ZEN056V115A24LS Circuit Protection

TVS - Mixed Technology

Transient Voltage Suppressor (TVS) devices have been around for decades and their usage has increased in recent years. TVSs, also known as transient voltage suppressors, shunts or surge suppressors, help protect electronic components from high voltage surges such as spikes, surges, transients or lightning. TVSs work in a similar fashion to zener diodes in that they clamp the voltage, often by using two different kinds of components.

One of the most commonly used TVS today is the ZEN056V115A24LS. This device is a mixed technology TVS composed of Zener diodes as well a unipolar transistors. It is designed to protect sensitive electronics against lightning surges, overvoltages and other transient voltage events. It is a miniature, surface-mount device that is easy to use, going well with existing socket or board layout design.

Application Field

The ZEN056V115A24LS is used in a wide variety of applications, such as automotive electronics, consumer electronics, communication equipment, industrial equipment and automotive power systems. The device is widely used particularly in Automotive systems, such as air bag inflators, ECUs and ECM. In the industrial sector, the device is ideal for protecting delicate electronic instrumentation, DC to DC converters, and other sensitive equipment from voltage surge damage.

Working Principle

The ZEN056V115A24LS TVS ensures protection from high voltage surges from two separate principles.
First, the Zener diode in the device works by clamping the potential surge voltage. This prevents the surge voltage from reaching the sensitive components upstream. The Zener diode is combined with a unipolar transistor that is capable of providing short circuit protection against a potential surge.

The device pins are connected in such a way that when a surge occurs the Zener diode threshold is reach, the current flows down the pins and is shunted into the ground terminal. The unipolar transistor switches on to ensure that even if the current remains high over a long period of time, the device is still protected.

The ZEN056V115A24LS TVS is a cost effective way to protect sensitive electronics from transients. It is small, and can easily fit into existing socket or board designs. Furthermore, the device has a wide operating temperature range, from -55°C to 150°C, making it suitable for a wide variety of applications.