TLC372

LinCMOS DUAL DIFFERENTIAL COMPARATORS

SLCS114E − NOVEMBER 1983 − REVISED JULY 2008

9

POST OFFICE BOX 655303

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

input protection circuit operation

Texas Instruments’ patented protection circuitry allows for both positive-and negative-going ESD transients.

These transients are characterized by extremely fast rise times and usually low energies, and can occur both

when the device has all pins open and when it is installed in a circuit.

positive ESD transients

with input current as Q1 saturates. The base current through R2 forces the voltage at the drain and gate of Q2

continues to rise, the breakdown voltage of the zener diode D3 is exceeded, and all remaining energy is

dissipated in R1 and D3. The breakdown voltage of D3 is designed to be 24 V to 27 V, which is well below the

gate oxide voltage of the circuit to be protected.

negative ESD transients

The negative charged ESD transients are shunted directly through D1. Additional energy is dissipated in R1

and D2 as D2 becomes forward biased. The voltage seen by the protected circuit is −0.3 V to −1 V (the forward

voltage of D1 and D2).

circuit-design considerations

LinCMOS

 products are being used in actual circuit environments that have input voltages that exceed the

recommended common-mode input voltage range and activate the input protection circuit. Even under normal

operation, these conditions occur during circuit power up or power down, and in many cases, when the device

only if the inputs are current limited. The recommended current limit shown on most product data sheets is

±5 mA. Figure 5 and Figure 6 show typical characteristics for input voltage versus input current.

Normal operation and correct output state can be expected even when the input voltage exceeds the positive

supply voltage. Again, the input current should be externally limited even though internal positive current limiting

is achieved in the input protection circuit by the action of Q1. When Q1 is on, it saturates and limits the current

to approximately 5-mA collector current by design. When saturated, Q1 base current increases with input

producing the current limiting effects shown in Figure 5. This internal limiting lasts only as long as the input

When the input voltage exceeds the negative supply voltage, normal operation is affected and output voltage

states may not be correct. Also, the isolation between channels of multiple devices (duals and quads) can be

severely affected. External current limiting must be used since this current is directly shunted by D1 and D2 and

no internal limiting is achieved. If normal output voltage states are required, an external input voltage clamp is

required (see Figure 7).