Magnetic coupling is essential for high speed data isolation

Isolation is a key requirement in many electronic systems where high- and low-voltage circuitry is present together. This is especially common in industrial, automotive and consumer applications. The presence of disparate voltages can lead to problems ranging from corrupted data to safety hazards.

Furthermore, as speeds increase to match required data throughput, then traditional approaches to isolation such as the use of optocouplers can be less than optimal.

Optocouplers use a combination of an LED, a transparent barrier and a photodetector to transmit signals. Due to the proportionality of the LED, analog signals can be conveyed, and as the transmission is via light, EMC resilience is generally good.

However, the response times of the LED and photodetector tend to limit this technology to around 50Mb/sec.

Early magnetic couplers used bulky discrete transformers although nowadays advances in semiconductor technology permit inductive components to be integrated into much smaller chip-level packages.

For example, Toshiba’s DCL54x01 series devices are built on two co-packaged chips that act as modulator and demodulator. Separated by a dual insulation barrier, magnetic coupling from the windings etched into the modulator passes the signal to the windings on the demodulation chip.

The highly integrated isolation within Toshiba’s magnetic coupling technology ensures safe operation where high currents and voltages are present. The DCL54x01 incorporates a double-isolation structure to ensure safe operation, even under conditions where voltage surges may reach 12.8kV.

As well as the air gap between the co-packaged chips, an insulation film that resists high voltages protects the electrical structures, preventing short circuits if the primary isolation fails. This robust approach meets the demands of the VDE V 0884-11 standard.

Even in these rugged environments, the DCL54x01 offers an insulation lifetime that is estimated at 70 years, based on measurements using standard time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) tests with 1.2kVrms pulses.

This high level of durability is ideal for green/renewable energy and other industrial applications where the intended service life may extend for decades.

Toshiba’s DCL54x01 provides an effective and space-efficient solution in electrically challenging environments where high system frequencies and elevated data rates are necessary.Isolation is a key requirement in many electronic systems where high- and low-voltage circuitry is present together. This is especially common in industrial, automotive and consumer applications. The presence of disparate voltages can lead to problems ranging from corrupted data to safety hazards.