TIP120 NPN Darlington Transistor

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "type": "component",
  "slug": "tip120",
  "title": "TIP120 NPN Darlington Transistor",
  "brief": "NPN Darlington power transistor, 60 V / 5 A, with high current gain in a TO-220 package.",
  "version": "0.1.2",
  "license": "CC-BY-SA-4.0",
  "tags": [
    "transistor",
    "darlington",
    "npn",
    "power",
    "to-220",
    "st"
  ],
  "component": {
    "mpn": "TIP120",
    "manufacturer": "STMicroelectronics",
    "package": "TO-220",
    "pin_count": 3,
    "category": "Discrete Semiconductor",
    "subcategory": "Bipolar Transistor (BJT)",
    "datasheet": "https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tip120.pdf",
    "parts": {
      "symbol": "tip120.kicad_sym",
      "footprint": "tip120.kicad_mod",
      "model_3d": "tip120-etched.glb",
      "model_3d_plain": "tip120.glb",
      "model_3d_step": "tip120-etched.step",
      "model_3d_step_plain": "tip120.step",
      "lbr": "tip120.lbr"
    },
    "distributor_links": {
      "lcsc": "C262990",
      "digikey": "497-2539-5-ND",
      "mouser": "583-TIP120"
    },
    "pins": [
      {
        "number": "1",
        "name": "B",
        "type": "input",
        "description": "Base of the NPN Darlington pair. Drives the input transistor through an internal 7 kΩ base-emitter shunt (R1); a second 70 Ω resistor (R2) shunts the output stage. Max continuous base current IB = 0.12 A; VBE(on) ≤ 2.5 V at IC = 3 A, VCE = 3 V."
      },
      {
        "number": "2",
        "name": "C",
        "type": "passive",
        "description": "Collector of the NPN Darlington output transistor. Electrically common with the TAB (mounting/heat-sink flange). Rated VCEO = 60 V, IC(cont) = 5 A, IC(peak) = 8 A; VCE(sat) ≤ 2 V at IC = 3 A. Includes an internal collector-emitter clamp diode (anode = emitter, cathode = collector) for inductive-load flyback protection."
      },
      {
        "number": "3",
        "name": "E",
        "type": "passive",
        "description": "Emitter of the NPN Darlington output transistor; the low-side current-return terminal. Typically tied to ground/common in a low-side switching topology. Carries the full collector current in the on state."
      }
    ],
    "provenance": {
      "extractor": "ds2sf",
      "datasheet": {
        "url": "https://www.st.com/resource/en/datasheet/tip120.pdf",
        "pages": 13,
        "sha256": "e726b0e3ab76c110",
        "source_tier": "mfr"
      },
      "cad": "KiCad official (CC-BY-SA 4.0)",
      "pins": {
        "total": 3,
        "described": 3,
        "cites_pages": true,
        "refuses_to_fabricate": true
      },
      "review_fix": {
        "at": "2026-11-10",
        "by": "part-reviewer (Ray review)",
        "what": ".lbr regenerated with adom-lbr 2.47.9 (the 0.1.0 .lbr drew pads 2 and 3 as 4 mm EAGLE long pads, overlapping pads 1-2 by 0.46 mm and 2-3 by 1.46 mm; KiCad footprint unchanged); symbol Datasheet now cites ST, the maker this page documents; README gain/temperature/diode lines corrected to the ST datasheet DS0854 Rev 5; distributor numbers from Component Ocean's STMicroelectronics TIP120 record"
      }
    },
    "viewers": {
      "symbol": "viewers/symbol.html",
      "footprint": "viewers/footprint.html"
    }
  },
  "metadata": {
    "specs": {
      "Type": "NPN Darlington power transistor",
      "Collector-emitter voltage (VCEO)": "60 V",
      "Collector current (IC)": "5 A continuous (8 A peak)",
      "DC current gain (hFE)": "1000 min, 2500 typ at 3 A",
      "Power dissipation": "65 W",
      "VCE(sat)": "2.0 V at 3 A",
      "Operating temperature": "-65 C to 150 C"
    }
  },
  "sections": [
    "hero",
    "viewers",
    "readme",
    "breadcrumbs",
    "info"
  ],
  "discovery_triggers": [
    "Darlington transistor",
    "NPN power switch",
    "drive a motor or solenoid",
    "high-current switch"
  ],
  "discovery_pitch": "An NPN Darlington that switches up to 5 A from a logic-level base drive, for motors, relays, and solenoids.",
  "author": {
    "name": "Ray",
    "email": "[email protected]"
  },
  "dependencies": {},
  "hero": {
    "type": "image",
    "path": "docs/hero.png"
  },
  "files": [
    "page.json",
    "README.md",
    "tip120.kicad_sym",
    "tip120.kicad_mod",
    "tip120.glb",
    "tip120.step",
    "tip120.lbr",
    "docs/hero.png",
    "docs/tip120-datasheet.pdf",
    "viewers/symbol.html",
    "viewers/footprint.html",
    "tip120-etched.step",
    "tip120-etched.glb"
  ]
}