The isolation technology used on the Si826x is based on patented inventions. The Si826x is designed to replace opto-drivers which use optical technology to isolate. An opto-driver is similar to an opto-isolator because it uses light energy to couple signals across the isolation barrier. It is different from an isolator from the perspective of how much load it can drive. Drivers are designed to switch power loads and are typically capable of driving up to 4A loads for short periods of time. The use of optical technology means that the opto-drivers are susceptible to drift over temperature and VDD and also to wear-out mechanisms. Because they use LEDs, their switching characteristics are also typically much slower. The Si826x is designed for a maximum of 5kVrms reinforced isolation and to withstand a 10 kV surge - such as from a secondary lightning event. The Si826x has an LED emulator as input which allows for the drop-in replacement capability. However, since the emulator is CMOS based, it has none of the disadvantages of the opto. It is not susceptible to wear-out mechanism or drift and delivers robust and stable performance through its long life-time. Si826x has higher noise immunity and is also faster than opto-drivers while consuming far less power. The Si826x’s innovative architecture allows for a pin-to-pin replacement for old technology opto-drivers while also significantly improving performance and reliability.