Isolation and Power Training and Resources
Videos
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Web-Based Utilities
Find out exactly how much power the isolation configuration in your system will consume with the first ever isolator power consumption calculator. Simply choose the settings that match your design, and the utility will provide detailed power and current data.
Whether you are using a current isolation product or starting a new design, use this web-based utility to challenge your current optocoupler, opto + driver, gate drive transformer, isolated gate driver or digital isolator + driver solution and find out how Silicon Labs isolation technology can improve your system.
With support for multiple isolation ratings, expanded packaging options, increased channel counts and data-rate options, it is easy to select the optimal digital isolator configuration based on application, performance and cost. Use this reference for selecting the perfect digital isolator part number for your next project.
High integration, low propagation delay, small PCB footprint, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness make the Si822x/3x ISOdriver families ideal for a wide range of isolated gate drive applications. Use this utility to find the perfect part for your solution.
Enter the part number from another company into the utility to find a list of Silicon Labs products that can replace those parts. Once you find the products you need, you can click on the part number to see more details about the Silicon Labs device, download the data sheet by clicking on the data sheet link, and export the results to Excel.
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White Papers
Over the last four decades, optocouplers have been the “default” signal isolation device, but recent breakthroughs in silicon isolation technology have spawned smaller, faster, and more reliable and cost-effective solutions that have already begun supplanting optocouplers in many end applications. This white paper discusses industrial isolation issues and ways RF isolation technology can be applied to increase system robustness and performance.
Electromagnetic interference (EMI) can cause medical devices to malfunction with potentially catastrophic results. The trend towards higher-frequency, lower-power medical systems complicates EMI management by emitting broader bandwidth RF noise at higher energy levels. Download this white paper to learn how to minimize the effects of EMI in medical electronic applications.
Although smart meters are more sophisticated than electromechanical power meters, a primary concern in smart meter design is the integrity of measurement data, which can directly impact a utility provider’s billing revenue. Despite the popularity of optocouplers and transformers as isolation technologies, both of these solutions have tangible weaknesses that should be of concern for metering applications. Find out how modern CMOS digital isolators provide accurate, uncorrupted power measurement data across an isolation barrier to address these concerns in smart meter applications.
As emerging green standards challenge designers to deliver more energy-efficient, cost-effective and reliable power delivery systems in smaller form factors, the need for greater power and isolation device integration becomes increasingly important. A critical building block within ac-dc and isolated dc-dc power supplies is the isolated gate driver. Learn how fully-integrated isolated gate driver products based on RF technology and implemented in mainstream CMOS provide a more reliable and power-efficient solution.
Photovoltaic (PV) power systems, including solar power inverters, are expected to operate reliably and at full rated output for a minimum of 25 years, so they need highly-efficient inverters that run cooler, last longer and generate cash savings for the PV system manufacturer and user. Digital isolation devices leverage proprietary silicon design and CMOS process technology to deliver robust, nearly ideal performance to these requirements for the first time.
The venerable I2C bus continues to grow in popularity because of its low cost and overhead, strong industry support and relatively efficient communication protocol. As a result, I2C has been adopted in many new end applications. This article describes the operation of integrated I2C isolators and the design constraints and considerations when using them.
Safety standards for ac line-powered medical electronic systems require galvanic isolation to protect patients and operators from electrically-induced trauma. The direct connection between machine and patient together with the presence of conductive body fluids and gels increase the risk of injury; thus isolators used in these systems must be robust and reliable.
Current sensors are essential components in many power delivery systems such as ac-dc and isolated dc-dc switch mode power supplies (SMPS), motor control and electronic lighting. As power supply manufacturers strive to increase the power density and reliability of their products, green energy mandates are simultaneously driving the need to increase energy efficiency. System designers are consequently demanding smaller, more efficient and higher performing current sensors.
This tutorial discusses how to convert a standard Si8442 high-speed digital isolator to a bidirectional I2C isolator. In addition to being compatible with digital isolators, the circuit is simpler than previously published solutions, completely insensitive to bus capacitance, and can easily support the standard 400 kHz maximum I2C bus rate.
Power over Ethernet (PoE) controllers for power sourcing equipment (PSE) use high-voltage, high-current field-effect transistors (FETs) to connect the power source to the load. Integrating the FET devices within the PoE controller decreases the space required to implement the PSE subsystem, reduces component count, thus increasing reliability, and typically allows for less current sensing power loss. In this white paper we'll take a closer look at the precautions that must be taken when integrating FETs with PoE controllers; FET current carrying requirements, DC current levels and protecting against faults and start-up transient conditions.
Pulse transformers have been the most commonly used method to isolate gate-drive signals in isolated dc-dc power converters, since the inception of switching power converters. These devices provide excellent isolation characteristics but there are limitations. These limitations become more acute while operating at high duty cycles, often encountered when driving synchronous rectifier MOSFETs in half-bridge and full-bridge topologies.
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Presentations
The Si8250 programmable digital power controller enables power control and power management functions to be implemented in a single package, simplifying system design and saving cost and space.
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