TDK Semiconductor Corp., a leader in the design and manufacture of mixed-signal semiconductor ICs for world markets unveiled its new smart card interface IC at the China Digital TV & Sep-Top-Box exhibition. The new 73S8009R utilizes the same LDO voltage regulator architecture as its successful existing TDK 73S80xxR family, bringing outstanding electrical performance (low noise, high card current, low current consumption and very low power dissipation) at the lowest possible cost.

The 73S8009R is ready to support all smart card voltages, from the traditional 3V and 5V cards, to the newest 1.8V cards for low-power applications. The chip also features a power-down mode, which draws only a few micro-Amps (typical) from the power supply. These features make the 73S8009R ideal for SIM card readers and battery-powered devices such as cell phones, PDAs, and other communication devices that require a SIM card reader for identification, such as WIFI, GPRS and VoIP modules.

Other smart card related features include high card clock frequency (20MHz in compliance with ISO7816) and high card current (up to 90mA). A Chip-Select input pin allows multiple 73S8009Rs to be used in parallel for multiple SAM implementations in payment terminals.

A very small QFN20 package option (4x4mm) is available, making the 73S8009R the world’s smallest, and more importantly the world’s lowest cost card electrical interface. It complies with most of the applicable standards (ISO7816, EMV, GSM11-11, etc.) and can replace discrete implementations in Set-top Box and Point of Sale terminal devices, where production cost is always a concern.

“The new TDK 73S8009R IC is ideal in cost-sensitive applications, where performance and cost are concerns,“ said Jean-Christophe Doucet, Sr. Product Line Manager at TDK Semiconductor. Acceptance of higher performance cards (in particular higher card clock frequencies) in digital TV - Conditional Access - and payment terminals make the use of discrete components almost impossible and traditional integrated solutions are simply too expensive. “The 73S8009R solves the performance versus cost problem, and sets the new price standard for the smart card reader function, ” added Mr. Doucet.