Nexperia launches advanced analog switch series for enhanced system safety and efficiency

This versatile multiplexer collection comprises AEC-Q100 qualified variants specifically tailored for automotive applications, alongside standard versions catering to a diverse spectrum of consumer and industrial uses.

Nexperia, a prominent global semiconductor manufacturer, has recently unveiled a novel series of 4- and 8-channel analog switches meticulously crafted to monitor and safeguard 1.8 V electronic systems. This versatile multiplexer collection comprises AEC-Q100 qualified variants specifically tailored for automotive applications, alongside standard versions catering to a diverse spectrum of consumer and industrial uses. These applications span sensor monitoring, diagnostics, enterprise computing, and domestic appliances.

When incorporating analog switches, designers often encounter the need for additional voltage translators due to the control circuitry’s inability to function from the same voltage level as the power supply for the switch. In contrast, the NMUX1308 and NMUX1309 switches boast control pins that operate independently of their power supply voltage range. This unique characteristic obviates the necessity for supplementary components to execute level-shifting, ultimately resulting in space and cost savings on the board.

Nexperia has meticulously engineered this switch series to encompass additional features that augment overall system safety. The fail-safe logic enables control pins to be biased before system power-up and maintains this bias even after the system shuts down. Consequently, the need for power sequencing between the analog switch and the system’s microcontroller unit (MCU) is eradicated. Furthermore, the power-off protection feature empowers analog pins to be biased before system power-up and retain this bias post system power-down, eliminating restrictions associated with power sequencing for the analog switch and diverse power rails supporting analog signals and ADC circuitry further downstream in the signal chain. The combined effect of both features in the NMUX130X prevents back-powering of the supply rail through any pin of the analog switch.

These cutting-edge devices integrate injection current control circuitry, strategically limiting output voltage shifts on the active channel to under 5 mV during overvoltage events on disabled signal channels. This innovation eliminates the necessity for external diode and resistor networks, leading to substantial board-space savings and cost reduction.

The NMUX1308 and NMUX1309 switches are available in 8-channel and dual 4-channel configurations, offered in standard (-40 °C to +85 °C) and automotive-qualified (-40 °C to +125 °C) versions. They come in both leaded and leadless options, with the latter including a package supporting AOI (Automated Optical Inspection) specifically tailored for automotive applications.