TIP120, TIP121, TIP122
NPN SILICON POWER DARLINGTONS
 
1
DECEMBER 1971 - REVISED SEPTEMBER 2002
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
Designed for Complementary Use with
TIP125, TIP126 and TIP127
65 W at 25°C Case Temperature
5 A Continuous Collector Current
Minimum hFE of 1000 at 3 V, 3 A
B
C
E
TO-220 PACKAGE
(TOP VIEW)
Pin 2 is in electrical contact with the mounting base.
MDTRACA
1
2
3
absolute maximum ratings at 25°C case temperature (unless otherwise noted)
NOTES: 1. This value applies for tp 0.3 ms, duty cycle 10%.
2. Derate linearly to 150°C case temperature at the rate of 0.52 W/°C.
3. Derate linearly to 150°C free air temperature at the rate of 16 mW/°C.
4. This rating is based on the capability of the transistor to operate safely in a circuit of: L = 20 mH, IB(on) = 5 mA, RBE = 100 ,
VBE(off) = 0, RS = 0.1, VCC = 20 V.
RATING SYMBOL VALUE UNIT
Collector-base voltage (IE = 0)
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
VCBO
60
80
100
V
Collector-emitter voltage (IB = 0)
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
VCEO
60
80
100
V
Emitter-base voltage VEBO 5V
Continuous collector current IC5A
Peak collector current (see Note 1) ICM 8A
Continuous base current IB0.1 A
Continuous device dissipation at (or below) 2C case temperature (see Note 2) Ptot 65 W
Continuous device dissipation at (or below) 2C free air temperature (see Note 3) Ptot 2W
Unclamped inductive load energy (see Note 4) ½LIC250 mJ
Operating junction temperature range Tj-65 to +150 °C
Storage temperature range Tstg -65 to +150 °C
Lead temperature 3.2 mm from case for 10 seconds TL260 °C
This series is obsolete and
not recommended for new designs.
OBSOLETE
TIP120, TIP121, TIP122
NPN SILICON POWER DARLINGTONS
2
 
DECEMBER 1971 - REVISED SEPTEMBER 2002
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
NOTES: 5. These parameters must be measured using pulse techniques, tp = 300 µs, duty cycle 2%.
6. These parameters must be measured using voltage-sensing contacts, separate from the current carrying contacts.
Voltage and current values shown are nominal; exact values vary slightly with transistor parameters.
electrical characteristics at 25°C case temperatur e
PARAMETER TEST CONDITIONS MIN TYP MAX UNIT
V(BR)CEO
Collector-emitter
breakdown voltage IC = 30 mA
(see Note 5)
IB = 0
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
60
80
100
V
ICEO
Collector-emitter
cut-off current
VCE = 30 V
VCE = 40 V
VCE = 50 V
IB=0
IB=0
IB=0
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
0.5
0.5
0.5
mA
ICBO
Collector cut-off
current
VCB = 60 V
VCB = 80 V
VCB = 100 V
IE=0
IE=0
IE=0
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
0.2
0.2
0.2
mA
IEBO
Emitter cut-off
current VEB = 5 V IC=0 2 mA
hFE
Forward current
transfer ratio
VCE = 3 V
VCE = 3 V
IC= 0.5 A
IC= 3A (see Notes 5 and 6) 1000
1000
VCE(sat)
Collector-emitter
saturation voltage
IB = 12 mA
IB = 20 mA
IC= 3A
IC= 5A (see Notes 5 and 6) 2
4V
VBE
Base-emitter
voltage VCE = 3 V IC= 3 A (see Notes 5 and 6) 2.5 V
VEC
Parallel diode
forward voltage IE = 5 A IB= 0 (see Notes 5 and 6) 3.5 V
thermal characteristics
PARAMETER MIN TYP MAX UNIT
RθJC Junction to case thermal resistance 1.92 °C/W
RθJA Junction to free air thermal resistance 62.5 °C/W
resistive-load-switching characteristics at 25°C case temperature
PARAMETER TEST CONDITIONS MIN TYP MAX UNIT
ton Tur n -o n t im e I C = 3 A
VBE(off) = -5 V
IB(on) = 12 mA
RL = 10
IB(off) = -12 mA
tp = 20 µs, dc 2%
1.5 µs
toff Turn-off time 8.5 µs
OBSOLETE
TIP120, TIP121, TIP122
NPN SILICON POWER DARLINGTONS
3
 
DECEMBER 1971 - REVISED SEPTEMBER 2002
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Figure 1. Figure 2.
Figure 3.
TYPICAL DC CURRENT GAIN
vs
COLLECTOR CURRENT
IC - Collector Current - A
0·5 01·0
hFE - Typical DC Current Gain
40000
100
1000
10000
TCS120AA
TC = -40°C
TC = 25°C
TC = 100°C
VCE = 3 V
tp = 300 µs, duty cycle < 2%
COLLECTOR-EMITTER SATURATION VOLTAGE
vs
COLLECTOR CURRENT
IC - Collector Current - A
0·5 01·0
VCE(sat) - Collector-Emitter Saturation Voltage - V
0
0·5
1·0
1·5
2·0 TCS120AB
TC = -40°C
TC = 25°C
TC = 100°C
tp = 300 µs, duty cycle < 2%
IB = IC / 100
BASE-EMITTER SATURATION VOLTAGE
vs
COLLECTOR CURRENT
IC - Collector Current - A
0·5 01·0
VBE(sat) - Base-Emitter Saturation Voltage - V
0·5
1·0
1·5
2·0
2·5
3·0 TCS120AC
TC = -40°C
TC = 25°C
TC = 100°C
IB = IC / 100
tp = 300 µs, duty cycle < 2%
OBSOLETE
TIP120, TIP121, TIP122
NPN SILICON POWER DARLINGTONS
4
 
DECEMBER 1971 - REVISED SEPTEMBER 2002
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
MAXIMUM SAFE OPERATING REGIONS
Figure 4.
THERMAL INFORMATION
Figure 5.
MAXIMUM FORWARD-BIAS
SAFE OPERATING AREA
VCE - Collector-Emitter Voltage - V
1·0 10 100 1000
IC - Collector Current - A
0·1
1·0
10
100 SAS120AA
TIP120
TIP121
TIP122
DC Operation
tp = 300 µs,
d = 0.1 = 10%
MAXIMUM POWER DISSIPATION
vs
CASE TEMPERATURE
TC - Case Temperature - °C
0 255075100125150
Ptot - Maximum Power Dissipation - W
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80 TIS120AA
OBSOLETE