PANJIT’s innovative approach to ESD protection in high-speed data transmission

The landscape of business technology is undergoing a significant transformation driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC). This shift has dramatically increased the demand for high-speed data transmission, particularly as industries seek to enhance their operational efficiency and capability. One company actively addressing the emerging challenges in this domain is PANJIT International Inc., a semiconductor firm with more than 38 years of expertise.

As data transmission rates escalate—doubling with each generation—there is growing concern surrounding the security of high-speed transmission interfaces. In response to these heightened safety requirements, PANJIT has introduced ultra-low capacitance electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices. These devices are critical to ensuring the integrity of data as signal speeds continue to rise. PANJIT’s innovative offerings have been well-received in the engineering community, with one such device winning the “Best Discrete of the Year” at the EE Awards Asia.

Edgar Chen, COO of PANJIT International Inc., shared insight into the company’s strategic decision to expand its focus from traditional high-power protection devices to high-speed signal port ESD protection. He noted, “To provide customers with a more comprehensive solution, PANJIT not only has extensive experience in high-power protection components but is now actively expanding its product line to include high-speed signal port ESD protection.” This shift reflects the industry’s demands, particularly regarding new high-speed interfaces such as USB4, Thunderbolt 5, and PCIe Gen 6, which have introduced complexities related to signal integrity and ESD challenges.

The company’s strategy, termed the “Total Solution” approach, aims to support engineers as they navigate the evolving landscape of data transmission technology. In developing its ESD protection devices, PANJIT has utilised advanced process technologies to create components that avoid traditional trade-offs, maintaining high levels of protection capabilities alongside minimal parasitic capacitance and reduced component size.

Amanda Cheng, Business Development Manager at PANJIT, highlighted key attributes of their ESD protection devices: low capacitance to ensure signal integrity, low clamping voltage to dissipate ESD energy safely, and high surge protection to address both ESD and Electrical Overstress (EOS) challenges. This approach not only fosters improved device reliability but also lowers rates of return related to EOS issues.

As transmission speeds continue to progressing, PANJIT aims to further refine their ESD protection devices, targeting capacitance values as low as 0.05pF. Simultaneously, the company is working on producing even smaller devices, moving from the standard size of 0402 to potentially 0201 and 01005, thus addressing the miniaturisation trend in electronic devices.

The company’s proactive planning and deep market insights have led to a comprehensive development roadmap. Chen stated that PANJIT is committed to meeting future customer needs by preparing product specifications in advance and offering early samples for testing. This strategy is seen as crucial to staying ahead in a competitive market.

Despite currently contributing only 4% to PANJIT’s total revenue, the sector for ESD protection devices is viewed as having substantial growth potential. As the company plans to extend its market reach both domestically and internationally, it anticipates an increase in demand. As customers incorporate PANJIT’s ESD protection into their designs, with mass production slated for the upcoming year, confidence in this line’s future performance remains strong.

Source: Noah Wire Services