ROHM ships 0.24 pF ESD protection diodes for 10+ Gbps interfaces

ROHM has introduced its RESDxVx series of ESD protection diodes aimed at high-speed interfaces exceeding 10 Gbps, targeting designs where parasitic capacitance and clamping behavior can make or break signal integrity. The company is pitching the parts as a way to keep high-speed links cleaner while improving protection for increasingly ESD- and EOS-sensitive ICs in dense electronics.

The RESDxVx series is specified at 0.24 pF terminal capacitance for bidirectional devices and 0.48 pF for unidirectional devices, along with 0.28 Ω dynamic resistance (Rdyn). ROHM says that combination lowers clamping voltage by about 40% versus conventional products, addressing the common trade-off where pushing capacitance down can come at the expense of higher dynamic resistance.

For data center and AI server designers, ESD diode selection on external ports and high-speed internal interconnects is often an exercise in minimizing added capacitance (to protect eye diagrams and margins) without leaving expensive PHYs exposed to transients. Numbers like sub-0.5 pF capacitance are the difference between “safe on paper” and “quiet enough to not show up in compliance testing,” especially as link budgets tighten at higher speeds.

Packages, automotive qualification, and target interfaces

ROHM lists devices in a DSN0603-2J package (RESD3V3BAED, RESD5V0BAED, RESD3V3UCED, and RESD3V6UCED) and a DFN1006-2W package (RESD3V3BASAFH, RESD5V0BASAFH, RESD3V3UASAFH, and RESD5V0UASAFH). The DFN1006-2W versions called out as RESDxVxBASAFH and RESDxVxUASAFH are AEC-Q101 qualified for automotive use, including ADAS/AD cameras and ECUs using SerDes communication.

The company lists use cases across interfaces including USB4, USB 3.x, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, DisplayPort, PCI Express, LVDS, MIPI D-PHY/C-PHY, automotive SerDes, and automotive Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps). Application examples include AI servers, data centers, routers, optical transceivers, and 5G/6G-compatible base stations, as well as consumer devices such as notebook PCs and gaming consoles.

Availability and pricing

ROHM lists the series as available now, with sample pricing at $0.44 per unit (excluding tax). Online distribution is listed through DigiKey, with additional distributors to follow as parts become available.