February 2011

Protection Design Guide for

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

www.semtech.com

Table of Contents

Telecom & Networking Protection

Section I: Introduction & Background

The Need for Robust Circuit Protection > 4
Semtech Advantages Process & Technology > 5
Threat Environment > 6
TVS Diode Basics > 8
Clamping Voltage > 9

Section II: Protection Solutions

Gigabit Ethernet Protection (RClamp2504N) > 14
10/100 Ethernet Protection (TClamp2502N) > 15
Industrial Ethernet Protection (RClamp2502L) > 16
Power-Over-Ethernet Protection (RClamp0524S) > 17
Ethernet Protection Solution for ESD Protection (RClamp2504P) > 18
T1/E1 GR-1089 Intra building Lightning Protection (TClamp0602N) > 19
T1/E1 GR-1089 Outer building Lightning Protection (LC01-6) > 20
xDSL Circuit Protection (SR12) > 21
ADSL, VDSL Protection Solution (SR70, SRDA70-4) > 22
xDSL Protection (LDCAxxc-1) > 23
RS485 Protection Solution (SM712) > 24

Section III: Protection Applications

IEC 61000-4-x Transient Immunity Standards, IEC 61000-4-2 ESD Standard > 26
IEC 61000-4-4 EFT Immunity Standard, IEC 61000-4-5 Surge Standard > 27
Lightning Surge Immunity per Telcordia GR-1089, Lightning Immunity > 30
Transient Voltage Protection for Gigabit Ethernet PHYs > 32
GbE System Operation over Temperature > 33
Safeguard Ethernet Interfaces from Cable Discharge Threats > 34
Power-Over-Ethernet Protection >36
T1/E1 Circuit, Intra building, Outer building Protection >38
TVS Package drawings >39

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

The Need for Robust Circuit Protection

ve
Le
HB
M
2k
V

Cost of ESD design

dependent on
chip area
respins
resources
circuit performance
time-to-market

Todays digital communication integrated circuits (ICs) and transceivers are

faster, more efficient, consume less power, and are smaller than ever before.
Yet the advances in IC technology and enhanced chip performance has
come with a notable tradeoff: increased susceptibility to damage from ESD,
cable discharge and lightning. Not only are transistor geometry sizes scaling
at a remarkable pace, leading to more sensitive circuits, but the on-chip
protection is increasingly being sacrificed in favor of accommodating greater
performance in the chip. As this trend progresses, high performance system
level transient voltage protection will be needed more than ever before.

1k

VH

BM

Le

ve

ling Level

Safe Hand

ESD Asssocations Recommended

Safe-Handling Level for On-Chip Protection

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Semtech Advantages
Process & Technology
The Semtech protection portfolio offers key advantages over industry standard TVS
protection devices. These performance advantages are achieved with Semtechs
advanced processing technology. This process technology enables TVS diode
arrays with sub 5 volt working voltage, low clamping voltage, and sub-picofarad
capacitance. The compact design of the Semtech process allows devices to be
housed in low-profile, space-saving packages. Lower working voltage means that
the protection device can respond more quickly, shunt transient voltage spikes at a
lower threshold, and thus provide a lower clamping voltage. As the transient voltage
sensitivity of transceivers increases, designing with low working voltage protection
devices is critical for protecting todays systems.

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Threat Environment
Telecom and Networking interfaces are vulnerable to a variety of different transient voltage threats. These threats include electrostatic
discharge (ESD), cable discharge events (CDE) and lightning surge. Interfaces that are accessible to human contact, such as RJ-45 ports,
are vulnerable to transient voltage threats from ESD and cable discharge transients. Additionally, Ethernet Physical Layer Chips (PHYs) within
the networking infrastructure are highly vulnerable to lightning threats. When choosing and designing an appropriate protection scheme, you
should consider these transients and their inherent electrical characteristics.

Electrosatatic Discharge (ESD)

Several models exist to simulate the ESD event. Each is designed
to describe the threat in a real world environment. The discharge
model is typically a voltage source feeding a resistor/capacitor
network. Resistor and capacitor values vary depending upon the
standard. Today the most internationally recognized ESD standard
is IEC 61000-4-2. IEC 61000-4-2 is a system level standard used by
manufacturers to model ESD events from human contact. The test
is performed by discharging a 150pF capacitor through a 330 ohm
resistor. Discharge into the equipment may be through direct contact
(contact discharge) or just prior to contact (air discharge).

Ipeak

IEC 61000-4-2 divides the ESD into four threat levels. Test voltages
at the threat levels range from 2kV to 15kV with peak discharge
currents as high as 30A. Most manufacturers adhere to the most
stringent level, level 4, which defines a +/-15kV air discharge test
and a +/-8kV contact discharge test. However, many manufacturers
test their equipment beyond these levels. The ESD waveform as
defined by IEC 61000-4-2 reaches peak magnitude in 700ps to 1ns
and has a total duration of only 60ns. While the ESD pulse contains
little energy, the resulting effect can be devastating to sensitive
semiconductor devices. Sensitive points of the equipment are to be
tested with a combination of positive and negative discharges.

ESD Dischage Levels per IEC 61000-4-2

100%
90%

I at 30 ns

I at 60 ns
10%

Level

Test Voltage
Air Dischage
(kV)

Test Voltage
Contact Dischage
(kV)

First
Peak
Current
(A)

Peak
Current
at 30 ns
(A)

Peak
Current
at 60 ns
(A)

7.5

15

22.5

12

15

30

16

t
30 ns
60 ns
tr = 0.7 to 1 ns

ESD Waveform per IEC61000-4-2

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

ESD Immunity: System Level vs. Device Level

Cable Discharge

For ESD immunity, it is important to distinguish between system level

immunity and device level immunity. The JEDEC JESD22-A114E which
is equivalent to the earlier Mil-Std-883 is a device level standard
appropriate for the level of ESD threat seen in the manufacturing
environment. The IEC 61000-4-2 standard is intended to describe
the level of ESD threat seen in the system environment. In the case
of transceiver ICs, most are rated to 2kV human body model (HBM)
according to the JEDEC Standard/Mil-Std 883. This is not the same
as 2kV for the system level standard (IEC 61000-4-2). In fact, the IEC
pulse, for a given voltage level, will render over 5 times higher current
levels than the JEDEC standard. The chart illustrates this difference:
a 2kV ESD pulse for the Mil-Std 883 renders a peak current of
approximately 1.33A. For the system level, that same 2kV charge
level corresponds to a peak current of 7.5A.

Cable Discharge (or CDE) is a real and frequent phenomenon in the

Ethernet environment. CDE can be viewed as a type of electrostatic
discharge, but should be treated as a separate transient event
from ESD. An Ethernet cable, generally unshielded Cat-5 or Cat-6
twisted pair, can be modeled as a capacitor element capable of
storing significant charge build up. As defined in the IEEE 802.3
standard, an Ethernet cable can be as long as 100m. The cable
becomes charged by means of triboelectric charging or induction.
Since Cat-5 and Cat-6 twisted pair cables exhibit very low leakage
properties, the charge stored on the cable can remain on the twisted
pair for up to several hours before discharging to the port during a
plug event. This frequently poses a particularly dangerous threat to
Ethernet ports. The high peak voltage and current of the CDE can
cause the Ethernet transceiver to become overstressed resulting in
intermittent malfunctions. In many cases, the transceiver can also fail
catastrophically.

Peak Current IEC vs JEDEC

IEC Level
(Contact discharge)

ESD Voltage
(kV)

JEDEC JESD-A114E
Ipp (kV)

IEC 61000-4-2
Ipp (A)

1.33

7.5

2.67

15

4.00

22.5

5.33

30

ESD Immunity Standards: IEC 61000-4-2 vs. JESD22-A114E

To achieve high system level ESD immunity, you should adhere
to the IEC 61000-4-2 standard. The IEC standard is more closely
representative of the real world ESD threats seen by electronic
systems. Most commercial designs require passing minimum of 8kV
for the Human Body Model of IEC (level 4) contact discharge.

Lightning
Interfaces connected to the telecommunications network are exposed
to lightning surges. Electromagnetic coupling of lightning energy can
induce large transient pulses in nearby telecommunications lines.
Lightning, or surge transients, are sometimes described as slow
transients because unlike the fast, nanosecond rise times of ESD
and Cable Discharge, a lightning pulse is generally on the order of
microseconds in duration. However, the energy contained within the
pulse is orders of magnitude higher, posing a significant destructive
risk to telecommunications equipment.
The EMC community models surge transients using a combinational
waveform which describes the basic surge waveshape and characteristics:
rise time duration, fall time duration, and peak pulse current (Ipp) or
peak pulse voltage. The lightning waveform can be either characterized
as a voltage waveform with respect to time or a current waveform
with respect to time. For example, the IEC 61000-4-5 calls for a 25A
8x20s waveform. This waveform represents a pulse of 20s in
duration from t=0 to the 50% decay point. The rise time is 8s to the
peak pulse current (Ipp), 25A in this case (see figure below).

IEC 61000-4-4 Current Impulse

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Protection Design Guide

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

TVS Basics

Transient Voltage Suppressor (TVS) diodes have long been used to

provide robust circuit protection. As shown in the following diagram,
TVS diodes are generally connected as shunt elements across a
transmission line. Under normal operating conditions the TVS diode
presents a high impedance to the protected circuit. During a transient
event, the TVS achieves breakdown, presents a low impedance shunt
path, and the transient current is shunted through the TVS diode. A
good TVS protection circuit must divert transient current and clamp
transient voltage below the failure threshold of the protected IC.

I (Amps)

Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) Diodes

2.5 V

Vrwm

Vclamp

V (Volts)

Typical 5V TVS IV Curve

Semtech Low Vrwm IV Curve

Voltage

ESD Event

IV Curve for Semtech Low Working Voltage Process

Zin

Transcient
Environment

Transient
C urrent

TVS
Diode

Protected
Circuit

Secondly, the TVS should present low capacitance to preserve signal

integrity on the high-speed interface. If the capacitance of the TVS
diodes is too high, adding excessive loading to the circuit, signal
distortion and data errors will result.

TVS Diode Operation

Parameters for Effective Circuit Protection

A good TVS device for protecting dataline communications interfaces
must have some key parameters. First, low working voltage is a
critical TVS parameter for safeguarding submicron integrated circuits.
The working voltage, or Vrwm, is the maximum rated DC voltage for
the TVS device. At the Vrwm voltage, the TVS is still a non-conducting
device. Once the transient voltage rises above the working voltage,
the TVS quickly achieves breakdown and presents a low impedance
path to divert the transient. Thus, a low working voltage is essential
for clamping a transient to a level well below the damage threshold
of the IC that the TVS is protecting. The I-V curve illustrates the
advantage of a lower working voltage. The green line represents a
typical I-V curve for a standard TVS device while the red I-V curve
illustrates the Semtechs low working voltage technology. The lower
working voltage means the transient voltage is arrested more quickly
and thus can be clamped to a lower voltage. Using TVS devices with
lower working voltage is critical to reducing the stress energy seen
by the communications transceiver. To address this need, Semtech
has designed a family of 2.5V working voltage protection devices for
safeguarding next generation high-speed transceivers.

Protection Design Guide

Finally, the TVS needs to offer high-surge handling. For systems

in the communications infrastructure, components rated only for
ESD transient levels will not provide sufficient protection. The TVS
component must also be able to handle the higher energy contained
within cable discharges and the variety of lightning threats common
to Ethernet interfaces. As a general guideline, the TVS should at least
provide 25A of surge handling for an 8x20 microsecond pulse.

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Introduction & Background

Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Clamping Voltage
Clamping voltage, by definition, is the maximum voltage drop across
the protection device during a transient event, which is also the
stress voltage seen by the protected IC. The clamping voltage is the
most critical parameter to consider when choosing a TVS device.
It is important to note that a device rated at IEC 61000-4-2 does not
guarantee the system will pass ESD testing. This is because the IEC is
a system level standard that was originally intended to be applied as
pass/fail criteria for showing system level ESD immunity. The purpose
of a protection device is to reduce a transient voltage spike down to
a safe voltage for the protected IC, and the best way to insure that
your TVS protection device adequately protects your interface circuitry
is by choosing components that offer the lowest clamping voltage
performance.

To illustrate the unique protection benefits of Semtechs proprietary

EPD technology, the following chart compares the clamping voltage
of an industry standard 5V TVS device with the clamping voltage of
the Semtech RClamp2504N device. Built on the EPD platform, the
RClamp2504N offers a very low 2.5V working voltage. Notice that the
Semtech RClamp2504N provides a nice low, flat clamping voltage
over a wide range of peak pulse current values. As a 2.5V working
voltage device, the clamping performance of the RClamp2504N is
significantly lower than the typical 5V TVS protection device. As the
sensitivity on next generation PHYs increases, selecting TVS devices
with a lower clamping voltage as illustrated in the chart can impact
the difference between safeguarding an Ethernet PHY or resulting in
catastrophic damage.

Clamping Voltage vs Peak Pulse Current

Clamping Voltage - Vc (V)

30
Waveform
Parameters:
tr = 8s
td = 20s

25
20

Typical 5V
ESD Protection

15
10

Semtech
RClamp 2504N

5
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Peak Pulse Current - Ipp (A)

Clamping Performance for RClamp 2504N

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Protection Solutions
High-speed copper transmission interfaces are used on a wide variety
of telecommunications systems including 3G base stations, GPON and
EPON systems, enterprise routers, switches, DSLAM equipment, digital
surveillance cameras, VoIP telephony and much more. Semtechs industry
leading low-clamping performance and innovative packaging provide
advanced performance solutions to safeguard your systems from transient
voltage threats. This section will highlight some of the newly released key
telecom & networking devices within the Semtech protection portfolio.

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Protection Design Guide

11

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Part Number

Lines

Vrwm

Cap I/O to
I/O

Ipp max
(8x20s)

Application

RClamp2504N

2.5V

2pF typ

25A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
LVDS

Circuit Diagram

RClamp2504N
2.6
x 2.6 x 0.6mm

RClamp3304N

3.3V

2pF typ

25A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
LVDS
RClamp2504N
2.6
x 2.6 x 0.6mm

RClamp2502L

2.5V

5pF max

40A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
Industrial
5.9 RClamp2502L
x 4.9 x 1.5mm
1

RClamp0524S

5V

1.5pF typ

6A

Power Over Ethernet

2.9 RClamp0524S
x 2.8 x 1.2mm

TClamp2502N

2.5V

8pF

95A

100BASE-T
2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm

TClamp3302N

3.3V

8pF

95A

100BASE-T
2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm

TClamp0602N

6V

8pF

95A

T1/E1
T3/E3
100BASE-T
2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm

RClamp2504P

2.5V

0.4pF

5A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
LVDS
Multimedia Card
1.6 x 1.6 x 0.6mm

12

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Part Number

RClamp3304P

Lines

Vrwm

3.3V

Cap I/O to
I/O

0.4pF typ

Ipp max
(8x20s)

Application

5A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
LVDS
Multimedia Card

Circuit Diagram

1.6 x 1.6 x 0.6mm

RClamp0504N

5V

1.5pF typ

12A

1000BASE-T
100BASE-T
LVDS
2.0 x 2.0 x 0.6mm

LC01-6

6V

50pF (max)

200A

T1/E1
T3/E3
10.20 x 10.30 x 2.5mm
LC01-6

SR70

3.3V - 70V

10pF

70A

xDSL
SR70x 1.0mm
2.9 x 2.35

SRDA70-4

3.3V - 70V

4pF (typ)

20A

High-speed
xDSL lines
5.9 x 4.9 x 1.5mm

LCDAxxC-1

12V, 24V

8pF (typ)

15A

xDSL
2.9 x 2.35 x 1.0mm
1

SM712

12V, -7V

75pF (max)

17A

RS-485
SM712
2.90 x 2.37
x 0.90mm

Note 1: surge data taken with 10/160s waveform

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Protection Design Guide

13

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

RClamp 2504N
Description

ESD & Surge Protection for 1000BASE-T

(Gigabit Ethernet) Interfaces

The RClamp2504N uses Semtechs Enhanced Punch-Through Diode

(EPD) technology process to achieve a low working voltage of 2.5
volts. The low working voltage enables superior clamping voltage
performance for safeguarding submicron silicon PHY architectures.
The 4-line RClamp2504N can be configured to meet the intra-building
surge requirements of Telcordia GR-1089. The low clamping voltage
and high surge rating of this device also make it an ideal part for
protecting against dangerous ESD and cable discharge threats.
The RClamp2504N presents minimal line-to-line capacitance for
preserving signal integrity and is housed in a small leadless, RoHS
compliant package.

Features

2.5V working voltage*

4-line protection
Low-clamping voltage
25A (8x20s) surge rating
Very small Package (2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm)

Applications

Gigabit Ethernet
10/100 Ethernet
LVDS

The 2.5V Working Voltage (Vrwm) means that

the TVS can achieve breakdown quickly during a
transient event. Next generation PHYs are best
protected by 2.5V working voltage TVS.

RClamp2504N

TP1+

RClamp2504N

TP1-

RJ-45
TP2+

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

RClamp2504N

TP2-

Ethernet
PHY

TP3+

RClamp2504N

TP3-

TP4+

RClamp2504N

TP4-

Protection for Gigabit Ethernet Interface

* RClamp 3304N is footprint compatible, but with 3.3V Vrwm

14

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

TClamp 2502N
ESD & Surge Protection for
100BASE-T (10/100 Ethernet) Interfaces

Description
The TClamp2502N is a 2-line TVS protection device compliant with
the Telcordia GR-1089 Intrabuilding surge standard. With its low
capacitance (10pF), small size (2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm), and low operating
voltage (2.5V), the TClamp2502N is the industrys first 2.5V silicon TVS
device rated to meet GR-1089 Intra-building surge. The TClamp2502N
is packaged in a very small, leadless SLP package, giving designers
a remarkable level of surge handling protection for a fraction of the
board real estate required by traditional surge rated devices.

Features

2.5V Working Voltage*

2-line protection
Low-clamping voltage
95A (8x20s) surge rating
Very small package (2.6 x 2.6 x 0.6mm)

Applications

10/100 Ethernet
Video Surveillance Interfaces
LVDS Interfaces

TClamp2502N
The 100A (2x10s) surge rating of the
TClamp2502N safeguards 10/100 PHYs
from high-energy lightning threats.

RJ-45

TX+

TX-

Ethernet
PHY

TClamp2502N
RX+

RX-

TClamp2502N

Protection for 10/100 Ethernet Interface

* TClamp 3302N is footprint compatible, but with 3.3V Vrwm
2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

15

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

RClamp 2502L
Description

ESD & Surge Protection for Industrial and

Harsh Environment Ethernet Interfaces

The RClamp2502L is a 2-Line, 2.5V (Vrwm) low capacitance

protection array for safeguarding Ethernet interfaces from ESD and
Cable Discharge and Lightning surge transients. The RClamp2502L
offers a very robust surge rating for secondary lightning protection
(40A, tp=8/20s) and is housed in an industry standard SO-8
package. The SO-8 package accommodates a simple, efficient layout
for the board designer, allowing the differential pair traces to run
straight under the package.

Features

2.5V Working Voltage

2-line protection
40A (8x20s) surge rating
Low-clamping voltage
Flow-through package

Applications

TPA+

10/100 Ethernet
Gigabit Ethernet
LVDS
Analog Video
Industrial Interfaces

TPA-

RClamp2502L
RClamp2502L

Industry standard SO-8 package facilitates

ease of layout on Ethernet Interfaces. The
2.5V working voltage and high-surge handling
provides optimal protection in harsher industrial
environments.

RClamp2502L
RJ-45
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

RClamp2502L

Gigabit
Ethernet
PHY

RClamp2502L

RClamp2502L

Protection for Gigabit Ethernet Interface to Telcordia GR-1089

16

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

RClamp 0524S
ESD & Cable Discharge Protection for
Power Over Ethernet Interfaces

Description
The RClamp0524S is a 4-Line, 5V (Vrwm) low capacitance protection
array designed to safeguard Power-Over-Ethernet interfaces from
ESD and Cable Discharge transients. The split-pad architecture of the
RClamp0524S protects PoE signal pairs from dangerous transient
spikes while isolating the diode arrays so as to prevent a dc power
connection between the pairs. The RClamp0524S offers a simple
package layout to facilitate a clean, flow-through design.

Features

5V Working Voltage
Split-pad TVS Arrays
Low-clamping voltage
Flow-through package (2.9 x 2.8 x 1.2mm)

Applications

A+

Power over Ethernet

Industrial Equipment

A-

B+
B-

RClamp0524S
RClamp0524S

Dual isolated TVS arrays provide highly integrated

transient protection solution while maintaining
DC potential separation on PoE line pairs.

RClamp0524S
TP1+
TP1-

TP2+

RJ-45
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

TP2-

Ethernet
PHY

TP3+

TP3-

TP4+
TP4+

RClamp0524S

Protection for Power-over-Ethernet Interface

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Protection Design Guide

17

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

RClamp 2504P
ESD & Cable Discharge Protection for
High-Density Ethernet Interfaces

Description
The RClamp2504P is a 4-Line, 2.5V (Vrwm) low capacitance
protection array for safeguarding Ethernet interfaces from ESD and
Cable Discharge transients. The innovative design incorporates
surge rated, low capacitance steering diodes and a TVS diode in
a single package. Each line has a maximum capacitance of < 0.8pF
line-to-ground. The capacitance of each line is well matched for
consistant signal balance. This device is optimized for ESD protection
of sensitive electronics. It may be used to meet the ESD immunity
requirements of IEC 61000-4-2, Level 4 (15kV air, 8kV contact
discharge).

Features

2.5V Working Voltage*

4 lines of protection
Low capacitance (<0.8pF)
Excellent ESD clamping
Ultra-small package (1.6 x 1.6 x 0.6mm)

Applications

1000BASE-T Ethernet
100BASE-T Ethernet

RClamp2504P
RClamp2504P
Ultra-small, 4-line RClamp2504P provides
superior fast transient clamping performance
with minimal part footprint.

TPA+

TPA-

RClamp2504P
RJ-45

TPB+

TPB-

Ethernet
PHY

TPC+

TPC-

RClamp2504P
TPD+

TPD-

Protection for High-Density Ethernet Interface

* RClamp 3304P is footprint compatible, but with 3.3V Vrwm

18

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

TClamp 0602N
GR-1089 Lightning Protection for
T-Carrier Interfaces
Features

6V Working Voltage
Low-clamping voltage
Flow-through package
High-surge rating: 100A (2x10s)

Description
The TClamp0602N is a 2-line 6V working voltage device rated for
100A 2/10s surge per Telcordia GR-1089. With its fast response
time and low working voltage, the TClamp0602N will provide the
initial lightning surge defense by clamping the lightning impulse to
a low voltage. An enhanced diode bridge configuration is used to
provide the low capacitance of the TVS diode protection circuit.

Applications

T1/E1 Interfaces
T3/E3 Interface
Analog Video Interfaces
Digital Surveillance Cameras
TClamp0602N

Line side GR-1089 Intra-building

protection. The TClamp0602N is a 100A
2x10s rated device packaged in ultra
small 2.6x2.6x0.6mm package.

RTip

RRing

TClamp0602N
T1/E1
Transciever
RClamp3304N
TTip

TRing

TClamp0602N

Protection for T1/E1 Interface

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Protection Design Guide

19

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

LC01-6
GR-1089 Lightning Protection for
T-Carrier Interfaces

Description
The LC01-6 is a 2-line 6V working voltage device rated for protecting
telecom interfaces according to the GR-1089 Outerbuilding
requirements: 500A 2/10s surge or 100A (10/1000s) surge.
The LC01-6 is commonly used to safeguard T1/E1 interfaces from
very high energy lightning surge transient events. The low clamping
voltage performance of the LC01-6 provides superior protection
response time to transient than traditional thyristor and crowbar
surge protectors.

Features

6V Working Voltage
High-surge rating: 500A (2x10s)
Protects One Tip/Ring Pair
Low-clamping voltage

Applications

Tip

T1/E1 Interfaces
Base Stations
WAN Interfaces
xDSL Interfaces

Ring

LC01-6
LC01-6
Line Side GR-1089 Outer-building protection.
The LC01-6 is rated for 100A 10x1000s (500A
2x10s) to provide maximum surge protection.

RTip

LC01-6
RRing

T1/E1
Transceiver
RClamp3304N
TTip

LC01-6
TRing

Outer-building GR-1089 Protection for T1/E1 Interface

20

Protection Design Guide

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Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

SR12
Description

ESD & Surge Protection for

ADSL & VDSL Interfaces

The unique design of the SR12 incorporates four surge rated, low
capacitance steering diodes and a TVS diode in a single package.
During transient conditions, the steering diodes direct the transient
to either the positive side of the power supply line or to ground. The
internal TVS diode prevents over-voltage on the power line, protecting
any downstream components.

Features

12V Working Voltage

2-line protection array
Low-clamping voltage
SOT-143 package

Applications

ADSL Interfaces
VDSL Interfaces
Industrial Interfaces

SR12

The SR12 can protect an ADSL or VDSL

tip/ring pair, providing very low clamping
voltage and minimal capacitive load.

+Vref

Line Side
Protection
(Optional)

CODEC
2

3
+Vref

Protecting XDSL Interface with SR12

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

21

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

SR70
Description

3.3V 70V, 2-line Protection Array for

High-Speed Protection

The SR70 and SRDA70-4 are surge rated diodes designed for
protection of telecom interfaces. These devices are unique because
they do not have a fixed voltage reference. This affords the designer
the flexibility to use the protection on a wide range of interfaces.
The Vcc and Gnd pins can be configured for the unique design
needs by allowing a voltage clamp reference from 3.3V to 70V.

SRDA70-4
3.3V 70V, 4-line Protection Array for
High-Speed Protection
Features

12V Working Voltage

Low-clamping voltage
24A (8x20s) surge rating
Flexible layout

Applications

ADSL Interfaces
VDSL Interfaces
Industrial Interfaces

SR70
SR70

SRDA70-4

SRDA70-4

Surge rated diodes afford the flexibility of using

the supply rails for clamp reference. The SR70 &
SRDA70-4 can be used from 3.3V to 70V.

LINE IN

LINE OUT

LINE IN

LINE OUT

VCC

LINE IN

LINE OUT

LINE IN

LINE OUT

Protecting Differential Transmission line with SRDA70-4

22

Protection Design Guide

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Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

LCDA12C-1
LCDA15C-1
Description

ESD & Surge Protection for

ADSL & VDSL Interfaces

The LCDAxxC-1 is a low capacitance transient voltage suppressor

(TVS) diode array. These devices protect sensitive CMOS ICs from
dangerous ESD and secondary lightning transient threats. The
LCDAxxC-1 will protect one line in common mode (line-to-ground) or
one line in metallic mode (line-to-line). The low capacitance of these
devices (<15pF) makes them suitable for use on high-speed telecom
and datacom interfaces. The LCDAxxC-1 may be used to protect ADSL
interfaces, multi-protocol serial transceivers, and wireless systems.

Features

12V & 15V Working Voltage

2-line protection array
Low-clamping voltage
Low leakage current
Flow-through package

Applications

ADSL Interfaces
VDSL Interfaces
RS-232, RS-422

2
The low clamping LCDAxxC-1 provides robust
surge protection for sensitive xDSL circuitry.

3
LCDA12C-1

LCDA12C-1
1

-12

Line Side
Protection

CODEC

+12

LCDA12C-1
1

ADSL Protection Circuit with LCDAxxC-1

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Protection Design Guide

23

Protection Solutions
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

SM712
Description

ESD & Surge Protection for

RS-485 Interfaces

The SM712 TVS is designed for asymmetrical (+12V to -7V) protection

in multi-point RS-485 systems. The SM712 will protect devices from
transient voltages resulting from electrostatic discharge (ESD),
electrical fast transients (EFT) and lightning surge. The device is
designed with asymmetrical operating voltage for optimal protection.
The TVS diodes at pins 1 and 2 have a working voltage of 12 volts.
These pins are connected to the differential data line pairs. The TVS
diodes at pin 3 have a working voltage of 7V. Pin 3 can be connected
to ground in RS-485 applications.

Features

Protection +12V to -7V lines

Low Capacitance
Low-clamping voltage
12A (8/20s) surge rating

Applications

RS-485 Systems
Security Systems
Enterprise Switching

SM712
SM712

Provides bidirectional TVS protection, optimized

for safeguarding RS-485 transceivers.

5V
RT

SM05

D
12V

12V

7V

7V

R
SM712

Protection for RS-485 Interface with SM712

24

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Circuit Protection Applications

As telecommunication interfaces can be subject to wide variety of transient
conditions and operating environments, the need for good circuit protection
solutions are often unique to the application. This section will examine some of
the more subtle aspects of protecting circuit interfaces from overvoltage threats.

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

25

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

IEC 61000-4-x Transient Immunity Standards

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a worldwide
organization promoting international cooperation on questions
concerning standardization in electrical & electronic fields, has
developed transient immunity standards which have become
minimum requirements for manufacturers wanting to do business
in the European Community (EC) and other worldwide markets.

The ESD threat is divided into four threat levels. Threat level 1 is
considered the least severe while threat level 4 is the most severe.
Most manufacturers will adhere to level 4: 8kV contact discharge,
15kV air discharge. IEC 61000-4-2 also specifies the ESD current
waveform and parameters shown in Figure 1 & Table 1.
Ipeak

100%
90%

Three of the IEC standards deal with transient immunity:

IEC 61000-4-2 : Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
IEC 61000-4-4 : Electrical Fast Transient/Burst
(Eelectrical Fast Transients)
IEC 61000-4-5 : Surge Immunity

I at 30 ns

I at 60 ns

The following sections provide a summary of each of the transient

immunity standards.

10%
t
30 ns

IEC 61000-4-2 Electrical Discharge (ESD)

Standard

60 ns
tr = 0.7 to 1 ns

IEC 61000-4-2 addresses one of the most common forms of transients

in electronic systems: Electrostatic discharge (ESD). ESD results from
conditions which allow the build up of electrical charge from contact
and separation of two non-conductive materials. When the charged
body is brought in proximity of another object of lower potential,
energy is released in the form of electrostatic discharge.
The standard defines immunity requirements for ESD which can
be coupled into the equipment directly or through radiated effects.
Direct coupling includes any user accessible entry points such as I/O
ports, switches, computer keyboards, panel displays, and equipment
housings. Radiated coupling results from the discharge between two
bodies which are external to the system.
Because the human body is one of the most common generators
of ESD, the IEC standard defines a test set up which is designed
to simulate an ESD event from a human body. The Human Body
Model as it is referred to, is considered a valid representation of
worst case ESD stresses. Discharge into equipment may be through
direct contact (contact discharge method) or just prior to contact (air
discharge method). Contact discharge is the preferred test method,
but air discharge is used where contact discharge cannot be applied.

Figure 1 - ESD Waveform per IEC 61000-42

The rise time is extremely fast, defined as 0.7 to 1ns, with a second peak
at 30ns and a total duration of only 60ns. The total energy contained
within the pulse is approximately a few hundred microjoules.
Transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes are an ideal choice for
meeting the ESD transient immunity requirements of IEC 61000-4-2
and are proven solutions for suppressing system level ESD events.
The extremely fast response time of the TVS diode is essential for
responding to the 1ns rise time of the ESD pulse. Additionally, TVS
diodes are capable of clamping the incoming transient to a low
enough level as not to cause damage to the protected semiconductor.
All TVS diode devices and families offered by Semtech may be used
to suppress ESD to level 4 of IEC 61000-4-2. The fast response and
low clamping levels make TVS diodes suitable for ESD suppression on
data and I/O ports.

Level

Indicated
Voltage

First peak
current of
discharge +/10%

Risetime
(tr) with
discharge
switch

Current
(+/- 30%
at 30 ns)

Current
(+/- 30%
at 60 ns)

kV

ns

7.5

0.7 to 1

15

0.7 to 1

22.5

0.7 to 1

12

30

0.7 to 1

16

Table 1 IEC61000-4-2 Waveform Parameters

26

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

IEC 61000-4-4 Electrical Fast Transients (EFT)

Immunity Standard
Electrical fast transients occur as a result of arcing contacts in
switches and relays. EFT disturbances are common in industrial
environments where electromechanical switches are used to connect
and disconnect inductive loads. IEC 61000-4-4 specifies the EFT
threat in both power and data lines. The electrical fast transient is
described in terms of a voltage across a 50 load from a generator
having a nominal dynamic source impedance of 50. The output
occurs as a burst of high voltage spikes at a repetition rate ranging
from 2kHz to 5kHz. The burst length is defined as 15ms with bursts
repeated every 300ms.
Each individual burst pulse is a double exponential waveform with
a rise time of 5ns and a total duration of 50ns. A diagram showing
the EFT waveform and the EFT burst repetition rate and burst period
is shown in Figure 2. Four severity levels are defined in terms of an
open circuit voltage as a function of installation environment.

Figure 2 EFT Burst

Additionally, the extremely fast response time of TVS diodes is

essential for responding to the 5ns rise time of the EFT pulse. Due to
the repetitive nature of the EFT pulses, TVS diodes with slightly higher
power handling capability will be required for protection at threat level 4.
Peak Amplitude
Level

Power Supply Port

I/O Signal, Data & Control Lines

VOC (kV)

ISC (A)

VOC (kV)

ISC (A)

0.5

10

0.25

20

0.5

10

40

20

80

40

Table 2 IEC61000-4-4 Severity Levels

IEC 61000-4-5 Surge Standard

IEC 61000-4-5 addresses the most severe transient conditions on
both power and data lines. These are transient caused by lightning
strikes and switching. Switching transients may be the result of power
system switching, load changes in power distribution systems, or
short circuit fault conditions. Lightning transients may result from
a direct strike or induced voltages and currents due to an indirect
strike. The IEC 61000-4-5 standard defines a transient entry point
and a set of installation conditions. The transient is defined in terms
of a generator producing a given waveform and having a specified
open circuit voltage and source impedance. Two surge waveforms are
specified : the 1.2 x 50s open-circuit voltage waveform and the 8 x
20s short-circuit current waveform (Figures 3 & 4 respectively).

The installation environments are defined as :

1 - Well Protected
2 - Protected
3 - Typical Industrial
4 - Severe Industrial
Table 2 provides the open-circuit voltages for each threat level and
for both power supply and data lines. Short circuit current values
are estimated by dividing the EFT open-circuit voltage by its 50
source impedance. This represents the worse case stresses seen
by the suppression element. Like ESD, EFT can be especially fatal
on data and I/O lines. The fast rise time of the EFT pulses demands
a suppression element with the same characteristics as that which
are required for suppression of an ESD pulse. Again TVS diodes
offer the best solution for suppressing the expected transient energy
while keeping clamping voltages across the protected elements to a
minimum.

Figure 3 IEC 61000-4-5 Voltage Impulse

Figure 4 IEC 61000-4-5 Current Impulse

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Protection Design Guide

27

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Transient stress levels for each entry point into the system are
defined by installation class. The six classes are defined as :

The short circuit current stress levels are defined with the 8 x 20s
waveform for power supply applications with a 2 source impedance.
For data lines requiring a 42 source impedance, the short-circuit
current waveform is defined as 8 x 20s. For telecommunications
applications, the open-circuit voltage is defined as 10 x 700s
and the short-circuit current is a 5 x 300s waveform. The source
impedance is given as 40.

Class 0 : Well Protected Environment

Class 1 : Partially Protected Environment
Class 2 : Well Separated Cables
Class 3 : Cables Run in Parallel
Class 4 : Multi - Wire Cables for both Electronic & Electrical circuits
Class 5 : Connection to telecommunications cables
and overhead power lines (Low density populated areas)

The type of suppression element needed for IEC 61000- 4-5 class
surges depends upon the threat level and installation class. For
power supply applications high power devices are required. A discrete
device or an assembly may be required depending on the application.
TVS diodes are the best choice for data line applications and
secondary board level protection because of their superior clamping
voltage characteristics and fast response time.

A class 0 environment is considered the lowest threat level and has

no transient stress requirements. The class 5 environment is the
most severe and requires the highest transient stress level testing.
Table 3 summarizes threat levels as a function of installation class.
Values of voltage stress using the 1.2 x 50s waveform are given.
Corresponding current values are calculated by dividing the opencircuit voltages by the source impedances. The short-circuit current
values are more useful in choosing a suppression element.

Class

0
1
2
3
4
5
WAVE
FORMS

Voltage
Current

Power Supply

Unsym Lines
(Long Distance Bus)

Sym Lines

Data Bus
(Short Distance)

Coupling Mode

Coupling Mode

Coupling Mode

Coupling Mode

Line-GDN
Zs =42

Line-GND
Zs = 42

Line-Line
Zs = 2

Line-GND
Zs = 12

Line-Line
Zs =42

Voltage

NO REQUIREMENT

Current
Voltage

Line-GDN
Zs =42

(n/a)

0.5KV

Current

(n/a)

42A

0.5KV

1.0KV

12A

24A

(n/a)

Voltage

0.5KV

1.0KV

0.5KV

1.0KV

1.0KV

0.5KV

Current

250A

83A

12A

24A

24A

12A

Voltage

1.0KV

2.0KV

1.0KV

2.0KV

2.0KV

(n/a)

Current

500A

167A

24A

48A

48A

Voltage

2.0KV

4.0KV

2.0KV

4.0KV

(n/a)

(n/a)

Current

1KA

333A

48A

95A

Voltage

(Note 1)

(Note 1)

2.0KV

4.0KV

48A

95A

95A

Voltage

(1.2 x 50s)

(1.2 x 50s)

(1.2 x 50s)

(1.2 x 50s)

(1.2 x 50s)

(1.2 x 50s)

Current

(8 x 20s)

(8 x 20s)

(8 x 20s)

(8 x 20s)

(8 x 20s)

(8 x 20s)

Current

4.0KV

Note 1: Depends on class of local power supply system.

Table 3 IEC61000-4-5 Severity Levels

28

Protection Design Guide

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Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Summary
Any OEM equipment manufacturer who plans to sell in the European
market will have to meet the requirements of IEC 61000-4-x. IEC
defines three transient immunity standards which provide equipment
suppliers with a susceptibilty level. Designing in accordance to the
IEC standard enables manufacturers to produce more reliable
products. Each of the transient immunity standards defines transient
sources, entry paths into a system, severity levels, and test methods.
Equipment application will determine what level of transient protection is
needed. Transient suppression devices must be carefully chosen for
each of the standards.

References
Makowski, Leo P., IEC 1000-4-X (801) Series of Standards, EMC
Test & Design, October 1994 Clark, O.M., Electrical-Transient
Immunity: A Growing Imperative for System Design, Electronic
Design, January 23, 1992
IEC Publication 1000-4-2 Electromagnetic Compatibility for Industrial
Process Measurement and Control Equipment - Part 4, Electrostatic
Discharge Requirements, International Electromechanical
Commission, 1995
IEC Publication 1000-4-4 Electromagnetic Compatibility for Industrial
Process Measurement and Control Equipment - Part 4, Electrical Fast
Transient/ Burst Requirements, International Electromechanical
Commission, 1995
IEC Publication 1000-4-5 Electromagnetic Compatibility for Industrial
Process Measurement and Control Equipment - Part 4, Surge
Immunity Test, International Electromechanical Commission, 1995

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

29

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Lightning Surge Immunity per Telcordia GR-1089

First Level & Second Level Criteria

Telephone companies and exchange carriers have long recognized

the disruption and equipment damage that lightning induced
transients can cause to equipment connected to their networks. To
insure safe and continued network operation, telecommunications
carriers have required the equipment that they purchase to undergo
surge immunity testing designed to emulate the worst case conditions
that can be expected in the field. Telcordia GR-1089 is the immunity
standard which applies to telecommunications equipment in North
America. Telcordia GR-1089 represents the most stringent of lightning
immunity standards used for equipment compliance. The GR-1089
standard contains immunity requirements for both inside and outside
plant network equipment and customer premises equipment which
will be used in carriers networks.

GR-1089 specifies two levels of surge immunity. First level tests call
for metallic (line-to-line) and longitudinal (line-to-ground) surges. After
the first level test, the equipment must function correctly and should
not have any degraded performance.

Lightning Immunity
Lightning immunity tests are performed for equipment which is
installed either on inside lines only or outside lines. These tests are
the result of more than 30 years of field studies measuring actual
lightning events in the United States. The studies found that lightning
strikes in close proximity produced the fastest rise times, while
distant strikes produced slower, longer lasting strikes. The actual
shape of the waveforms also varied but Telcordia settled on a double
exponential waveform as being representative of lightning surges. The
double exponential surge waveform is shown in Figure 1. The double
exponential waveform is defined as having an exponential rate of rise
to the peak and an exponential decay from that peak.

Depending upon the equipment port type, second level surge

testing may also be applied. Compliance to the second level criteria
requires that the EUT may be damaged but must not become a fire,
fragmentation, or safety hazard.

GR-1089 Port Types

GR-1089 categorizes telecommunications ports into various port
types based upon the equipment location electrically within the
network. As the surge threat is a function of the port location within
the network, different levels of immunity testing may be required
depending upon the port type. The latest revision of the GR-1089
standard (Issue 4) calls for 8 different port types as shown in Table 1:

Type
Number

Definitinon

Example

Type 1

Directly connected to metallic outside

plant (OSP)

Broadband Coax

Type 2

Not directly connected to metallic

outside plane (OSP)

Ethernet

Type 3

Ports directly connected to metallic

OSP cable conductors

Remote Terminals

Type 4

Equipment port(s) not directly

connected to metallic outside-plant

NIUs, ONTs, Broadband

Coax Communication

Type 5

cable conductors

DSL, Remote Terminals

Type 6

Ports directly to connected to

external antennas

Cellular Service
Equipment

Type 7

Connection to AC Power Systems

Type 8

Connection to DC Power Source

Table 1 GR-1089 Port Types

Figure 1 double exponential surge waveform

30

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

To see how the surge test would be applied, consider the case of
testing a system with port types 2 & 4 defined by GR-1089. Examples
for port types 2 or 4 would include Intrabuilding Ethernet or T1/
E1 lines that run within the central office building environment. For
this case, there is only a first level lightning surge requirement; the
second level surges would not apply.

For a T1/E1 interface, an 800V (100A) 2/10s line-to-line pulse

and a 1500V (100A) 2/10s line-to-ground pulse per the standard
is required. It is worth noting, GR-1089 Issue 4 makes a subtle
distinction between one or two port systems and multi-port interfaces.
For instance, 100Base-T Ethernet would be classified as a two port
interface while 1000Base-T Ethernet would be a four-port interface.
The surges for these respective cases are shown in the Tables 2 & 3.
The following section on Gigabit Ethernet will explore protecting Gigabit
Ethernet PHYs against GR-1089.

First Level Intra-Building Surge - One or Two Pair Ports

Surge

Minimum Peak Voltage

(Volts)

Minimum Peak Current

(Ampere)

Pulse Waveshape

Line-to-Line Surge or Line-to-Ground Surge?

800V

100A

2/10s

Line to Line

1500V

100A

2/10s

Line to Ground

Table 2 First Level Intrabuilding Surge One or Two Port (Port Types 2 & 4)

First Level Intra-Building Surge - Multi-Pair Ports

Number of Pairs

1 or 2
3 or 4
Greater than 4

Surge

Minimum Peak Voltage

(Volts)

Value for External

Non-Inductive
Resistors

800V

1500V

10

800V

1500V

20

800V

1500V

40

Pulse Waveshape

Line-to-Line Surge or
Line-to-Ground Surge?
Line to Line

The combination of 1.2/50s

open-circuit voltage waveshape and 8/20s short
circuit current waveshape with
a 2 internal impedcance

Line to Ground
Line to Line
Line to Ground
Line to Line
Line to Ground

Table 3 First Level Intrabuilding Surge Multiport (Port Types 2 & 4)

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

31

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Transient Voltage Protection for

Gigabit Ethernet PHYs
Ethernet systems within the communications infrastructure are
subject to high-level transient threats. This type of equipment may
even need to meet the surge immunity requirements of Telcordia
GR-1089. Reliable protection of the Ethernet transceiver requires
a device that can absorb the expected transient energy, clamp the
incoming surge to a safe level, and yet remain transparent to the
system under normal operation. Additionally, each new generation
of Ethernet deployment yields higher-density boards that demand
protection solutions that occupy less board space. Exacerbating the
problem, Gigabit Ethernet systems must be rated to operate at high
temperatures, making application of external protection even more
challenging. This section will discuss a solution for providing reliable
protection of GbE systems. This solution is designed to meet the
surge requirements of GR-1089. If designed properly, this solution
can be used without causing transmission errors.

Transient Threats
The small geometries of GbE transceivers make them particularly
susceptible to upset or damage from transient events. One of
the most common threats is a Cable Discharge Event (CDE). A
CDE occurs when an Ethernet cable becomes charged (due to
interaction with its environment) and subsequently discharges
into the circuit when the cable is plugged into the connector. In
general, the waveforms last for a few hundred nanoseconds with
rapid polarity changes. Electrostatic discharges (ESD) that originate
from the user are also common. These types of waveforms last for
approximately 60ns and are consistent with the human body model

as defined by immunity standards such as IEC 61000-4-2. For outside

connections, lightning can also induce high voltage surges onto the
communication lines that connect to the Ethernet PHY IC. These
events are high energy pulses, lasting several microseconds. The
Telcordia Technologies GR-1089-CORE specification defines a set
of requirements for lightning and ESD immunity for intra-building
equipment. The lightning tests are applied as metallic (line-to-line) or
longitudinal (line-to-ground) waveforms. The waveforms are defined
with a rise time of 2s and a decay time of 10s with an open circuit
(metallic) voltage of 800 volts short circuit current of 100A. Positive
and negative polarity surges are applied. To pass, the equipment
must continue to operate after the test.

Ethernet Magnetics
An Ethernet port includes transformers and common mode chokes
for connecting the PHY to the outside world. Transformers and chokes
can be discrete components, but integrated solutions that include the
RJ-45 connector, resistors and capacitors are becoming increasingly
popular. In either case, the transformer will provide a high level of
common mode isolation to external voltages, but no protection for
metallic surges. For a metallic (Line-to-Line) surge, current will flow
into one line, through the transformer and back to the source. As the
current flows, it charges the windings of the transformer on the line
side ( RJ45 side). Once the surge is removed, the windings on the line
side will stop charging and will transfer its stored energy to the IC side
where the PHY IC is located. Regardless, the pulse will most certainly
be destructive to the PHY chip.

TP1+

RClamp2504N

TP1-

RJ-45
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

TP2+

RClamp2504N

TP2-

Ethernet
PHY

TP3+

RClamp2504N

TP3-

TP4+

RClamp2504N

TP4-

Figure 1 - Protection for Gigabit Ethernet Interfaces

32

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Protection Solutions

GbE System Operation over Temperature

As the feature sizes on performance PHYs are scaling smaller along

with thinner oxide layers, using low working voltage TVS is critical
to safeguarding Ethernet PHYs. Semtechs RClamp2504N is a low
capacitance, transient voltage suppressor (TVS) designed to protect
Gigabit Ethernet ports while maintaining traffic performance over
temperature. The RClamp2504N is constructed using Semtechs
low-voltage EPD process technology to achieve a low working voltage
of 2.5 volts. The RClamp2504N circuit diagram is shown in Figure 1.
The device is in a leadless, RoHS compliant package measuring 2.6 x
2.6 x 0.6mm. The RClamp2504Ns low 2.5V working voltage results
in a low clamping voltage for maximum protection of the GbE PHY.
The RClamp2504N may be used on the PHY side of the transformer
to meet the Intra-building surge requirements of Telcordia GR-1089
(Ipp=100A, tp=2/10s).

Depending upon the operating environment, Telecom and Datacom

systems may be exposed to harsh temperatures extremes. Ethernet
ports within these systems are required to operate at very high
temperatures. In addition, the IEEE 802.3 specification requires that
the Ethernet interface supports data transmission on cable lengths of
up to 100 meters. A long cable length will present an additional load
to the system transmission, and at elevated temperature, symbol or
CRC (Cyclical Redundancy Check) errors can result. Thus, an Ethernet
protection circuit must provide the clamping performance to arrest
the GR-1089 surge, while also residing on the Ethernet interface
without introducing traffic errors.

5
1

Gnd
Figure 2 RClamp2504N Circuit Diagram
Figure 1 illustrates a protection solution using the RClamp2504N
TVS device for protecting a Gigabit Ethernet PHY. The four line pairs
are protected using the RClamp2504N connected in differential
mode (line-to-line) on the PHY side of the transformer. For optimal
performance, parasitic inductance should be minimized by placing
the device as close to the magnetics as possible and on the same
side of the board as the PHY. The clamping voltage, measured at
10.8V, for a metallic mode 800V (100A) 2/10s surge provides
sufficient clamping margin to minimize electrical stress and prevent
latent failure.

Generally, the Ethernet interface should provide error free transmission

up to 65C with a 100m cable attached to the port. This presents
several challenges. First, the high temperature means the margin of
operation of the PHY will be reduced. Secondly, the 100 meter cable
presents a large load on the receiving end. Finally, the protection
component will present non-linear impedance over temperature.
The GbE PHY can account for some impedance variations or
discontinuities on the line by performing a forward error correction
(FEC). However, large non-linear impedance changes across the
differential pair can not always be accounted. The amount of variation in
the protection device will depend on leakage current and capacitance;
factors dictated primarily by the junction area of the device.
Semtech TVS devices have been shown to operate on Gigabit
Ethernet interfaces without introducing pocket errors.

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

33

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Safeguard Ethernet Interfaces from Cable

Discharge Threats
Protecting Ethernet interfaces from transient discharges can create
a challenge for engineers because good protection must meet two
criteria:
1. a protective device must effectively clamp a transient to a safe
voltage.
2. the protection device must present an acceptable capacitive
load on high-speed differential transmission lines.
Good planning and careful selection of transient voltage-suppression
devices can ensure adequate circuit protection from electrostatic
discharge (ESD) and cable discharge events. Designing a system
for both high-speed communication and transient immunity
requirements is nontrivial. Newer Ethernet transceivers run faster,
consume less power and use less PCB space. But these advances
have contributed to a reduction of on-chip transient-voltage protection
levels. Thus, designers need advanced system-level circuit protection
to ensure Ethernet systems remain immune to ESD and cable
discharge threats.
CDE is a real and frequent phenomenon in the Ethernet environment.
Moreover, while cable-discharge (CDE) can be thought of as a type
of electrostatic discharge (ESD), designers should treat CDEs as
a separate type of transient event. An Ethernet cable -- generally
unshielded, twisted-pair Cat-5 or Cat-6 can be simply modeled
as a capacitive element that can store a significant charge. That
cable, which can run as long as 100m, can accumulate charge via
triboelectric or induction effects. Simply dragging a cable along a
carpet or removing it from a package will lead to a stored charge.
Inductive transfer from a user also can charge a cable. Because
Cat-5 and Cat-6 twisted pair cables have low-leakage properties,
the charge may remain stored on a twisted pair for several hours
and it can discharge into an Ethernet port when a user connects it
to equipment. The latter type of discharge occurs directly into the

34

Protection Design Guide

communication interface and poses a particularly dangerous threat

to the communication interface such as Ethernet ports. The high
peak voltage and current during a CDE can overstress an Ethernet
transceiver and lead to intermittent malfunctions or total failure.
The semiconductor industry has recognized the need for a standard
method for testing CDE and Working Group 14, ESD Simulators,
within the Electrostatic Discharge Association (ESDA) is currently
defining a standard method for CDE testing. This work will define a
testing method that uses an ESD waveform specified in IEC 610004-2, but the new method will account for energy transfer through a
cable rather than a human body. Unlike a human-body-model ESD,
CDE has an initial current spike followed by a characteristic plateau
and then a ringing signal with rapid polarity changes. In many cases,
cable discharges can deliver more damaging energy to CMOS
structures that can human-body-model ESD. Thus it is essential
for Ethernet ports to add good system-level protection circuits.
Unfortunately, some protection circuits negatively affect signal
integrity and others offer inadequate protection. We recommend
engineers consider the following characteristics when they review
Ethernet-port protection needs:
Fast response time
Low clamping voltage
Low leakage current
Low capacitance
High energy handling capacity
Optimal PCB layout
First, an effective Ethernet-protection device must offer a response
time faster than the transient events the system will experience.
Thus to safely attenuate a fast discharge during ESDs and CDEs, the
protection device must respond within hundreds of picoseconds,
faster than the ESD rise time. Figure 1 shows an example of a
protection circuit scheme with a sub-nanosecond response time.
Placing the protection devices behind the Ethernet transformer
further reduces surges.

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Second, a well devised protection circuit must provide a low clamping

voltage for a transient pulse. A transient voltage suppressor (TVS)
such as the RClamp2504N (Shown in Figure 1) diode array offers a
4V clamping voltage (Vc) for a peak pulse current (Ipp) of 1A. Its Vc
increases linearly to about 10V for an Ipp of 25A. This type of lowvoltage clamping response provides a large protection margin for an
Ethernet transceiver.

Finally, the capacitance of a protection circuit must have minimal

effect on Ethernet signal integrity. At Gigabit Ethernet speeds you can
no longer treat the interface as a lumped-element system but must
consider it as a transmission line in which the effect of capacitance
elements on signal performance becomes consequential. Excess
capacitance loading can cause signal reflections and an impedance
mismatch on the transmission line. Choosing components with
minimal line-to-line and line-to-ground capacitance can help to ensure
a small and acceptable level of signal distortion.

TPA+

TPA-

RClamp2504N
RJ-45

TPB+

TPB-

Ethernet
PHY

TPC+

TPC-

RClamp2504N
TPD+

TPD-

Figure 1 Cable Discharge Ethernet Protection with RClamp2504N

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

35

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

Power-Over-Ethernet Protection
As Ethernet proliferates in the networking space, the adoption of
Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) is rapidly spreading in both 10/100
and Gigabit Ethernet ports. The benefits and cost advantages of
powering remote devices over Ethernet cable enables a wide range
of applications, including IP telephony, digital video surveillance,
wireless LAN access points and other low voltage network connected
systems. A typical PoE system utilizes power-sourcing equipment
(PSE) to send DC voltage over Ethernet twisted pair to a remote
powered device (PD) (Figure 1).
PoE Powered
Device (PD))

Power Sourcing
Equipment (PSE))

Power Interface
Controller

Power Supply

as modeled by IEC61000-4-2 is 700 picoseconds to 1 nanosecond

while the pulse duration is 60 nanoseconds to 50% decay from the
peak pulse current. The high current spike and the energy contained
within the transient can easily render damage to the submicron input
structures of silicon ICs. Cable discharge (CDE), also known as cable
ESD (CESD), occurs when an Ethernet cable becomes charged through
routine interaction with the environment through the triboelectric
effect or induction. The danger is present when the charged cable
is plugged into the system interface. It has been shown that the
discharge to the Ethernet port will present differential mode surge
through the Ethernet magnetics [1]. Similar to ESD, cable discharge
exhibits a fast rise time (less than 1 nanosecond); however, unlike
ESD, the ensuing waveform presents a long period of ringing with
rapid polarity changes. Thus, the energy within a cable discharge
waveform can pose more significant and problematic threat for an
Ethernet designer than human body ESD.

Ethernet Cable
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Differential Mode Transients on Power-overEthernet Applications

Figure 1 Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) Typical Circuit

As PoE systems are frequently exposed to transient voltage threats,
protecting the Ethernet physical layer transceiver (PHY) from overvoltage stress is an important design consideration.
While PoE applications are increasing, the Ethernet PHY geometries
are shrinking at a remarkable pace. At the writing of this paper,
90nm technology is common and silicon vendors are unveiling
Ethernet PHYs on 65nm process technology with a view towards even
smaller geometries. Implementing effective chip-level ESD on CMOS
proves impractical at these advanced transistor geometries. The
silicon area required for system level robustness is not only deficient,
but implementing effective chip level protection is uneconomical.
Consequently, todays Ethernet based system designs increasingly
require better off-chip circuit protection to meet worldwide
compliance standards and to ensure system reliability.

Transient voltage threats

Ethernet interfaces are vulnerable to many different types of transient
over-voltage events. Most common among these are ESD, cable
discharge and lightning surges. In addition, the application of DC
power over twisted pair cable on Power-over-Ethernet systems can
introduce some unique differential-mode connection fault transients.
ESD is a fast transient pulse. The rise time of the ESD waveform

36

Protection Design Guide

As mentioned above, protecting Power-over-Ethernet interfaces can

be especially challenging because in addition to transients from
ESD and surge, there are several scenarios that frequently occur
where connecting DC power can result in a differential surges on the
Ethernet transmission line. This, of course, can cause catastrophic
failure to the PHY or, a more subtle problem, severe stresses leading
to latent IC failure.
Most PoE circuit designers will design some form of common-mode
protection to protect the PoE circuitry. This usually involves the use
of common-mode capacitors connected to earth ground, or possibly
a TVS transient voltage suppressor across the power source with
a very fast Schottky diode to direct the current flow to ground.
Unfortunately, many designers make the mistake of overlooking
differential mode protection. Ethernet differential pair, utilize
transformers and sometimes common mode chokes to isolate the
PHY from the outside environment. The transformer provides a high
level of common mode isolation to external voltages, but will provide
no protection for metallic or differential (line-to-line) surges.
As shown in Figure 1, in a PoE system +48V or -48V will be present
on the differential pairs. This DC voltage is common within a signal
pair hence resulting in a 0 DC voltage differentially. However, in some
cases it is possible to introduce transients when power is connected.
For instance, when the RJ-45 pin-connection is established between
the power source equipment and the powered device, the pin-to-pin
mating may not occur simultaneously. At the instant the pins make
contact to the RJ-45, it is possible to establish contact to pin 1 at an
instance just prior or after contact is made to pin 2. This can result in
a 48V differential transient with respect to the line pair, thus causing

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

disruption or damage the PHY of the PoE circuit. A similar example

may arise when a user switches connection from a powered device
to a non-powered device on the same power source port. When
the power source device detects that a non-powered device is now
connected, there can exist some latency for the power source device
to disable power to that port. In this case, power can be present for
sufficient duration that a non simultaneous connection of the pins
results in a 48V differential potential. This resulting differential-mode
transient poses potential disruptive or destructive effects to the PHY.

Transient Voltage Suppression Diodes (TVS)

Clearly PoE structures are exposed to harsh threat environments and
thus will need off-chip circuit protection. Low voltage TVS diodes are
a proven protection technology to safeguard Ethernet transceivers.
With sub-nanosecond response time, low capacitance and low
clamping voltage, they are well suited to guard against a wide variety
of transient surges.
For providing differential protection on PoE circuits, a good TVS
diode protection scheme must clamp the transient/surges while
presenting minimal loading capacitance on the interface. The TVS
should offer a low clamping voltage performance and, as a general
rule, should provide no more than a few picofarads of line-to-line
capacitance. As an additional unique requirement for PoE circuits,
the TVS configuration must account for the presence of the +/-48V
DC between line pairs. The high DC voltage on separate pairs will
prohibit using any integrated diode array or bridge TVS devices that
establishes an electrical path between line pairs. The differential
pairs must be electrically isolated.

Figure 2 shows an example of a PoE TVS solution for differential

mode transient protection using the Semtech RClamp0524S. In
implementing a PoE protection circuit, there are some advantages
to putting protection on the line side. Not only does this protect
the downstream power switch circuitry, but it also keeps transient
current from flowing through the transformer. As any additional
inductance can add to the ESD clamping of the TVS diodes, it is
beneficial to place the TVS as closely as possible to the connector.
The TVS array in this example offers a low line-to-line capacitance and
provides the necessary line isolation as the diode pairs are separated
within the package to isolate the 48V between the differential pair.
Additionally, the flow-through layout of the RClamp0524S minimizes
the overall inductance in the transient path and facilitates ease of
layout on the PCB.

Summary
Power over Ethernet systems require good transient voltage
protection to protect against ESD, Cable Discharge and surge
transients. In addition, PoE systems must be able to withstand
differential mode transients induced from DC power connection
faults. With careful design, TVS diodes can be effectively
implemented to safeguard PoE circuits from differential mode
transients.
[1] ESD Transfer Through Ethernet Magnetics, Pischl, Neven,
December 1, 2006

RClamp0524S
TP1+
TP1-

TP2+

RJ-45
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

TP2-

Ethernet
PHY

TP3+

TP3-

TP4+
TP4+

RClamp0524S

Figure 2 - ESD Protection for Power Over Ethernet Interface

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

Protection Design Guide

37

Applications
Telecom & Networking Interfaces

T1/E1 Circuit Protection

T1/E1 digital interfaces have been used commonly as a telecom
carrier interface. The technology was introduced to carry multiple
voice channels on a frame based digital interface. As a common
telecom interface used in the central office environment, T1/E1
tip and ring pairs need to be protected from ESD and Lightning
transients.
Due to the high surge current threat for T1/E1 transmit and receive
differential pair, a multistage protection scheme is often used. A
proven solution to protecting intra-building T1/E1 lines is shown
in the circuit diagram below. The design will meet the intrabuilding
lightning surge requirements of Telcordia GR-1089 and also provides
ESD protection to IEC 61000-4-2 level 4.

Intra building Protection

On the line-side stage of the protection scheme, the TClamp0602N
provides an initial defense by clamping the 100A, 2/10s intra-building
lightning surge. The TClamp0602N is a two-line 6V working voltage
device rated for 100A 2/10s surge per Telcordia GR-1089. An
enhanced diode bridge configuration is used to provide the low
capacitance of the TVS diode protection circuit.

As T1/E1 systems can present a high port concentration on a line card,

the size of the TClamp0602N is ideal for providing high-level surge
immunity in a small space. The transceiver side of the transmission
line is protected with the RClamp3304N. The RClamp3304N is
four-line, 3.3V working voltage device that offers low clamping
performance over a wide spectrum of peak pulse current ratings.
The secondary side of the T1/E1 interface is protected to provide
robust protection against residual lightning pulses and ESD pulses.

Outer building Protection

For outer building TVS protection, a similar approach is used to
that of the intra-building protection circuitry. In the case of outerbuilding surge, higher surge immunity is required on the front end
of the interface to arrest the 500A 2/10s surge pulse per GR-1089.
The LC01-6 is a high surge rated TVS device used in telecom
infrastructure protection. The device is surge rated to arrest a 500A
pulse for 2/10s. The device is also rated to protect against a 100A
surge for 10/1000s. For the case of outer building protection, the
Semtech LC01-6 can be used in place of the TClamp0602N per
the diagram below. While some may choose to use thyristors on the
line side, the superior clamping voltage provided by the LC01-6 in
comparison is essential to protection todays more sensitive transceivers.

Common mode surge protection will not be necessary if the line

transformers are rated for a minimum isolation voltage of 1500V.

RTip

RRing

TClamp0602N
T1/E1
Transciever
RClamp3304N
TTip

TRing

TClamp0602N

T1/E1 Circuit Protection

38

Protection Design Guide

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

TVS Package Drawings

Telecom & Networking Interfaces
SLP4016P16

SLP3016P12

SLP1616P6

2.10

3.00

4.00
1

SLP2116P8
1

1.6

1.60

1.60

1.6

1.60

0.50 BSC

0.50 BSC

0.58

0.58

SLP3313P16

1.70

1.70

1 2

1.30

0.40 BSC

1.30

1.30

0.40 BSC

0.40 BSC

0.40 BSC

0.50

0.50

SLP2626P10

SLP1713P8T

1 2

1 2
1.30

12

SLP1713P8

2.50

3.30

0.60

0.58

SLP2513P12

1 2

0.50 BSC

0.50 BSC

0.40

0.50

SLP2020P6

SC-89

SC-75
1.60

2.60
CL

2.00

CL 2.60

0.50 BSC

1.70
0.50

3
0.801.60

2.00

1.25 1.70
12

0.50 BSC

0.60

SLP1610P4

2.5

0.58

SLP1006P2

SLP1006P2T

1.0

1.0

1.0

0.60

0.60

0.60

0.40 BSC

0.58

SLP1006P3T

1.0

1.0

0.50 BSC

0.58

SLP1006P3

0.65

0.65

0.50

1.2
12
1.00

0.50 BSC

0.58

SLP1210N6

1.45

1.0

0.50 BSC

0.65

0.75

SLP1510N6

1.6
2

1.0

1.000 BSC

0.60

0.60

SLP2510P8

0.30 BSC

0.65 BSC

0.40

2011 Semtech Corporation. All rights reserved. All Clamp products are registered trademarks of Semtech Corporation

0.60
0.65

0.50

0.40

Protection Design Guide

39

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Semtech International AG, the Semtech International AG logo, RailClamp, RClamp, EClamp, MicroClamp, Clamp, TransClamp and TClamp are registered marks of Semtech Corporation.
All other registered marks utilized in this document are the sole property of their respective owners. TelcomDG0210-US