Toshiba Expands Surge Protection Zener Diode Lineup with 20 New Small SOD-523 Package Products for Automotive Equipment

Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation ("Toshiba") has expanded its product lineup with the launch of the XCEZ Series surge protection zener diode. Designed for automotive systems such as Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Battery Management Systems (BMS), these 20 new products feature the compact, industry-standard SOD-523 package.

As the electrification of automotive equipment advances, the demand for protection against failures caused by noise—such as nanosecond-scale Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and microsecond-to-millisecond-scale switching surges—has grown rapidly. The XCEZ Series suppresses system malfunctions induced by noise penetrating power lines and connectors of various automotive Electronic Control Units (ECUs). By absorbing external noise and surges, the new diodes provide effective protection for devices and circuits.

Key Product Features & Technical Advantages

1. Compact Universal Package with High Compatibility

The XCEZ Series adopts the industry-standard SOD-523 package (1.6×0.8mm). Compared to Toshiba’s existing SOD-323 package (2.5×1.25mm), it reduces the mounting area by approximately 59%, enabling higher-density PCB layouts and miniaturization of automotive electronics.

2. Low Dynamic Resistance for Effective Surge Absorption

Similar to Toshiba’s XCUZ Series, the XCEZ Series utilizes Toshiba’s proprietary zener process to minimize dynamic resistance. The XCEZ5V6 model, for example, achieves a typical dynamic resistance (R_DYN) of just 0.16Ω. Low dynamic resistance allows surge current to flow easily into the zener diode, enabling efficient absorption of surge voltages and reliable protection for devices and circuits against damage and malfunctions. This is supported by a steep I_TLP-V_TLP characteristic curve at the reverse voltage (V_R) terminal.

3. Surge Protection for Millisecond-Scale Long Pulses

The new products offer a maximum allowable zener surge power (P_RSM) of up to 6W at a pulse width of 10ms (Ta=25°C). This protects semiconductor devices from high-surge power with long pulse widths, such as high switching surges and near-DC overvoltages.

Target Applications

The XCEZ Series is tailored for automotive equipment, including:

• In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems

• Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS)

• Battery Management Systems (BMS)

• Other automotive ECUs requiring surge and ESD protection