Snapback TVSs Deliver More Accurate And Robust Circuit Protection

Focus:

One of the latest innovations in circuit protection is snapback TVS (transient voltage suppressor) technology. While no device is perfect for all applications, the snapback TVS brings the industry closer to the ideal protection solution for many applications. This article begins by discussing technology and market trends driving adoption of TVSs. It then reviews and compares the existing transient voltage protection devices, starting with historical solutions like SCRs, and then moving onto the currently used gas discharge tubes (GDTs), metal oxide varistors (MOVs), and conventional TVSs. The characteristics and behavior of snapback TVSs are then discussed with data to illustrate the differences between conventional and snapback TVSs. This leads to a discussion of application benefits and an application example.

What you’ll learn:

• How to understand the circuit protection benefits of snapback TVSs versus conventional TVSs, GDTs and MOVs
• How to understand the operating characteristics of snapback TVSs

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Author & Publication:

Kevin Parmenter, Taiwan Semiconductor, Brea, Calif., How2Power Today, Feb 14 2025

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