New high-speed bi-directional dual supply autosensing level shifter IC

Update: April 17, 2021

Diodes Incorporated has increased its family of voltage-level shifters with the launch of the PI4ULS3V304AQ. This advanced level shifting technology, offers high degrees of flexibility, proving essential to modern automobile design. It meets the challenge of lower voltage microprocessors and microcontrollers included in automotive systems, which are needed to drive external devices performing at different voltage levels to their own (such as sensors and EMI filters).

Offering high-speed operation, this configurable 4-bit IC supports an assured data rate of 140Mbps. It provides bi-directional voltage-level translation, enabling increasingly common push-pull type applications to be met.

Through the device’s A and B ports, two different power supply rails can be tracked. The IC can offer 0.9V to 2V translation on the A port and translation from 1.65V to 3.6V on the B port. Propagation delay is held to just 13ns while operating at full 100pF capacitive drive. Being AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified, this device is ideal for automotive implementation. Among the key applications in which it can be employed are infotainment, driver assistance and telematics.

An operational temperature range of -40C to 125C is covered, and 2kV ESD protection has been included. The innovative output EN function indicates that the device’s respective I/O ports (A or B) can be shut down when not required to lower the power draw. Automated bi-directional operation eliminates the need for the inclusion of a direction control pin.

The device is supplied in a 12-pin UQFN package.