Which method can provide input/output isolation in a control system?

Optical coupling is a method that enables input/output isolation in a control system by using opto-isolators or optocouplers. These devices allow signals to be transmitted from one part of a circuit to another while electrically isolating the two sections. This is crucial for protecting sensitive electronic components from high voltages or transients that may be present in the input signal, ensuring that any faults in one part of the system do not affect the other components.

The effectiveness of optical coupling lies in its ability to allow data transfer through light, which does not conduct electricity. This ensures that the input side and output side are decoupled in terms of electrical pathways, providing a safeguard against interference and enhancing system reliability.

In contrast, the other methods listed do not inherently provide the same level of electrical isolation. A successive approximation converter and a dual slope integrator converter are both types of analog-to-digital conversion methods that convert analog signals to digital format but do not offer isolation to the extent that optical coupling does. Clock circuits, while essential for timing operations in digital systems, also do not furnish isolation features for the input and output sections of control systems.