Electronic – Reversing P-channel mosfet for polarity protection component selection

component-selectionmosfetreverse-polarity

Situation: I'm trying to implement a reverse polarity circuit using a p-channel mosfet and a voltage divider using a resistor + schottsky diode. More information here if you need a refresher.

The key point here is that the MOSFET is reversed. The current flows from Drain to Source, first through the internal diode but after turning on through the normal MOSFET path.

I've been reading various datasheets of various MOSFET's and they all seem to indicate that the maximum Vdrain-source voltage is negative. If I took this at face value it means that a MOSFET can't conduct in both directions, which I know to be false. Example.

Can I ignore this negative number and assume it's a maximum rating both ways or is there more at play here?

Edit: the actual circuit taken from Hackaday

Best Answer

FETs ideally don't care about the direction of the current. You simply have to invert your conventions and switch Source and Drain in your equations. Everything works exactly the same way.

The only reason that power FETs do care is because there is a Source-Body connection put in place during device fabrication. This creates a parasitic diode that conducts when the voltage is reversed. However, if your drain-source voltage is below the diode voltage, the device will still behave as a FET.

If you have access to the fourth, body, terminal. You can bias it externally so that the device always operates as a FET.