1 Precautions for Device Selection
1.1 Maximum Ratings
1.2 Derating
1.3 Fail-safe Design
1.4 Applications and Usage Environments
1.5 Use in High-reliability Equipment
1.1 Maximum Ratings
Any semiconductor device has its own specified absolute maximum ratings. The absolute maximum ratings are defined as the allowable limits that should not be exceeded, even instantaneously. If one or more of these values are exceeded, the semiconductor device will break down.
1.2 Derating
The absolute maximum ratings of a semiconductor device are the instantaneous values for protecting the semiconductor device from being destroyed, not for guaranteeing reliability (JEITA EDR-4701C). Therefore, derating is required in design phase according to your intended applications or operating conditions.
1.3 Fail Safe Design
We work toward improving the quality and reliability of our semiconductor devices. However, the occurrence of defects or failures in our semiconductor devices is unavoidable at a certain rate. In addition, possible causes include malfunctions due to external noise, secondary damage or destruction due to failures in peripheral components, or destruction due to inappropriate operations by microcontroller sequences. These possible causes are unpredictable from a semiconductor device itself, because they are induced by insufficient checks in equipment circuit designing, abnormality testing, or worst-case testing. It is your sole responsibility to decide whether to use the equipment or system in/for which our semiconductor devices are implemented, on the basis that sufficient safety design and verification are conducted to prevent any failure or malfunction of the semiconductor devices from causing human injury or death, fire accidents, and social damage.
1.4 Applications and Usage Environments
Our semiconductor devices are basically for general consumer devices, excluding the ones designed for electric components (automotive applications). They are intended to be used in the general electronic equipment (e.g., home electric appliances, audio-video equipment, office equipment, telecommunication equipment, measuring equipment) installed under usage environments in normal temperature and humidity such as general homes, offices, factories. If you are not sure whether your application is classified as general electronic equipment, please be sure to contact us. We will be happy to answer questions and unclear points you may have. Please note that general consumer devices cannot be used in special environments as follows: hot and humid conditions, strong electric fields, ferromagnetic fields, radiation, cosmic rays, and corrosive gasses.
1.5 Use in High-reliability Equipment
When you consider using our semiconductor devices in the equipment that requires high reliability (e.g., transportation equipment and its control devices, traffic signal control systems or equipment, disaster/crime alarm systems, other various safety equipment and devices), please be sure to contact our sales representative in advance for confirming the suitability of your application. After that, please return the corresponding delivery specification with your handwritten signature, or affixed name and seal. Please note that our semiconductor devices are not intended for use in the devices or equipment that require extremely high reliability such as: aerospace equipment; nuclear power control systems; medical equipment and systems whose failures or malfunctions may result in death or serious injury to people (i.e., Class III or higher-class products defined by relevant laws of Japan). Moreover, when you consider using our semiconductor devices in the equipment premised on zero-defect manufacturing, it is your sole responsibility to take measures such as a burn-in test.
1.6 Use in Long-life Equipment
Most of our semiconductor devices are designed to have a target life of approximately 10 years when used intermittently for 8 hours a day. When you consider using our semiconductor devices even for general electronic equipment that requires a long life (e.g., household or building equipment), please be sure to contact us in advance so that a written agreement can be made by the corresponding delivery specification that clarifies requirements. It is your sole responsibility to take life-extending measures such as by derating (e.g., reducing an operating temperature) that will ensure the target life.
1.7 About Product Life Cycles
Our semiconductor devices are basically for general consumer devices, excluding the ones designed for electric components (automotive applications). In the consumer market, merchandise mixes will change in a short period of time through technology innovation or market demand. Please note that the production of our semiconductor devices will be discontinued (i.e., categorized as limited supply products) for responding to market demand changes, material supply situations, or other potentially influential factors. For the semiconductor devices that have already been supplied to the market, their original supply periods may be shortened. Therefore, when you consider using our semiconductor devices in your application, please contact us for more information. In particular, when you consider using our semiconductor devices in the equipment that requires a long-term delivery for 10 years or more, please be sure to contact us.
Questions or Comments?
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