ICL3238CAZ-T

Overview

The ICL3238CAZ-T is a triple driver, triple receiver RS-232 transceiver manufactured by Renesas Electronics Corporation. It operates from a single +3V to +5.5V power supply and meets EIA/TIA-232 and V.28/V.24 specifications at the minimum voltage. The device features an enhanced automatic power-down function that reduces standby supply current to 1µA when the cable is removed or peripheral is off. It supports data rates up to 250kbps and utilizes small external capacitors for its on-chip charge pumps. The component is housed in a 28-pin SSOP package.

Feature Summary

• Enhanced automatic power-down functionality conserves system power by reducing standby current to 1µA upon cable removal or peripheral shutdown.
• Integrated on-chip charge pumps enable full RS-232 compliance using only four small 0.1µF standard external capacitors.
• Triple driver and triple receiver configuration provides a complete serial port solution suitable for space-constrained designs.

Applications

• Laptop and notebook computers requiring low-power serial communication ports
• Battery-powered equipment where standby current minimization is critical
• Portable devices such as PDAs and subnotebooks

Procurement Notes

Verify the specific suffix 'CAZ-T' against official Renesas documentation to confirm the tape-and-reel packaging format and RoHS compliance status. Ensure the ordering part number matches the exact temperature range and package variant required for the target application before procurement.

Selection Notes

Select this component for applications requiring a triple-driver RS-232 interface with minimal standby power consumption. It is suitable for systems operating between 3V and 5.5V. Compare against the ICL3232 if a dual-driver configuration is sufficient, or the ICL3243 if five receivers are needed instead of three.

Part Context

This device belongs to the ISL32xx family of low-power RS-232 transceivers designed for portable electronics. The family includes variants like the ICL3221, ICL3232, and ICL3243, which share similar power management features but differ in the number of drivers and receivers provided.

Replacement Considerations

The ST3232C offers a similar dual-driver architecture but lacks the specific automatic power-down feature found in the ICL3238. For direct functional replacement within the same manufacturer's portfolio, verify compatibility with the ICL3232 or ICL3243 based on pin count and driver requirements.