TI launches new portfolio of isolation devices

Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced a new opto-emulator portfolio of signal isolation semiconductors, designed to improve signal integrity, consume less power, and extend the lifetime of high-voltage industrial and automotive applications.

TI’s opto-emulators are pin-to-pin compatible with the industry’s most common optocouplers, enabling seamless integration into existing designs while leveraging the unique benefits of silicon dioxide (SiO2)-based isolation technology.

Optocouplers, which integrate an LED to isolate the signal, have historically been a common choice among engineers. However, optocouplers typically require upfront overdesign to compensate for the inevitable aging effects of LEDs.

TI’s opto-emulators eliminate the need for overdesign by using SiO2 for the isolation barrier, removing the effects of LED aging altogether. With a high dielectric strength of 500 VRMS/µm, TI’s SiO2 isolation barrier enables the new portfolio of devices to protect end-product designs for more than 40 years. Opto-emulators also provide isolation protection as high as 3,750 VRMS, while reducing power consumption by as much as 80%.

Additionally, the portfolio is able to withstand wide operating temperature ranges from –55°C to 125°C, while providing common-mode transient immunity up to 10 times higher than optocouplers.