Notable & Newsworthy

February 2021
Variations to Perform: Introducing 65 W USB-PD Designs

Figure 1 Block diagram of a secondary-side controlled power adapter using PAG1S and PAG1P

The continuous demand for charging devices in the shortest time is driving the charger market toward fast charging. On the one hand, the power delivered by these charges increases; on the other hand, their size is getting smaller and smaller, so it is necessary to design a higher power density. To meet the growing de
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Date:
02/28/2021
Richardson Electronics Offers Microwave Filters from 3RWave
Richardson Electronics, Ltd. announced the expansion of its product portfolio with a new range of microwave filters from its established partner 3RWave. Located in the Republic of Korea, 3Rwave has just over 300 filter types that are representative of the company’s design capability with ceramic, cavity, and LC types
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Date:
02/25/2021
Ruggedized AC/DC Converter Lines w/ Vast Temperature Ranges
Murata introduced several AC/DC converter product lines developed for the Industrial, Automation, IoT, Smart Buildings, Medical, and Security markets – the BAC1, BAC3, and BAC05. These solutions feature wide industrial temperature ranges and have been ruggedized to operate efficiently in the most demanding env
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Date:
02/25/2021
FAN Module Solution Empowers Infrastructure of Smart Cities
ROHM Semiconductor announced its new BP35C5 Wi-SUN FAN (Field Area Network) compatible module solution capable of connecting with up to 1000 nodes in mesh networks for infrastructure applications. Wi-SUN FAN, the latest Wi-SUN international wireless communication standard, eliminates the communication costs as
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Date:
02/24/2021
Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 Pre-Crimped Leads in Stock at TTI
TTI, Inc., announces the availability of Off-the-Shelf (OTS) Micro-Fit 3.0 Pre-Crimped Leads, Tin and Gold Plating, from stock at TTI. Molex’s Micro-Fit 3.0 Pre-Crimped Leads offer a simple, cost-effective solution for prototyping, pre-production and mass production requirements. They are another in a long
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Date:
02/24/2021
Motor Controller Family Targets High Temperature Environments
TDK Corporation has expanded its Micronas embedded motor controller portfolio to address higher temperature applications. The HVC 4222F and HVC 4422F were developed for operating smart actuators in applications with ambient temperature requirements up to 150 °C. HVC 4222F offers 32k flash memory while the HVC 44
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Date:
02/24/2021
Motor Driver Enables MHEVs Requiring Functional Safety
Texas Instruments (TI) introduced a highly integrated Grade 0 brushless DC (BLDC) motor driver for 48-V high-power motor control systems, such as traction inverters and starter generators in mild hybrid electric vehicles (MHEVs). The DRV3255-Q1 can help designers shrink their motor system size by as much as 30
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Date:
02/22/2021
Increased Operating Voltages for Thin Film Resistor Arrays
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that the company has enhanced its ACAS 0606 AT and ACAS 0612 AT precision Automotive Grade thin film chip resistor arrays with higher resistance ratios up to 1:100 and operating voltages up to 100 V. The Vishay Beyschlag devices provide designers with greater flexibility by
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Date:
02/22/2021
Compact Power Entry Module Includes Side Flange Mounting
SCHURTER’s proven power entry module, series DD11, provides a high level of functional integration in the most minimal of package dimensions. The power entry module is ideally suited for equipment with low profile panels. Consisting of an IEC appliance inlet (C14), which is compatible with cord retention
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Date:
02/22/2021
Low-Profile, Glow Wire-Compliant Power Relay Series
Fujitsu Components America, Inc. released a DPST/DPDT 5A PCB power relay series that meets glow-wire test requirements of the IEC/EN60335-1 standard, which addresses the safe operation of consumer and commercial electrical appliances. The low-profile (16.5mm) FTR-F1-GW relay series is rated from 1.5 to 110V. De
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Date:
02/22/2021
ICs Achieve Double Battery Life for IoT Applications
Designers can now achieve double the battery life together with robust protection and highest accuracy for internet of things (IoT), industrial and healthcare applications with three new Essential Analog ICs from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXIM): MAX41400 instrumentation amplifier, MAX40108 precision
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Date:
02/22/2021
Future Facilities' 15th Version of Thermal Simulation Software
Future Facilities has launched Release 15 of its leading thermal simulation software, 6SigmaET. The latest version incorporates major developments that bring a series of new features, including enhanced views, optimized liquid cooling and one of the fastest GPU radiation calculations on the market. Release 15 will e
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Date:
02/19/2021
TDK Selection Tool for PTC Inrush Current Limiters
TDK Corporation presents a new, user-friendly tool to help users select the right PTC inrush current limiters (ICL) for a range of different power supply and converter topologies. The intuitive tool is available online and does not need to be downloaded. The selection process is divided into four stages: After sp
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Date:
02/18/2021
RTD Transmitter Added to OleumTech Instrumentation Portfolio
OleumTech announced the release of a new RTD Temperature Transmitter to its H Series line of hardwired instrumentation, available in 4-20 mA and RS485 Modbus.  The H Series RTD Transmitter is perfectly suited for mission-critical industrial applications where reliability and accuracy are of utmost im
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Date:
02/18/2021
Dialight Unveils Low Profile LED High Output High Bay
Dialight announced the availability of its newest, lightest Low Profile Vigilant LED High Output High Bay.  The new smaller, lighter form factor is contractor-friendly at just under 7 inches high and 48 pounds with a copper-free aluminium housing, dual powder coat finish, and a hook mounting option fo
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Date:
02/18/2021
Airplanes to cell phones: Equipment Finds the Flaws

Sandia National Laboratories researchers in the Mechanics of Materials department utilize the new fracture testing hangers for traditional interlaminar composite fracture testing as well as advanced hybrid composite laminates, as shown here.

Tim Briggs has built a career at Sandia National Laboratories tearing and breaking things apart with his team of collaborators. Now, he's developed a fracture-testing tool that could help make everything from aircraft structural frames to cellphones stronger. Briggs has filed a patent for a device associated
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Date:
02/18/2021
Solar Clamp Meter Used to Test Photovoltaic Systems
Megger now offers a solar clamp meter that can measure up to 2,000 V DC and 1,500 V AC (using PVHV leads) during installation, maintenance, monitoring and testing of photovoltaic systems and standard AC or DC electrical equipment. The DCM1500S can also measure AC and DC current up to 1,500 A and offers a true RM
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Date:
02/18/2021
Will Consumers Adopt AI for Banking Advice?
A new study published in Economic Inquiry is the first to assess the willingness of consumers to adopt advisory services in the banking sector that are based on artificial intelligence (AI). Investigators examined whether the likelihood that consumers adopt AI in banking services depends on tastes for human inter
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Date:
02/18/2021
3D-Printing Perovskites on Graphene for X-ray Detectors

Example of the deposited perovskite pillars, defining a pixel for the creation of an image.

Since Wilhelm Röntgen discovered them in 1895, X-rays have become a staple of medical imaging. In fact, barely a month after Röntgen's famous paper was published, doctors in Connecticut took the first ever radiograph of a boy's broken wrist. There has been a lot of progress since. Aside from radiographs, which most
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Date:
02/18/2021
Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention for Energy Storage Systems
Johnson Controls announces the launch of its Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System. The system is engineered to provide early-warning detection of battery failure in Lithium-Ion Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and other applications using Lithium-Ion batteries such as UPS systems in data centers and manufacturing fa
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Date:
02/18/2021
Ultra-Low IQ PMIC from ROHM Selected to Power NXP iMX8M Nano
ROHM Semiconductor announced that Embedded Artists, the producer of embedded SoMs and boards for use in industrial systems and as development platforms, is using a highly integrated PMIC from ROHM, together with NXP’s i.MX 8M Nano processor, on its iMX8M Nano uCOM board to deliver a robust and cost-effective so
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Date:
02/17/2021
ON Semiconductor Announce New 650V Silicon Carbide MOSFETs
ON Semiconductor has announced a new range of silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET devices for demanding applications where power density, efficiency and reliability are key considerations. By replacing existing silicon switching technologies with the new SiC devices, designers will achieve significantly better performance in
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Date:
02/17/2021
High-Speed PIN Photodiode Improves Bio Sensor Performance
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. broadens its optoelectronics portfolio with the introduction of a new high speed silicon PIN photodiode with enhanced sensitivity to visible and infrared light. Featuring a rectangular 4.8 mm by 2.5 mm top-view, surface-mount package with an industry-low 0.48 mm profile, the Vishay Se
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Date:
02/17/2021
MLFA AEC Compliant MELFs With High Reliability
When designing high reliability applications, engineers are challenged to find a resistor that meets the electrical demands at a reasonable cost. If AEC compliance is required, the challenge is even greater. Stackpole offers engineers a solution for these applications with its MLFA Series. The MLFA is an A
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Date:
02/16/2021
TDK's Low-Resistance Multilayer Ferrite Inductors for NFC
TDK Corporation has developed the new MLJ-H1005 inductors for use in NFC* (near field communication). Mass production will begin in February 2021. The inductors' intended use is for the LC filters of NFC circuits. It is necessary for inductors to have narrow tolerances to minimize the loss caused by mismatched i
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Date:
02/16/2021
Amplifier Delivers High Accuracy and Energy-Efficiency
With the proliferation of automation and connectivity throughout the automotive and industrial markets, the need to accurately measure a dynamic current in the presence of high frequency noise often plagues modern vehicle and factory applications. In order to combat electrically noisy environments and address th
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Date:
02/16/2021
New Physics Rules Tested on Quantum Computer

A quantum circuit

Aalto researchers have used an IBM quantum computer to explore an overlooked area of physics, and have challenged 100 year old cherished notions about information at the quantum level. The rules of quantum physics - which govern how very small things behave - use mathematical operators called Hermitian Hamiltoni
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Date:
02/16/2021
Solar-Optimized PMICs into Epishine Development Platform
Further progressing its goal of making battery-less technology more commonplace, e-peas has gained another big win for its energy harvesting power management ICs (PMICs). These PMICs will now play a major part in facilitating the development of devices using printed organic photocells produced by innovative Sw
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Date:
02/16/2021
Committee Releases Plan for U.S. Fusion, Plasma Program

This BELLA HTT laser system enables multipulse, high-energy-density photon sources for LaserNetUS and other experiments.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) has adopted and endorsed a new report that lays out a strategic plan for fusion energy and plasma science research over the next decade. The report has been two years in the making, gathering an unprecedented level of input and su
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Date:
02/16/2021
A Sharper Look at the Interior of Semiconductors

Prof. Dr Gerhard Paulus, PhD student Felix Wiesner and Dr Silvio Fuchs (from left) in a laser lab of the Institute of Optics and Quantum Electronics at the University of Jena.

Images provide information - what we can observe with our own eyes enables us to understand. Constantly expanding the field of perception into dimensions that are initially hidden from the naked eye, drives science forward. Today, increasingly powerful microscopes let us see into the cells and tissues of living or
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Date:
02/16/2021
Performance Leap for Graphene Modulators in Next-Gen Telecom

Artistic illustration of the graphene-based electro-absorption modulator.

Over the past years, global data traffic has experienced a boom, with over 12.5 billion connected devices all over the world. The current world-wide deployment of the 5G telecommunications standard is triggering the need for smaller devices with enhanced performances, such as higher speed, lower power consumption an
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Date:
02/16/2021
Army Researchers Expand Study of Ethics, AI
The Army of the future will involve humans and autonomous machines working together to accomplish the mission. According to Army researchers, this vision will only succeed if artificial intelligence is perceived to be ethical. Researchers, based at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, now known
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Date:
02/16/2021
NTC Thermistor with PEEK-insulated, Nickel-Iron Leads
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new AEC-Q200 qualified NTC thermistor with PEEK-insulated, nickel-iron (NiFe) leads and a low thermal gradient. Designed to withstand high temperatures up to +185 °C, the Vishay BCcomponents NTCLE350E4 delivers fast, high accuracy temperature measurement and sensing in
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Date:
02/15/2021
High-Voltage Probe for SiC, GaN Power Conversion Testing
The HVD3220 high voltage differential probe from Teledyne LeCroy is ideal for wide-bandgap (SiC and GaN) power conversion testing at DC bus voltages from 500 to 1500 V. The HVD3220 is an addition to their HVD product series. It has 400 MHz bandwidth and a 1500 Vdc CAT III and 2000 V (DC+peakAC) CAT I rating.
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Date:
02/15/2021
 Environmental Lights' Low-Voltage Downlighting Solution
Environmental Lights announces the launch of their new REVI Remote-Voltage Illumination System. The REVI Remote-Voltage Illumination System is a comprehensive low voltage downlighting solution designed specifically for A/V integrators. REVI features programmable, RDM enabled power supplies and a la carte conf
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Date:
02/15/2021
Third-Generation Extension Board Supports all iTC EPDs
Pervasive Displays has introduced the EXT3 extension kit and evaluation board, with support for its entire range of iTC ultra-low power e-paper displays for industrial, commercial and retail applications, along with extensive software libraries to help reduce its customers’ engineering effort. Many manu
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Date:
02/15/2021
Light for Quantum Information Stored in 100,000 Quantum Bits
Researchers have found a way to use light and a single electron to communicate with a cloud of quantum bits and sense their behaviour, making it possible to detect a single quantum bit in a dense cloud. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, were able to inject a 'needle' of highly fragile quantum inf
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Date:
02/15/2021
Twelve States Announce Steps to Plan for Grid of the Future
As part of the conclusion of a national, two-year initiative hosted by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and the National Association of State Energy Officials, 12 states made commitments today to implement key innovations to electricity planning in their states to better meet system an
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Date:
02/12/2021
Power Supply Includes an Enhanced 10 Channel Output
Lumina Power has announced the release of the new 10 Channel LPS series general purpose high-current, high-voltage power supplies for the Electroplating and Specialty Markets. "The new LPS Power Supply offers short lead times and is a response to marketplace demand for enhanced capability in applicati
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Date:
02/12/2021
Mahr Introduces New MarForm MMQ 500 Form Tester
Mahr Inc. introduced its new MarForm MMQ 500, which extends Mahr’s benchtop form tester portfolio with new levels of speed and flexibility. The MMQ 500 features optimized machine design and construction for the highest stability, precision, and speed. Powerful software enables both setup and measurement to be
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Date:
02/12/2021
Expanded Portfolio of Active Clamp Flyback Controllers
Silanna Semiconductor announced the full production release of the industry-leading expanded portfolio of Active Clamp Flyback Controllers (ACF). Silanna Semiconductor focuses on the ultimate Power Management challenges with the best-in-class power density and efficiency that delight customers with unprecedented Bo
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Date:
02/12/2021
PSDcast – Formula E Gains World Championship Status

AVX’s Ron Demcko

Formula E is the world’s first and largest all-electric, single-seater racing series, and ahead of their 7th season, they’ve officially gained World Championship Status. This year also marks the third consecutive season that AVX has joined with Mouser Electronics and TTI in supporting the Dragon/Penske racing team...
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Date:
02/10/2021
Keysight, Transphorm Power Reference Design Lowers Costs
Keysight Technologies, Inc. and Transphorm, Inc. have announced the availability of a new power supply reference design that enables engineers to identify and correct design errors before building hardware, thereby lowering product costs and speeding time to market. Switched-mode power supplies provide greater e
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Date:
02/10/2021
5th Generation MOSFETs Deliver Leading Low ON Resistance
ROHM Semiconductor announced a 24-model lineup of 24V input, -40V / -60V withstand voltage P-channel MOSFETs available in both single (RqxxxxxAT / RdxxxxxAT / RsxxxxxAT / RFxxxxxAT) and dual configurations (UTxxx5/QHxxx5/SHxxx5). These new devices are ideal for industrial and consumer applications, such as factory automati
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Date:
02/10/2021
Extended Family of Wide Terminal Thin Film Chip Resistors
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that the company has extended its NCW AT family of wide terminal thin film chip resistors with a new line of devices in the 0612 case size. For power electronics in automotive and industrial applications, the Vishay Beyschlag NCW 0612 AT components combine high temperature pe
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Date:
02/08/2021
Alliance Memory's Micron Parallel, Serial NOR Flash Products
Alliance Memory announced that the company is now an authorized reseller for additional legacy NOR Flash devices from Micron Technology. In addition to the previously announced M29F 5V Parallel NOR Flash devices, Alliance is now reselling select offerings from Micron's M45PE Serial NOR Flash, the N25Q Serial NOR
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Date:
02/08/2021
Hybrid Supercapacitors Deliver up to 220 Farads at 3.8 V
Cornell Dubilier Electronics introduces two new series of Hybrid LIC Supercapacitors in response to the growing need for ultra-high capacitance values at higher operating voltages.  The new VMF and VPF Series operate at 3.8 WVDC with capacitance values up to 220 Farads. The higher voltage results in increased en
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Date:
02/08/2021
TDK Offers Compact Transformers for DC/DC Converters
TDK Corporation presents the EPCOS E10 EM series, a new range of insulated SMT transformers that are suitable for various DC/DC converter topologies and gate driver circuits in e-mobility and industrial electronics. There are four models in the series, with basic winding insulation of a working voltage of 500 VRM
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Date:
02/04/2021
Shielded FPC Connector Optimizes Data Transmission
Hirose has launched a shielded flexible printed circuit (FPC) connector with its patented single-action flip lock technology. The FH63S Series FPC connector features a ground pin to work with the shielded FFC for advance EMI prevention and optimum signal integrity. The 0.5mm pitch FH63S Series FPC connector support
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Date:
02/04/2021
Titanium Efficiency 3.2kW Power Supply for OCP, Datacenters
Bel Power Solutions announced the expansion of their portfolio to include the TET3200-12-069RA, a 3200 W Titanium efficient AC-DC front-end power supply that can convert up to 277 VAC into a main output of 12 VDC for powering intermediate bus architectures (IBA) in high performance and high reliability servers, ro
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Date:
02/04/2021
Dual Function LED for General Illumination, Disinfection
NICHIA announces a new dual function LED that provides both white light and high doses of energy geared for inactivation of various prevalent bacteria. With the continued surge of COVID-19 and the global impact across the globe, there is a heightened awareness to cleanliness in all aspects of life. While th
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Date:
02/04/2021
Reed Relays Offer Switching of AC and DC Small Signals
Littelfuse, Inc. introduced an expanded reed relay product portfolio that extends voltage capabilities to include AC ratings, supports AC or DC loads up to 300 Vdc, and provides input/output isolation voltage 2500 VRMS. These miniature reed relays are available in single In-line (SIL) and dual-in-line (DIL) pa
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Date:
02/04/2021
CSD Energy Advisors Launches 100% Renewable Energy Program
CSD Energy Advisors announced that their Houston office will operate on 100 percent renewable energy in 2021. The company successfully achieved its “green” initiative through Texas sourced wind Renewable Energy Credits (REC), which align with the company’s projected annual energy consumption. Roots Clean Energy customized the sustainable energy program that will reduce CSD’s Scope 2 emissions and provide them with zero emission electricity in 2021. “We’re excited to announce that our company has taken the first steps to achieve our ESG goals by lowering our carbon footprint and acquiring 100 percent renewable wind power for our office in 2021,” said Andrew Barth, partner and co-founder of CSD Energy Advisors. “Working closely with Roots Clean Energy we tailored a multi-year program that will not only reduce our indirect emissions, but financially s
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Date:
02/03/2021
MCU Group Delivers Active Power Consumption of 80 µA/MHz
Renesas Electronics Corporation announced the expansion of its RA4 Series microcontrollers (MCUs) with 12 new RA4M2 Group MCUs. The new devices deliver an exceptional combination of very low power consumption, high performance, and enhanced security features that positions them as ideal solutions for industrial an
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Date:
02/03/2021
50V, 400V, 500V Output Programmable Power Supplies for EVs
TDK Corporation announces the introduction of 50V, 400V and 500V output models to the TDK-Lambda GENESYS+ series of programmable DC power supplies. With output power levels of 5kW, 10kW and 15kW in 1U, 2U and 3U high 19” rack-mount packages, the new G50, G400, G500, GSP50, GSP400 and GSP500 models are fully co
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Date:
02/03/2021
Ethernet Switches Provide Time Sensitive Networking Features
With the support of Time Sensitive Networking (TSN), Ethernet is eliminating the need for separate Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) networks, providing a more ubiquitous approach to synchronization and precision timing for today’s industrial automation systems. However, to accomplish th
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Date:
02/03/2021
Type-C Power Delivery Source Switch Delivers up to 28V
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) announced a new Type-C Power Delivery (PD) high voltage source protection switch capable up to 28V absolute maximum voltage.  The AOZ1374 isa smartprotection switch in a small thermally enhanced 3mm x 3mm DFN package.AOS’s prowess in high-performance ICs combined wi
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Date:
02/03/2021
6 W and 10 W Isolated DC-DC Converters with 4:1 Input Range
CUI Inc, a Bel Group, announced the addition of two new EN 62368-1 certified, compact, regulated converter series to its compact isolated dc-dc converters line. The PQQ6W-S and the PQQ10W-S both offer cost-effective solutions for a wide range of applications, including IoT, consumer, industrial and telecom, an
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Date:
02/02/2021
Ultra-Thin Low ESL MLCCs for In-Vehicle ADAS Applications
Murata announced the ultra-thin LW reversed, low equivalent series inductor (ESL) multilayer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) with a capacitance value of 1.0 µF ±20% for 4 Vdc-rated automotive applications. With a 0204 inch size (0.5 x 1.0 mm) footprint and maximum thickness of just 0.22 mm, the LLC152D70G105ME01 de
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Date:
02/02/2021
Hands-off Probe uses Light to Explore Electron Behavior

Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University discovered that focusing intense, circularly polarized laser light on a topological insulator generates harmonics that can be used to probe electron behavior in the material's topological surface, a sort of electron superhighway where electrons flow with no loss. The technique should be applicable to a wide range of quantum materials.

Topological insulators are one of the most puzzling quantum materials - a class of materials whose electrons cooperate in surprising ways to produce unexpected properties. The edges of a TI are electron superhighways where electrons flow with no loss, ignoring any impurities or other obstacles in their path, wh
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Date:
02/02/2021
New Topologies Placing Increased Importance on Magnetics
You can now buy commercial power converters using wide bandgap semiconductors, specifically gallium nitride devices, as the basis of their design off the shelf. Although WBG-based designs are not 10 times smaller, 99.99% efficient or switch at five MHz all at once, as marketers predicted when they were first la
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Date:
02/01/2021
Precise Photovoltaic I-V Characterization

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Figure 1. PV sweep measurement with the LTC2058

Photovoltaic (PV) modules are popular and affordable sources of renewable energy. Most photovoltaic modules last about 20 years, but thermal stressand moisture ingress, among other causes, can degrade a module’s output power over time. For the purpose of debugging, a module’s performance degradation can be
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Date:
02/01/2021
Simple ADC Current Sensing

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Figure 1: External circuit schematic

Dialog Semiconductor’s SLG46855V is able to sense load current and then interface with an MCU through an I2C connection. This ADC design provides current data to an MCU or SoC via I2C and can be customized to integrate other functions with available logic, all within a small 1.6 x 2.0 mm package. It can be us
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Date:
02/01/2021
Switch Node Layout Considerations for EMC

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Figure 1: MPQ4430 Buck Converter Example

The circuit node is where one or more power semiconductor switches (such as a MOSFET or diode) connect to a magnetic energy-storing device (such as an inductor or transformer winding). The switching signals of this circuit node contain fast-switching dV/dt voltages and dI/dt currents that can easily couple onto surr
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Date:
02/01/2021
Enabling the Transition to Advanced Motor Control

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Figure 1: A three-phase sensor-less PMSM control system that uses a three-phase voltage source inverter

There are two main driving factors behind the adoption of advanced motor control systems based on Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs) with sensor-less Field Oriented Control (FOC):  improving energy efficiency and strengthening product differentiation. While a PMSM with sensor-less FOC has been pr
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Date:
02/01/2021
iCoupler Technology Benefits GaN Transistors in AC/DC Designs

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Figure 1. Typical AC/DC power supply for telecom and server applications

Highly efficient AC/DC power supplies are key to the evolution of the telecom and datacom infrastructure, as power consumption grows rapidly due to hyperscale data centers, enterprise servers, or telecom switching stations. However, the power electronics industry has reached the theoretical limit of silicon MOS
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Date:
02/01/2021
Protecting Automotive Ethernet from ESD

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Figure 1: Arrangement of ESD suppression device within the 100BASE-T1 MDI interface, OPEN Alliance SIG (2019)

New trends in the automotive industry such as increased connectivity, electrification or autonomous driving are increasing the amount of data that must be transmitted around vehicles. This causes a corresponding increase in bandwidth requirements and existing protocols such as LIN, CAN-FD and FlexRay are no lo
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Date:
02/01/2021
Enhancing Efficiency by Reducing Converter Stages and RON

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Figure 1: RON is a product of the cumulative resistances from the drain to the source of a MOSFET device

The latest ICs sport faster processors, denser memories/storage, and a wealth of features while increasing reliability and proving lower power usage. Moving to lower processor nodes and relying on lower operating voltages enable these enhancements without dramatically increasing die area, cost, and the need for
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Date:
02/01/2021
Fixed Ratio Converters Boost Battery Powered Systems

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Figure 1: To make EVs and charging stations compatible, independent of whether they use the same voltage, the power delivery network uses a Vicor non-isolated fixed-ratio bus converter module (NBM) to convert either 800V to 400V or 400V to 800V at 6kW. This high-efficiency, high-density, scalable solution enables EVs of different battery voltages to utilize the same charging stations

Fixed-ratio convertershave power density, efficiency and flexibility attributes that can enable higher-performing power delivery networks (PDNs). This is true even when faced with wide-output-voltage-range power sources, such as batteries or renewable energy sources. Unlike more popular, mainstream regulated DC
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Date:
02/01/2021
The Speed at Which Power is Changing for Industry 4.0

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Figure 1. The key technologies driving the 4th industrial revolution are impacting the power supply industry in more ways than ever before. How will power designers respond?

Industry 4.0’s impact will dramatically change the world in the same way the preceding industrial revolutions did, only this time automation, artificial intelligence and process power will lead the way. We have already witnessed sci-fi-like innovation in a wide range of industries, from healthcare and telecom to
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Date:
02/01/2021
A Push-Pull Topology for DC-DC Converter 12 V EV Applications

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Figure 1. A push-pull converter helps to streamline an isolated power supply design in 12V EV applications.

DC-DC converters are employed in many high voltage applications such as ultra-capacitor energy banks, motor drives, high voltage battery systems and solar inverters. They’re one of the fundamental blocks of a power electronic design and are used to ‘condition’ voltage from one level to another – either to
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Date:
02/01/2021
When to Use Single vs. Dual DC/DC Buck Regulators

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Figure 1: Input current and ripple with in phase switching (red) and out-of-phase switching (blue)

There are trade-offs to make when choosing between a single output regulator and a dual output regulator. In this article, I will discuss the advantages of both and highlight when to use one or the other, using the single 6-A TPS543620 output DC/DC regulator and dual 6-A TPS541620 output DC/DC regulator from Texa
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Date:
02/01/2021
Accelerate Your USB Power Delivery Battery Charger Designs

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Figure 1. USB Type-C and USB Power Delivery are bringing the conveniences of fast data transfer and charging to portable devices

In devices operated by high-capacity 2S batteries, USB Power Delivery (PD) is a boon as it enables fast charging that gets these products back in operation with little downtime (Figure 1). Also, many applications that previously used AC-DC barrel adapters are migrating to USB PD for convenience and standardization
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Date:
02/01/2021
Hot Battery Recharges in Ten Minutes
There is no doubt that battery technology holds the key to many advances in the industry. Better batteries or other large scale storage systems would allow renewable energy to completely replace fossil fuels. They are also key to longer use times for consumer devices and fighting the stress of battery anxiety. Mo
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Date:
02/01/2021
CES Loses Sense of Majesty on the Virtual Stage
This year, CES traded the glitz and glamour of Vegas for the sobering reality of COVID-19. The Consumer Technology Association, which owns and produces the show, breathlessly declared “CES 2021 Makes History as Largest Digital Tech Industry Event,” but it was less a grand proclamation than a whimper. If you’re
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Date:
02/01/2021
End of the Winter Blues
Welcome to the February issue of PSD. It has felt a longer than normal winter here in Scotland under lockdown, but both the winter and the lockdown seem to be coming to an end, albeit it little bit more slowly for the latter. With vaccines starting to become widely available, hopefully we can get back into our of
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Date:
02/01/2021
The Object of Power is Power
In our February Editorial Call, we stated that “no topic is more central to our publication than power supplies.” And it’s never been more true. It’s our raison d'être. Our purpose. Our mission statement. And it defines us as a brand. Combine that with magnetics and you truly have one of the most e
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Date:
02/01/2021
Mouser Partners w/ DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT Formula E Racing
Mouser Electronics, Inc. is delighted to once again partner with the DRAGON / PENSKE AUTOSPORT Formula E team as they kick off the series’ seventh season, and the first Formula E racing season as an FIA World Championship, with double-header races on Feb. 26 and 27. The third consecutive season-opener at Diriyah E-P
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Date:
02/01/2021
Selecting Power Inductors

Table 1

When the power supply voltage is decreased, voltage fluctuations can become more dangerous, requiring a high-performance DC-DC converter in order to operate within safe parameters. DC-DC converters can help to address these requirements, and power inductors are crucial components that affect DC-DC converters’ pe
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Date:
02/01/2021
SiTime Expands Consumer, IoT Portfolio with Low Power TCXO
SiTime Corporation announced the SiT5008 temperature-compensated silicon MEMS oscillator (TCXO). The SiT5008 is ideal for connected consumer and IoT devices such as Internet-connected audio-video, over-the-top streaming devices, industrial smart meters, and other devices that use low power wireless connectivity. Li
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Date:
02/01/2021
New Converters Deserve (and get) Better Inductors

Coilcraft inductor schematic

New inductors are introduced all the time. In such an established industry as ours, it is quite natural that many new products represent small, evolutionary improvements or solve unique problems.  Occasionally, however, major generational breakthroughs do come along that challenge designers into new way
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Date:
02/01/2021
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