Optocouplers cut power consumption

Fairchild Semiconductor has expanded its family of split Darlington optocouplers with five new products in both single and dual-channel configurations offering 3.3 or 5V operation.

Fairchild Semiconductor has expanded its family of split Darlington optocouplers with five new products in both single and dual-channel configurations offering 3.3 or 5V operation voltages for low power consumption.

Typical applications for these products include RS232 line receivers, LVTTL to LVCMOS interfacing, AC line voltage status indicator, ground loop isolation and data multiplexing applications.

The dual-channel HCPL0730, HCPL0731 optocouplers offer 5V operation and SOIC-8 packaging for optimum mounting density.

The single-channel FOD070L, FOD270L and dual channel FOD073L devices, at 3.3V operating voltage, further reduce power consumption by 33%, compared with conventional 5V parts.

Fairchild's new Darlington optocouplers are pin-for-pin compatible with other leading suppliers' HCPL devices.

These Darlington optocouplers use a split Darlington output configuration separating the input photodiode and first stage gain from the output transistor, to permit lower output saturation voltage (0.1V) and higher-speed operation than traditional Darlington phototransistor optocouplers.

Fairchild's new family of optocouplers offer low input current (0.5mA), high (1800% typical) current transfer ratio (CTR), high standard isolation voltage rating (5kV in single channel 8-pin DIP) and guaranteed performance over a wide (0-70C) temperature range.

In the dual channel devices, a resistor integrated between the emitter and base of each output transistor provides superior temperature stability.

"To address the ever decreasing power budget faced by system designers", said John Constantino, Strategic Marketing Manager of Fairchild's Optoelectronics Group, "Fairchild's new line of high performance optocouplers offer vital power savings without sacrificing performance".

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