Date: 10/11/2010

PLAD surface mount TVS devices from Microsemi meets new avionics safety standards

Microsemi Corporation has announced that its family of Plastic Large Area Device (PLAD) surface-mount transient voltage suppressors (TVS) enables avionics systems to meet new safety standards required for today's carbon composite-skinned aircraft.

Microsemi says its PLAD packaging improves surge protection, preventing the disruption of digital signal processing, component damage and interruption of function due to the indirect effects of lightning. These new multiple-burst lightning-protection requirements were specified by the Radio Technical Committee for Aeronautics in the United States, and the European Civil Aviation Electronic organization.

"Our end customers in the avionics market must meet the strictest standards of safety and security," said Kare Karlsen, Microsemi's Executive Vice President of its High Reliability Group. "Our ability to deliver compliance is further proof of Microsemi's commitment to provide a unique advantage to customers who value power, precision, security and reliability."

The release quotes "Modern military aircraft, such as the F-22, use composites for at least a third of their structures, and commercial aircraft such the Boeing 787 use composite materials for nearly all exterior surfaces except for the leading edges of the wings, the stabilizers and the engine pylons. Composite-skinned airframes have less intrinsic ability than earlier aluminum airframes to keep a large lightning strike from damaging the aircraft and its on-board electronics. The company's top avionics customers have selected its TVS solutions to ensure safety and reliability in critical and essential system functions performed in the engine control equipment, ignition systems and on-board aerial cameras."

Microsemi claims PLAD technology is the first to enable more effective surface-mount TVS packaging for both 15 kW and 30 kW devices. It combines a large die size with an exposed bottom contact for heat sinking that improves power handling as compared to through-hole devices, and is compatible with standard assembly automation.

Microsemi is displaying these TVS devices at Electronica 2010 event at the New Munich Trade Faire in Munich, November 9-12.