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Isolation Failure Modes in Capacitive Isolated Devices
An isolation barrier failure can take down your system and endanger operators. NOVOSENSE’s application note covers the two key failure modes in capacitive isolators and how to design against them, so download it now to build safer, more reliable systems.
Application Note Overview
When an isolation barrier fails, it can bring down a whole system and put operators at risk. This application note from NOVOSENSE explains the two main ways capacitive isolators fail. The first is overvoltage across the isolation barrier. The second is excessive power on one side of the device, from short circuits, ESD strikes or power transistor breakdown. The note includes destructive test results and failure analysis for each mode. It also shows how NOVOSENSE’s dual-die, series-capacitor design with thick SiO₂ dielectric limits the damage. Even after 30kV system ESD and EOS stress well beyond absolute maximum ratings, the damaged devices still passed 3kVrms UL1577 insulation testing and kept basic isolation.
The note ends with a motor drive example based on IEC 61800-5-1. It gives practical guidance on choosing isolators with enough voltage margin and adding current limiting to keep devices within their safety limits. It’s a useful reference for engineers working on industrial drives, power conversion or any design where isolation reliability matters. Download the application note now to learn how to prevent isolation failure and design safer, more reliable systems with NOVOSENSE capacitive isolators.
