A monolithic isolation amplifier in silicon-on-insulator CMOS

We designed and fabricated a 4-channel digital isolation amplifier in a 0.5 /spl mu/m silicon-on-sapphire (SOS) technology, by taking advantage of the isolation properties of the SOS substrate. The individual isolation channels can operate in the excess of 100Mbps using a differential transmission scheme. The device can tolerate ground bounces of 1V//spl mu/s and isolate more than 800V. The device uses an isolated charge pump circuit to power the input circuit from the isolated output side and thus can be used as a sensing device. Applications are in the industrial, medical and military: high reliability systems, harsh industrial environments, transportation, medical and life critical systems.