RClamp®0524J, a 5V protection device for DisplayPort and other high-speed applications, is the latest addition to Semtech's industry leading RailClamp® family of solid-state protection devices that are the first to reach 0.3pF in capacitance to meet the needs of high-speed designs.

What is DisplayPort?
DisplayPort is a new open digital communications interface that seeks to do for the computer market what HDMI does for consumer electronics – transfer uncompressed HD video/audio content. DisplayPort is expected to be a significant alternative to both DVI and VGA display connections for PCs. The interface features a transfer rate of 1.62 Gbps or 2.7 Gbps per lane. A four-lane configuration has a maximum total data rate of 10.8 Gbps.

The need for ESD Protection
At these high data rates, a low capacitance protection device is essential, because introducing any significant capacitance on the line will degrade signal integrity. The four-line RClamp0524J is a TVS array with a capacitance of 0.3pF between I/O pins, and can be used on circuits operating at speeds up to 3GHz without signal attenuation. The ultra-low capacitance means that common-mode chokes are not required for impedance compensation in DisplayPort designs.

Aggressive ESD protection is essential on DisplayPort systems because of the increased human interaction with the interfaces that increases the risk of electrostatic discharge (ESD), cable discharge event (CDE) or latchup. The RClamp0524J meets the stringent IEC 61000-4-2 standard for ESD protection (+/-15kV for air, +/-8kV for contact). The device also meets IEC standards for electrical fast transients (EFT) and for lightning strikes.

RClamp0524J Package Maintains High Signal Quality
The device comes in a special SLP-style package with an ultra thin design that reduces trace discontinuities. The package is leadless to reduce stubs that can impact signal quality, and has a flow-through design to avoid trace routing issues that can impact signal integrity. The device also features a 0.5mm lead pitch so that the differential traces can be tightly coupled for good common-mode noise rejection. These features, combined with 0.3pF capacitance, mean the devices can be used on two-, four- or six-layer boards without added trace compensation, eliminating "guesswork" in the layout.

Applications

• High Definition Multi-Media Interface (HDMI)
• Digital Visual Interface (DVI)
• DisplayPort™ Interface
• MDDI Ports
• LVDS
• Serial ATA
• PCI Express

Key Features

• Low capacitance of 0.3pF typical
• Flow-through design
• Meets IEC 61000-4-2 ESD protection: +/-15kV (air), +/-8kV (contact)
• Protects against cable discharge events (CDE)
• 8-pin SLP2710P8 (2.7 x 1.0 x 0.58 mm)
• Leads: 0.5mm pitch, NiPD finish
• Low clamping and operating voltage
• RoHS/WEEE compliant