NXP Semiconductors announced a new series of ESD protection devices specifically designed to protect NFC (Near Field Communication) antennas in mobile devices from transient voltages. The PESD18VF1BL and PESD24VF1BL are 18 V and 24 V bi-directional diodes with a capacitance down to 0.35 pF (typ). Housed in small, leadless DFN1006-2 (1.0 × 0.6 × 0.48 mm, 0402 inch) package, the new ESD protection diodes are ideal for today’s compact and slim smartphones.
The NFC antenna is often integrated into the battery cover or the battery itself and is connected to the NFC IC via small contacts on the phone. These contacts are an entry point for ESD strikes which are potentially hazardous to the NFC controller ICs. The new NXP protection diodes safeguard the NFC IC according to the IEC61000-4-2 industry standard. At the same time, they are designed to maintain strong signal integrity of the antenna circuit by featuring very small variation of diode capacitance versus bias voltage. This combination ensures the best possible protection of the NFC system.
Key features of PESD18VF1BL and PESD24VF1BL
- Bi-directional configuration, allowing operating voltages up to 18 V and 24 V, respectively
- Very low capacitance down to 0.35 pF enabling easy design of the antenna matching circuit
- Very small voltage dependency of the diode capacitance avoiding intermodulation distortion
- ESD robustness of up to 10 kV according to IEC61000-4-2
- Very small DFN1006-2 (0402 inch) package
Availability and Pricing
The new PESD18VF1BL in DFN1006-2 is available immediately. Indicative pricing is US $0.05 per piece in quantities of 10,000 units. The PESD24VF1BL will be available in high-volume production in Q1 2014. Two further 18 V and 24 V protection diodes in the DSN0603 (0.6 × 0.3 × 0.3 mm, 0201 inch) package will be released in Q2 2014.
