LTC2876/LTC2877

20

28767fa

For more information www.linear.com/LTC2876

applicaTions inForMaTion

ELECTRICAL OVERSTRESS PROTECTION

Equipment used in industrial environments is often ex-

posed to extremely high levels of electrical overstress

due to phenomena such as electrostatic discharges (ESD)

from personnel or equipment, electrical fast transients

(EFT) from switching high current inductive loads, and

even lightning surges. The LTC2876/LTC2877 has been

designed to thrive in these adverse conditions.

ESD

Perhaps the most common exposure to electrical over-

stress is ESD, which results from the build-up of electrical

charge on one object, and discharged onto another in

close proximity. The LTC2876/LTC2877 features excep-

tionally robust ESD protection. The bus interface pins

(PB and PA) are protected to ±52kV human body model

(HBM) with respect to GND when unpowered and ±26kV

latchup or damage, in any mode of operation. Every other

pin on the device is protected to ±15kV ESD (HBM) for

all-around robustness. Figure 16 shows an unprotected

LTC2876 struck repeatedly with 26kV from an ESD gun

using air discharge to illustrate the strike energy. The

device continues to function normally after the strikes,

without damage or cycling the power.

Figure 16. This Single Exposure Image Captures the Striking Robustness of an Unprotected LTC2876 Hit Repeatedly with 26kV ESD

Discharges While Operating without Damage or Circuit Latchup