{"id":18075,"date":"2023-03-14T04:58:36","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T11:58:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/?p=2115"},"modified":"2025-08-07T06:48:37","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T13:48:37","slug":"how-an-optocoupler-works","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/","title":{"rendered":"Let There Be Light! How an Optocoupler Works"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need to protect sensitive, low-voltage components and isolate circuits on your PCB? An Optocoupler can do the job. Let there be light! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<?php\nfunction autodesk_fusion_cta_horizontal() {\n    ob_start();\n    ?>\n    <style>\n        .cta-section-horizontal {\n            background: #ddd; \/* Much lighter grey background *\/\n            padding: 12px; \/* Adjusted padding *\/\n            border-radius: 8px;\n            box-shadow: 0 3px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);\n            color: #333; \/* Darker text color for better readability *\/\n            display: flex;\n            align-items: center;\n            justify-content: space-between;\n            max-width: 650px; \/* Width adjusted for a more compact look *\/\n            margin: 20px auto;\n            position: relative;\n            flex-wrap: nowrap; \/* Prevent wrapping *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-section-horizontal img {\n            width: 60px; \/* Slightly larger logo *\/\n            height: auto; \/* Maintain aspect ratio *\/\n            margin-right: 12px; \/* Adjusted spacing *\/\n            background-color: #ddd; \/* Match the background color *\/\n            padding: 6px; \/* Adjusted padding *\/\n            border-radius: 8px; \/* Slightly rounding to match container *\/\n            box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px #ddd; \/* Blend with background *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-text {\n            flex: 1;\n            margin-right: 12px; \/* Adjusted spacing *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-title {\n            font-size: 18px; \/* Slightly larger title font size *\/\n            font-weight: bold; \/* Bold title *\/\n            color: #f9a825; \/* Orange color *\/\n            margin-bottom: 4px; \/* Reduced margin *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-info {\n            display: none; \/* Hide description *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-buttons {\n            display: flex;\n            gap: 8px; \/* Adjusted button spacing *\/\n            align-items: center;\n        }\n\n        .cta-button {\n            padding: 8px 12px; \/* Button padding *\/\n            font-size: 12px; \/* Smaller font size for buttons *\/\n            font-weight: bold;\n            text-transform: uppercase;\n            border-radius: 4px; \/* Slightly rounded corners *\/\n            border: 2px solid transparent;\n            cursor: pointer;\n            transition: all 0.3s ease;\n            display: inline-flex; \/* Use inline-flex to ensure proper alignment *\/\n            align-items: center; \/* Center align text vertically *\/\n            justify-content: center; \/* Center align text horizontally *\/\n            text-decoration: none !important; \/* Ensure no underlines with !important *\/\n            color: inherit; \/* Use the button's text color *\/\n        }\n\n        .cta-button.white-button {\n            background-color: #fff;\n            color: #333;\n            border: 2px solid #ddd;\n        }\n\n        .cta-button.white-button:hover {\n            background-color: #333;\n            color: #fff;\n            border: 2px solid #f9a825;\n        }\n\n        .cta-button.black-button {\n            background-color: #f9a825;\n            color: #fff;\n            border: 2px solid #f9a825;\n        }\n\n        .cta-button.black-button:hover {\n            background-color: #fff;\n            color: #f9a825;\n            border: 2px solid #fff;\n        }\n    <\/style>\n\n    <div class=\"cta-section-horizontal\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/autodesk-fusion-product-icon-400.png\" alt=\"Autodesk Fusion Logo\">\n        <div class=\"cta-text\">\n            <h1 class=\"cta-title\">Elevate your design and manufacturing processes with Autodesk Fusion<\/h1>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"cta-buttons\">\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/trial-intake-flow\" class=\"cta-button white-button\">Get a 30-Day Free Trial<\/a>\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/extensions\" class=\"cta-button black-button\">See Plans and Pricing<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <?php\n    return ob_get_clean();\n}\nadd_shortcode('autodesk_fusion_cta_horizontal', 'autodesk_fusion_cta_horizontal');\n?>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-an-optocoupler\">What is an Optocoupler?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An Optocoupler allows you to transmit an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/solutions\/circuit-design-software\">electrical signal between two isolated circuits<\/a> with two parts: an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/diode-led-work\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LED<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that emits infrared light and a photosensitive device which detects light from the LED. Both of these parts are contained within a traditional black box with a pair of pins for connectivity. At a glance, it\u2019s easy to mix up an Optocoupler with an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/integrated-circuit-moores-law\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">integrated circuit (IC)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Screen-Shot-2023-03-13-at-1.00.35-PM-1024x646.jpg\" alt=\"triac-optocoupler\" class=\"wp-image-53689\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Screen-Shot-2023-03-13-at-1.00.35-PM-1024x646.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Screen-Shot-2023-03-13-at-1.00.35-PM-300x189.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Screen-Shot-2023-03-13-at-1.00.35-PM-768x484.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Screen-Shot-2023-03-13-at-1.00.35-PM.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>This Triac Optocoupler looks like an IC. (<a href=\"https:\/\/ph.rs-online.com\/web\/p\/optocouplers\/6912265\/\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-does-an-optocoupler-work\">How does an Optocoupler work?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A current is first applied to the Optocoupler, which makes the infrared LED emit a light that\u2019s proportional to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/easy-running-understanding-voltage-current-resistance-ohms-law\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">current<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. When the light hits the photosensitive device, it switches on and starts to conduct a current as any ordinary <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/transistors-world-modern-electrons\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">transistor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> might.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"461\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator.jpeg\" alt=\"optocoupler-diagram\" class=\"wp-image-53694\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator.jpeg 700w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator-300x198.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator-366x241.jpeg 366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>How an Optocoupler works. (<a href=\"http:\/\/searchnetworking.techtarget.com\/definition\/optoisolator\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The photosensitive device is typically left unconnected by default to provide the highest sensitivity to infrared light. It can also be connected to ground with an external resistor for a higher degree of control over switching sensitivity. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/OptoCircuit.webp\" alt=\"optocoupler-isolates-output-input-circuit\" class=\"wp-image-53699\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/OptoCircuit.webp 500w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/OptoCircuit-300x210.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>An Optocoupler effectively isolates an output and input circuit. (<a href=\"http:\/\/electronicsbeliever.com\/how-optocoupler-works\/\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This device basically works like a switch, connecting two isolated circuits on your PCB. When current stops flowing through the LED, the photosensitive device also stops conducting and turns off. All of this switching happens through a void of glass, plastic, or air with no electrical parts between the LED or photosensitive device. It\u2019s all about the light.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"benefits-and-types-of-optocouplers\">Benefits and Types of Optocouplers<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re designing an electronic device that will be susceptible to voltage surges, lightning strikes, power supply spikes, etc. then you\u2019ll need a way to protect low-voltage devices. When used correctly, an Optocoupler can effectively:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove electrical noise from signals<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isolate low-voltage devices from high-voltage circuits<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allow you to use small digital signals to control larger <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/eagle\/blog\/war-currents-ac-vs-dc\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> voltages<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optocouplers come in four configurations. Each configuration shares the same infrared LED with a different photosensitive device. These include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Photo-Transistor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Photo-Darlington<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are typically used in DC circuits<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Photo-SCR<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Photo-TRIAC,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which are used to control AC circuits<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"358\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/articles-opto3.gif\" alt=\"four-types-of-optocouplers\" class=\"wp-image-53704\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>The four types of Optocouplers. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.electronics-tutorials.ws\/blog\/optocoupler.html\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re feeling adventurous, you can even make a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/makezine.com\/projects\/optical-tremolo-2\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">homemade Optocoupler with some spare parts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Just combine an LED and phototransistor inside a reflective plastic tube.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"homemade-optocoupler\" class=\"wp-image-53709\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/title00_cord_erased.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A homemade Optocoupler with only three simple parts. (<a href=\"https:\/\/makezine.com\/projects\/optical-tremolo-2\/\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"typical-applications\">Typical Applications<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Optocouplers can either be used on their own as a switching device or with other electronic devices to provide isolation between low and high-voltage circuits. You\u2019ll typically find these devices being used for:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Microprocessor input\/output switching<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DC and AC power control<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Communications equipment protection<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power supply regulation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within these applications, you\u2019ll encounter various configurations. Some examples include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"opto-transistor-dc-switch\">Opto Transistor DC Switch<\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This configuration will detect DC signals and allow you to control AC-powered equipment. The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mouser.com\/ds\/2\/239\/MOC302-1175440.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MOC3020<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is perfect for controlling a mains connection or providing a gate pulse to another Photo-Triac with a current-limiting resistor. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"417\" height=\"227\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/articles-opto5.gif\" alt=\"opto-transistor-dc-switch\" class=\"wp-image-53714\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.electronics-tutorials.ws\/blog\/optocoupler.html\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"triac-optocoupler\">Triac Optocoupler<\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This configuration will allow you to control AC-powered loads such as motors and lamps. It can also conduct<\/span> both halves of an AC cycle with zero-crossing detection. This allows a load to receive full power without any significant<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spikes in current when switching inductive loads.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"496\" height=\"196\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/articles-opto6.gif\" alt=\"triac-optocoupler\" class=\"wp-image-53719\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.electronics-tutorials.ws\/blog\/optocoupler.html\">Image source<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"pcb-layout-guidelines\">PCB Layout Guidelines<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before adding an Optocoupler to your PCB layout, consider these three guidelines:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-keep-optocoupler-ground-connections-separate\">1. Keep Optocoupler ground connections separate<\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A standard Optocoupler includes two ground pins, one for the LED and another for the photosensitive device. Connecting <\/span>these grounds will open your sensitive circuitry to any noise from the external ground. To avoid this, always create two connection points, one for external ground pins<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the other for input ground wires.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-choose-the-right-current-limiting-resistor-value\">2. Choose the right current limiting resistor value<\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Selecting a current limiting resistor that operates at an Optocoupler\u2019s minimum value will produce erratic behavior. It\u2019s also possible to choose a resistor that provides too much current, which will pop the LED. When selecting a value for your resistor, be sure to find the value of the minimum forward current from the Current Transfer Ratio chart in your Optocoupler\u2019s datasheet. Vishay has an excellent guide on how to read an Optocoupler datasheet, available <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vishay.com\/docs\/84256\/useoptocouplerdatasheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-know-what-kind-of-optocoupler-you-need\">3. Know what kind of Optocoupler you need<\/h3>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not every Optocoupler is created equal, and you\u2019ll need to select the right type for your application. For example, an Opto-Triac is used if you need to control an AC load. Opto-Darlington\u2019s are only for small input currents. If all you need is a standard input isolation, then a general <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.farnell.com\/datasheets\/73758.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PC817 Optocoupler<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> will get the job done. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nutsvolts.com\/magazine\/article\/optocoupler-circuits\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article from Nuts and Volts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is worth a read to understand Optocoupler types and differences.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"optocoupler-available-in-autodesk-fusion\">Optocoupler available in Autodesk Fusion <\/h2>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Autodesk Fusion libraries include a whole category of Optocouplers for your next project. It certainly beats having to create your own packages and symbols from scratc<\/span>h! <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to start isolating circuits and protecting low-voltage devices? Try Autodesk Fusion for free today to start using the included Optocoupler libraries<\/span>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3911,"featured_media":53694,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[359],"tags":[207,360,206],"coauthors":[589],"class_list":["post-18075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-electronics-engineering","tag-electronics","tag-electronics-engineer","tag-pcb","dhig-theme--light"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How an Optocoupler Works - Fusion Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How an Optocoupler Works - Fusion Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Fusion Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-03-14T11:58:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-08-07T13:48:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"700\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"461\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Edwin Robledo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Edwin Robledo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How an Optocoupler Works - Fusion Blog","description":"Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How an Optocoupler Works - Fusion Blog","og_description":"Learn how an optocoupler works to safely separate high-voltage components and low-voltage devices while removing electrical noise.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/","og_site_name":"Fusion Blog","article_published_time":"2023-03-14T11:58:36+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-08-07T13:48:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":700,"height":461,"url":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/optoisolator.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Edwin Robledo","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Edwin Robledo","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/how-an-optocoupler-works\/"},"author":{"name":"Edwin Robledo","@id":"https:\/\/www.autodesk.com\/products\/fusion-360\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/81f7fc85212bfa6e804abcca6343e62a"},"headline":"Let There Be Light! 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