The SFH6136-X001 is a single-channel phototransistor optocoupler from Vishay, built for reinforced isolation in a through-hole 8-DIP package. Its headline spec is 5300Vrms isolation — enough for medical equipment, industrial motor drives, and switch-mode power supplies where safety isolation between primary and secondary sides is mandatory. The 200ns typical turn-on and turn-off time puts it in the medium-speed class: fast enough for logic-level signal isolation up to a few MHz, but not intended for high-speed gate-drive applications. That 200ns edge rate also helps keep radiated emissions manageable in a crowded board layout. The transistor-with-base output gives the designer access to the base node for external biasing or speed-up networks — a flexibility not available in simple phototransistor couplers. If you need to trade off switching speed against CTR, that base pin lets you add a resistor between base and emitter to sweep stored charge faster.
Temperature range and environment
The 100°C upper limit is the junction temperature — in a sealed enclosure with no airflow, derate the LED forward current if ambient exceeds 85°C. The storage temperature range is wider than the operating range; that limit governs handling and shelf life, not running conditions.
Current transfer ratio — the gain you design around
Minimum CTR is 19% at 16mA forward current. That floor is the design anchor: it sets the worst-case collector current available to drive the load resistor. Over temperature and lifetime the CTR can drop further — the datasheet's typical curve shows degradation at high LED current and elevated temperature. Plan your pull-up resistor and output logic threshold using the 19% minimum, not the typical value, to guarantee switching at end of life. Maximum forward current is 25 mA DC, and the typical forward voltage is 1.6V at that drive level. The output transistor can sink up to 8 mA per channel with a maximum collector-emitter voltage of 25V — enough for 5V or 3.3V logic families with adequate headroom.
Package and mounting
Supplied in a standard 8-DIP (0.300-inch, 7.62mm pitch) through-hole package. The tube shipping medium is typical for DIP optocouplers — the parts are not taped and reeled, so factor in manual placement or a tube feeder if you're using automated insertion. The 7.62mm body width fits the common 300-mil DIP footprint; no special land pattern needed.