Technical Features

    December 2018
    Transformer Design Comparisons for Mitigating EMI in Gate Driver Circuits

    Click image to enlarge

    Figure 1: Gate driver circuit diagram with a Bourns transformer

    While gate driver-based converters deliver improved efficiency, speed and signal integrity, their high frequency switching features can produce elevated levels of conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI), posing challenges to electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and overall system reliability. To solve this
    Date:
    03/29/2026
    The Power and Evolution of GaN – Part 4

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    Figure 1: Brushless DC (BLDC) motor

    (Source: Globalsources.com)

    Bringing Precision Control to Surgical Robots with eGaN® FETs and ICs In this series, how the superior switching speed of gallium nitride (GaN)-on-silicon low voltage power devices have enabled many new applications is being discussed.  These applications are transforming industries such as lig
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    Date:
    12/31/2018
    Surface-Mount Fuse Tech. Steps Up to EV Reliability Demands

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    Figure 1: Damage resulting from two conventional wire-in-are fuses subjected to extreme overload conditions - simulating a catastrophic EV battery short circuit

    Electronic systems for automotive applications are subjected to among the harshest of environments – wide temperature variations, shock and vibration, exposure to humidity, water chemicals and salt. Traditionally, blade-type automotive fuses have provided the necessary fault protection, but as cars get “smart” an
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    Date:
    12/23/2018
    IPM, Battery Chemistry & Charging Algorithms for Wearables

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    Figure 1: A block diagram for Microchip’s PIC16F18446, which features high resolution Intelligent Analog peripherals such as an integrated 12-bit ADC2

    The greatest challenge faced by both new battery chemistry and charging algorithm developers is obtaining an Application-specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design.  Without silicon, new batteries and new charging algorithms have no way to acquire customers, and without customers – or at least potential cu
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    Date:
    12/22/2018
    A Brush with the Future of Wind Power Technology

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    Figure 1. A brush box with OEM-style single pocket ground brush holders

    Although a relative newcomer to the energy market, wind power is growing rapidly as the global demand for clean, efficient and sustainable energy rises. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, the sector grew 25 per cent each year between 2002 and 2007. It’s now estimated that the Global Wind Energy Market wi
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    Date:
    12/18/2018
    An Alternative to the Alternator

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    Figure 1. The Bel Power Solutions 350DNC40 is a 4 kW DC/DC Converter that creates DC voltages in hybrid and electric vehicles suitable to power low voltage accessories. Features include very high efficiency, high reliability, low output voltage noise and excellent dynamic response to load/input changes.

    With innovative manufacturers developing and expanding their range of solutions, engineers have more reasons than ever to replace alternators with DC-DC converters in road transport applications. Today’s eMobility and hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturers emphasize the efficiency, reliability and pract
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    Simple Battery Charger ICs for Any Chemistry

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    Figure 1. Typical Application Circuit for the LTC4162-L

    It is common for many battery-powered devices to require a wide variety of charging sources, battery chemistries, voltages and currents. For example, industrial, high-end feature-rich consumer, medical and automotive battery charger circuits demand higher voltages and currents as newer large-battery packs are em
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    Surface-Mount Fuse Tech Steps up to EV Reliability Demands

    Figure 1: Damage resulting from two conventional wire-in-are fuses subjected to extreme overload conditions - simulating a catastrophic EV battery short circuit

    Electronic systems for automotive applications are subjected to among the harshest of environments – wide temperature variations, shock and vibration, exposure to humidity, water chemicals and salt. Traditionally, blade-type automotive fuses have provided the necessary fault protection, but as cars get “smart” an
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    Challenges of SiC for Automotive Applications

    Figure 1. IGBT’s and Discrete Diodes

    (Be sure to check out our PSDcast with ROHM on the same topic here: https://www.powersystemsdesign.com/articles/psdcast-the-formula-e-electric-racing-series/35/13290) Two of the biggest challenges that are preventing widespread adoption of Silicon Carbide (SiC) diodes and MOSFET devices for traction inverters ar
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    IPM, Battery Chemistry, & Charging Algorithms for Wearables

    Figure 1: A block diagram for Microchip’s PIC16F18446, which features high resolution Intelligent Analog peripherals such as an integrated 12-bit ADC2

    The greatest challenge faced by both new battery chemistry and charging algorithm developers is obtaining an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design. Without silicon, new batteries and new charging algorithms have no way to acquire customers, and without customers – or at least potential customer -
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    IoT Devices Are Hot, But They Still Need Thermal Protection

    Figure 1. Devices like these Low Rho SMD Series PPTCs have long been used for over-current and over-temperature protection in USB connectors

    Of all the “hot” electronics markets, none is hotter than the market for devices designed to interact with the Internet of Things (IoT). Currently, more than seven billion IoT devices are in use worldwide, and the number of active IoT devices is expected to grow to 22 billion by 2025. Virtually all of those de
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    The Basics & Benefits of Tantalum & Ceramic Capacitors

    Figure 1: The dielectric surface area of a tantalum capacitor anode compared to its finished size

    Tantalum (Ta) capacitors and multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are two widely accepted capacitor technologies that can be employed in a wide range of electronics applications. Although both technologies perform the same basic function, they are very diff
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    Date:
    12/11/2018
    Mild Hybrid Vehicle Solutions Address Emissions Challenge

    Figure 1. A Typical 48V Mild Hybrid System Electrical Topology

    With the very recent reassertion by scientists that the current trajectory for reducing the rate of global temperature increases is simply not good enough, there is now even greater pressure to reduce vehicle emissions of CO2 gasses. The best way of achieving this is through a reduction of the average vehicle’s f
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    Date:
    12/10/2018
    Overcoming Poor Power Quality in Small Spaces
    For years, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has been marred by a slow diffusion of innovation among consumers. Probably the most obvious problem is that buyers have been apprehensive of the high initial cost of buying EVs, as well as the total cost of owning an electric vehicle over the course of its li
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    Date:
    12/10/2018
    Ultra-Compact Secondary Automotive Buck DC/DC Converters

    Figure 1: Example System Configuration

    ROHM has recently launched the BD9S series of secondary synchronous Buck DC/DC converters qualified to AEC-Q100 for automotive applications. These offer high reliability and low power consumption in a compact form factor. This makes them very suitable for applications like radars, cameras and sensors which can be
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    Date:
    12/10/2018
    Enhancing EV Ecosystems Through Efficient Power Conversion

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    EV charging

    Today’s hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs) are still in the early stages of the iterative process of innovation. Several generations of hybrid vehicles have been introduced to market and improved through a combination of technology advances and user feedback. A number of vendors now market competent EV
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    Date:
    12/10/2018
    When Configurable Power Supplies are the Best Solution

    Figure 1: Typical configurable power supply architecture

    It is often assumed that in any product design, if you can use a standard ‘off-the-shelf’ power supply it will be the lowest cost option compared with a full custom or configurable part. It’s true that with today’s fast-paced product launches and upgrades, if a custom part is commissioned, the Non-Recurring En
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    Date:
    12/10/2018
    The Power and Evolution of GaN - Part 3

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    Figure 1: Overview of a typical LIDAR system

    How to Build an Ultra-Fast High-Power Laser Driver using eGaN® FETs - That Sees Farther, Better, and at a Lower Cost! In the first article in this series, how gallium nitride (GaN)-on-silicon low voltage power devices have enabled many new applications, such as light detection and ranging (Li
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    Date:
    12/02/2018
    Precision Power Analysis

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    Figure 1: Measuring power-train efficiency in an electric vehicle, showing four DC measurements (1 to 4) with the corresponding mechanical power measurements (M1 to M4)



    In the rapidly evolving area of power electronics, the need for reliable testing to enhance safety, efficiency and performance has never been greater. In sectors as diverse as renewable energy, electric vehicles and energy-efficient technologies, changing application needs and evolving industry standards call fo
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    Date:
    12/01/2018
    Archive

    Transformer Design Comparisons for Mitigating EMI in Gate Driver Circuits

    Mar 29,2026
    Matthew Russell, Master’s student at University College Cork, and a student engineer at Bourns Electronics Ireland

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

    Jan 31,2026
    Kamal Varadarajan & Chris Lee, Power Integrations

    Future-Proof Automotive High-Voltage-to-SELV Conversion

    Dec 30,2025
    Greg Green, Director of Automotive Marketing, Vicor

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    Power Systems Design is a leading global media platform serving the power electronics design engineering community. It delivers in-depth technical content, industry news, and product insights to engineers and decision-makers developing advanced power systems and technologies.

    Published 12× per year across North America and Europe, Power Systems Design is distributed through online and fully digital editions, complemented by eNewsletters, webinars, and multimedia content. The platform covers key areas including power conversion, semiconductors, renewable energy, automotive electrification, AI power systems, and industrial applications—supporting innovation across the global electronics industry.