IV.11 - Transient Suppressor Diodes?

Suppressor diodes are used in combination with gas arresters and varistors to protect sensitive systems from overvoltages. They are a special kind of zener diode designed to withstand high pulse powers. This ability is achieved by a low thermal resistance and a large junction cross section. Since the large cross section causes a high parasitic capacitance they cannot be used to protect RF-systems. There are also bipolar suppressor diodes available which bear two antiserial suppressor diodes on one chip.

This section was contributed largely by Kai Borgeest.

For more info, check out Microsemi's Transient Voltage Suppressor application notes

Manufacturers:

• SGS-Thomson, 55 Old Bedford, Lincoln, MA 01773
  Phone
  Fax (617) 259-4421
  

  SGS-Thomson, Viale Milanofiori, Strada 4, Palazzo A/4/A,
  20090 Assago (MI), Italy
  

• Microsemi-Watertown, 580 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA 02172
  Phone (617) 926-0404
  Fax (617) 924-1235
  

  Microsemi-Watertown was formerly Unitrode Corp.

• Motorola, Literature Distribution: PO Box 20912, Phoenix, AZ 85036
  (many distributors)
• AVX corp. (Kyocera), PO Box 867, Myrtle Beach, SC 29578
  Phone: (803) 946-0690
  Fax: (803) 626-3123
  
• Harris Semiconductor Literature Dept., PO Box 883, MS CB1-28,
  Melbourne Florida, 32901
  Phone: 1-800-442-7747
  Fax: (407) 724-3937
  
• General Instrument Corp., Power Semiconductor Division,
  10 Melville Road, Melville, NY, 11747-3113
  Fax: (516) 847-3236
  
• Semitron
  Phone: (602) 921-9848
  Fax: (602) 921-9561

  Semitron offers semiconductor Transient Voltage suppressors, (thyristor) breakover diodes and non-radioactive Gas Discharge Tubes.