USB & ESD Protection
TVS arrays and ESD diodes: capacitance budgets for data lines and placement rules.
Written and verified by John Merton · verified 2026-07-10
ESD protection diodes shunt transient voltages to ground before they reach sensitive IC pins. This category covers TVS arrays for USB data lines (USBLC6-2SC6 and similar) and the selection tradeoffs: clamping voltage vs line capacitance, placement relative to the connector, and the difference between ESD protection (human-body model, IEC 61000-4-2) and surge protection (lightning-induced, IEC 61000-4-5).
How to choose
The axes below are the criteria you actually weigh when selecting a part in this category.
- Line capacitance vs signal bandwidth
- USB 2.0 (480 Mbps) can tolerate ~5 pF of protection capacitance before the eye diagram closes. USB 3.x (5–10 Gbps) needs sub-0.5 pF protection. Check the TVS datasheet capacitance at the operating voltage.
- Placement: as close to the connector as physically possible
- ESD protection works by shunting current to ground before it reaches the IC. Every millimeter of trace between the connector and the TVS adds inductance that reduces protection effectiveness.
- Clamping voltage vs the protected IC's absolute maximum
- The TVS clamping voltage at the specified peak pulse current must be below the protected IC's absolute maximum pin voltage. If it isn't, the IC sees the overvoltage before the TVS clamps it.
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Compare specs
Parts in this guide verified against manufacturer datasheets; latest 2026-07-10.
| MPN | Package | Lifecycle | Headline spec |
|---|---|---|---|
| USBLC6-2SC6 | SOT23-6L | Active | Orderable identity: USBLC6-2SC6; SOT23-6L; active and in volume production |
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