diode arrays




Diode arrays are composed of multiple discrete (usually unconnected) diodes on a single silicon chip. Diode arrays are important semiconductor products because they save assembly time and improve reliability over individually packaged diodes. In general, diode arrays use four or more diodes in a single package. The most efficient packaging scheme is typically eight diodes or more in a dual inline package (DIP). Diode arrays have been used for many years in both digital and linear circuits. Diode arrays are commonly used in such applications as computer and peripheral I/O ports, core driver switching, high frequency data lines, interface networks, LAN and WAN networks, and steering diode applications.
Diode arrays, such as a SIP diode array, are a single inline or system in package diode array. The objective of SIP diode arrays is to merge many electronic requirements of a functional system or a subsystem into one package. SIP diode arrays typically include chip-level interconnect technology, such as a flip chip, wire bond, Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) diodes, or other technology to interconnect directly to an Integrated Circuit (IC) chip. A SMT diode array is a surface mount diode array that is used to connect passive components to other SMT-compatible components, such as connectors to SIP substrates.
A diode array detector is a detector that absorbs light within UV or visible wavelength spectrums to perform spectroscopic scanning and to obtain precise absorbance readings at a variety of wavelengths. Diode array detectors are commonly used for chromatography, which is a system for separating and analyzing complex mixtures. Diode arrays may also use a photo diode array (PDA) detector to measure the absorbance across a broad spectrum of wavelengths simultaneously. PDAs have some advantages in that they allow measurement of a single selected wavelength at any point in a chromatogram. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) uses diode array detectors to detect material nanograms for impurity testing, degradant analysis, excipient characterization, and analysis of non-chromophore materials.