High-frequency, zero-voltage flyback switching (ZVS) ICs built with GaN technology enable a new class of ultra-compact chargers and have won a 2021 Leap Award in power electronics for chip creator Power Integrations Inc. based in San Jose, Calif. LEAP Awards honor innovative products across 12 categories. More than 100 entrants were received for the annual […]
FAQ
The evolution of smart MOSFET technologies
A review of MOSFET advances helps predict where the technology is likely to head. Ashita Mirchandani, Bastian Lang • Infineon Technologies The past 50 years have seen unprecedented changes enabled by technology. The trend will continue with emerging technologies such as e-mobility, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, connectivity and 5G. At the heart […]
How to keep transients from disrupting low-power circuits
It can be challenging to give a highly dynamic load a stable voltage when the power supply sits several feet away from the device under test. Bill Griffith • Keysight Technologies Today’s integrated circuits put a highly dynamic load on their power supply. This behavior poses a challenge during testing when IC power comes from […]
Advanced current sensing for next-gen electronics
Contactless current sensing provides the fast response that state-of-the-art power circuits depend on. Michael DiGangi • ACEINNA The next generation of electronic products will be more powerful and flexible than ever. The advanced circuitry to drive them needs intelligent power management to realize the desired performance. Application spaces like robotics and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) rely […]
What does automotive qualification mean?
Automotive qualification means that a component or system meets specific industry standards for manufacturing and performance. Automotive qualification is not a static landscape. New standards are developed in response to the emergence of new technologies, and existing standards evolve in response to changing applications and new mission profiles. This FAQ reviews and contrasts key international […]
Identifying the right medical power supply
Special considerations apply for power supplies when even small electrical currents pose a shock hazard. Dermot Flynn, Chris Jones • Advanced Energy The consequences of leakage current came to the forefront in the 1970s, and since then technical standards for the safety and effectiveness of medical electrical equipment have evolved to become the most stringent […]
6G: The next generation brings new challenges
Although the first 6G consumer devices may be far away, work on 6G is underway. Academic and industry researchers are already experimenting and developing an understanding of key technologies as crucial inputs for standardization work. The industry must balance technical, business, and social considerations when developing 6G.
Generating sine waves from triangle waves
Analog Dialogue is a free technical magazine from chip makers Analog Devices Inc. Published monthly since 1967 and now done online, Analog Dialogue covers circuits, systems, and software for signal processing that relate to ADI chips. A feature in Analog Dialogue recently caught our eye because it covered some interesting territory relating to the generation […]
Transimpedance amplifier signal-to-noise
The use of opamps as a transimpedance amplifier is well known and a good analysis of the noise behavior of them is in the old Burr Brown Application Bulletin AB-076 from 1994. This is still available from Texas Instruments’ website as sboa060 – simply search for that on their website. Improving the signal to noise […]
The automotive Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Part 4: Issues
Sensor-based monitoring systems for tire pressure can warn of potential problems, but there’s much more to the story than just a pressure-measurement system. The TPMS adds a highly specific safety-related feature to cars. However, as with many presumably good ideas, the “devil is in the details”, and that’s especially true for the TPMS. There are […]
