1 pF barrier broken for DVI and HDMI interface ESD protection

7 March 2007 Circuit & System Protection

STMicroelectronics has introduced a new device that it says allows, for the first time, high-speed interfaces such as DVI (digital visual interface), HDMI (high definition multimedia interface), USB 2.0, and Ethernet to operate at speeds of up to 3,2 Gbps with full 15 kV ESD protection. Using state-of-the-art silicon technology, ST's new DVIULC6-4SC6 is a monolithic, application-specific discrete device that provides complete rail-to-rail protection of four data lines and the power rail in these high speed interface applications without compromising signal integrity.

With the proliferation of portable, high-performance computer, consumer and telephone equipment where the user typically takes no precautions against static electricity, protection devices play a key role in ensuring reliable operation of the equipment. Protecting high speed data ports is particularly challenging as the capacitive loading introduced by the protection devices can significantly degrade the signal integrity, especially at the increasingly high data rates required by DVI and HDMI.

Previous solutions typically presented a capacitive loading of several picoFarads - high enough to require designers to make difficult trade-offs between the level of protection provided and the resulting signal degradation at typical working data rates.

The DVIULC6-4SC6's ultra-low line capacitance (0,6 pF typ. for DVI/HDMI application conditions, 1pF max.) provides a new level of trade-off. Designers can provide 15 kV ESD protection of these interfaces without sacrificing signal integrity. In addition to the greatly reduced line capacitance, the DVIULC6-4SC6 also offers better impedance matching (0,015 pf), minimal channel imbalance and crosstalk (0,007 pF), and an ultra-high cut-off frequency of 5,5 GHz.

Housed in SOT23-6L package, the DVIULC6-4SC6 can protect data and video lines in a range of products that use DVI, HDMI, USB2.0, 1394a, b or c, Firewire, or Ethernet 10/100/1000 interfaces.

Further reading:

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