525 V drain-source — the application envelope
Its 525 V drain-to-source breakdown voltage places it squarely in the offline power-converter space — flyback and forward converters, PFC stages, and auxiliary power supplies where the DC bus sits at 380 V or so. The TO-220-3 through-hole package makes it a straightforward fit for a bolted-down TO-220 heatsink on a single-sided PCB.
STMicroelectronics lists the STP7N52K3 as obsolete.
A 10 V gate-drive rail is expected — the Rds(on) is specified at that voltage, and the threshold voltage max is 4.5 V at 50 µA. The ±30 V maximum gate-source rating leaves plenty of margin for ringing on a well-laid-out gate loop.
