Ultra-large-bandwidth ESD protection for HDMI connections

29 November 2006 Circuit & System Protection

STMicroelectronics has enlarged its portfolio of ultra-low-capacitance protection ICs for the high-definition video market. The new device allows a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) to operate at full HDMI speed of 1,65 Gbps and even up to 3,2 Gbps, with full 15 kV contact and air ESD protection. Offering the best bandwidth available on the market (greater than 5 GHz), according to the company, the HDMIULC6-4SC6 is a monolithic, application-specific device that provides complete rail-to-rail protection of four data lines without compromising signal integrity.

Protecting high-speed data ports is particularly challenging. Any capacitive loading introduced by protection devices can significantly degrade the signal integrity. This is particularly significant at the high data rates required by HDMI connections in computer and consumer electronics. Previous solutions on the market typically presented a capacitive loading of several pico-Farads, which is high enough to require designers to make difficult trade-offs between the level of protection and the resulting signal degradation at typical working data rates.

The ultra-low line capacitance (0,6 pF) of the HDMIULC6-4SC6 provides a new level of performance. For the first time, designers can protect these high-speed interfaces against 15 kV air and contact discharges, above IEC 61000-4-2 level 4 standard, while minimising distortion of the HDMI signal.

The ultra-high cut-off frequency of 5,3 GHz guarantees data integrity. The HDMIULC6-4SC6 offers better impedance matching (0,015 pF versus 0,04 pF), low leakage current (0,5 μA maximum), and minimal channel imbalance, signal skew and crosstalk (0,007 pF versus 0,13 pF).

The new device (in a tiny SOT23-6L package) is compatible with other high-speed interfaces such as IEEE 1394a/b, USB2.0, Ethernet links, and video lines.

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