Rhopoint expands digital isolator range

The device is an alternative to opto-isolators in a number of applications including isolated D/A converters.

Opto-isolators offer an inexpensive method of signal isolation, but have some significant limitations, as they tend to degrade with age.

This degradation is accelerated by ambient temperature; the longer the devices see a high temperature and the higher the temperature, the faster they degrade.

The power consumption of Isoloop devices is independent of the mark space ratio and solely dependent on frequency.

This makes for a lower power consumption than opto-isolators, where power consumption is heavily dependent on on-state and frequency.

A range of Isoloop magnetic isolators now allows the designer to circumvent these possible future issues.

Isoloop digital magnetic isolators work by differentiating the incoming pulse and using the resultant edge to power a coil that creates a magnetic field for a short period of time.

This pulse then changes the state of a 1-bit magnetic memory, which is then buffered to provide the output.

The isolation is achieved between the coil and the 1-bit non-volatile magnetic memory.

The non-volatile nature of the magnetic memory used to lead to an undefined state at start up.

The new IL500 series of Isoloop isolators has a controllable refresh clock to ensure I/O synchronisation within 9usec, while some devices in the series use an external synchronisation clock input.

The IL515 operates at up to 2Mbps over the full temperature and supply voltage ranges.

Maximum propagation delay is 25nsec, and pulse-width distortion is 10nsec.

The device also has output enable and an external clocking options.

All models feature very low EMC emissions.

The IL515 operates over a supply-voltage range of 3V to 5.5V and temperature range of -40 to +85C.

Typical transient immunity is 30kV/usec and it is UL 1577-approved.