Digital ICs/DSPs: LCX, VCX Logic Chips Housed In Tiny DQFN Packages

July 5, 2004

Several 4-, 6-, and 8-bit LCX and VCX series low-voltage logic functions can now be had in DQFN (depopulated very thin quad flat-pack no-leads) packages. The industry's smallest package for quad, hex, and octal logic functions, the DQFN saves as much as 75% of the board space versus traditional TSSOPs. Currently available LCX and VCX series devices in DQFN include the 74LCX245BQX 2.5- to 3.3-V bidirectional octal transceiver; the 74LCX244BQX 2.5- to 3.3-V octal buffer line driver; the 74LCX138BQX 2.5- to 3.3-V 1-of-8 decoder/demultiplexer; the 74VCX08BQX 1.2- to 3.3-V quad dual-input AND gate; and the 74VCX245BQX 1.4- to 3.3-V bidirectional octal transceiver. In quantities of 10,000 units, the lead-free chips cost from $0.18 to $0.24 apiece.

Fairchild Semiconductor www.fairchildsemi.com

About the Author

Dave Bursky

Technologist

Dave Bursky, the founder of New Ideas in Communications, a publication website featuring the blog column Chipnastics – the Art and Science of Chip Design. He is also president of PRN Engineering, a technical writing and market consulting company. Prior to these organizations, he spent about a dozen years as a contributing editor to Chip Design magazine. Concurrent with Chip Design, he was also the technical editorial manager at Maxim Integrated Products, and prior to Maxim, Dave spent over 35 years working as an engineer for the U.S. Army Electronics Command and an editor with Electronic Design Magazine.