Technical Features

July 2012
Developing a New Approach to Predicting the Behavior of GaN Devices

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Figure 1: Infineon’s four-step qualification plan for CoolGaN™ devices

­Introduction Silicon semiconductor technology has evolved considerably over the past 50 years, during which time, multiple failure modes affecting device reliability have been discovered, researched, and addressed. This has led to the development of models and equations for failure modes like time-de
Date:
02/24/2023
Safety and reliability in home alternative-energy systems

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Figure 1: A typical AES design includes power sources sharing a common high-voltage DC Link, an inverter for generating AC, and a system controller ensuring coordinated operation.

Solar- and wind-power-based home AESs (alternative energy systems) are becoming more popular among consumers. To achieve the product lifetime that consumers demand and ensure user safety,
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Date:
07/25/2012

Consumer-Friendly Power Design

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Figure 1: Step-down converter efficiency used to power the main processor in a set top box

The intricacies of power design are not conversation pieces for electronic-product consumers. Nor should they be. Consumers care about visible signs of power design in the product, including the
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Date:
07/24/2012
Improving battery-fuel-gauge accuracy

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Figure 1: The principle of fuel gauging based on coulomb counting: The stored energy represents state of charge. A circuit measures the in- and out-flowing current.

For simplicity, you can imagine the battery as an energy storage device analogous to a fuel tank. However, measuring stored energy from an electrochemical device is far more complex than that comparison
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Date:
07/20/2012
Input-line-current synthesis in PFC control

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Figure 1: Converter input power vs. line current with a symmetric conduction angle, constant current peak and resistive load.

Traditionally, PFC (power-factor-correction) controls present a purely resistive behavior with respect to the power line. By means of multiplier or equivalent blocks, front-end converters draw
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Date:
07/13/2012
Smart Activation circuit protection in li-ion battery applications

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Figure 1: The activation steps of the MHP device

Li-ion technology with smaller, lighter-weight, and higher-power batteries is now replacing nickel-cadmium or lead-acid batteries in high-discharge-rate battery applications. Meanwhile,
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Date:
07/09/2012
Reduce stand-by power loss in ACDC supplies
Over the past decade, controller-IC manufacturers have worked to reduce so-called vampire or stand-by power consumption. Organizations such as Energy Star in the US, Blue Angel in Germany, and CNIS
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Date:
07/01/2012
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