The STD85N3LH5 is an STMicroelectronics N-channel power MOSFET from the STripFET™ V series, built for low-voltage, high-current switching.
Gate drive and switching — the 5 V versus 10 V decision
At 5 V gate drive the Rds(on) roughly doubles from the 10 V figure, which matters if your gate driver runs from a 5 V rail — budget for higher conduction loss or step up the drive. The 14 nC gate charge at 5 V keeps the switching transition fast enough for 100–200 kHz hard-switched converters without oversized gate resistors.
Thermal and layout — the DPAK reality
The DPAK (TO-252) surface-mount package with a single exposed tab carries the 70 W dissipation limit at the case. That tab is the drain — the PCB copper area under it is the primary heatsink. A 1-inch-square copper pad on a 2-oz board gets you into the 40–50 W continuous range; beyond that, forced air or a clip-on heatsink is needed.
If you are qualifying a drop-in alternative, look for a 30 V N-channel MOSFET in DPAK with Rds(on) at or below 5 mOhm at 10 V and gate charge near 14 nC; the STripFET V generation has several siblings in the same package that may match the footprint and thermal pad.
