PCA9306JKZ

Overview

The PCA9306JKZ is a dual-supply, bidirectional level translator for I2C-bus and SMBus signals. It uses MOSFET-based, passive translation to bridge two different supply domains on SDA and SCL without a direction-control pin. The device is intended for open-drain I2C/SMBus lines and is commonly used where simple, low-component-count level shifting is required.

Why Choose This Part

The PCA9306JKZ provides bidirectional translation for SDA and SCL with a very small component count and no direction-control pin, simplifying PCB routing and firmware. Its MOSFET-based approach lets the bus remain open-drain and largely transparent to connected devices, so devices on either side can pull the line low without extra control logic. It is a practical choice when you need a compact, hardware-only solution to mix I2C/SMBus voltage domains.

Applications

Getting Started

There is no IDE or software toolchain for this passive IC. For evaluation: place the translator on a small breakout or PCB, tie grounds together, connect VCCA/VCCB to the two target supply rails, and provide appropriate pull-up resistors on each side of the bus. Use a logic analyzer or an OS-level I2C tool (for example i2cdetect on Linux) to verify bus traffic and watch for excessive bus capacitance or slow edges that can affect reliability.

PCA9306 Family

Comparing specs that differ across variants. The current part is highlighted.

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