The RClamp™0502B and RClamp™0514M protect 2 lines and 4 lines, respectively, and each present a typical line-to-line capacitance of 0.7pF, making these devices the ideal choice for HDMI applications, such as plasma displays, high definition TVs, and set-top boxes.  The HDMI Compliance Test Specification (CTS) requires sink (receiver) ports maintain a differential impedance of 100 Ohm 15%.  Too much added capacitance will cause the impedance of the differential pair to drop.  With such low capacitance, the RClamp0502B and RClamp0514M meet this stringent specification, while also providing a high level of protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD) and cable discharge events (CDE). 

Both devices have a flow through design for ease of layout.  The pins of the RClamp0514M are spaced at a pitch of 0.5mm for reducing discontinuities on high speed lines.  The RClamp0502B also has a flow through design and protects one differential pair.  The versatility of this single device allows designers the freedom to separate clock and data pins.

Furthermore, neither device requires impedance compensation, such as common mode chokes, to meet the requirements of the stringent HDMI CTS.  They feature extremely low clamping voltage for superior protection of sensitive ICs in high ESD threat environments.  They meet IEC 61000-4-2 specification for protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD), a common phenomenon with data interfaces.  The solid-state design ensures protection against repeated strikes without degradation or damage.

“Today’s very high-speed data interfaces need a new breed of protection device with the clamping and capacitance characteristics to protect downstream ICs, without impeding system performance,” said Tom Dugan, Semtech's Director of Protection Products. “With both low clamping and low capacitance, the RClamp devices stand alone in the industry as the best products for these applications.”

The lead-free design of the devices complies with the European Union’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS) directive to meet worldwide environmental and regulatory requirements.

Key Features of the RClamp0514M / RClamp0502B
·         Flow-through design
·         Low capacitance, Cj (typ) = 0.7pF (line-to-line)
·         Low clamping voltage
·         RClamp0514M: 5 x 3.1 x 1.1 mm MSOP-10 package
·         RClamp0502B: 1.7 x 1.75 x 0.9 mm SC-75 package
·         No insertion loss to 3 GHz (line-to-line)
·         Exceeds IEC61000-4-2 level 4 (±15kV air & ±8kV contact)
·         Lightning protection of up to 5A (IEC 61000-4-5)
·         Lead-free and RoHS/WEEE compliant