Circuit arrangement for driving an inductive load

A circuit arrangement for driving an inductive load that is connectable to a load terminal, the circuit arrangement comprising:

• a first MOS field effect transistor connected up between a first terminal for a high potential of a first supply voltage source and the load terminal;
• a series circuit having a freewheeling diode and a second MOS field effect transistor, said freewheeling diode being connected up between the load terminal and a second terminal for a low potential of the first supply voltage source, and said freewheeling diode having a cathode connected to the load terminal;
• said first MOS field effect transistor having drain and gate terminals, and a series circuit with at least one reverse-biased first zener diode and a forward-biased first diode connected up between said drain and gate terminals;
• and
• a first control signal terminal connected to a gate terminal of said second MOS field effect transistor and an AND circuit connected between said first control signal terminal and a gate terminal of said first MOS field effect transistor.