Date: 25/07/2011

Microelectronic Relay designers manual from IR to simplify design

International Rectifier has made available of a CD-based Microelectronic Relay (MER) Designers Manual featuring a selection guide, application notes, datasheets and design tips on it's extensive portfolio of MER products.

IR's offering of MERs includes both MOSFET- and IGBT-based photovoltaic relays and photovoltaic isolator products. IR says the MOSFET-based devices are solid-state relays for switching AC and DC loads and sensory signals from a few milliamps to several hundred watts in industrial controls, instrumentation, peripheral telecom devices, computer peripherals and office equipment. Devices in the portfolio featuring power MOSFET outputs in a DIP6 packages with center-tap output configurations allow for added design flexibility for AC/DC- and DC-only parametric choices. The IGBT-based photovoltaic relay is for switching industrial loads up to 400W or 280VA and available in a DIP14 package, the device is designed as a drop-in replacement for Mercury-wetted reed relays.

The Photovoltaic Isolators offer single- and dual-channel, optically isolated outputs that can be used for directly driving the gates of discrete power MOSFETs and IGBTs, allowing designers the flexibility of creating their own, custom-made solid-state relays capable of controlling loads over 1,000 volts and 100 amps says IR.

"International Rectifier offers a range of MER products with attractive top-of-the-line packaging, semiconductor switch technology and electrical specification combinations particularly for industrial control applications. The designers manual is a convenient resource for selecting and designing MER products from IR's extensive portfolio," said Andy Serkuczewski, IR's director of MER product marketing.

IR's MER products are lead-free and RoHS-compliant.

MOSFET-based MER

Part Number Load Voltage [VDC or ACpeak] max. Load Current [mAAC/DC] max. Load Current [mADC-only] max. On-resistance [?AC/DC] max. On-resistance [?DC-only] max.
PVT212 150 550 825 0.75 0.25
PVT412A 400 240 360 6,000 2,000
PVG612A 60 2,000 4,000 0.1 0.035
PVN012A 20 4,000 6,000 0.05 0.015
IGBT-based MER

Part Number Transient overvoltage protection [V] Load Voltage DC max. [V] Load Voltage AC max. [VRMS] Load Current [AAC or ADC] max.
PVX6012 600 400 280 1.0