Polymer/Polyimide-Based Isolators Yield the Best Isolation Propertiesĭistance Through the Insulation (Insulation Thickness) Polymer/polyimide-based isolators yield the best isolation properties, as shown in Table 1. Some standards also specify shorter duration, higher voltage (e.g., 10 kV peak for 50 µs) as part of certification for reinforced insulation. Safety standards typically specify a 1 minute voltage withstand rating (typically 2.5 kV rms to 5 kV rms) and working voltage (typically 125 V rms to 400 V rms). Polymers have been the basis for many optocouplers, giving them an established history as a high voltage insulator. Both have well known insulating properties and have been used in standard semiconductor processing for years. Common insulating materials include polymers such as polyimide (PI), which can be spun on as a thin film, and silicon dioxide (SiO2). Nonstandard materials complicate production, resulting in poor manufacturability and higher costs. Insulation Materialĭigital isolators use foundry CMOS processes and are limited to materials commonly used in foundries. All three elements must work together to balance design targets, but the one target that cannot be compromised and “balanced” is the ability to meet safety regulations. Structure and data transfer method are chosen to overcome the cited penalties. Insulating material determines inherent isolation capability and is selected to ensure compliance to safety standards. They are defined by the elements noted above. They use CMOS-based circuitry and offer significant cost and power savings while significantly improving data rates. More power efficient and higher speed optocouplers are available but impose a higher cost penalty.ĭigital isolators were introduced over 10 years ago to reduce penalties associated with optocouplers. Optocouplers, a traditional isolator, incur the greatest penalties, consuming high levels of power and limiting data rates to below 1 Mbps. A digital isolator’s goal is to meet safety requirements while minimizing incurred penalties. Yet, isolation imposes constraints such as delays, power consumption, cost, and size. Galvanic isolation ensures data transfer without an electrical connection or leakage path that might create a safety hazard. These elements are insulation material, their structure, and data transfer method.ĭesigners incorporate isolation because of safety regulations or to reduce noise from ground loops, etc. Understanding the nature and interdependence of three key elements of a digital isolator is important in choosing the right digital isolator. Today, digital isolators offer advantages in performance, size, cost, power efficiency, and integration. David Krakauer Download PDF Idea in Briefĭigital isolators offer significant, compelling advantages over optocouplers in terms of size, speed, power consumption, ease of use, and reliability.įor years, designers of industrial, medical, and other isolated systems had limited options when implementing safety isolation: the only reasonable choice was the optocoupler.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |