SP3223EUCY-L - +3.0V to +5.5V RS-232 Transceiver | MaxLinear
MPN: SP3223EUCY-L ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.85 | $1.85 |
| 10 | $1.62 | $16.20 |
| 100 | $1.34 | $134.00 |
| 500 | $1.12 | $560.00 |
| 1,000 | $0.97 | $970.00 |
| 2,500 | $0.86 | $2,150.00 |
SP3223EUCY-L Overview
What is an RS-232 transceiver? An RS-232 transceiver is an interface IC that converts logic-level UART signals (typically 0V/3.3V or 0V/5V CMOS/TTL) into the bipolar ±5V to ±15V voltage swings defined by the EIA/TIA-232-F standard, which legacy PCs, industrial controllers, point-of-sale terminals, and instrumentation equipment use for serial communication. Within the broader component taxonomy, RS-232 transceivers sit under Interface ICs, alongside RS-485 transceivers, CAN transceivers, and USB-to-UART bridges.
The SP3223EUCY-L delivers compliant RS-232 performance from a single 3.0V to 5.5V supply, interoperates with EIA/TIA-232 down to a 2.7V source, and adheres to EIA/TIA-562 at reduced drive levels. Its AUTO ON-LINE® circuitry automatically wakes the device from shutdown when a valid RS-232 signal is detected on the receiver input, eliminating the need for external activity-detect logic. An enhanced ESD rating of ±15 kV Human Body Model on the driver outputs and receiver inputs provides robust protection against cable-discharge transients in real-world environments.
Typical applications include notebook and handheld computer serial ports, industrial PDA cradles, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, battery-powered diagnostic equipment, and any portable embedded system that needs a true RS-232 link without the bulk of a ±12V supply. The 0.1 µF charge-pump capacitors and 20-pin TSSOP footprint allow a complete 2-driver/2-receiver RS-232 port to fit in roughly 30 mm² of board area. The 0°C to +70°C commercial operating range suits indoor enclosures and consumer-grade handhelds; for industrial temperature designs, an 'I' suffix variant (SP3223EUCY-L is the commercial-grade part) is available from the same family.
When designing with this part, remember that the 1000 kbps data rate requires the AUTO ON-LINE® wake-up path to settle; if the system depends on sub-millisecond link bring-up after power-down, gate the FORCEON pin externally. Place the four 0.1 µF charge-pump capacitors (C1–C4) within 3 mm of the IC pins to keep switching noise off the analog ground plane. The "-L" suffix indicates the lead-free / RoHS-compliant finish; pair this with a nickel-palladium-gold (NiPdAu) or matte-tin PCB surface finish to prevent solderability issues during reflow.
This page synthesizes MaxLinear distributor pricing, drop-in same-package alternatives, and practical charge-pump PCB layout guidance that the bare datasheet does not present in a single place.
Drop-in alternatives for SP3223EUCY-L — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
SP3223EUCY-L/TR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
SP3223EBCY-L
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
SP3223ICY-L
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MAX3223ECAP+
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
ICL3223EIAZ
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
TRS3223EIDBR
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
SP3223EUCY-L Specifications
| Function | RS-232 Transceiver (2 drivers / 2 receivers) |
| Protocol | EIA/TIA-232-F, EIA/TIA-562 |
| Data Rate | 1000 kbps (1 Mbps) guaranteed |
| Supply Voltage (VCC) | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Typical Supply Current | 0.3 mA (no load) |
| Number of External Capacitors | 4 |
| Charge-Pump Capacitor Value | 0.1 µF |
| Driver Output ESD | ±15 kV HBM |
| Receiver Input ESD | ±15 kV HBM |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +70°C (commercial) |
| Package | 20-pin TSSOP (CY suffix) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount |
| AUTO ON-LINE® Circuitry | Yes (automatic wake from shutdown) |
| Shutdown Mode | Yes (FORCEOFF / FORCEON pins) |
| RoHS Status | Compliant (lead-free "-L" finish) |
SP3223EUCY-L Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | T1OUT — RS-232 driver 1 output |
| Pin 2 | T2OUT — RS-232 driver 2 output |
| Pin 3 | R1IN — RS-232 receiver 1 input |
| Pin 4 | R2IN — RS-232 receiver 2 input |
| Pin 5 | R1OUT — TTL/CMOS receiver 1 output |
| Pin 6 | R2OUT — TTL/CMOS receiver 2 output |
| Pin 7 | T1IN — TTL/CMOS driver 1 input |
| Pin 8 | T2IN — TTL/CMOS driver 2 input |
| Pin 9 | GND — Ground |
| Pin 10 | VCC — Supply voltage (3.0V–5.5V) |
| Pin 11 | FORCEOFF — Force shutdown, active-low |
| Pin 12 | FORCEON — Force on, active-high |
| Pin 13 | INVALID — Valid RS-232 signal indicator, active-high |
| Pin 14 | C1+ — Charge-pump capacitor 1 positive |
| Pin 15 | V+ — Positive charge-pump output (+5.5V typ) |
| Pin 16 | C1- — Charge-pump capacitor 1 negative |
| Pin 17 | C2+ — Charge-pump capacitor 2 positive |
| Pin 18 | C2- — Charge-pump capacitor 2 negative |
| Pin 19 | V- — Negative charge-pump output (-5.5V typ) |
| Pin 20 | NC — Not connected (per datasheet) |
Typical Applications
SP3223EUCY-L is suitable for 6 applications: Notebook Computer Serial Port, Handheld Terminal / PDA Cradle, Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal, Industrial Diagnostic / Test Equipment, Embedded Linux Debug Console, Bluetooth HCI Bridge to RS-232.
Notebook Computer Serial Port
The SP3223EUCY-L fits the notebook docking-station serial port because its 3.0V–5.5V single-supply operation runs directly from the laptop's 3.3V or 5V rail, eliminating the ±12V converter that older RS-232 designs require. The 1000 kbps data rate supports legacy modem and debug-console throughput without bottlenecking modern UARTs. Four 0.1 µF charge-pump capacitors (vs the 1 µF parts used by older transceivers) cut BOM cost and PCB area by roughly 60%, a critical savings in slim ultrabook chassis where every square millimeter counts.
Recommended
Handheld Terminal / PDA Cradle
In battery-powered handheld terminals the SP3223EUCY-L's 1 µA typical shutdown current is the dominant selection criterion, because the RS-232 port is only active when the device is cradled for sync. The AUTO ON-LINE® circuitry automatically wakes the part when a valid RS-232 signal arrives at R1IN or R2IN, eliminating the need for an external activity-detect interrupt and reducing firmware complexity. The 0°C to +70°C commercial operating range suits indoor retail, warehouse, and healthcare-handheld environments where the cradle sits on a desk.
Recommended
Point-of-Sale (POS) Terminal
POS terminals rely on the SP3223EUCY-L's ±15 kV HBM ESD rating on driver outputs and receiver inputs to survive the hot-plug and cable-discharge transients that occur when cashiers unplug PIN pads and barcode scanners mid-transaction. The 1000 kbps data rate keeps the latency low for chip-card and NFC reader side-channels. The 20-pin TSSOP footprint simplifies layout under the display hinge where mechanical stress concentrates connector pins and demands a small, robust RS-232 IC.
Recommended
Industrial Diagnostic / Test Equipment
Battery-powered oscilloscopes, data loggers, and field-service instruments use the SP3223EUCY-L because the AUTO ON-LINE® wake-up circuit eliminates a continuous UART-activity interrupt on the host microcontroller, reducing overall system power by up to 30% during idle periods. The 1000 kbps rate supports fast firmware-download and log-retrieval sessions in the field. The "-L" suffix ensures lead-free, RoHS-compliant assembly, which is mandatory for sale into the EU and California markets.
Recommended
Embedded Linux Debug Console
Linux-based SBCs and SOM designs such as those using the XMC4500F100K1024ACXQSA1 or XMC1404Q064X0200AAXUMA1 rely on the SP3223EUCY-L to expose the kernel console UART as a true RS-232 DB-9 port for legacy development hosts. The 3.0V–5.5V supply window tolerates either the 3.3V SoC rails or the 5V USB-UART bridge rails, simplifying board stack-ups. Four 0.1 µF 0402-size capacitors (vs the older 1 µF 0603 designs) keep the BOM compact for credit-card-sized carrier boards.
Recommended
Bluetooth HCI Bridge to RS-232
Bluetooth modules that expose an HCI (Host Controller Interface) over RS-232 — for legacy automotive diagnostic tools, industrial gateways, and medical instrument docks — pair with the SP3223EUCY-L to deliver a robust 1 Mbps link. The AUTO ON-LINE® wake-on-RX feature is critical because the Bluetooth radio asserts a wake line only when an incoming ACL connection is detected; the SP3223EUCY-L can self-wake from a valid incoming RS-232 signal without host intervention. The 3.3V compatibility matches standard Bluetooth module rails.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for SP3223EUCY-L — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | SP3223EUCY-L/TR | SP3223EBCY-L | MAX3223ECAP+ | ICL3223EIAZ | TRS3223EIDBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 20-TSSOP (CY) | 20-TSSOP (CY) - same | 20-TSSOP (CY) - same | 20-SSOP (CAP) - same pinout | 20-SSOP (IA) - same pinout | 20-SSOP (DB) - same pinout |
| Brand | MaxLinear | MaxLinear (same) | MaxLinear (same) | Maxim Integrated | Renesas Electronics | Texas Instruments |
| Supply Voltage | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V | 3.0 V to 5.5 V |
| Data Rate | 1000 kbps | 1000 kbps | 1000 kbps | 500 kbps | 500 kbps | 1000 kbps |
| Charge-Pump Caps | 4 × 0.1 µF | 4 × 0.1 µF | 4 × 0.1 µF | 4 × 0.1 µF | 4 × 0.1 µF | 4 × 0.1 µF |
| ESD Rating (HBM) | ±15 kV | ±15 kV | ±15 kV | ±15 kV | ±15 kV | ±15 kV |
| Operating Temperature | 0°C to +70°C | 0°C to +70°C | 0°C to +70°C | 0°C to +70°C | -40°C to +85°C | -40°C to +85°C |
| AUTO ON-LINE® Wake | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Key Differentiators
- Highest data rate in the SP3223 family at 1000 kbps (vs MAX3223ECAP+ (Maxim))
- Same AUTO ON-LINE® topology as industry-standard MAX3223E (vs MAX3223ECAP+ (Maxim))
- Single 3.0–5.5V supply with 0.1 µF charge-pump capacitors (vs ICL3223EIAZ (Renesas))
- Lead-free RoHS finish with MSL-1 floor life (vs TRS3223EIDBR (TI))
Design Notes
Place the four charge-pump capacitors (C1, C2, C3, C4 — also labelled C1+, C1-, C2+, C2-) within 3 mm of the SP3223EUCY-L pins and use 0.1 µF X7R ceramics with a 10V or higher rating. Keep the V+ and V- traces short and away from any TTL/CMOS logic traces to avoid injecting 200 kHz switching ripple into the analog ground plane. A single 0.1 µF bypass on VCC placed within 5 mm of pin 10 is mandatory.
Estimated: total quiescent draw at 3.3V VCC with all drivers loaded is approximately 4–6 mA (including charge-pump losses). For battery-powered designs, gate FORCEOFF low during deep sleep to drop supply current to 1 µA typical, then let AUTO ON-LINE® reassert the part when a valid RS-232 signal arrives. Driving FORCEON high disables AUTO ON-LINE® — only do this if your firmware manages shutdown explicitly.
Do not connect C1–C4 to anything other than the documented SP3223EUCY-L charge-pump pins; swapping C1+ and C1- reverses the polarity and prevents V+ from rising. The INVALID output is active-high only when both R1IN and R2IN are within valid RS-232 levels — it is not a general activity flag. The 1000 kbps data rate is only guaranteed with 0.1 µF capacitors; substituting 1 µF parts (as on the older SP3232) violates the datasheet and reduces noise immunity.
Route the four RS-232 input traces (T1IN, T2IN, R1IN, R2IN) away from the V+/V- charge-pump nodes to minimize crosstalk. Keep the analog GND (pin 9) tied to a single ground via, with no other high-current return currents sharing the via. For noisy environments, add a ferrite bead in series with VCC and a 10 µF tantalum reservoir close to pin 10.
Compliance Information
Lead-free finish per the "-L" suffix; RoHS and REACH compliant per MaxLinear product declaration. Not AEC-Q100 qualified (commercial grade only) — choose SP3223EUIAZ or similar industrial-grade variants for automotive.
