⚡ The Problem: Weak MOSFET Gate Drive

MOSFETs are powerful switches, but if their gate isn’t driven properly, they heat up or switch slowly, reducing efficiency. This is because the gate behaves like a capacitor—you must supply enough current quickly to charge/discharge it.

🛠️ The Solution: Use a Proper Gate Driver

Driving a MOSFET directly from a microcontroller (like an Arduino) often won’t provide enough current for fast switching. The fix? Use a dedicated MOSFET gate driver IC, which can supply several amps for short durations and ensure fast, clean transitions.

Also, add a gate resistor (e.g., 10Ω) to dampen ringing and reduce EMI.

🧪 Practical Example: Motor Control Circuit

You’re building a 12V DC motor controller using an IRFZ44N MOSFET. Driving the gate directly from a 5V Arduino causes the MOSFET to heat up due to partial switching.

Fix: Add a gate driver like IR2110 and a 10Ω gate resistor. The MOSFET now switches fully on/off—cool and efficient!

🔢 Sample Calculation: Gate Drive Current

Gate charge (Qg) of IRFZ44N ≈ 67nC

To switch in 100ns:

I = Q / t = 67nC / 100ns = 0.67A

Microcontrollers can’t supply this—you need a gate driver!

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