Recently, NIO unveiled its self-developed "Shenji NX9031" chip, the industry's first high-end intelligent driving chip built using 5nm automotive-grade process technology. With its remarkable performance, integrating over 50 billion transistors, the chip has sparked widespread attention in the industry. Behind this technological breakthrough, an often-overlooked yet crucial electronic component—the SMF13A transient voltage suppression diode—plays a vital role in ensuring the safe operation of these sophisticated chips. This article will explore how the transient voltage suppression diode has become an indispensable "invisible guardian" in intelligent driving systems, and the unique advantages of the SMF13A model in this field.

The Vulnerabilities of High-End Chips: Why Transient Protection is Needed

The NIO "Shenji NX9031" chip, built with a 5nm process and featuring an integration of 50 billion transistors, greatly enhances computational performance but also makes the chip highly sensitive to voltage fluctuations. In the automotive electronic environment, transient voltage threats such as power supply fluctuations, electrostatic discharge (ESD), and lightning strikes are ever-present. Research shows that approximately 35% of failures in automotive electronic systems are related to voltage transients, and the risks are even higher for intelligent driving systems due to their complexity.

Slkor Transient Protection Diode SMF13A product photo

Transient voltage suppression (TVS) diodes are designed to address this issue. They respond to over-voltage events within nanoseconds, clamping dangerous voltages within safe limits. For instance, the SMF13A, with a working voltage (VRWM) of 13V and a breakdown voltage (VBR min) of 14.4V, is particularly well-suited for protecting automotive electronic systems operating around 12V, while its 21.5V clamping voltage (VC) ensures that the protected circuits are not exposed to excessive voltage.

Slkor Transient Protection Diode SMF13A product photo

Parameters of Slkor Transient Protection Diode SMF13A

Typical Applications of the SMF13A in Intelligent Driving Systems

In advanced intelligent driving systems like those from NIO, the SMF13A transient voltage suppression diode serves multiple protective functions:

1. Sensor Interface Protection: Laser radar, millimeter-wave radar, and other sensor signal lines are prone to transient interference. The SMF13A provides reliable protection for these sensitive interfaces, with its low reverse current (IR) of 1.0μA ensuring no degradation in signal transmission quality.

2. Power Bus Protection: Intelligent driving systems feature multiple power domains that require tiered protection. The compact SOD-123FL package of the SMF13A makes it ideal for high-density layouts, enabling its deployment across various power nodes to create a protective network.

3. Data Line Protection: High-speed data lines such as those from cameras and ultrasonic sensors require low-capacitance protection devices. The SMF13A’s junction capacitance characteristics make it perfect for these applications.

4. Chip I/O Port Protection: The SMF13A provides secondary protection for the I/O ports of main chips like the "Shenji NX9031," preventing electrostatic discharge from damaging sensitive transistors.

Industry Trends: Intelligent Driving Drives the Evolution of Protection Devices

With the advent of high-performance intelligent driving chips like the NIO "Shenji NX9031," there is a growing demand for advanced circuit protection devices. The future of transient voltage suppression diodes will likely follow these trends:

1. Lower Clamping Voltages: To protect increasingly sophisticated, nanoscale chips.

2. Faster Response Times: To address transient threats in high-speed circuits.

3. Smaller Package Sizes: To meet the demands of high-density integration.

4. Higher Reliability: To comply with the safety standards required for autonomous driving.

The design of the SMF13A already anticipates these needs, with its technical specifications and packaging being highly compatible with the development direction of intelligent driving systems. As a critical component of circuit protection solutions, high-performance transient voltage suppression diodes like the SMF13A will evolve alongside main chips to provide more reliable safety guarantees for intelligent driving.

Conclusion

The release of the NIO "Shenji NX9031" chip marks a new milestone in China’s automotive chip design capabilities. Behind these impressive main chips, countless basic components like the SMF13A silently ensure system safety. While breakthroughs in computational power are pursued, we must not overlook the importance of these "invisible guardians." Choosing the right high-performance transient voltage suppression diode is essential to ensure the reliable operation of intelligent driving systems, and it is a crucial aspect of automotive electronic design that cannot be ignored.

About Slkor：

Slkor has research and development offices in Busan, South Korea, Beijing, China, and Suzhou, China. Most of the wafer manufacturing and packaging and testing are carried out within China. The company employs and collaborates with individuals and organizations worldwide, with a laboratory for product performance and reliability testing and a central warehouse located at its headquarters in Shenzhen. Slkor has filed for over a hundred invention patents, offers more than 2,000 product models, and serves over ten thousand customers globally. Its products are exported to countries and regions including Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, making it one of the rapidly growing semiconductor companies in recent years. With well-established management systems and streamlined workflows, Slkor has rapidly enhanced the brand awareness and reputation of its "SLKOR" brand through its outstanding quality and standardized services. Its product range includes three major series: diodes, transistors, and power devices, with recent introductions of new products such as Hall elements and analog devices, expanding its presence in sensors, Risc-v microcontrollers, and other product categories.