TI's RES80A-Q1 Divider Handles 2,000 V for EV Sensing

Texas Instruments has released an automotive-qualified resistive divider rated for sustained operation at 2,000 V DC. The RES80A-Q1 targets high-voltage measurement in electric, hybrid and internal-combustion vehicles, where 800-V bus architectures and battery stacks demand precision scaling of extreme potentials down to levels an ordinary ADC or op amp can read.

The device is a classic voltage divider built in thin-film silicon chromium on TI's high-performance analog wafer process. It carries AEC-Q100... rather, AEC-Q200 automotive qualification at temperature grade 1, specified from –40 to +125°C. Its nominal high-voltage input resistance is 50 MΩ.

What ratios and accuracy does it deliver?

The series ships in eight nominal high-to-low resistance ratios, spanning 145:1 to 1000:1. That spread lets designers match divider output to the full-scale input range of different signal chains without redesigning the analog front end.

Ratio matching matters as much as absolute accuracy in divider applications. TI specifies each divider's measured ratio within ±0.1% maximum of nominal, maintained across the specified temperature range. Aging adds a cumulative drift of only ±0.2% maximum over the part's life. The combined effect keeps the lifetime tolerance of an uncalibrated RES80A-Q1 inside a ±0.3% envelope.

The resistors sit under a silicon-dioxide insulative layer, which enables use at extremely high voltages: 2,000 V DC sustained, or 4,000 V DC for HiPOT testing under a 60-second rating.

How was the process qualified for high voltage?

TI qualified its thin-film analog wafer process intrinsically for sustained high-voltage operation through time-dependent dielectric breakdown testing. The method stresses dedicated test structures at constant high AC or DC voltage for long durations until the devices wear out and fail by electrical short.

Testing at multiple voltages lets engineers extrapolate process lifetime at a given working voltage using the Weibull method. The TDDB data showed a subtlety worth noting: unipolar and bipolar biasing conditions produce differing operational lifetimes for the process, a distinction designers of AC-coupled sensing paths must weigh.

What does the package provide?

The RES80A-Q1 comes in an 8-pin DWV SOIC package with a nominal body of 7.5 × 5.85 mm. Creepage and clearance distances between the high- and low-voltage pins measure at least 8.5 mm — parameters critical to regulatory approval in high-voltage designs.

The part does not include galvanic, ohmic isolation, but TI notes isolation can be implemented in several ways where the application requires it. A 23-page datasheet covers electrical data, thermal behavior, layout, packing and ordering details, reflecting the depth of technical support passive-component buyers expect for extreme-condition parts.

Why now?

Vehicles of all drivetrain types — ICE, BEV and EV — have become sophisticated systems on wheels, and high-voltage dividers once confined to scientific, high-energy physics and medical instruments now serve mainstream automotive duty. TI's release closes the gap between laboratory-grade precision components and the cost, qualification and reliability regimes of mass-market automotive supply chains.