Driver circuit

In electronics, a driver is a circuit or component used to control another circuit or component, such as a high-power transistor, liquid crystal display (LCD), and numerous others.

The driver ADP3418 chip (bottom left), used for driving high-power field transistors in voltage converters. Above it is seen next to such a transistor (06N03LA), probably driven by that driver.

They are usually used to regulate current flowing through a circuit or to control other factors such as other components, some devices in the circuit. The term is often used, for example, for a specialized integrated circuit that controls high-power switches in switched-mode power converters. An amplifier can also be considered a driver for loudspeakers, or a voltage regulator that keeps an attached component operating within a broad range of input voltages.

Typically the driver stage(s) of a circuit requires different characteristics to other circuit stages. For example in a transistor power amplifier circuit, typically the driver circuit requires current gain, often the ability to discharge the following transistor bases rapidly, and low output impedance to avoid or minimize distortion.