New 20kbps to 100kbps Communication Photocouplers from Toshiba Lower Costs, Power Consumption

IRVINE, Calif., June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., (TAEC)*, a committed leader that collaborates with technology companies to create breakthrough designs, today announced the launch of two new communication photocouplers – theTLP2301 (20kps) and TLP2303 (100kps). Supporting RS-232 communication speed of 9.6kbps or 19.2kbps to RS-232C communication speed of 115.2kbps transmission rates for isolated communication interfaces in factory automation devices, air-conditioners, smart meters and more, these new optimal speed photocouplers bring excellent cost/performance ratios and can be driven at a low input current of 1 mA.

Isolated communication interfaces for factory automation devices (such as PLC and inverters), home appliances and housing equipment (such as air conditioners and smart meters) use a wide range of transmission rates to communicate. Until now, photocouplers with optimal speed transmission rates were not available. This forced users to choose either general-purpose transistor couplers, which provide insufficient performance, or 1 Mbps-class IC couplers, which provide the performance needed, but at a very high cost.

Toshiba developed the TLP2301 and TLP2303 to fill this gap in the market. The new photocouplers achieve a high current transfer ratio (I_C/I_F) and switching under low input current conditions – leading to reductions in power consumption and costs in the wide range of products that use photocouplers.

The TLP2301, which supports a ~20kbps transmission rate, guarantees a maximum delay time of 30 microns. Additionally, it can operate at a low input current of 1 mA by adopting a high-output infrared luminescence LED developed by Toshiba. Due to its low input current, the TLP2301 can also be directly driven by a microcontroller (no driver buffer is needed).

In addition to using the same high-output infrared luminescence LED as the TLP2301, the TLP2303, which supports a ~100kbps transmission rate, has a light-receiving chip with a high-speed photo Darlington transistor configuration. This enables the TLP2303 to achieve a high current transfer ratio (I_C/I_F) of up to 800 percent at an input current of 1.6 mA.

Features include:

TLP2301

• Operating temperature range: Topr = -55 degrees C to 125 degrees C
• Current transfer ratio: CTR = 50 percent (min.) (at IF = 1 mA, VCE = 5V)
• Propagation delay time: tpHL / tpLH = 30 microns (max.) (at IF = 1 mA, VCC = 5V, RL = 10k omega, Ta = 25 degrees C)

TLP2303

• Operating temperature range: Topr = −40 degrees C to 125 degrees C
• Current transfer ratio: CTR = 800 percent (min.) (at IF = 1.6 mA, VCC = 4.5V)
• Propagation delay time:
  • tpHL = 5 microns (max.)
  • tpLH = 25 microns (max.)
    [condition: IF = 1.6 mA, VCC = 5V, RL = 2.2 k omega, Ta = 25 degrees C]
  • tpHL = 1 microns (max.)
  • tpLH = 7 microns (max.)
    [condition: IF = 12 mA, VCC = 5V, RL = 270 omega, Ta = 25 degrees C]
• Common-mode transient immunity: |CMH| and |CML| > 15 kV/microns

Pricing and Availability
Toshiba's new photocouplers are available now. Budgetary pricing begins at $0.24 for TLP2301 and $0.38 for TLP2303, with volume discounts available.

*About Toshiba Corp. and TAEC

About TAEC
Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, VARs, distributors and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, solid state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives (HDDs), discrete devices, advanced materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, imaging products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's leading smartphones, tablets, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics, enterprise solutions and more.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's fifth largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2012 Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue, April, 2013). Toshiba Corporation was founded in 1875 and today has over 554 subsidiaries and affiliates, with 210,000 employees worldwide. Visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm.

© 2013 Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. All rights reserved.
Information in this press release, including product pricing and specifications, content of services and contact information,  is current and believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.  Technical and application information contained here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product specifications.

Editor's Note:  Images available for download from: http://www.toshiba.com/taec/news/press_releases/2013/opto_13_680.jsp

media contact:
Dena Jacobson
Lages & Associates
Tel.: (949) 453-8080
[email protected]

SOURCE Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.