New Industry Products

Semtech Releases New 2.5V 100A Protection Device

November 02, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

Semtech Corp. announced the TClamp™2502N, a 2.5V transient voltage suppressor (TVS) array rated to withstand 100A surges as commonly required on telecom Ethernet interfaces. The TClamp2502N is described as the industry’s first silicon-based 2.5V protection device capable of protecting sub-micron transceivers against GR-1089 level lightning pulses.

With Ethernet’s prevalence throughout the communications infrastructure, the company claims that the TClamp2502N gives the design community a leading-edge protection device for use on the high-speed interfaces that are increasingly put into applications where there is a high threat of lightning strikes. The TClamp2502N also protects telecom and networking interfaces against the ubiquitous threats from electrostatic discharge (ESD), cable discharge events (CDE) and electrical fast transients (EFT).

By integrating Semtech’s proprietary Enhanced Punch-through Diode (EPD) process technology with Semtech’s advanced low-capacitance clamping architecture, the TClamp2502N expands the TransClamp family of protection devices employed in such high growth applications as data center routers, digital surveillance cameras, telecom base stations, and triple-play ONTs. Semtech’s TClamp products are housed in a proprietary 2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm SLP package that is said to be 77% smaller than competing solutions.

"The TClamp2502N offers unique specifications to safeguard new, low-voltage Ethernet PHYs at a time when manufacturers are reducing on-chip protection," said Rick Hansen, Director of Marketing for Protection Products. "Our EPD technology gives us a competitive advantage in this market because we can continue to lower the clamping voltage to offer great protection in step with advances in process technology that are driving more sensitive CMOS geometries."

The TClamp2502N is available immediately in production quantities and is priced at $1.44 each in 1,000-piece lots.