Design engineers working with industrial communication designs need to transmit high speed data over the communication fieldbus without the risk of damaging sensitive controllers, ADCs or sensors. The current solution uses two single-channel optocouplers or other technology, like magnetic or capacitive coupling. But this does not provide the desired level of reliable isolation and immunity to EMI.
To help designers meet this challenge, Fairchild Semiconductor’s FOD8012 is claimed to be an industry-first, full duplex, bi-directional, logic gate optocoupler with high noise immunity as well as reliable optical isolation.
The FOD8012 supports isolated communications of digital signals between systems without conducting ground loops or hazardous voltages. The part features a 0.4mm (minimum) optical isolation gap and a switching speed of up to 15Mbit/sec. It employs Fairchild’s proprietary Optoplanar packaging technology and optimized IC design to achieve common mode rejection (CMR) of 20kV/µs minimum, allowing the device to operate in noisy industrial environments.
This high-speed logic gate optocoupler has two optically coupled channels arranged in a bi-directional configuration and is housed in an 8-pin small outline package. Each optocoupler channel consists of an AIGaAs LED, driven by a CMOS buffer IC coupled to a CMOS detector IC.
Additionally, the FOD8012 offers an extended industrial temperature range of -40 to +110ºC and a 3.3V or 5V supply voltage to facilitate logic level translation. Fairchild reports the device’s high isolation voltage is certified by UL1577 and IEC60747-5-2.
This bi-directional optocoupler is suitable for industrial fieldbus communications, programmable logic control, and servo control, as well as inverter, factory automation, process control and test and measurement applications.
Price (each, 1k pcs) is $3.08.