TVS Diodes in Series: A Comprehensive Guide to Installation and Performance

 


Transient Voltage Suppressor (TVS) diodes are essential components in electronic circuits, providing protection against voltage transients. When multiple TVS diodes are required for robust protection, installing them in series becomes a common practice. However, understanding the particulars of installing them in series and optimizing their performance is crucial for ensuring the reliability of electronic systems.

 

Understanding TVS Diodes

TVS diodes provide a low impedance path to divert transient currents away from the protected circuit, thus safeguarding against voltage spikes, ESD (Electrostatic Discharge), and other transient events. They are designed to operate in avalanche breakdown or Zener breakdown regions, allowing them to quickly respond to transient events by clamping the voltage to a safe level. This rapid response is crucial for preventing damage to sensitive electronic components such as integrated circuits (ICs), transistors, and diodes.

 

TVS Diodes in Series

In many applications, a single TVS diode may not provide sufficient protection, especially in environments with high-voltage transients or stringent reliability requirements. Installing them in series offers increased protection by distributing the transient voltage across multiple diodes.

When they are connected in series, their breakdown voltages add up, effectively increasing the clamping voltage of the system. This ensures that even higher voltage transients are safely clamped without reaching the protected circuit. However, it's essential to consider several factors when installing TVS diodes in series to optimize their performance.

 

Factors to Consider for Series Installation

Breakdown Voltage Matching: When installing them in series, it's crucial to select diodes with closely matched breakdown voltages. Mismatched breakdown voltages can result in uneven voltage distribution, with one diode bearing the majority of the voltage stress, potentially leading to premature failure.

Reverse Leakage Current: They exhibit a small amount of reverse leakage current, which can accumulate in series configurations. Selecting them with low reverse leakage current helps minimize the overall leakage in the system, improving efficiency and reliability.

Temperature Coefficient: The temperature coefficient of these diodes influences their clamping voltage characteristics at different operating temperatures. Choosing them with consistent temperature coefficients ensures stable performance across a wide temperature range.

Voltage Rating: Ensure that the combined breakdown voltage of them in series exceeds the maximum expected transient voltage in the application. Selecting diodes with a higher voltage rating provides an additional margin of safety.

 

Optimizing Performance

Balanced Current Sharing: To ensure uniform voltage distribution across them in series, it's essential to achieve balanced current sharing. This can be achieved by incorporating equalizing resistors in parallel with each diode, allowing the current to be distributed evenly.

Layout Considerations: Proper layout design is crucial for minimizing parasitic inductance and capacitance, which can affect the performance of them in series. Keep the traces short and direct to reduce inductance, and place decoupling capacitors close to the diodes to minimize parasitic capacitance.

Thermal Management: These diodes dissipate energy during transient events, leading to temperature rise. Adequate thermal management, such as heat sinking or airflow, helps dissipate heat effectively, preventing thermal runaway and ensuring long-term reliability.

Testing and Validation: Before deployment, thoroughly test the series configuration of them under various transient conditions to validate their performance. Conducting transient surge tests and monitoring clamping voltage ensures that the system meets the desired protection level.

 

In conclusion, TVS diodes play a serious role in safeguarding electronic circuits against transient voltage events. Installing TVS diodes in series enhances their protective capabilities, providing robust protection for sensitive components. With proper design and testing, series-installed TVS diodes offer effective protection against voltage transients, ensuring the longevity and reliability of electronic systems in diverse applications.


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