A flyback converter/isolated-gate-driver combo reduces the cost and complexity of implementing SiC FET designs in EV systems. Charlie Ice, Silicon Labs Electric vehicles are pushing the limits of today’s power conversion technology, and the advent of high-power silicon-carbide (SiC) FETs has pushed the envelope even further. The many advantages of SiC FETs allow for higher […]
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ICs for interfacing inductive sensors, Part 1
Designers who use inductive proximity sensors have a choice of high-performance signal-conditioning interface ICs, each offering different sets of features, functions, and capabilities. In two predecessor features (see References), we looked at the inductive proximity sensor and its basic operation (see References) but did not look at the electronic interface circuit for this widely used […]
Choosing, using, and designing oscillators
Most electronics today have oscillators in them. Digital circuitry needs a clock. Radio frequency signals require an oscillator or clock. Some analog circuitry also needs a clock or oscillating signal source. If you are using a microcontroller then it might have a built-in clock, although it may not be accurate enough, depending on your application, […]
Is it possible to image an electron?
The electron has close to zero mass, a negative charge, and revolves in an orbit around its atomic nucleus or, alternately, moves through space or through a conductor, in which it is a charge-carrying free electron. An electron is also a fermion, which means it follows the Pauli exclusion principle: No two electrons can occupy […]
Open RAN functional splits, explained
Open radio access networks offer the option of placing network functions in different places along the signal path. That option, called a functional split, lets network engineers optimize performance and make tradeoffs.
Validating power integrity in embedded systems
There are two primary considerations when validating power integrity in embedded systems; the operation of the various power converters and the power distribution system’s integrity. The relative importance of those two considerations depends, in part, on the power system architecture used. In systems with a centralized multiple-output ac/dc power supply, the power supply qualification is […]
Basics of audio filters
By Diksha Nama, contributor, Engineers Garage An audio system is designed to receive audio signals (via microphone), record audio in some storage, transmit audio (through wired or wireless communication channels), and reproduce audio signals (via speakers). So, the audio circuits perform signal processing for representing the sound in the form of electrical signals, manipulate the […]
How to verify ac/dc power supply performance
Designers specifying ac/dc power supplies are concerned with maintaining performance over a range of input and load conditions and complying with demanding international regulations for efficiency, standby power, harmonics, power factor, safety, and electromagnetic compatibility. Identifying relevant standards and the associated testing requirements is a critical part of that process. This FAQ will review some […]
Automotive lidar slides down the cost curve
Techniques now emerging from research labs will help make it affordable for next-generation autonomous vehicles to keep out of harm’s way. There’s a dirty little secret associated with the autonomous vehicle (AV) prototypes now feeling their way along roads and byways: Many of them depend on expensive lidar (light detection and ranging) sensors to detect […]
Basics of AC power measurements
Quantifying the performance of switch-mode power converters is an increasingly important aspect of system design. Systems are often required to meet standards for efficiency, standby power, power factor, harmonic distortion, and more. Switch-mode power converters have large capacitors connected to the ac input, resulting in complex input waveforms. Their performance cannot be analyzed correctly based […]
