Low-capacitance TVS diode Arrays work as common-mode filters

Littelfuse has introduced a series of low capacitance TVS Diode Arrays optimized for protecting electronic equipment that may experience destructive electrostatic discharges (ESDs). SP814x Series TVS Diode Arrays (SPA® Diodes) integrate four or six channels of ultra-low-capacitance rail-to-rail diodes and an additional zener diode to safely absorb repetitive ESD strikes above the maximum level specified in the IEC61000-4-2 international standard (±8kV contact discharge) without performance degradation. Their extremely low loading capacitance (1.0pF typ. per I/O), lower series resistance than semiconductor-based devices, and fast response also makes them ideal for protecting electronics with high speed signal pins, such as HDMI2.0, USB3.0, USB2.0, and IEEE1394.

Applications for the SP814x Series include LCD/PDP TVs, external storage, DVD/Blue-Ray players, desktops/servers, notebooks/tablets, set-top boxes, mobile phones, flash memory cards, and digital cameras.

SP814x Series TVS Diode Arrays offer these key benefits:

• Low capacitance (1.0pF typ. per I/O) minimizes signal degradation or attenuation for high-speed data, giving engineers more signal margin in their designs.
• Low leakage current (25nA typ. at 5V) extends battery life and preserves signal integrity because excessive leakage can be seen as additive capacitance for a high-speed differential pair.
• Enhanced ESD capability (±22kV contact, ±22kV air) permits manufacturers to achieve ESD protection beyond the maximum level stated in the IEC standard and protects against a multitude of other threats to ensure product reliability in the field.
• Compact form factor (μDFN, JEDEC MO-229 packages) saves precious board space, simplifies the PCB layout, and enables protection in space-constrained applications like smartphones. The footprint is also the same as semiconductor-based CMFs, permitting through-package routing for ESD-only solutions.