
1
FN6012.3
CAUTION: These devices are sensitive to electrostatic discharge; follow proper IC Handling Procedures.
1-888-INTERSIL or 321-724-7143
 Intersil (and design) is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
Copyright Intersil Americas Inc. 2003, 2004. All Rights Reserved
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
ICL3238E
±
15kV ESD Protected, +3V to +5.5V, 10nA, 
250kbps, RS-232 Transceiver with 
Enhanced Automatic Powerdown
The Intersil ICL3238E contains 3.0V to 5.5V powered 
RS-232 transmitters/receivers which meet ElA/TIA-232 and 
V.28/V.24 specifications, even at V
CC
 = 3.0V. Additionally, it 
provides 
±
15kV ESD protection (IEC61000-4-2 Air Gap and 
Human Body Model) on transmitter outputs and receiver 
inputs (RS-232 pins). Targeted applications are cell phones, 
Palmtops, and data cables where the low operational, and 
even lower standby, power consumption is critical. Efficient 
on-chip charge pumps, coupled with manual and enhanced 
automatic powerdown functions, reduce the standby supply 
current to a 10nA trickle. Small footprint packaging, and the 
use of small, low value capacitors ensure board space 
savings as well. Data rates greater than 250kbps are 
guaranteed at worst case load conditions providing 
compatibility with popular PC communication software. 
The ICL3238E is a 5 driver, 3 receiver device optimized for 
DCE applications with full hardware handshaking. It also 
includes a noninverting always-active receiver for RING 
INDICATOR monitoring.
This device, features an
 enhanced automatic powerdown
function which powers down the on-chip power-supply and 
driver circuits. This occurs when all receiver and transmitter 
inputs detect no signal transitions for a period of 30s. The 
ICL3238E powers back up, automatically, whenever it 
senses a transition on any transmitter or receiver input.
The transmitter and logic inputs include active feedback 
resistors that retain the input state once driven to a valid 
logic level.
Table 1 summarizes the features of the ICL3238E, while 
Application Note AN9863 summarizes the features of each 
device comprising the ICL32XXE 3V family.
Features
 Pb-Free Available as an Option (see Ordering Info)
 ESD Protection for RS-232 I/O Pins to 
±
15kV (IEC61000)
 Active Feedback Resistors on T
X
 and Logic Inputs.
 Manual and Enhanced Automatic Powerdown Features
 Pin Compatible Replacement for MAX3238E, MAX3238, 
SP3238E
 Meets EIA/TIA-232 and V.28/V.24 Specifications at 3V
 RS-232 Compatible Outputs at 2.7V Supply
 Flow Through Pinout
 Latch-Up Free
 On-Chip Voltage Converters Require Only Four External 
Capacitors
 Receiver and Transmitter Hysteresis For Improved Noise 
Immunity
 Guaranteed Minimum Data Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250kbps
 Guaranteed Minimum Slew Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6V/
μ
s
 Wide Power Supply Range  . . . . . . .  Single +3V to +5.5V
 Low Supply Current in Powerdown State. . . . . . . . .  10nA
Applications
 Any System Requiring RS-232 Communication Ports
- Battery Powered, Hand-Held, and Portable Equipment
- Data Cradles
- Modems, Printers and other Peripherals
- Cellular/Mobile Phones, Data Cables
TABLE 1.  SUMMARY OF FEATURES
PART 
NUMBER
NO. OF 
Tx.
NO. OF 
Rx.
NO. OF 
MONITOR Rx. 
(R
OUTB
)
1
DATA 
RATE 
(kbps)
Rx. ENABLE 
FUNCTION
READY 
OUTPUT
MANUAL 
POWER- 
DOWN
ENHANCED 
AUTOMATIC 
POWERDOWN 
FUNCTION
ICL3238E
5
3
250
No
No
Yes
Yes
Data Sheet
July 2004