Optoelectronics/Displays

Feb. 5, 2001
Members Of Surface-Mountable LED Family Act Like Radial-Leaded LEDs The Platypus family of surface-mount technology (SMT) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) features "duck feet" electrical contacts. These LEDs look and...
Members Of Surface-Mountable LED Family Act Like Radial-Leaded LEDs The Platypus family of surface-mount technology (SMT) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) features "duck feet" electrical contacts. These LEDs look and behave like conventional radial-leaded lensed LEDs.

According to the company, these devices suit various applications, including control-board indicators, moving message or RGB signs, automotive exterior body lighting flexible boards, warning and alarm lights, medical-diagnostic instrument indicators, panel- and board-level indicators, and LCD backlights. The unique design of these LEDs incorporates a lead frame, proprietary die and wire bonding techniques, and precision epoxy resin castings.

The LEDs are offered in lens styles from T-1 (3-mm diameter) to T-2.5 (8-mm diameter). A total of seven different series are available. All models are based on AlInGaP and InGaN chip technologies. Available color choices include ultra-high-output yellow, orange, green, red, white, and RGB. While pricing of this family of LEDs depends upon chosen color and lens style, cost is typically only 20% higher than traditional radial-leaded LEDs.

Contact the company for pricing and availability information.

Lumex Inc., 290 E. Hellen Rd., Palatine, IL 60067; (800) 278-5666; fax (800) 944-2790; www.lumex.com.

Photodiodes Perform Over 320- To 1000-nm Spectral-Response Range The S7911 and S7912 Si PIN photodiodes suit a variety of optical fiber communications applications. These devices perform well for the 320- to 1000-nm spectral-response range.

At a low reverse voltage of 2 V, the S7911 and S7912 offer high-speed responses of 2 and 1.5 GHz, respectively. While the S7911 has a terminal capacitance of only 0.45 pF, the terminal capacitance of the S7912 is 0.85 pF. The photosensitivity of both devices is typically 0.47 A/W at 740 nm, and the dark current is typically 1 pA. While the active area of the S7911 is φ0.1 µm, that of the S7912 is φ0.2 µm.

Both photodiodes are available packaged in a three-pin TO-18 housing. They offer a wide operating-temperature range of −40°C to 100°C. In OEM quantities, the S7911 and S7912 cost $15.00 and $11.00 each, respectively.

Hamamatsu Corp., 360 Foothill Rd., P.O. Box 6910, Bridgewater, NJ 08807; (800) 524-0504; http://usa.hamamatsu.com.

Fiber-Optic Couplers Split Beams Equally In The 1550-nm Range A series of fiber-optic couplers are available in a variety of splitter sizes, including 1x2, 1x3, and 1x4. The couplers operate in the 1550-nm wavelength range. All are manufactured and tested to ensure high quality and reliability for a range of telecommunications applications.

All couplers split an input beam from one fiber into two, three, or four separate fibers. Making the couplers ideal for WDM systems and fiber-optic beamsplitting, all produce output beams that are equal in amplitude. The devices are offered with bare fiber ends, allowing use of custom connectors for prototyping and easy system integration. Additional features include a ratio tolerance of ±2% and an operating-temperature range of −20°C to 70°C. Additional dB losses of less than 0.10 (1x2 splitter), 0.20 (1x3 splitter), and 0.30 (1x4 splitter) are featured.

Available now, these fiber-optic couplers range in price from $100 to $300 each.

Edmond Industrial Optics, 101 E. Gloucester Pike, Barrington, NJ 08007-1380; (856) 573-6250; fax (856) 573-6295; www.edsci.com.

Lighting Series Aids In Product Creation For SMD Applications The Flexible Light Pipe series features flexible tubing, clad in flame-retardant UL-rated material. The tubing can extend to reach virtually any LED location on the pc board, eliminating the need for daughter cards and secondary pc boards. According to the company, this series offers expanded versatility to designers creating new products for SMD applications.

The pipes are suited for status-indication applications where a distance is required between the LEDs and the display area. They are capable of carrying the full intensity of an SMD LED to virtually any front panel or display up to 100 ft. away. Standard lengths are between three and 48 ft., and custom lengths are available up to 100 ft. While the diffusing lens comes standard in a frosted clear with custom colors available, the pipes are offered in a variety of color selections.

For pricing and availability information, contact the company.

BivarOpto, 4 Thomas, Irvine, CA 92618; (949) 951-8808; fax (949) 951-3974; www.bivar.com.

Optocouplers Provide Compatibility With 3.3-V Microcomputer Chips Low-power optocouplers eliminate the need for an additional 5-V power supply in many applications. They are compatible with today's 3.3-V low-power microcomputer chips and logic families.

These optocouplers provide isolation between separate parts of a system that run at different voltages. They turn current into light, and then back into a controlled current. In this manner, a voltage spike involves only a high-intensity flash of light that cannot cause permanent damage. According to the company, these devices suit telecommunications, computing, and industrial applications, including battery-operated portable and handheld equipment. They meet the industry standard for low-voltage transistor logic. The optocouplers reduce power consumption by at least 50% if the losses in dc-dc converter circuits are included. Single- and dual-channel optocouplers in dual-inline and miniature SO-8 surface-mount packaging are available. Performance characteristics include a speed of 1 to 15 MBd. Isolation of up to 25 kV/µs is featured.

The devices are available in production quantities. The single-channel optocouplers cost between $0.80 and $1.40 while the dual-channel devices cost between $1.60 and $2.80.

Agilent Technologies Inc., 3175 Bowers Ave., MS 86C, Santa Clara, CA 95054; (800) 235-0312; www.agilent.com.

Full-VGA LCD Graphic Module Offers A Resolution Of 640 By 480 The C555 Full-VGA LCD graphic module offers a built-in EL backlight and touch panel. With full functionality, it has a resolution of 640 by 480 with a 0.21 dot pitch.

This module requires only a single 3.3-V power supply. With an operating-temperature range of −10°C to 50°C, it offers a black-on-white contrast of 4.5:1. Weighing only 350 g, the module has a thickness of 8 mm.

While it functions best in portrait mode, it may also be used in landscape mode. Ac-cording to the company, the module suits handheld and port-able applications, in-cluding inventory-control computers, industrial equipment instrumentation, desktop test-and-measurement devices, POS terminals, bar-code scanners, and medical devices.

In 1000-unit quantities, the C555 Module costs $355.

Seiko Instruments USA Inc., 2990 W. Lomita Blvd., Torrance, CA 90505; (800) 934-9334; fax (909) 975-5699; Internet: www.seiko-usa-ecd.com.

Dual-Input D/A Flat-Panel Displays Come In Various Screen Sizes The SyncMaster T series of next-generation dual-input d/a flat-panel displays provides digital image quality. Available in 15-, 17-, and 18-in. screen sizes, the displays prevent signal degradation and the need for time-consuming adjustments.

To view text and images, the user may choose to employ either a digital or analog interface. The Digital Video Interface (DVI) ensures a sharper image and a more accurate representation of the original video source. Providing optimum quality images, the digital video output from the PC graphics card is directly interfaced with the digital input of the LCD panel. This configuration forgoes end-user adjustments. For an analog input, the displays feature an easy-access, one-button auto-calibration system. This enables quick proportioning of screen geometry, contrast, brightness, and clock phase. The On Screen Display system features a comprehensive menu of controls, including auto adjustment, color, and image size.

All displays in the series offer an optional USB hub with two upstream ports and four downstream ports. The hub simplifies connection to desktop peripherals, including the keyboard, mouse, joystick, printer, or scanner. The displays include E-Color's Colorific software to ensure compatibility of screen images with original images. They have built-in plug-and-play capability, conforming to the Video Electronics Standards Association's (VESA's) Display Data Channel (DDC) Type 1/2B standards. The power-management system complies with VESA, DPMS, NUTEK, and the EPA's Energy Star Standards for energy-efficient reduced power consumption.

Models in the SyncMaster T series of flat-panel displays range in price from $849 to $2449.

Samsung Electronics, 85 W. Tasman Dr., San Jose, CA 95134; (800) SAMSUNG; www.samsungmonitor.com.

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