ESD protection diodes cut size and capacitance

A new series of ESD protection diodes can protect consumer and communications applications from electrostatic discharge and other voltage induced transient pulses.

A new series of ESD protection diodes can protect consumer and communications applications from electrostatic discharge and other voltage induced transient pulses.

With very low diode capacitance, ultralow leakage current and reverse stand voltages of 3.3 and 5.0V - all in ultrasmall packages - the new ESD protection diodes provide designers of space-constrained applications an excellent option for protection of electrical equipment both at the system and component level.

Semiconductors are becoming smaller, denser and more complex, particularly in space-critical applications such as portable devices, which increases the semiconductors' susceptibility to ESD pulses.

With the ultrasmall package dimensions and integration of several protection diodes per device, Philips' new ESD diode series is well suited for these space-critical applications, ranging from cellular handsets and accessories to computers and peripherals and audio/video equipment.

Philips' ESD protection diodes are designed to protect up to seven transmission or data lines from the damage caused by ESD pulses.

"With the introduction of the new ESD series of protection diodes, Philips is providing customers with superior ESD protection performance for all ESD sensitive applications by consuming minimum PCB space", said Rochus Kraehe, Application Support Manager for Small-Signal Diodes at Philips Semiconductors.

"We continue to drive innovation in the discrete diode arena while delivering products that meet our customers' size and performance needs".

In high-datarate or high-frequency applications too much protection device parasitic capacitance causes unintentional signal attenuation.

Offering a low device capacitance down to 16pF, Philips' new devices are ideal for ESD protection in these applications.

The devices are also ideal for applications such as battery driven devices where power consumption is a key concern.

With an ultralow leakage current down to 50nA, the devices help lower overall power consumption in these applications.

Two new parts in the series - the PESD3V3L2UM and PESD5V0L2UM - are the first ESD protection devices on the market in the new leadless ultrasmall SOT883 surface mount package.

The device footprint is 1.0 x 0.6 x 0.5mm, providing customers with printed circuit board savings of 90% compared with the SOT23 package traditionally used for ESD protection diodes.

The new series of diodes can withstand ESD pulses up to 20kV and fulfils industry standard IEC61000-4-2 (level 4), thus providing customers superior ESD protection performance.

The new ESD series of low capacitance diodes are available now in a range of configurations and packages: double ESD protection diodes (PESD3V3L2UM and PESD5V0L2UM) in leadless ultrasmall SOT883; quad ESD protection arrays (PESD3V3L4UW, PESD5V0L4UW, PESD3V3L4UG and PESD5V0L4UG) in compact SOT665 and SC-88A packages; five-fold ESD protection arrays (PESD3V3L5UV, PESD5V0L5UV, PESD3V3L5UY and PESD5V0L5UY) in ultrasmall SOT666 and SC-88 packages; and six- and seven-fold ESD protection arrays (PESD5V0L6US and PESD5V0L7BS) in SO8 packages.

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