ESD Protection for High-Speed Applications

3rd May 2007

ES Admin

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Semtech has announced two new additions to its RailClamp family of low capacitance protection devices that provide system designers a new option for adding critical power protection to high-speed lines without the high clamping voltage and high capacitance limitations of competing solutions. RClamp1502B and RClamp2402B are designed with an ultra-low capacitance of 0.6pF to protect high-speed data lines without signal attenuation. The devices also have low clamping voltages to reduce stress on the protected IC that are very susceptible to ESD and CDE threats. The RClamp1502B protects two 15V lines and the RClamp2402B protects two 24V lines. Both devices protect two lines and are targeted for interfaces operating up to 1GHz, such as IEEE 1394 (FireWire), high-power USB, or ADSL input/output lines.

Both devices are housed in a small SC-75 package with a flow-through design that maintains signal integrity on high-speed lines. The new RClamp devices are distinguished from standard steering diode solutions by their integrated TVS diodes, low clamping voltage that protects the downstream IC, and their small 1.6 x 1.6 x 0.75 mm footprint. Both devices meet IEC 61000 immunity requirements for electrostatic discharge (ESD) and electrical fast transient (EFT) protection. Both the RClamp1502B and the RClamp2402B can be configured to protect two unidirectional lines or one bidirectional line.

“Designers are turning their attention to high speed design to boost the performance of their products, which is opening up new needs for protection on these circuits,” said Tom Dugan, Semtech's Director of Marketing for Protection Products. “We’ve taken the best technology from our RClamp family – the low-capacitance, and low clamping voltage – and put it into devices that are optimized to give these designers a high performing, space- and cost-efficient protection solution for their high speed interfaces.”

The broad array of Semtech’s RClamp protection devices give designers a one-stop catalog for all of their low-capacitance protection needs. The family ranges from two lines to eight lines in a variety of packages and for a variety of applications including Gigabit Ethernet, T1/E1, FireWire, USB and others.

They are both available immediately in production quantities. The RClamp2402B is priced at $0.29 each in 1,000-piece lots. The RClamp1502B is priced at $0.26 each in 1,000-piece lots.