Lead-free optocouplers go out in record numbers

Agilent Technologies has shipped more than 10 million lead-free optocouplers since production began in November 2003.

Agilent Technologies has now shipped more than 10 million lead-free optocouplers since production began in November 2003.

Agilent's optocouplers, the most widely used in applications such as industrial networking, motor control and plasma display panels, are available in plastic lead-free packages at speeds of up to 100Mbaud.

Agilent's products meet or exceed the requirements of the joint IPC/JEDEC lead-free standard and comply with the European Union (Restrictions of Hazardous Substances Directive) requirements, which will take effect in 2006.

Lead is commonly used throughout the electronics industry.

It has always been a key component of the solder used in semiconductor packaging and for printed circuit board assembly.

Agilent is making its products more environmentally friendly by using pure tin instead of the combination of tin and lead (SnPb).

Tin is accepted by the market, maintains excellent performance and reliability, and is compatible with existing SnPb assembly processes.

"Agilent is an environmentally responsible company that is leading the transition to lead-free packaging", said Chong Tze Siong, Vice President and General Manager of Agilent's Isolation Products Division.

"Our customers have asked us to deliver lead-free devices, and we have in record numbers".

"We're extremely gratified with the rapid and widespread adoption of our lead-free plastic optocouplers".

Agilent's optocouplers offer the industry's best common mode rejection of up to 15kV/us and can be used in an array of isolation applications, ranging from power-over-Ethernet and motor control circuits to datacommunications and digital logic interface circuits.

Optocouplers provide electrical (galvanic) isolation of signal lines to protect low-voltage circuitry from high-voltage surges.

They operate by converting electrical signals into optical signals that are transmitted across a transparent insulating material and then converted back to electrical signals.

They also eliminate electrical noise and interference.

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