Military-Qualified Plastic TVS Devices for Harsh Environments

Microchip Technology has released the JANPTX family of transient voltage suppressor (TVS) devices, designed to provide high-reliability overvoltage protection for aerospace and defense systems. The new components are the first non-hermetic, plastic-packaged TVS devices to achieve qualification under the MIL-PRF-19500 standard, addressing a long-standing gap between military compliance and lightweight, surface-mount design.

Addressing reliability constraints in aerospace and defense electronics
Electronic subsystems used in airborne and defense platforms must withstand electrical transients caused by lightning strikes, electrostatic discharge (ESD), electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and switching events. Traditionally, meeting MIL-PRF-19500 requirements has required hermetic packaging, increasing component weight, size, and cost. The JANPTX series introduces an alternative by delivering military-qualified transient suppression in a plastic package while maintaining compliance with established reliability criteria.

The devices are specified for unidirectional transient suppression and are optimized for surface-mount assembly, supporting modern high-density avionics and defense electronics designs.

Electrical performance and qualification
The JANPTX family provides a peak pulse power rating of 1.5 kW (10/1000 µs waveform) and demonstrates clamping response times below 100 picoseconds in internal testing. This fast response is intended to limit overvoltage exposure of sensitive components during high-energy transient events.

The product line covers working voltage ranges from 5 V to 175 V and includes 84 qualified variants. All devices are certified to MIL-PRF-19500/716 and are designed to meet immunity requirements aligned with IEC 61000-4-2 (ESD), IEC 61000-4-4 (fast transients), and IEC 61000-4-5 (surge).

Application scope and system integration
The JANPTX devices are intended for use in mission-critical systems such as airborne avionics, power distribution units, communication equipment, and control electronics where low voltage operation and predictable transient behavior are required. Protection capabilities extend to lightning-induced surges, RF-coupled disturbances, and secondary lightning effects.

With a typical device weight of approximately 0.25 grams, the plastic package supports system-level weight reduction compared with hermetic alternatives. Equivalent hermetic TVS packages remain available for applications requiring through-hole or sealed configurations, enabling design consistency across mixed architectures.

Design enablement and lifecycle support
To support integration and validation, Microchip provides SPICE models for the JANPTX devices, allowing engineers to simulate transient behavior and protection performance during the design phase. This approach reduces the need for repeated physical prototyping and accelerates qualification cycles.

The JANPTX family is manufactured under controlled processes with full traceability, extended temperature operation, and options aligned with long-term aerospace and defense supply requirements. These characteristics are intended to support sustained deployment in platforms with long service lifetimes and stringent maintenance constraints.

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