Featured Product: ADuM540x - Four-Channel, Single-Package Solution for Data and Power Isolation

The ADuM540x family is the second generation of isoPower products released with Analog Devices proprietary iCoupler technology. The ADuM540x is a four-channel digital isolator with an isoPower dc-to-dc converter, providing 500mW of isolated power and isolated signal channels within a single package. The small package size reduces board space and cut costs, making the ADuM540x a better choice than discrete solutions using opto-couplers and an external dc-to-dc converter in applications such as; industrial field bus isolation, RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 transceivers and industrial PLCs.

back to top

Automotive Grade Digital Isolators

The ADuM120x, ADuM130x and ADuM140x families of iCoupler devices have recently achieved AEC-Q100 automotive qualification. These established families of iCoupler digital isolators are now qualified for under-the-hood operation up to 125°C. Available in 8- and 16-lead SOIC packaging with data rates up to 25 Mbps, 3.0 to 5.5V level translation and low power consumption, the ADuM120x, ADuM130x, and ADuM140x products can be used in hybrid vehicle applications such as battery monitoring, gate drive for hybrid electric motor, dc-to-ac inverters, and electronic power steering. These automotive qualified products can also be employed in all vehicle types when being used as an interface for sensor clusters.

back to top

Featured Product: ADuM5230 and ADuM6132 - Industry's First Isolated Gate Drivers with Integrated Isolated Power

The ADuM5230 and the ADuM6132 are the industry's first isolated half-bridge gate drivers that incorporate isolated power and isolated gate drivers into one package. These iCoupler products integrate isolated high-side and low-side outputs with ADI's proprietary isoPower integrated, isolated power supply. isoPower leverages iCoupler technology's chip-scale micro-transfomers along with high-voltage CMOS to create an isolated dc-dc converter to deliver half-bridge gate drivers that reduce the number of components and board space needed in applications such as motor drives, power supplies, and solar power inverters.

For more information on the ADuM5230 or the ADuM6132 families, please see:

• ADuM5230 Product Page
• ADuM6132 Product Page
• ADuM5230/ADuM6132 Press Release
• ADuM5230/ADuM6132 Product Review
• iCoupler FAQ

back to top

Introducing the Analog Devices' Digital Isolation Update

The quarterly Digital Isolation Update kicked off in late 2007 to provide information on the new iCoupler digital isolators and general iCoupler news. The updates are also a source of technical information including mini-application notes that we call "nAppkin Notes" as well as insights into iCoupler technology written by our design engineers. In order to subscribe to our quarterly update, please visit the eNewsletter subscription site. As always, we appreciate your feedback. Please send questions and comments to iCoupler_Isolation@analog.com.

back to top

iCoupler® Digital Isolation

For more information on:
iCoupler® Selection Table
Order Samples
iCoupler® Technology
Application Notes
Technical Articles
Application Tools
Safety Standards Compliance
FAQ
Analog Devices' Digital Isolation Updates Quarterly Emails

Featured Application Notes:
AN-793 - ESD/Latch-Up Considerations with iCoupler® Isolation Products
(pdf, 253,952 bytes)

Featured Articles:
iCoupler Isolation Technology Presentation

Responses to Common iCoupler® Questions Presentation

Featured Press Releases:
Analog Devices Introduces Four-Channel, Single-Package Solution For Data And Power Isolation,
May 20, 2008

Analog Devices Introduces Industry's First Digital Isolators Qualified For Automotive Systems,
May 19, 2008

Analog Devices Introduces Industry's First Isolated Gate Drivers With Integrated Isolated Power, March 19, 2008

Analog Devices Introduces Industry's First Bidirectional I²C Isolators, June 12, 2006

Analog Devices Introduces Industry's First Single- Package Solution For Data And Power Isolation, March 20, 2006

back to top    

iCoupler® Technology

iCoupler technology is based on chip-scale transformers rather than the LEDs and photodiodes used in optocouplers. By fabricating the transformers directly on-chip using wafer-level processing. iCoupler channels can be integrated with each other and other semiconductor functions at low cost. iCoupler transformers are planar structures that use the CMOS metal layers as well as a gold layer fabricated on top of the wafer passivation. A high breakdown polyimide layer underneath the gold layer insulates the top transformer coil from the bottom. CMOS circuits connected to the top coil and bottom coil provide the interface between each transformer and its external signals.

Input logic transitions are encoded using 1 ns pulses routed to the primary side of a given transformer. These pulses couple from one transformer coil to another and are detected by the circuitry on the secondary side of the transformer. This circuitry then recreates the input digital signal at the output. In addition, a refresh ciruit is included at the input side to ensure hat the output state matches the input state even if no input transitions are present. This is important in power-up situations as well as input waveforms with low data rates or long durations with constant dc inputs.

Since the purpose of iCoupler products is to isolate an input from an output, the circuitry on one side of the transformer must be contained on a separate chip from the circuitry on the second side fo the transformers. The transformers themselves can be placed on either chip or on a third chip as shown in the ADuM140x configuration below. The entire chipset is assembled within a standard plastic package similar to that used for a wide variety of semiconductor devices.

A novel feature of iCoupler devices is their ability to combine both transmit and receive channels in the same package. Since the iCoupler transformers are inherently bidirectional, signals can pass in either direction, provided the appropriate circuitry is present on either side of the transformers. In this manner, multi-channel isolators are offered with a variety of transmit/receive channel configurations.

Another novel feature of the iCoupler technology is that the transformer coils that are used to isolate data signals may also be used as transformers in an isolated DC-DC converter. That allows both data and power isolation to be integrated into a single package, as is done on the ADuM524x family of iCoupler products.

The flexibility and scalability of iCoupler technology will continue to produce new innovations in isolation. Please come back to this site for updates on new products.

back to top