Digital isolators for data and power
17 September 2008
Circuit & System Protection
Analog Devices is expanding its family of digital isolation products with a series of four-channel devices that isolate both data and power. Each device integrates the company’s iCoupler digital isolation technology and proprietary isoPower DC-to-DC converter, providing both isolated power and isolated signal channels within a single package.
The ADuM540x isolators are a good choice compared to discrete solutions, such as optocouplers with external DC-to-DC converters, because their small 10 × 10 mm surface mount packages can reduce board space by up to 70%. In addition, they come with safety pre-approvals, allowing designers to realise faster design times as compared to discrete-based solutions, which require time-consuming safety approvals that can delay time-to-market.
iCoupler technology is based on chipscale transformers, rather than on the LEDs and photodiodes found in optocouplers. Transformers can support higher data rates and lower power consumption, and are more stable over life as compared to LEDs and photodiodes. 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 formed from CMOS and gold metal layers. A high breakdown polyamide 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.
The isoPower DC-to-DC converter uses the same chipscale transformer technology, but instead of transmitting data, isoPower employs switches, rectifiers, and regulators to generate power that is isolated to the same degree as the data channels. The on-board isoPower isolated DC-to-DC converter provides up to 500 mW of regulated, isolated power and can operate at either 5,0 V or 3,3 V.
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