One of the main considerations in circuit design is the expected lifetime, based on the product itself and the single components included. When considering the components themselves, some can fail completely or degrade in performance with time. For optocouplers, the performance (Current – Transfer - Ratio) degrades over time depending on the operating conditions. This application note gives a quick introduction, how Würth Elektronik eiSos tests the lifetime of optocouplers, how you can calculate the expected lifetime for your application and it will give you tips on how to operate the optocouplers in order to increase the lifetime.
Download: ANO006
