5 kV isolation for noisy industrial buses
The 6N137SM is a single-channel optocoupler from onsemi that delivers 5000Vrms galvanic isolation — the kind of barrier you need between a microcontroller running at 5V and a motor-drive power stage or PLC fieldbus that can see common-mode transients exceeding 10 kV/µs. It handles data rates up to 10 Mbps, fast enough for CAN, RS-485, or general-purpose digital isolation where the 75 ns max propagation delay keeps timing jitter within a typical controller's input filter window. Supply voltage range is 4.5V to 5.5V, so it sits comfortably on a 5V rail without an extra regulator.
Parametric deep-dive — speed, drive, and temperature margin
With a typical rise/fall time of 30 ns and 10 ns, the 6N137SM preserves signal edges well enough to avoid duty-cycle distortion at 10 Mbps — a concern if you are clocking data across the isolation barrier without re-clocking. The forward voltage is 1.45V typical at 50 mA forward current — the LED driver on the input side should budget at least 1.8V to guarantee turn-on across temperature.
For BOM planning, this part does not carry a single-source risk within the 6N137 family; the base product number 6N137 covers multiple package variants, so if the SM (surface-mount) version ever shifts, a through-hole sibling or alternate tape-and-reel option exists within the same series.
Package and footprint — 8-SMD Gull Wing
The 6N137SM is housed in an 8-SMD Gull Wing package with the supplier device package designated as 8-SMD. This is a standard optocoupler footprint — the gull-wing leads allow visual solder-joint inspection and rework if needed. The package is surface-mount only, so your PCB assembly line does not need a through-hole wave-solder step.