Powering Communications

March 2020
GaN and 48 V – Where are We and Where are We Going?

Figure 1: Si MOSFET-based architecture for providing AC power to the CPU or GPU

Three years ago, the cost of making medium voltage eGaN FETs fell below the cost of equivalently rated power MOSFETs.  At that time EPC decided to use the performance and cost advantages of eGaN FETs to aggressively pursue applications with input, or output, voltage around 48 V. Specifically, automotive an
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Date:
03/31/2020
The Ethernet of Things

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Figure 1. Twisted pairs in an Ethernet cable powered by Power over Ethernet

Wireless technology continues to expand into more applications, delivering higher data rates, lower power and superior coverage. Wired Ethernet connections may seem like ancient technology sitting in the rear-view mirror beside fax machines, dialup modems and dot matrix printers. Yet Ethernet, with its low latency, de
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Date:
03/30/2020
Step-Down Regulators for Automotive, Industrial Applications

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Figure 1. Ultralow EMI emission LT8609S 12 V to 5 V synchronous step-down converter

This device family is optimized for applications requiring low EMI, high efficiency, and a small solution size—suitable for demanding automotive, industrial, computing, and communications applications. All regulators in this series have the same 2 A continuous, 3 A transient (<1 second) load current capability. Th
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Date:
03/30/2020
The APEC That Could've Been
The worst collateral damage of COVID-19 is the decimation of global commerce, and trade shows have been hit especially hard – tough to practice “social distancing” with a few thousand people (or more) clustered together. And one of the most unfortunate victims of this new, quarantined reality was the 2020 Ap
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Date:
03/30/2020
EPC Launches Update of Popular Video Podcast Series on GaN
Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation has posted an update to its popular “How to GaN” video podcast series, These updated videos are based on the recently published third edition textbook, GaN Transistors for Efficient Power Conversion.This 14-part educational video podcast series is designed to provi
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Date:
03/30/2020
ABB Expands CLP Open-Frame Power Supply Family
With a focus on providing the power levels and options designers need, ABB is expanding its CLP open-frame power supply product family to support a higher range of output voltages. The new additions to the product line increase its output voltage options to up to 54 volts DC and its output power options to up to
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Date:
03/23/2020
UnitedSiC Announces New Global Partnership with Digi-Key
The new partnership willprovide Digi-Key customers with worldwide, 24-hour availability of UnitedSiC’s Silicon Carbide product portfolio - including the only standard gate drive SiC devices currently in the market.   Yalcin Bulut, VP of Global Sales and Marketing at UnitedSiC, said: “This partnership focuses
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Date:
03/19/2020
OptiMOS™ IPOL voltage regulators with COT engine
      This product family is designed for today’s server, base station and telecom (operating at 85˚C ambient temperature) and storage applications requiring both high efficiency and high density. The IR3887M is the smallest 30 A device on the market. Fusing Infineon’s latest FET gene
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Date:
03/19/2020
KEMET Introduces Automotive Metal Composite Power Inductors
The MPXV product offering enhances the company’s METCOM range and is AEC-Q200 qualified for use in the automotive sector.   The new power inductors provide efficient power conversion while minimizing Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and are ideal for use in DC to DC switching power supplies for t
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Date:
03/19/2020
30W High Power Density DC/DC Converter Series URB_YMD-30WR3
This new series URB_YMD-30WR3 comes in 1x1 inch standard package and its power density increased by 50.4% compared to 2x1 inch package products with the same output power. Besides, this URB_YMD-30WR3 series features 18-75V ultra wide input voltage range and operating temperature range of -40℃ to +85℃. Protectio
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Date:
03/13/2020
PCIM Europe 2020 Postponed till July
COVID-19 has claimed another victim – on Friday, PCIM Europe 2020 was officially postponed. The good news is that PCIM will be delayed (until July 28-30) instead of cancelled. And the decision was almost entirely out of the show organizers’ hands. German Health Minister Jens Spahn recently called for
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Date:
03/13/2020
RS Components adds STMicroelectronics’ surge suppression range
Designed to handle 8/20µs and 10/1000µs voltage transients and protect circuits and equipment from power surges, the ST portfolio of Electrical Over-Stress (EOS) TVS Flat devices includes industrial and automotive grade devices. Delivering a lower cost per watt ratio, the portfolio of TVS Flat package variants ar
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Date:
03/12/2020
XP Power launches 20W & 40W PCB mount AC-DC power supplies
Complementing the previously released 3W, 5W and 10W models, the VCE20 and VCE40 series provide 20 and 40 Watts of power respectively and offer an encapsulated version as well as a lower cost open frame version, both of which are suited to PCB mounting. The compact (VCE20 – 63.5mm x 30.5mm x 21.8mm / VCE40 - 85.0mm
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Date:
03/12/2020
Flex adds telecom version to BMR480 DC-DC converters
The converter, called the BMR480 0113/034, provides an extended input voltage range below 40Vin, as required for telecom power conversion applications. It is optimized for a wider input voltage range of 36Vin to 60Vin, compared to the standard converters in the BMR480 series. The new version also has an output volt
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Date:
03/12/2020
600 V CoolMOS PFD7 series provides ultra-high power-density
The devices are suitable for ultrahigh power-density designs such as chargers and adapters as well as for low-power drives and specific lighting applications. Robustness and reliability gains together with increased efficiency, minimized switching losses and improved thermal behavior make this product fami
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Date:
03/12/2020
IEC 63171-6 published: Standard industrial interface for SPE set
On January 23, 2020 the international standard for Single Pair Ethernet interfaces in industrial applications was published with IEC 63171-6. The editor is the IEC committee SC 48B copper connectors. The mating face standard IEC 63171-6 T1 Industrial Style was the first standard submitted by HARTING to SC 48B for
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Date:
03/12/2020
RS Components adds Isabellenhütte precision power resistors
Produced using two different proprietary manufacturing technologies known as ISA-Plan and ISA-Weld, Isabellenhütte’s current-sense resistors meet stringent criteria with regard to thermoelectric voltage, long-term stability and inductance that allow electronics designers to optimise power use on PCBs more e
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Date:
03/12/2020
100 V Rated Voltage for 1005-Size Automotive Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors
The capacitor comes in a 1.0 x 0.5 x 0.5 mm package and features a rated voltage of 100 V and a capacitance of 0.01 μF.   We have sophisticated the materials and process technologies nurtured by us to improve rated voltage to 100 V compared to our conventional product UMR105 B7103KV (1.0 x 0.5 x
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Date:
03/12/2020
TAIYO YUDEN Creates 105°C Capable Lithium Ion Capacitor
The new capacitor has an increased operating temperature limit of 105°C Example applications for this newcapacitor include peak assistance and backup power supply in servers, drive recorders, and smart meters. When the product is used at 3.5 V, the upper limit of the operating temperature can reach +105°C,
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Date:
03/12/2020
OptiMOS Source-Down 25 V power MOSFET in PQFN package
The Source Down is the new industry standard packaging concept. The first wave of power MOSFETs launched in this new package is the OptiMOS TM 25 V in a PQFN 3.3x3.3 mm. The device sets a new industry benchmark in MOSFET performance, reducing on-state resistance (R DS(on)) and offering superior thermal management c
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Date:
03/12/2020
MOSFET Driver for Synchronous Rectification
The driver is designed for AC-DC rectification circuits in general consumer applications, notebooks, and USB adapters. The APR348 is capable of driving the external MOSFET in both high-side and low-side secondary-side synchronous-rectifier configurations. This flexible and efficient device supports secondar
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Date:
03/12/2020
Ultra-Miniature Pushbutton Switches for Lasting Performance
C&K has developed a sealed miniature pushbutton switch that offers an extended operating life to 50,000 cycles on FP11 & FP21 version. The FP Series is completely sealed via an O-ring between the actuator and bushing, preventing contamination. The sealing also enables automated soldering and cleaning, sa
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Date:
03/12/2020
Expanded RF Portfolio for Satellite, Radar Applications
Renesas Electronics Corporation expanded its portfolio of mmWave solutions with the introduction of two new IC families for satellite communications (Satcom), radar, and phased array applications: The F65xx transmit active beamforming ICs and F692x low-noise amplifiers (LNAs). Featuring a combination of low po
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Date:
03/12/2020
DIN Rail Mount DC-DC Converters for Industrial Applications
XP Power has announced the availability of two new series of wide range input DC-DC converters. Their flexible specification allows devices with incompatible voltages to be easily integrated into industrial systems. The DTJ15 and DTJ20 series are designed for convenience of installation and operation. The
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Date:
03/11/2020
2.5/5/10Gbps Ethernet LAN Mux/Demux Enables Port Switching
Diodes Incorporated introduced the PI3L2500 LAN multiplexer/demultiplexer, the industry's first switch designed to enable port switching in next-generation corporate LANs at Ethernet signal speeds of 2.5/5/10 Gigabit per second (Gbps). The PI3L2500 bidirectional mux/demux design enables two Ethernet PHY differential
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Date:
03/11/2020
Common Mode Toroidal Chokes for Noise Reduction
Signal Transformer, a Bel group company, announces their new HCTC Series of Common Mode Toroidal Chokes for design engineers and manufacturers who specify power supplies accommodating Common Mode noise reduction and line filtering. The HCTC Series features a solid carrier base for stable vertical PCB mount
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Date:
03/11/2020
APEC 2020 Cancelled over Coronavirus Concerns
For the first time in 35 years, the show won’t go on for the Applied Power Electronics Conference. On Tuesday, show organizers and sponsors decided to cancel APEC 2020. We all know why – the COVID-19 coronavirus has already claimed South by Southwest (SXSW),
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Date:
03/10/2020
Stackable DC/DC Buck Converter Maximizes Power Density
Texas Instruments (TI) introduced a new 40-A SWIFT DC/DC buck converter, offering first-of-its-kind stackability of up to four integrated circuits (ICs). The TPS546D24APMBus buck converter can deliver up to 160 A of output current at an 85°C ambient temperature –four times more current than competing power ICs
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Date:
03/09/2020
Super Junction MOSFETs in SMD-type DFN5x6, DFN8x8 Packages
Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) announced the release of700V and 600V αMOS5 Super Junction MOSFET families in SMD-type DFN5x6 and DFN8x8 packages. αMOS5 is AOS’ latest generation of high voltage MOSFET, designed to meet the high efficiency and high-density needs for Quick Charger, Adapter, PC Po
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Date:
03/08/2020
Modular Configurable 600W, 1200W PSUs are Smallest in Class
FiDUS Power announces the availability of the NEVO range of smallest in its class modular configurable power supplies including medical variants. Both sizes of the NEVO power supplies are available with the latest in medical safety approvals for safety EN/IEC/ANSI 60601-1 and EMC immunity EN60601-1-2 4th edition
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Date:
03/03/2020
Ultra-Precision Thin-Film Resistors Available in 0402 Case
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. announced that the company has extended its TNPU e3 series of Automotive Grade ultra precision thin film flat chip resistors with a new space-saving component in the compact 0402 case size. Offering excellent long term stability — for example, permitted maximum resistance change
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Date:
03/03/2020
MLCCs Withstand Demands of Automotive and Medical Equipment
Taiyo Yuden Automotive-Grade Products consist of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) and inductors that withstand the demands of automotive electronic components, industrial equipment, and medical equipment. Taiyo Yuden uses its own raw materials and advanced technologies for greater control and flexibility on
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Date:
03/03/2020
Isolated, Nonisolated ±12 V Outputs from 30 V to 400 V Input

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Figure 1. A complete ±12 V/50 mA isolated flyback converter for a wide input range, 30 V to 400 V.

Electric vehicles, large-scale battery storage stacks, home automation, industrial, and telecom power all require converting high voltages to ±12 V, where dual polarity rails are required for powering amplifiers, sensors, data converters, and industrial process controllers. One challenge in all of these systems is
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Date:
03/02/2020
GaN Takes the Baton from Silicon to Support High Efficiency

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Figure 1: GaN optimized for fast switching

As silicon-based technology approaches its evolutionary limits, design engineers are now looking to wide bandgap technologies such as gallium nitride (GaN) to provide a solution. Unusually for a new technology, GaN is inherently lower cost than the technology it will supercede, namely silicon. GaN devices a
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Date:
03/02/2020
Gearing Up for APEC
Across the Atlantic this month, all the talk is about APEC, the first real show of the year to focus on the power industry. This year, the event will take place in New Orleans, which should bring a touch of French Quarter sparkle to the event. However, in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center the focus will be
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Date:
03/02/2020
Wide Band-Gap Semiconductors in the Big Easy
It’s that time of year again – no, not the one where weird relatives stink up the joint and some fat guy zips around the world with magical caribou. I’m talking about APEC. The big one. The crown jewel. The World Series of power. And with it comes arguably the hottest topic in our fair industry – wide ba
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Date:
03/02/2020
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