Texas Instruments ISO106

Overview

ISO106 from Burr-Brown is a hermetic, capacitive-coupled isolation buffer amplifier designed for high-voltage analog signal isolation in industrial measurement systems. It provides ±10V input/output range, 70kHz small-signal bandwidth, 125dB minimum isolation-mode rejection at 60Hz, and 3500Vrms continuous isolation rating in a 40-pin ceramic DIP package. It is used in transducer channel isolation for RTDs and pressure bridges where galvanic separation and high IMR are critical.

For engineers reviewing the ISO106 datasheet, ISO106 pinout, ISO106 application, or ISO106 equivalent, this page delivers verified technical context, real-world design meaning of key specs, validated pin functions, confirmed alternative options with documented differences, and supply support for industrial embedded and power monitoring designs.

Technical Context

The ISO106 employs a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)–phase-locked loop (PLL) architecture with two internal 3pF high-voltage ceramic capacitors forming a differential isolation barrier. Its digital encoding/decoding scheme enables immunity to common-mode dV/dt up to 100V/µs and transient immunity to 100kV/µs.

All signal conditioning, reference generation (+5V Ref1/Ref2), gain/offset adjustment, and output filtering are integrated within the hermetically sealed hybrid package - no external components required for basic operation. The output stage includes a second-order active low-pass filter with C1/C2 pins enabling bandwidth control from ~10Hz to 70kHz.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

ISO106 uses a 40-pin side-brazed ceramic dual-in-line package (DIP), 600mil wide, with industry-standard footprint but missing pins between input and output sections to maximize creepage/clearance. Hermetic sealing and tungsten-thick-film ceramic capacitors ensure long-term reliability under high-humidity or high-potential stress.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar isolation amplifier applications.

Compared with ISO102, ISO106 delivers 133% higher isolation voltage and 10dB better IMR at 60Hz - critical for power transmission monitoring. Against AMC1301, ISO106 offers integrated references and analog trimming but trades bandwidth and modern packaging for proven hermetic reliability in harsh environments.

Availability

ISO106 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial process control, motor control feedback, power plant monitoring, and biomedical instrumentation requiring stable component supply and long-lifecycle assurance.

Supply support for ISO106 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Burr-Brown Corporation was a U.S.-based analog semiconductor pioneer, acquired by Texas Instruments in 2000, known for high-precision data acquisition and isolation products.

The ISO102/106 series was designed as the industry's first hermetic capacitive isolation amplifiers - targeting high-reliability analog signal transfer in electrically hostile environments like utility substations and medical analyzers.

FAQ

What is the maximum continuous isolation voltage rating for ISO106?

The ISO106 is rated for 3500Vrms continuous isolation at 60Hz across its internal ceramic barrier. This rating is 100% tested per unit for one minute at rated voltage. It also withstands 8000Vpk for 10 seconds during production testing. This makes ISO106 suitable for applications involving medium-voltage industrial equipment where sustained high-potential differences exist between input and output domains.

Does ISO106 require external components to operate?

No, ISO106 does not require external components for basic operation. All essential circuitry - including input VCO, differential ceramic capacitors, output PLL, second-order low-pass filter, and dual +5V reference generators - is fully integrated within the hermetic 40-pin ceramic DIP package. Only optional features like gain/offset adjustment or bandwidth control need external potentiometers or capacitors.

How does ISO106 achieve high isolation-mode rejection (IMR)?

ISO106 achieves 125dB minimum IMR at 60Hz through differential capacitive coupling using two matched 3pF tungsten-thick-film ceramic capacitors. Its VCO-PLL architecture encodes input voltage as frequency, transmitting only differential digital information across the barrier while rejecting common-mode barrier voltage changes. Layout practices - such as shielding C1/C2 pins and separating analog/digital commons - preserve this performance in end systems.

Can ISO106 be used with supply voltages other than ±15V?

Yes, ISO106 operates over ±10V to ±20V on both input (±VCC1) and output (±VCC2) stages. Performance specifications are guaranteed at ±15V, but functional operation is maintained across the full range. Quiescent current varies only modestly with supply voltage, allowing flexibility in system power architecture - for example, using ±12V rails in legacy industrial backplanes without compromising isolation integrity.

What is the purpose of the C1 and C2 pins on ISO106?

The C1 and C2 pins on ISO106 connect to internal nodes of the output-stage second-order low-pass filter. Adding external capacitance (with C2 = 2×C1) reduces small-signal bandwidth from 70kHz down to as low as 10Hz, improving dynamic range by limiting noise bandwidth. This allows designers to optimize signal fidelity versus speed - e.g., setting C1 = 300pF/C2 = 600pF for 10kHz bandwidth in vibration monitoring systems.