STMicroelectronics cuts capacitance and footprint for USB 2.0 ESD protection

STMicroelectronics has met the complete ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) protection requirements for High-Speed USB, including Vbus, in an ultra-miniature QFN-6 device measuring 1.0 x 1.45 x 0.65mm. With 0.85pF maximum capacitance at 240MHz, the USBULC6-2M6 minimizes distortion and helps designers meet the 10pF maximum specified line loading for operation up to 480 Mbps.

The compact footprint and low package height make the USBULC6-2M6 ideal for mobile phones, handheld computers, personal media players and other portable high-speed communicators requiring IEC61000-4-2 protection. The device meets level 4 specifications to 15kV air-gap discharge and 8kV contact discharge, and has a breakdown voltage of 6.1V. In addition, the low maximum leakage current of 0.5 microamps reduces power consumption and preserves battery life.

The USBULC6-2M6 is internally optimized for maximum signal transparency, and features a go-through pin arrangement to simplify board layout and preserve impedance matching of the complete data line.

By providing two complementary protection-diode networks, with capacitance matching within 0.1pF, the USBULC6-2M6 is suitable for a wide range of high-speed differential and single-ended signaling applications. Zero insertion loss is specified up to 3GHz, allowing use in applications such as Gigabit Ethernet as well as future high-speed protocols. Further benefits include very low clamping voltage compared to metal oxide varistors, which is are alternative devices for the application, to provide enhanced protection for sub-100nm CMOS ICs.

STMicroelectronics