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A p p l i c at i o n N o t e
AN 3005
Modeling phototransistor optocouplers

using PSPICE simulation software
CTR vs If
by Van N. Tran
Sample A
B
C
D
Staff Applications Engineer, CEL Opto Semiconductors
Typically, an optocoupler is an optically-coupled isolator that uses a GaAs LED as a light source and a bipolar
NPN phototransistor as a receiver. In this note, the optocoupler will be modeled by a current-controlled current
source. The forward current If through the LED emitter
will act as current control and current source acts an output of the phototransistor. The output of the phototransistor will be a product of If and Current Transfer Ratio
or CTR. The internal capacitance Cint of the optocoupler
output will also be added across the output terminals of
the current-controlled current source for transient analysis, the internal capacitance, Cint, is calculated based
on the formula Tr = 2.2 x Cint x RL where tr and RL are the
rise time and load resistor provided in the data sheet,
respectively. Please note that the CTR, tr or the internal
capacitance of the optocoupler will vary depending on
the forward current If through the LED, power supply
VCC, and load resistance RL on the detector side. As a result, any changes to the If, VCC or RL will lead to a change
in CTR, tr and capacitance Cint. To the right are some
graphs from the PS2501 data sheet for reference.
100
0
0.05 0.1
0.5 1
10
50
Forward Current I f (mA)

Switching Time vs Load Resistance
I f = 5 mA VCC = 5.0 V
1000
500
Switching Time t (s)
An Optocoupler Model
200
tf
CTR = 290%
ts
100
50
10
5
tr
1
100
td
500 1k
5k 10k
50k 100k
Load Resistance RL (7)

Switching Time vs Load Resistance
I f = 2 mA VCC = 10.0 V
50
Switching Time t (s)
PSPICE is a circuit simulation program thats used to provide a reasonably detailed analysis of circuits containing
active components such as bipolar transistors, field effect transistors, diodes, and op-amps. PSPICE can also
help characterize lumped components like resistors, capacitors and inductors.

PSPICE programs are comfortable with measurement parameters like Voltage and Current. However,
when it comes to modeling optoelectronic components
the PSPICE program does not possess the capability to
evaluate or simulate components with outputs measured in radiometric or photometric units like Watts (w)
or Lumens (lm), or other variables like optical intensity,
radiant power, irradiance with unit measurements in
mW/sr, mW/m2, lumens.

This application note provides a guideline to model
phototransistor optocouplers with first order approximation using PSPICE models.
CTR (%)
300
Introduction
VCE = 5 V
400
tf
tr
CTR = 290%
10
td
ts
1
0.1
10
50 100
500 1k
Load Resistance RL (7)
5k 10k
PS2501-1 Electrical Characteristics ( TA = 25C )

PARAMETER
SYMBOL
CONDITION
MIN
TYP
MAX
1.17
1.4
50
pF
DIODE
Forward Voltage
VF
IF = 10 mA
Reverse Current
IR
VR = 5 V
UNIT
Terminal Capacitance
Ct
V = 0 V, f = 1.0 MHz
TRANSISTOR

Collector to Emitter
Dark Current
ICEO
VCE = 80 V, IF = 0 mA
100
nA
COUPLED

Current Transfer Ratio

(IC/IF) Note 1
CTR
IF = 5 mA, VCE = 5 V
600
Collector Saturation
Voltage
VCE(sat)
0.3
Isolation Resistance
RI-O
VI-O = 1.0 kVDC
Isolation Capacitance
CI-O
Rise Time See Test Circuit

Fall Time See Test Circuit
tr
tf
80
300
IF = 10 mA, IC = 2 mA
1011
V = 0 V, f = 1.0 MHz
0.5
pF
VCC = 10 V, IC = 2 mA, RL = 100

3
5
NOTE 1. PS2501-1 CTR Rank:

300 to 600 (%)
200 to 400 (%)
W 130 to 260 (%)
M 80 to 240 (%)
From this data, lets set the CTR = 300% at If = 1mA, and
Cint = 3 s /2.2 x 100W = 14nF, VCC = 10V, and model the
PS2501-1 using the emitter follower configuration with
RL = 100W.
80 to 160 (%)
Q 100 to 200 (%)
100 to 300 (%)
DC Analysis
Modeling the PS2501-1 optocoupler for

DC and transient analysis
The PSPICE model and Netlist for If = 1 mA, IC = 3mA and

RL = 100W are shown in Figure 2 below and on the next
page.

Rise time tr is 3s, based on VCC =10V, IC = 3mA,
and RL =100W.

The test circuit is shown in Figure 1.
The following is an example of a modeling of the PS2501

optocoupler with load resistance RL, in emitter follower
configuration.

From the Electrical Characteristics in the table
above, the CTR can vary from 80% to 600% at If = 5 mA
and VCC = 5.0 V.
R1
10V
F1
Pulse Input
If
VCC
10007
IDC
PW =100s
Duty Cycle =1/10
FPOLY
1 mA
I1
RL
100 7
VOUT
507
R L = 100 7
Figure 1. Test circuit for determining Switching Time
Figure 2. DC Analysis Schematics Netlist
R_R1
$N_0002 $N_0001 1000
I_I1
F_F1
$N_0003 $N_0004 POLY(1) VF_F1 3
VF_F1
$N_0001 0 DC 0V
R_RL
0 $N_0004 100
V_VCC
0 $N_0002 DC 1mA
$N_0003 0 10V
VCC
AN 3005
4.0mA
CURRENT: R1 & RL
3.0mA
2.0mA
1.0mA
0A
0s
I(RL)
0.1ms
0.2ms
0.3ms
0.4ms
I(R1)
0.5ms
0.6ms
0.7ms
0.8ms
0.9ms
1.0ms
TIME
Figure 2. PSPICE model for DC Analysis; current across R1 and RL.
Transient Analysis
The pulse input with pulse width = 100 s, duty cycle =
50% and peak current of the 1mA will be used. Its Netlist
is shown below and PSPICE model in Figure 3.

Input Current I(R1) and Output Current I(RL) are
shown in Figures 4 and 5.
R1
R_R1
F_F1
VF_F1
$N_0001 0 DC 0V
V_V6
$N_0002 0
+PULSE 0 1 0 5ns 5ns 1ms 10ms
V_Vcc
C_CINT
R_RL
14n
10007
$N_0002 $N_0001 1000
C int
F1
Transient Analysis Schematics Netlist
+ V2
F POLY
$N_0003 $N_0004 POLY(1) VF_F1 3
10 V
V1
RL
100 7
$N_0003 0 10V
$N_0004 $N_0003 14nF
0 $N_0004 100
Figure 3. PSPICE model of PS2501-1 for transient analysis.
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INPUT CURRENT
4.0mA
2.0mA
0A
0s
0.5ms
1.0ms
1.5ms
I(R 1 )
2.0ms
2.5ms
3.0ms
3.5ms
4.0ms
TIME
Figure 4. Input Current I(R1)
OUTPUT CURRENT
4.0mA
2.0mA
0A
0s
0.5ms
I(R L )
1.0ms
1.5ms
2.0ms
2.5ms
3.0ms
3.5ms
4.0ms
TIME
Figure 5. Output Current I(RL)
Comments
To study the dynamic behavior of the model, one must
manually change the gain setting of the current-controlled current source based on the CTR, If and VCC data
shown on the data sheet. The capacitance Cint has to be
recalculated from the equation tr = 2.2 x C x R based on
different switching times for different load resistance, If
and VCC shown on the data sheet.

The load resistance should be carefully selected for
the study and application since PSPICE programs have
limitations that may provide a voltage across the load resistance that exceeds the power supply VCC which does
not happen in real life. For example, if RL is chosen to be
15K, the PSPICE program would provide you a V(RL) of
30V given VCC = 10V!!!!

The CTR or gain may become irrelevant if the load
resistance becomes too big. For instance, if RL is chosen to be 20K in the above example, the IC x RL VCC,
it means that the output of the optocoupler will act as
a switch or operate between the saturation and cutoff
regions, and CTR is no longer accounted for.
Information and data presented here is subject to change without notice. California
Eastern Laboratories assumes no responsibility for the use of any circuits described
herein and makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, that such
circuits are free from patent infringement.
California Eastern Laboratories 5/07

Be cautious about the polarities of the elements as
well when reviewing the data or graphs, due to the limitations of the PSPICE program.

For optocouplers with AC input, the same model
can be used. However, the DC input or forward current
through the LED is applied with the frequency equal to
two times the frequency of the AC signal, and the optocoupler will produce the same output as the AC signal.
Conclusion
PSPICE modeling can be a helpful tool for simulating
optocouplers in circuits that incorporate these devices.
However, care must be taken to ensure that the results
are valid as outlined above.
4590 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054-1817

Tel. 408-919-2500
FAX 408-988-0279 www.cel.com

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A p p l i c at i o n N o t e

Modeling phototransistor optocouplers

Staff Applications Engineer, CEL Opto Semiconductors

Forward Current I f (mA)

Switching Time t (s)

Load Resistance RL (7)

Switching Time t (s)

Load Resistance RL (7)

PS2501-1 Electrical Characteristics ( TA = 25C )

Current Transfer Ratio

VI-O = 1.0 kVDC

Rise Time See Test Circuit

VCC = 10 V, IC = 2 mA, RL = 100

NOTE 1. PS2501-1 CTR Rank:

300 to 600 (%)

200 to 400 (%)

W 130 to 260 (%)

Q 100 to 200 (%)

100 to 300 (%)

Modeling the PS2501-1 optocoupler for

The PSPICE model and Netlist for If = 1 mA, IC = 3mA and

The following is an example of a modeling of the PS2501

Figure 1. Test circuit for determining Switching Time

Figure 2. DC Analysis Schematics Netlist

$N_0002 $N_0001 1000

$N_0003 $N_0004 POLY(1) VF_F1 3

Figure 2. PSPICE model for DC Analysis; current across R1 and RL.

+PULSE 0 1 0 5ns 5ns 1ms 10ms

$N_0002 $N_0001 1000

Transient Analysis Schematics Netlist

$N_0003 $N_0004 POLY(1) VF_F1 3

Figure 3. PSPICE model of PS2501-1 for transient analysis.

Figure 4. Input Current I(R1)

Figure 5. Output Current I(RL)

4590 Patrick Henry Drive, Santa Clara, CA 95054-1817

FAX 408-988-0279 www.cel.com

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