Device having galvanic optocoupling
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsMassimiliano Fiorito, Mariantonietta Monaco, Gianpiero Montalbano, Salvatore Coffa
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an architecture of a device with galvanic optocoupling of the type having at least one optical source and one optical detector, optically connected by means of an insulation layer that functions to transmission optical signals, and having at least one input terminal and one output terminal, the optical source and the optical detector connected to a respective first and second voltage reference. The optical source is realized by a structure integrated directly above the insulation layer in correspondence with the optical detector, the architecture thus completely realized inside a single integration island.
Claims25
An architecture of a device having galvanic optocoupling, comprising:
- at least one optical source and one optical detector optically connected by means of an insulation layer adapted to function as an optical transmission means, and the device having at least one input terminal and one output terminal, said optical source and said optical detector connected to a respective first and second voltage reference, said optical source formed by a directly integrated structure above said insulation layer in optical correspondence with said optical detector, said architecture completely realized inside a single integration island formed from silicon as an integrated die.
A galvanic optocoupler, comprising:
- a single integration island formed from silicon as a single die;
- an input stage coupled to a first ground potential;
- an optical source formed in the single island and electrically coupled to the input stage;
- an optically conductive electrical insulation layer formed in the single island adjacent the optical source;
- an optical detector formed in the single island adjacent to the insulation layer in optical communication with the optical source through the insulation layer;
- and
- an output stage electrically coupled to the optical detector and electrically coupled to a second ground potential that is electrically insulated from the first ground potential.
A device, comprising:
- a galvanic optocoupler, the galvanic optocoupler comprising:
- a single integration island formed from silicon as a single die;
- an input stage coupled to a first ground potential;
- an optical source formed in the single island and electrically coupled to the input stage;
- an optically conductive electrical insulation layer formed in the single island adjacent the optical source;
- an optical detector formed in the single island adjacent to the insulation layer in optical communication with the optical source through the insulation layer;
- and
- an output stage electrically coupled to the optical detector and electrically coupled to a second ground potential that is electrically insulated from the first ground potential.
A bidirectional device, comprising:
- a first and a second galvanic optocoupler being specular with respect to one another, each galvanic optocoupler comprising:
- a single integration island formed from silicon as a single die;
- an input stage coupled to a first ground potential;
- an optical source formed in the single island and electrically coupled to the input stage;
- an optically conductive electrical insulation layer formed in the single island adjacent the optical source;
- an optical detector formed in the single island adjacent to the insulation layer in optical communication with the optical source through the insulation layer;
- and
- an output stage electrically coupled to the optical detector and electrically coupled to a second ground potential that is electrically insulated from the first ground potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.