A new stamped-spring pin socket addresses high-performance requirements for testing BGA256 packaged devices. Called the CBT-BGA-6122, the socket’s contactor is a stamped spring pin with 31-gm actuation force per ball and cycle life of 125,000 insertions. The self inductance of the contactor is 0.88 nH, insertion loss less than 1 dB at 15.7 GHz and […]
Analog IC Tips
Multifunction GaAs pHEMTs target 100-GHz apps
WIN Semiconductors Corp. has released its newest 0.1µm pHEMT technology: PP10-20. Building on the proven PP10 platform, this second-generation technology offers a substantial transistor gain, improving the ƒt/ƒmax to 160GHz and 240 GHz. These improvements maintain the reliable 4V operation necessary for backhaul power amplifiers and high linearity receivers operating from W-band through D-band. Targeting […]
Package converter technology allows use of SMT devices on through-hole PCBs
A new adapter for the three-pin TO-205AF packaged MOSFET device allows use of the equivalent product in an SOIC package to be used in PCBs developed for TO packages. The PC-SOT23-TO39-01 is mapped specifically for the Microchip N-channel logic level MOSFET 2N6901. These adapters use an Ironwood-exclusive technology that allows a highly reliable and cost-effective […]
Automotive-grade three-terminal MLCC provides 4.3 µF in a 0402-in size.
Murata today announced it has set a new capacitor performance benchmark with the introduction of its NFM15HC435D0E3. The product is the world’s first automotive-grade three-terminal multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) to provide a capacitance of 4.3 µF in a 0402-inch (1.0 × 0.5 mm) size. It also delivers superior power decoupling and noise removal, which are […]
Have you considered resistance soldering? Part 2
Resistance soldering is an alternative to conventional “pencil” soldering iron, which offers unique capabilities. Resistance soldering is an easy-to-use alternative soldering technique that’s been available for decades and offers many benefits, although it cannot always be used when soldering is required. It leverages the well-known principle of electrical self-heating (I2R dissipation) to create a localized […]
Have you considered resistance soldering? (Part 1)
The image of the electrical engineer or hacker bent over and using a soldering iron on a circuit board is a classic visual cliché of TV and movies (Figure 1). In most of these soldering images, the engineer is using a basic pencil-style soldering iron. That makes sense because the pencil soldering iron is the […]
The future of PCBs in the world driven by IoT
By Suresh Patel, Sales Engineer, Mer-Mar Electronics One of the mega tech trends revolutionizing today’s digital world is the ubiquitous Internet of Things (IoT). The significant factors pushing the IoT market are the decreased cost of CPU memory and storage, abundant availability of sensor devices, and accessibility of expandable repositories for storing data (like cloud […]
PCB development trends for 2022 and beyond
By Suresh Patel, Sales Engineer, Mer-Mar Electronics With recent technologies like 5G, IoT, and AI impacting the electronics world tremendously, there are a lot of developments in the PCB manufacturing industry now. New trends are catching up swiftly in the PCB development process. The estimated global PCB market in 2023 is around 70-75 billion dollars. […]
40-GHz-bandwidth sockets handle BGA121 chip packages
A new high-performance elastomer socket for 0.5-mm-pitch BGA packages, called the CG25-BGA-2002, is designed for a 6×6-mm package size and operates at bandwidths up to 40 GHz with less than 1 dB of insertion loss (GSSG configuration). The contact resistance is typically 20 mΩ/pin. Network analyzer reflection measurements for the G-S-S-G case were taken with […]
Digipots as electronic potentiometers, Pt 3: Enhancements
Digital potentiometers – digipots – are widely used, versatile, flexible, and feature-laden alternatives to classic mechanical potentiometers. In addition to their “hands-off” controllability, digipots offer additional simplicity, design-in ease, and much lower cost than potentiometers. Among their other capabilities: Dual digipots are useful where two resistances must be adjusted independently but especially so when they […]