The off-chip ESD line will focus on providing coordinated protection in some of the most challenging ESD environments for USB, HDMI, Mobile High-Definition Link and other LVDS applications. The reverse polarity protectors are in-line switches that achieve low on-resistance during normal bias. The devices also help protect against damage caused by reverse bias and negative transient events, resulting in protection for sensitive IC's against hot-plug transients, reverse battery and other negative bias conditions up to -30VDC, detailed the company.

Using Fairchild's advanced clamping and "Balanced Capacitance" technology, the off-chip ESD protectors will help reduce the damage caused by ESD events and will have minimal impact on signal integrity. Fairchild's answer to ESD protection will help reduce both soft failures that require system reboot as well as full electrical overstress (EOS) generated product returns, improving overall customer satisfaction.

Fairchild's reverse polarity protection devices will minimize size, series voltage drop and normal bias operating power loss when compared to traditional Schottky or diode solutions. Initial devices will generate less than 15mV voltage drop and dissipate less than 15mW during normally biased 1A operation. In addition, these devices will dissipate less then 5µW in a 5V reverse bias event, making heat sinking unnecessary and reducing overall component costs and board space requirements, indicated Fairchild.