PCA9518DBR

The PCA9518DBR from Texas Instruments is an expandable five-channel bidirectional buffer specifically designed for I2C and SMBus applications. This device helps overcome the I2C protocol's maximum bus capacitance limitation by separating and buffering the SDA and SCL lines into multiple segments. Each segment transition experiences only one repeater delay, allowing for extended bus lengths and increased device counts.

The buffer operates within a supply voltage range of 3V to 3.6V and supports a maximum frequency of 0.4MHz. It features 5-V tolerant I2C and enable input pins, facilitating mixed-mode signal operation. The PCA9518DBR includes active-high individual repeater enable inputs and open-drain input/outputs, ensuring lockup-free operation and support for multiple masters. The device is available in a 20-SSOP package and is suitable for surface mount applications.

This buffer is designed for applications requiring signal integrity enhancement and bus expansion in I2C and SMBus systems. Its expandable nature allows for the implementation of wider hubs by cascading multiple PCA9518 units through a 4-wire inter-hub expansion bus, without functional degradation.