Technical Features

September 2014

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Figure 1: Schematic of a high-voltage PowiGaN cascode switch

1250 V/1700 V GaN HEMTs for NVIDIA 800 VDC Architecture

Kamal Varadarajan & Chris Lee, Power Integrations

GaN-based power semiconductors are ideal for high-efficiency power converters thanks to their superior material properties. However, very few manufacturers offer GaN HEMTs rated above 650 V. The main challenge is that GaN devices built on silicon substrates require very thick buffer layers, which adds significant pr

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Date:

01/31/2026

Intelligent PFC management offers optimum power efficiency

Dr. Bernhard Strzalkowski, Analog Devices

The efficiency improvement of power converters is one of the major reasons why digital power is becoming increasingly popular. For specific requirements, digital control allows using the best fitted control strategy and comfortable, intricate tweaking of efficiency. This means the power supply can operate in mu

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Date:

09/23/2014

Addressing space and efficiency in high-power applications

René Mente, Infineon Technologies

One of the most important features in switched mode power supplies is power density. It is crucial for high-power applications like server and telecom but it is also a key factor for low- to mid-power designs like battery chargers and adapters. Let’s explore the performance of advanced solutions like Infi

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Date:

09/23/2014

Intelligent mobile power distribution on the battlefield

Jim Dankowski, Eaton

Reducing demand for energy on the battlefield is a key challenge facing many U.S. military forward operating bases (FOBs). Tactical generators consume millions of gallons of fuel keeping FOBs up-and-running each year. Safe and reliable access to fuel to power each generator is important to the success and security of

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Date:

09/22/2014

Modular power platforms simplify design and supply chain

Shane Callanan, Excelsys Technologies

As engineering teams are continuously being pushed to deliver leading edge designs in much reduced time frames, they must now look every possible advantage in order to meet these aggressive requirements. One such way to achieve this is to reduce the internal testing of any new components being used. Procurement sp

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Date:

09/20/2014

Network modernization strategies for the Grid

Malcolm Loro, Ciena

Much of the current global electric grid was built many years ago. While these systems are still functional, they are becoming increasingly inefficient and unreliable. For example, according to data from the Environmental Defense Fund, a U.S.-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group, approximately seven pe

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Date:

09/20/2014

Achieving cost-effective & scalable megawatt-level UPS solutions

Kenny Green, Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Rapidly growing demand for data capacity means that data center power requirements are increasingly reaching megawatt rather than kilowatt levels. Let’s looks at how UPS providers can respond to this challenge while maintaining the availability and energy efficiency standards enjoyed by lower power installations. Data centers a

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Date:

09/20/2014

ESD Protection: How to Design Safer Consumer Electronics

Phillip Havens and Chad Marak, Littelfuse

Consumers are the single biggest risk to electronic devices such as Smartphones and Tablets that play a vital role in their lives. Not only because they might drop them on the floor, but also because human touch to any device containing sensitive electronic semiconductors can be the source of an ESD (Electro St

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Date:

09/19/2014

Recording closed-loop control system cycles for HVAC savings

Stewart Thompson, CAS DataLoggers

Frequent on/off cycling can waste real money and lower system life in many closed loop control systems, such as thermostatically-controlled heating systems, pressure-controlled compressor systems, ambient luminance-controlled lighting systems, and others. As an example of the savings data loggers can identi

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Date:

09/19/2014

Smarter Connectivity Decisions Light the Way for LEDs

Leigh Marolf and Ron Weber, TE Intelligent Buildings

U.S. commercial businesses spend over $100 billion on energy annually with much of that consumption coming from building systems such as HVAC, lighting, security, elevators and fire protection. For example, in a commercial building, lighting alone can account for almost 35% of the total energy used. Experts es

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Date:

09/18/2014

Optimizing high-volume power semiconductor test (Part 2)

Jennifer Cheney, Keithley Instruments

In Part 1 of this article we had a short overview of some of the challenges associated with high-volume testing of power semiconductors, and the test throughput advantages that source measure unit (SMU) instruments offer for these applications. Test systems of this type must be optimized for high throughput wi

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Date:

09/17/2014

Control & supervision of multiple voltage-rails

Bruce Haug, Linear Technology

As the number of voltage rails continues to grow inside systems due to higher complexity and proliferation of digital content, it is essential to have a mechanism to monitor and control these rails. Often times there can be as many as 50 point-of-load voltage rails and system designers need to be able to easily mo

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Date:

09/15/2014