Technical Features

April 2022
CoolSiC™ MOSFET 750 V G1 from Infineon Make Onboard Chargers Smaller, Lighter and More Efficient

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Electric vehicle stock by mode in the Announced Pledges Scenario, 2022-2030 IEA Global EV Outlook 2023

­The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that by 2030, 60 percent of the automobile market will consist of electric vehicles (EV), resulting in over 200 million electric powertrains on the road (Figure 1). In addition to this rapid growth, the automotive industry must integrate various other trends, su
Date:
02/29/2024
Bring Your Design to the Next Level of Efficiency with OptiMOS™ 6 100 V Power MOSFET Technology

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Infineon StrongIRFET™ and OptiMOS™ power MOSFET 20-300 V technologies

­Introducing a game changer for high switching frequency applications High efficiency, power density, and better thermal behavior are the key trends when it comes to power management. Infineon is constantly working on introducing highly innovative power MOSFET technologies able to meet the requirements for all app
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/30/2022
Bringing WBG technology to the next level: Part 2 of 4 Editorial Series sponsored by infineon: Revolutionizing the next-gen power conversion applications

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Cross-section view of Infineon’s CoolGaN™ GIT device structure

Introduction Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology plays a major part in the wide bandgap revolution currently sweeping the semiconductor industry and manufacturers are racing to enter this burgeoning market. While the top-level advantages of using GaN devices in power electronics applications are clear (including higher switching frequencies, better performance at high temperatures, and lower power losses), the more subtle but nonetheless important differ
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/14/2022
Bringing WBG technology to the next level: Part 3 of 4 Editorial Series sponsored by Infineon: The fundamental game-changers for breakthrough SiC designs

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Comparison of planar and trench MOSFET structure

Introduction Society’s demand for energy is continuously increasing. A plethora of digital content is consumed every day, appliances are connected via the cloud, and vehicle electrification is experiencing a renaissance – all of which are contributing to this energy demand upsurge. At the same time, carbon emis
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/14/2022
Bringing WBG technology to the next level: Part 4 of 4 Editorial Series sponsored by Infineon: When to make the move from silicon to wide bandgap

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Suitability of Si, SiC, and GaN for power supply applications

Introduction Silicon power devices, such as MOSFETs and IGBTs, have a long history of reliable operation in power applications. They are low-cost, with a proven track record, and there’s a wide choice of suppliers so that designers can have a second source. They are also a familiar, well-established opti
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/14/2022
Bringing WBG technology to the next level: Part 1 of 4 Editorial Series sponsored by Infineon: Wide bandgap reliability is all about understanding how and why failures happen

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Examples for extrinsic defects in an amorphous layer, mathematically modeled via a local thinning effect in the gate-oxide of SiC devices

Introduction The unique properties of Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) devices make them increasingly popular alternatives for silicon in power electronics applications. The appeal of SiC devices lies in their ability to offer unipolar device concepts with low switching losses at high voltages, while GaN devices can switch at much higher frequencies. Although these properties enable smaller
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/08/2022
Exo Sense Pi, an Environmental Sensor, with a Twist
Sfera Labs recently introduced a new indoor environmental sensor, Exo Sense Pi. While there is a peak of interest in indoor sensors that can monitor air quality and people occupancy, this is a very crowded space. For a company specializing in industrial solutions, wouldn't it have been better to stay clear of the
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Low-Level Imaging Needs Low-Noise, High-Stability Electronics

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Examples of high voltage DC-DC converters for sensitive imaging applications, featuring low ripple, noise, and EMI. Shielded internal transformers and plated steel housings additionally achieve low levels of EM radiation

We’re all perhaps familiar with the difficulties of recording images in low light conditions, with our cell-phones producing grainy images in the dark as their electronics winds up the gain of the signal chain to capture as many photons as possible amongst the background electrical noise. The sensors in cell-phone ca
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Protecting AC Power Lines in Industrial Applications

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Bourns’ recently released IsoMOV hybrid protectors are designed to efficiently manage the current density in the MOV resulting in substantial surge current handling in a given size device. IsoMOV devices are rated to 125ºC with nominal surge ratings of 3 kA, 5 kA, or 8 kA, and are available with Maximum Continuous Operating Voltage ratings up to 555V – ideally suited for 480 V industrial power lines

What may not be apparent in a seemingly optimal industrial environment are the many potential electrical issues that can threaten the reliability of industrial-based power systems and communication lines.  Behind the scenes, industrial applications frequently connect to large motors, high-power heaters,
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Automotive and Industrial Functional Safety E/E System Design

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: A dual-channel architecture to achieve HFT = 1

The need for industrial and automotive electrical and electronic systems to perform the intended functionality safely i.e., without causing hazards, is becoming important. As industrial and automotive electrical and electronic (E/E) systems become more autonomous and complex, the need for these systems to perform
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Dual 70 A SilentMOS and Single 140 A Smart Power Stage

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. SilentMOS LTC7050 has internal symmetrical and small hot loops to minimize the ringing, with (a) showing LTC7050 and (b) showing a conventional DrMOS module

The LTC7050 can be configured to power two separate rails, with individual on/off control, fault reporting, and current sensing outputs, or it can be configured as a dual phase single output converter. The LTC7051 single 140 A power stage leverages the LTC7050 core design and offers seven higher power density wit
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Hallelujah for Two Switching Thresholds

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: The Schmitt trigger outputs a constant signal between two switching thresholds

When higher data rates are transmitted by cable over longer distances, noise is generated that overlays the wanted signal and makes it difficult to clearly determine the digital signal. This can result in digital logic elements no longer being able to process the wanted signals. The noise can be reduced by shie
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Weighing Automotive WBG Power Options

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: A MHEV 48V system with three paralleled MOSFETs in a symmetrical loop on the PCB face (Source: Author)

Automobile power electronic designs continue to diverge in electric vehicles (EV), hybrid, and gasoline autos where silicon power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices, such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) devices, create ef
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
GaN Reliability: Beyond Performance and Efficiency

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1: Integrated GaNFast Power IC

Designers are seeking alternatives to silicon to meet the performance and efficiency challenges of their next generation technologies. In addition, OEMs are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint by reducing materials and energy use related to their products. Gallium nitride (GaN) is rapidly becoming th
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
AC Losses in Magnetic Components

Click image to enlarge

Figure 1. Typical B-H curve from positive saturation to negative saturation. When H is zero there exists Br which requires -Hc to return to zero. The area within the loop is core loss per cycle

What are AC Losses and why are they important? This paper discusses the physical effects and which issues must be observed by design engineers. Furthermore, an approach to determine AC losses with unmatched accuracy is being introduced. In 1892 Charles P. Steinmetz, working for General Electric presented his no
. . . Learn More
Date:
04/01/2022
Archives

 


-->