Akros Silicon Announces Dual Channel EMI Suppressor With ESD Protection Devices For Ethernet Applications

Akros Silicon announced its AS1600 family, which it describes as the world’s first active dual channel EMI suppressor with ESD protection devices for Ethernet applications.

The family consists of two devices, the AS1601 and AS1602, which are adaptive and continuous active chokes that provide up to 10dB of additional Common Mode (CM) noise suppression in the system with a standard Ethernet transformer (and up to 18dB to a system with a typical 2-core Ethernet transformer) operating over the entire Ethernet signal bandwidth from 1MHz to 125MHz in 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T applications. Furthermore, the device is programmable to operate in either a High Gain mode for increasing the bandwidth of the CM control loop or Low Power Mode that consumes 40% lower power than nominal.

Designing AS1601 and AS1602 into Ethernet equipment is said to enable manufacturers to meet tougher EMI Emission (CISPR22 and FCC Part 15, Class B requirements for Radiated and Conducted Emissions) and/or EMI Immunity standards (IEC6100-4-3/6 requirements for Radiated and Conducted Immunity, Level 2/3 or higher). These devices replace passive components such as common mode chokes and TVS diodes that require manual tuning or selection to optimize each design. On the contrary, Akros AS16XX will actively adapt to suppress EMI and provide ESD protection maintaining system performance without degradation of Ethernet signals.

The AS1602 device is said to offer superior ESD protection with 25kV (air discharge) and 12kV (Cable Discharge Event) that exceed IEC61000 4-2 ESD specification of 15kV.

AS1602 meets JESD22-A114, ESD +/-8kV HBM while AS1601 meets ESD +/-2kV HBM. AS1601 and AS1602 are highly integrated and are said to be easy to route devices that make it convenient for system designers experiencing EMI/ESD issues in their designs. The active dual channel EMI suppressors can be used in both Power over Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE applications. Akros AS1602 when designed with AS1113, AS1124 and AS1130 PoE PWM Controllers are said to generate a very low noise, extremely robust system solution for PoE PD applications. These devices are claimed to help OEMs with time to market advantage in bringing to market higher performance PoE PD products such as VoIP phones, security cameras, wireless access points (WAP), set top boxes, network printers and a plethora of network connected appliances.

The AS1601 device is an active dual channel EMI suppressor for noise suppression in Ethernet applications. It preserves the integrity of the Ethernet signal by providing very low CM impedance while maintaining high differential impedance and low differential capacitive loading. The AS1601 suppresses CM noise in both directions – ingress and egress. It increases system’s immunity to CM noise coming from the UTP, and prevents emission of CM noise to the UTP by compensating for many variables that are the source of common-mode noise in Ethernet systems. These include: CM noise from Ethernet PHY DACs and drivers, variations in Ethernet line signals caused by Ethernet transformer and passive component mismatches, variations in PC board designs and different vendor PHYs. The device is offered in 16 pin QSOP package.

The AS1602 device is an active dual channel EMI suppressor with superior ESD performance of an active IC device for Ethernet applications. It is designed to be placed between the Ethernet transformer and the Ethernet PHY for providing both ESD protection and CM/EMI suppression on the differential data lines. It includes a highly robust ESD/Surge protection circuits and programmable CM noise suppression circuits. It preserves the integrity of the Ethernet signal by providing very low CM impedance while maintaining high differential impedance and low differential capacitive loading. It increases system’s immunity to CM noise coming from the UTP, and prevents emission of CM noise to the UTP by compensating for many variables that are the source of common-mode noise in Ethernet systems.