Technical Features

August 2021
DC/DC Flyback Converter

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Figure 1: Power stage of the flyback converter (simplified)

Isolated flyback converters often use optocouplers in the feedback loop to regulate the output voltage. As part of the compensation circuit, its parameters such as CTR influence the control loop and must be taken into account in the flyback converter design. The flyback converter is an isolated switching power
Date:
04/01/2024
What you Need to Know About Trimming the Output Voltage of a Power Supply

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Figure 1: Power supply output voltage is trimmed so that power supply voltage = desired load voltage + total conductor impedance voltage drop

What is Trimming and How is it Used? Trimming the output voltage of a power supply simply means adjusting the voltage by a small amount. By convention, the term trimming is used for applications where the power supply has a specified nominal output voltage and the user is able to change the output voltage
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Date:
08/30/2021

Driving High-Power Class-D Audio to New Heights

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Figure 1. Class-D multi-chip modules integrate PWM modulator, high voltage gate driver, MOSFET output stage, and protection features in one device. (MERUS™ application brochure).

Class-D audio power amplifiers have succeeded in professional and high-end consumer markets by offering a combination of small size, low heat dissipation, high integration, and great sound. Efficiency has always been a strong point of the class-D topology; the key to eliminating the bulky heatsinks needed
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Date:
08/24/2021
Automotive USB 2.0 and a 5 V, Type-C Solution for Charging

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Figure 1. Automotive USB charger block diagram

USB charging ports have become an essential part of the modern vehicle infotainment system. Passengers are increasingly accustomed to connecting their vehicle’s electrical system to both power their portable devices and, conversely, use those devices for a variety of vehicle information and entertainment functions. To
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Date:
08/01/2021
Power Module Upgrade for Improved Power Density and Lifetime

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Figure 1: The upper part shows a schematic of power modules on closed (top) and open (bottom) liquid heat-sink solutions. The lower part is a picture of the wave technology on the power module baseplate together with the open heat sink

Electrified drive trains in heavy-duty vehicles pose a challenge for semiconductors in a multitude of ways. One key element includes the highly repetitive load cycles that define demanding lifetime requirements for power modules. The wave baseplate is an upgrade of the well-established EconoDUAL3 package: a ri
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Date:
08/01/2021
How DC Fast Charging Applications are Boosting EV Car Adoption

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Figure 1: When it comes to charging EVs, there are several methodologies depending on the operating paradigm and available infrastructure

The current generation of Electric Vehicles (EVs) can accept electricity at a much faster rate than previous models, to the extent that current charging stations can’t handle the vehicles' ability to accept a charge.  Unfortunately, many legacy chargers are AC-driven systems, with only a fraction of existin
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Date:
08/01/2021
Eliminate the 12V Battery and Increase EV Performance

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Figure 1: Transient test comparison: 48V-to-12V at 75A compared to a 12V battery. The Vicor NBM2317 power module response to a 50A load is three times faster than a standard 12V battery

Look under the hood of an electric vehicle and you may be surprised to find a conventional 12V lead-acid battery, or an additional 48V battery. You may wonder why does an EV need a conventional battery when there’s a 400V or 800V battery already in the vehicle to power the motors? Today the 12V or 48V batteries po
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Date:
08/01/2021
Advances in LED Control Systems for Automotive Exterior Lighting

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Figure 1: Automotive LED applications

The automotive lighting market continues to grow strongly and is forecast by analyst Yolé to reach US$38.8 billion by 2024. Over the past few years, LEDs have taken an increasing share of this market, and LED exterior lights have become a familiar sight on our roads.  Compared to incandescent bulbs, LE
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Date:
08/01/2021
Extending Wireless Charging to Higher Power Applications

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Figure 1: Conventional Wireless Charger Design

While cable-free charging based on standards such as Qi has become commonplace for small, portable devices there have traditionally been challenges in taking wireless up to higher power levels. Now that is set to change with emerging technologies that not only overcome the limitations of conventional wireless st
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Date:
08/01/2021
Using High Voltage DC-DC Converters in Critical Applications

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Figure. 1 XP Power HRC05 power module

Over the years, through observations in the field and conversations with design engineers, four challenges regularly present themselves when integrating high voltage DC-DC power modules into critical, long term applications. The most important criterium is to define the requirements of the power module correctly, th
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Date:
08/01/2021
White Chip LEDs Deliver Increased Brightness

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Figure 1: New White chip LEDs improve visibility

High brightness white chip LEDs (light emitting diodes) are finding more applications as engineers expand their potential for high-density mounting, high luminous intensity, and energy efficiency. Moreover, recent technological advances have made it possible to achieve the same brightness level on a significan
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Date:
08/01/2021
Meeting the Power Demands of Always-on Data Centers

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Figure 1: Modern data center racks (Source: FPM datacom brochure)

Whether it’s consumers storing their photos in iCloud or Google Drive, or businesses running their hosted systems, someone has to manage the data center that’s providing the service. But what does today’s boom in cloud computing mean for the power supply and conversion sub-systems in all those data centers? Power demands on the up
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Date:
08/01/2021
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