LM386：About using in environment below 0 ℃

Hi Higa,

We cannot guarantee any performance or health of the device if it is operated outside of spec limits.
Unfortunately there is no further information we can provide other than what's already included in the device documentation.

Best regards,
-Ivan Salazar
Applications Engineer

Hi Higa,

there are some reasons why a chip being built for the commercial temperature range can be damaged when operating it at lower temperatures than 0°C. Think of the composition of different materials in a chip, all with different coefficients of thermal expansion, for instance. In a chip like the LM386 high thermal gradients can develop on the die. The thermal gradients can also change rapidly. All this results in lots of mechanical stress which can easily destroy the chip. And if you design such a chip for the low cost market and want to save money, you might want to use a simple and cheap chip manufacturing process which cannot tolerate a super wide operating temperature range.

So, yes, you can destroy a chip when exceeding the temperature range the chip was designed for.

Kai

HI Kai, Thanks for your additional inputs to this thread.

Higa, let us know if you have any further questions.

Best regards,
-Ivan Salazar
Applications Engineer