Optocouplers, Optoisolators Isolators Digikey

Working principle of high-speed optocouplers

The working principle of a high-speed optocoupler is similar to a standard optocoupler but optimized for digital signals: Input – A digital signal drives the LED, which emits light. Transmission – The light passes through an isolation barrier. Unlike transformers or capacitors, which can only transfer AC signals across the isolation barrier, optocouplers can. Optocouplers are popularly perceived as being “slow” and are thus excluded from many designs in which they could potentially serve as excellent solutions to difficult design challenges. It uses light to do the job, which helps keep things safe. In this guide, you'll learn how they work and how you can use one in your own projects. Optocouplers are very useful when you need to isolate different sections of a circuit, for example in power.