Isolators for high frequency signals transmitted between two circuits configured to operate at different voltage domains are provided. The isolators may include resonators capable of operating at high frequencies with high transfer efficiency, high isolation rating, and a small substrate footprint. In some embodiments, the isolators may operate at a frequency not less than 20 GHz, not less than 30 GHz, not less than 65 GHz, or between 20 GHz and 100 GHz, including any value or range of values within such range. The isolators may include inductive loops with slits and capacitors integrally formed at the slits. The sizes and shapes of the inductive loops and capacitors may be configured to control the values of equivalent inductances and capacitances of the isolators. The isolators are compatible to different fabrication processes including, for example, micro-fabrication and PCB manufacture processes.

A device including a first voltage domain and a second voltage domain is provided, the voltage domains being separated by an isolation barrier. In addition, the device includes a scratch detection circuit including a first and a second electrode at a distance of less than 2 μm.

A driving method and a driving device using the same are disclosed. The driving method controls a pulse transformer. The secondary winding of the pulse transformer is electrically connected to a control device. Firstly, positive charging electrical energy is delivered to the primary winding, thereby charging the control device. Then, the control device is disconnected from the secondary winding while the primary winding is in a high-impedance state. Finally, negative discharging electrical energy is delivered to the primary winding and the control device is electrically connected to the secondary winding, thereby discharging the control device, and the primary winding is in a low-impedance state after the step of delivering the negative discharging electrical energy to the primary winding.

A DC-DC converter includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a power oscillator applying an oscillating signal to the primary winding to transmit a power signal to the secondary winding, a rectifier obtaining an output DC voltage by rectifying the power signal at the secondary winding, and comparison circuitry generating an error signal representing a difference between the output DC voltage and a reference voltage value. A transmitter connected to the secondary winding performs an amplitude modulation of the power signal at the secondary winding to transmit an amplitude modulated power signal to the primary winding, the amplitude modulation based upon the error signal and modulating a stream of data to the primary winding. A receiver coupled to the primary winding demodulates the amplitude modulated power signal to recover the error signal and the stream of data. An amplitude of the oscillating signal is controlled by the error signal.

Disclosed herein is a pulse transformer that includes: a drum core including a winding core part and first and second flange parts provided at both ends of the winding core part in an axial direction; a plurality of wires wound around the winding core part; and a plate-like core fixed to the drum core so as to face a first surface of the first flange part that is parallel to the axial direction and a second surface of the second flange part that is parallel to the axial direction. A value of S1/S2 is 0.19 or more and 0.47 or less, where an area of the cross section of the winding core part that is perpendicular to the axial direction is S1 and a facing area between the plate-like core and the first or second surface is S2.

A planar transformer for power transmission, having vertical and horizontal extents, includes a circuit board having a sandwich-type structure with at least three layers to form electrical conductors. First and second layers of these layers form outer layers of the circuit board, and each additional one of these layers forms an inner layer of the circuit board. An insulation material with a minimum thickness is arranged between all of these layers, with a number of at least three mutually galvanically isolated circuits. A first circuit forms a primary circuit and each additional circuit forms an equally entitled secondary circuit, having a magnetic core assembled from two interconnected magnetic core parts. A first core part with a central part and two outer legs forms a U shape. The circuit board has two recesses, and the two outer legs of the first core part are inserted into these recesses and connected to the second core part at their ends remote from the central part. A conductor is formed on at least one of the outer layers for exactly one single circuit of the at least three circuits, and a conductor of at least one circuit of the at least three circuits is wound around a first outer leg, and conductors of at least two additional circuits of the at least three circuits are wound around the second outer leg.

According to one embodiment, an isolator includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a conductive body, and a first insulating layer. The second electrode is provided on the first electrode and separated from the first electrode. The conductive body is provided around the first and second electrodes along a first plane perpendicular to a first direction. The first direction is from the first electrode toward the second electrode. The first insulating layer is provided on the second electrode. The first insulating layer includes silicon, carbon, and nitrogen.

According to one embodiment, an isolator includes first and second electrodes, first and second insulating portions, and a first dielectric portion. The first insulating portion is provided on the first electrode. The second electrode is provided on the first insulating portion. The second insulating portion is provided around the second electrode along a first plane perpendicular to a first direction. The second insulating portion contacts the second electrode. The first dielectric portion is provided between the first and second insulating portions. At least a portion of the first dielectric portion contacts the second electrode and is positioned around the second electrode along the first plane. A distance between a lower end of the second electrode and a first interface between the first dielectric portion and the second insulating portion is less than a distance between the first interface and an upper end of the second electrode.

An isolator includes a substrate; a first planar coil provided above the substrate and along a surface of the substrate; a first insulating portion on the first planar coil; a second planar coil on the first insulating portion; and a metal layer above the first insulating portion. The first planar coil, the second planar coil, and the metal layer are arranged in a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. The first planar coil and the second planar coil each having a center and an outer perimeter in a second direction along the surface of the substrate. A distance in the second direction from the center of the first planar coil to the outer perimeter of the first planar coil is less than a distance in the second direction from the center of the second planar coil to the outer perimeter of the second planar coil.

An isolation transformer includes a transformer core. First and second through-bores extend through the transformer core from a first surface to a second surface. Each through-bore has an elongated profile with at least a portion of the elongated profile providing a respective flat winding surface. The flat winding surfaces are spaced apart by a central portion of the transformer core. The transformer is wound with a six-wire cable having a central non-conductive core. First, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth conductive wires are positioned around and adjacent to the central non-conductive core in a substantially equally spaced angular relationship. The second conductive wire is positioned between the first conductive wire and the third conductive wire; and the fifth conductive wire is positioned between the fourth conductive wire and the sixth conductive wire. The conductive wires are twisted about the central non-conductive core at a selected twist density.