed)

Need Stock or a Drop-in Second-Source for IRL540NSTRLPBF?

Package: TO-220AB · Pin-compatible replacements with immediate Shenzhen spot stock

Footprint Match 98%
Supply Chain & Allocation Reality:

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.

Verified Pin-Compatible Replacements (5 verified alternatives)

IRLZ44N Infineon (IR) / multiple TO-220AB
Pin-to-Pin (Minor Clock/Init Tuning)
Availability & Target Pricing:

The Logic-Level Answer

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

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.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Electrically the correct fix for "IRF540N overheat on Arduino" cases: standard-gate parts at 5V operate in the linear region and dissipate heavily. Fit the logic-level part or add a 10-12V gate driver.
Package & Solder Footprint: Same TO-220 footprint, pin order G / D / S identical - but re-verify the circuit voltage: any rail above 55V sends the design back to the standard-drive family.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Huge multi-fab stock at jellybean prices; the volume part of hobby and light industrial production.
IRFZ44N Infineon (IR) / Vishay / multiple TO-220AB
Functional Equivalent
Availability & Target Pricing:

Lower Voltage, Lower Loss

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

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.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Do not treat as the fix for a 5V-gate problem - it shares the drive requirement with the part it replaces. If the original overheated from a weak gate drive, IRFZ44N overheats the same way.
Package & Solder Footprint: Identical TO-220 land pattern and pin order.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Commodity stock; watch for relabeled no-name dies in this price band.
IRF3205 Infineon (IR) / multiple TO-220AB
Functional Equivalent
Availability & Target Pricing:

The High-Current Ladder Step

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

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.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Bigger die, higher gate charge: the driver must source more current to switch it quickly, or switching losses move into the heatsink. Check the gate-drive circuit, not just the current rating.
Package & Solder Footprint: TO-220, same pin order; the larger die warrants real heatsinking at sustained current.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: High-volume stock; among the most counterfeited MOSFETs, so verified lots matter.
IRL540 Infineon (IR) TO-220AB
Functional Equivalent
Availability & Target Pricing:

Logic-Level at the Full 100V

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

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.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Logic-level dies historically have slightly different gate-oxide characteristics than standard parts; within their ratings they are drop-in for the drive problem, and the 100V ceiling keeps the voltage margin of the original.
Package & Solder Footprint: TO-220, standard pin order.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Stocked alongside the standard-drive family; specify it by the full number - the L is the whole point.
IRFZ24N Infineon (IR) / multiple TO-220AB
Functional Equivalent
Availability & Target Pricing:

The 55V Row, Lower Current

Shenzhen Spot Stock (24-48h Dispatch)

Electrical & Core Specs:

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.

Compatibility & Drop-In Notes: Same 5V-gate caveat as every standard-drive part in this family: driven from a logic pin it operates in the linear region. Choose IRFZ44N or IRFZ24N for 55V rails and IRLZ44N for logic drive.
Package & Solder Footprint: TO-220, pin order G / D / S identical across the family.
Shenzhen Warehouse Stock & MOQ: Classic stock in repair channels; verify lots (long-lived famous part).
Buyer & Quality Checklist for Sourcing Alternatives
  • Gate drive is the specification that fails first: the IRF540N low on-resistance is rated at VGS = 10V. At 5V it works in the linear region - hot, lossy, and the classic "works on the bench, dies in the box" failure. Drive standard parts at 10-12V or fit a logic-level part.
  • VGS(th) (2-4V on these parts) is the turn-off threshold, not a drive voltage - full enhancement needs roughly 2-3 times that number.
  • The IRF540 and IRF540N are different dies: the N is the improved generation with lower on-resistance. Relabeled stock selling "N" parts that measure like the old die is a known market problem - verify lots.
  • Above 55V the logic-level family ends: a 100V rail cannot use IRLZ44N. The correct easy-drive part there is the IRL540 (logic-level, 100V).
  • A gate resistor and pull-down are not optional decoration: they set switching speed against ringing, and guarantee the FET is off while the MCU boots.
  • For sustained current, do the dissipation arithmetic (I squared times RDS(on), hot) before deciding on a heatsink; the package can pass currents the board cannot get rid of thermally.
Frequently Asked Technical Questions

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.

Technical details

100 V, 36 A N-channel HEXFET in D2PAK

The Infineon IRL540NSTRLPBF is a 100 V, 36 A N-channel power MOSFET from the HEXFET series, housed in a D2PAK (TO-263) surface-mount package. The 100 V drain-source rating clears 48 V, 72 V, and 96 V battery stacks with margin, making this part a candidate for motor drives, DC-DC converters, and power OR-ing in industrial and automotive auxiliary systems.

Conduction and switching loss budget

The 44 mOhm Rds(on) at 10 V drive sets the conduction loss at 18 A to about 14.3 W (I²R). At 175°C junction, the on-resistance roughly doubles from the 25°C value, so the designer must derate the continuous current or increase the heatsink area on the D2PAK tab. Gate charge is 74 nC at 5 V. Input capacitance Ciss is 1800 pF at 25 V drain-source. This moderate capacitance means the gate-drive loop inductance and resistance need careful layout to avoid ringing, but the part does not require a high-current gate driver.

The datasheet specifies 3.8 W dissipation at 25°C ambient with no heatsink (junction-to-ambient), and 140 W at 25°C case temperature with an infinite heatsink. The actual continuous current the part can carry depends on the copper area on the drain tab and the airflow over the board. Mounting is surface-mount; the tab is soldered to a copper pad on the PCB. The gate-drive voltage range is 4 V to 10 V for rated Rds(on).

The 175°C maximum junction allows headroom for self-heating in high-current applications.

This is the standard ordering code for volume production.

IRL540NSTRLPBF
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