OPEN Alliance Ethernet ESD Protection

Nexperia is offering fully compliant 100/1000BASE-T1 OPEN (One-Pair Ether-Net) Alliance Ethernet ESD protection. To take the next step in automotive connectivity and electrification, customers need high-speed, high-bandwidth automotive Ethernet. Industry leaders collaborate within the OPEN Alliance Special Interest Group (SIG) to encourage Ethernet adoption in cars. However, with advanced electrical designs, discrete ESD protection becomes more critical than ever, which is why Nexperia introduces the PESD2ETH100-T for 100BASE-T1 Ethernet and the PESD2ETH1G-T for 100/1000BASE-T1 Ethernet.

Target applications

• ESD protection for in-vehicle network lines in automotive environments
• OPEN Alliance 100BASE-T1 Ethernet and 1000BASE-T1 Ethernet
• Low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) automotive

Resources

• ESD Discharge Current Measurement Using SEED
• Automotive Ethernet ESD Protection

Rethinking ESD Protection Requirements

The OPEN Alliance SIG is a non-profit alliance of mainly automotive industry and technology providers. One key goal is to enable the deployment of the existing IEEE 100BASE-T1 and 1000BASE-T1 physical layer specifications with complementing specifications for conformance and interoperability.

Discrete ESD protection devices take a crucial role when it comes to system-level robustness and new requirements need to be considered. When there is either no ESD protection or it is located at the PHY, then the power of ESD strikes would pass the CM termination, DC block, and common-mode choke (CMC). If, however, the ESD protection device is placed right at the connector (see figure below) it not only protects the PHY but also the CMC and passives.