Consumer

March 2019
When Grounds are Separated

Click image to enlarge

How should you proceed with a switching regulator with an analog ground (AGND) and a power ground (PGND)? This is a question asked by many developers designing a switching power supply. Some developers are accustomed to dealing with a digital GND and an analog GND; however, their experience frequently fails th
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/31/2019
Are you SiC of Silicon? - Part 1

Click image to enlarge

Anup Bhalla, Ph.D., Vice President Engineering, UnitedSiC

SiC applications began in the 2000s with the adoption of SiC JBS diodes into PFC applications. This was followed by the use of SiC diodes and FETs in the PV industry. But the recent surge in applications relating to EV On-board chargers and DC-DC converters is driving SiC growth. The nascent adoption in the EV
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/31/2019
Foil on Ceramic Resistor Offers Values Down to 2.5 Milliohm
RALEIGH, NC - Stackpole's CSRF Series utilizes foil on ceramic technology to achieve very low values in small chip sizes. The 0.25W rated CSRF0402 - HP, for example, is available in resistance values from 20 milliohm down to 2.5 milliohm. TCR ranges from ±400 ppm to ±200 ppm are possible depending on resistanc
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/28/2019
Helix Semiconductors Poised to Eliminate Power Supply Brick
IRVINE, Calif. – It’s an all-too familiar sight in today’s homes and businesses: a tangle of cords emerging from behind a console, desk or conference table, connected to several large, bulky power supplies. TVs, DVD players, set top boxes, sound bars, digital media devices, monitors, printers, routers, laptops ..
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/27/2019
New Suite of High-Performance GaN Power Transistors
OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada – GaN Systems announced the availability of the GS-065 low current (3.5A to 11A) transistor line. The product suite, developed for sub-1kW power applications, is targeted for consumer level power supply products such as AC adapters for gaming and workstation laptops, TV power, LED lighting, wi
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/27/2019
Power Integrations Increases Efficiency of Display Power Supplies with New InnoMux Technology

Click image to enlarge

PI InnoSwitch3-MX & InnoMux

Power Integrations, the leader in high-voltage integrated circuits for energy-efficient power conversion, has announced the release of the InnoMux™ chipset for display power supplies. The chipset’s unique single-stage power architecture reduces losses in display applications by increasing overall efficiency in constant-voltage and constant-curr
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/27/2019
Mathematics Brings Star Trek's Holodeck Closer to Reality
For many years we have been hearing that holographic technology is one step closer to realizing Star Trek's famous Holodeck, a virtual reality stage that simulates any object in 3D as if they are real. Sadly, 3D holographic projection has never been realized. A team of scientists from Bilkent University, Turkey, aga
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/26/2019
PSDcast - The Future of Energy Storage
In this episode of the PSDcast, we're chatting with one of the leading voices on lead battery innovation about the future of energy storage. Energy storage has become vitally important in recent years, and for more than 25 years, the Consortium for Battery Innovation has helped develop advanced lead battery tec
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/26/2019
Buck-Boost MOSFET for Type-C Applications
SUNNYVALE, Calif.– Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) introduced  the AONP36336. The AONP36336 is a two 30V N-Channel MOSFET in a dual DFN 3.3x3.3 XSPairFET package ideal for buck-boost converters used in Type-C applications such as notebook, USB hubs, and power banks. The new AONP36336 is an extens
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/25/2019
Molex Easy-on FFC/FPC Connectors in Stock at TTI
Fort Worth, Texas – TTI, Inc., now stocks Molex Easy-On FFC/FPC Connectors in a broad range of pitch options to meet a wide variety of space and usage needs for applications in all markets. For applications demanding small pitch sizes with high reliability, these connectors offer 0.20 to 2.00 mm pitches,
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/25/2019
Design Tools and Resources Shorten Design Times
Anaheim, Calif., Applied Power Electronics Conference & Exposition (APEC) – GaN Systems is displaying a wide breadth of innovative design tools including new reference designs from partners at APEC 2019. Visitors to GaN Systems Booth #553 will find the multitude of unique design resources that make GaN ea
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/19/2019
New MPLAB Harmony Unifies Software Development Framework
CHANDLER, Ariz.— From basic device configuration to Real Time Operating System (RTOS)-based designs, 32-bit microcontroller (MCU) applications vary greatly in complexity and development models. To help developers simplify and scale designs, Microchip Technology Inc.  announced a unified software framework
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/19/2019
Power ICs Feature Highest Power Density in the Industry
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Fabless power semiconductor company Helix Semiconductors announced sampling of its MxC 300 AC-DC power ICs. The MxC 300 is a two-chip solution that offers the highest power density in the industry – up to 10x higher than transformer-based solutions – for 65W AC-DC power supply products. Ev
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/19/2019
Pulse Withstanding Chip Resistor Boosts Power to 0.25W
RALEIGH, NC -- Stackpole's RPC0603-HP is a high-power, pulse-withstanding chip resistor with significantly more pulse power than a standard 0603 size chip resistor. The power rating for this part has been increased to 0.25W. In addition, the working voltage for the RPC0603-HP is 75V with an overload voltage of 15
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/19/2019
UnitedSiC announces strategic investment by Analog Devices

Chris Dries, President and CEO at UnitedSiC

March 18, 2019, Princeton, New Jersey and Norwood, Massachusetts: UnitedSiC, a manufacturer of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors, today announced a strategic investment and long-term supply agreement from Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI).  Terms of the investment and supply agreement were not announced.
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/18/2019
Advances Point the Way to Smaller, Safer Batteries
ITHACA, N.Y.- People don't ask too much from batteries: Deliver energy when it's needed and for as long as it is wanted, recharge quickly and don't burst into flames. A rash of cell phone fires in 2016 jolted consumer confidence in lithium-ion batteries, a technology that helped usher in modern portable electronics
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/18/2019
For the better part of this decade, power electronics technologists have been enabling new topologies with GaN (gallium nitride) transistors. Similarly, system innovators have been creating new levels of performance in electric and autonomous vehicles, industrial machines, televisions, laptop adapters, data ce
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/12/2019
Wide Bandgap Semiconductors and Packaging - it’s happening

Kevin Parmenter, Field Applications Manger, Taiwan Semiconductor

The promise of wide bandgap semiconductors (WBG) are higher switching frequency and higher operating temperatures perhaps smaller sizes, greater efficiencies and perhaps higher reliability, less size, less cooling – no fans for example, smaller heatsinks, smaller capacitors, less weight and overall better pe
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/08/2019
Heart-Rate Sensor Designed Into Smartphone for Seniors
San Jose, Calif. and Tokyo, Japan — Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. announced that its MAX30101 heart-rate sensor is integrated into the new Raku Raku Smartphone F-01L from Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited. The smartphone, which measures heart rate and sleep patterns, can be used for applications such as
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/07/2019
Beat Obsolescence with PULS DIN-Rail Power Supplies
PULS Power has undertaken not to discontinue standard products while enough demand is present to make them viable for manufacture. This provides their customers with the reassurance that they will not be forced into costly changes to their system components and performance in regular short intervals and to have
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Han ES Press HMC connector range allows fast installation
The new Han ES Press HMC (High Mating Cycles) connector series from HARTING combines the facility to be installed quickly without tools with extremely robust construction that allows the devices to handle at least 10,000 mating cycles. The quick connect technology used in the Han ES Press HMC involves the con
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Industry’s smallest logic parts approved for automotive
Nexperia announced that over twenty logic types in the company’s space-saving leadless MicroPak packages are now AEC-Q100 qualified. These logic solutions are the smallest devices of their type suitable for automotive applications and Nexperia’s Q100 portfolio exceeds the Automotive Electronics Council’
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Industry’s first automotive USB 3.1 SmartHub supports Type-C
Microchip announces an automotive-qualified USB 3.1 Gen1 SmartHub IC, offering up to 10 times faster data rates over existing USB 2.0 solutions and reducing indexing times to improve the user experience in vehicles. To support the rising adoption of USB Type-C in the smartphone market and enable universal conne
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Power solution for high speed e-commerce hub conveyers
Powerbox announces the introduction of its ENI250A series designed to deliver peak power to motor start or/and high capacitive loads in factory automation applications. The three-phase ENI250A series is housed in an IP54 case, delivers a constant 250W and up to 480W peak power with an efficiency up to 94%. The ENI2
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
24 - 44 GHz Wideband Integrated Microwave 5G Transceiver
These ICs operate over a very wide frequency range with 50 Ω-match from 24 GHz up to 44 GHz, facilitating ease of design and reducing the costs of building a single platform that can cover all 5G mm Wave frequency bands including 28 GHz and 39 GHz. Additionally, the chipset is capable of flat 1 GHz RF instanta
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Ultra-Low Power Technology applied to Energy Harvesting
e-peas has announced the introduction of a new power management IC specifically optimized for energy harvesting from thermal sources in wireless sensors application. Supplied in a space-saving 28-pin QFN package, the AEM20940 is a highly advanced device based on proprietary technology that is capable of extractin
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
BLE Wireless Multi-core MCUs set new standards
Dialog Semiconductor unveiled the SmartBond DA1469x family of Bluetooth low energy SoCs, its most advanced, feature-rich range of multi-core microcontroller units (MCUs) for wireless connectivity. The new product family which includes four variants, builds on the successes of Dialog’s SmartBond products addin
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
RS Components adds Rexroth industrial frequency converters
RS Components has introduced an innovative frequency converter from Rexroth that delivers potential energy savings of up to 80% across industrial and automation applications. The EFC 5610 intelligent variable-frequency drive enables manufacturers and other industrial businesses to tackle rising energy costs and inc
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Low-power, smallest-form-factor FPGA for 4K video
Microchip announces the new PolarFire FPGA imaging and video solution to address the challenges of developing complex computer algorithms which enable systems to capture and display information and high-resolution images. The PolarFire FPGA imaging and video solution delivers capabilities superior to alternative te
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
50-Watt, High Current Density, Non-isolated Digital DC-DC Modules
Artesyn Embedded Technologies today announced the LGA50D dc-dc module, which offers one of the highest current density ratings in the industry. With a footprint of just 1 x 0.5 inches or 25.4 x 12.5mm, this innovative non-isolated unit offers two independent and configurable 25 amp, 50 watt outputs, which can
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/06/2019
Thick Film Chip Resistors Deliver Power to 1.5 W
MALVERN, Pa. — Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new series of high voltage thick film chip resistors that offer high power ratings up to 1.5 W and working voltages to 3000 V in five compact case sizes ranging from 1206 to 2512. For increased design flexibility, the Vishay Techno CRHP series is available
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/05/2019
 Reenvision Inductor Operation to Optimize New Applications

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Core material performance curves

What do new applications need in order to take advantage of new devices like wide band-gap semiconductors? They need the best inductors. And what is the best inductor for your application?   Answering that requires proper characterization of the inductors, which is more than can be conveniently obtained fr
. . . Learn More
Date:
03/01/2019
Archives