SMCJ18CA-TR

TVS - Diodes

TVS diodes are an important component for device protection that is suitable for a wide range of applications. This article will explore the application field and working principle of the SMCJ18CA-TR as one example of a TVS Diode.

Applications

TVS diodes are widely used for suppressing high voltage spikes caused by ESD, lightning, inductive switching, and other transients. The SMCJ18CA-TR is an ideal TVS diode for overvoltage protection in automotive and industrial applications. It can protect up to 8KV of surge peak pulse power and has a working voltage between 4.5 and 170V. It can be placed in a variety of common automotive applications from protecting ECUs to monitoring software-defined radio systems. Furthermore, it is designed for reliable surface mount mounting and is compliant to AEC-Q101 industry standard for TVS diodes. This makes it ideal for high-reliability and long-term applications.

Working Principle

The SMCJ18CA-TR is a multilayer diode with both anode and cathode terminals. When connected, the diode behaves as a short circuit during the transient surge current, diverting the current away from the device. During high current pulse, a depletion region forms around the PN junction. This region acts as an insulation and prevents conduction in the reverse direction. This prevents the high voltage from damaging the device. During normal operation, TVS diodes will present a low voltage drop, resulting in minimum power loss.

The SMCJ18CA-TR also has several protection features built in. These include temperature dependence for overvoltage protection, thermal derating, and high pulse surge capability. These help ensure the device is able to reliably protect the connected device from a wide range of transients. Furthermore, the device is designed to withstand multiple pulse surges, allowing it to repeatably protect against future surges.

Conclusion

TVS diodes are an important component for device protection from transients. The SMCJ18CA-TR is a reliable TVS diode specifically designed for automotive and industrial applications. It has a high surge peak pulse power capability and temperature dependant overvoltage protection. It is also designed for long-term reliability and multiple pulse surge capability. Thus, the SMCJ18CA-TR is a great choice for any application requiring reliable overvoltage protection.