The JEDEC Solid State Technology Association has released JEP198, a new guideline document for assessing the reliability of Gallium Nitride (GaN) power conversion devices. The document, crafted by the JC-70.1 Gallium Nitride Subcommittee, is now freely accessible for download on the JEDEC website.JEP198 offers a framework for evaluating the Time Dependent Breakdown (TDB) reliability of […]
Semiconductors
A graphene first: a functional semiconductor
At a time when silicon-based electronics are up against the demand for faster computing and tinier devices — particularly with the rise of AI, ML, and quantum computing — researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created the world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged […]
Adaptive SoC streamlines complex semiconductor-design verification
AMD announced the AMD Versal Premium VP1902 adaptive system-on-chip (SoC), the world’s largest1 adaptive SoC. The VP1902 adaptive SoC is an emulation-class, chipset-based device designed to streamline the verification of increasingly complex semiconductor designs. Offering 2X2 the capacity over the prior generation, designers can confidently innovate and validate application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and SoC designs to help bring […]
New products from Electronica 2022
Semiconductors and modules graced the halls of Electronica 2022. Here are some of those announced at this year’s event.
Scanning for defects with sound waves
High-speed, non-destructive ultrasonic scanning identifies minute defects in specialty metals and alloys using advanced, phased array scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM). Hari Polu President OKOS High purity metals and alloys such as aluminum, zinc, cobalt, copper, titanium, zirconium, molybdenum, magnesium, and stainless steel are central to many different industries, including electronics, aerospace, and medical devices, among […]
How does a silicon controlled rectifier work?
A silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is a four-layer power semiconductor device. The term ‘silicon controlled rectifier’ was coined by General Electric when SCRs were first introduced in 1957. Like rectifiers, SCRs are unidirectional devices. Today, SCRs are recognized as a type of thyristor. Other types of thyristors, such as triacs, are inherently bidirectional. This FAQ […]
Half-bridge 650-V GaN-on-silicon power circuit handles up to 3 kW
Wise-integration, a pioneer in digital control of gallium-nitride (GaN) power supplies and GaN ICs, has launched its first commercial product: the 120mOhm WI62120 half-bridge power circuit, providing power electronics designers with new levels of power density, performance, and cost-effectiveness. The JEDEC-certified WI62120, a 650V enhancement-mode GaN-on-silicon integrated circuit, is part of Wise-integration’s WiseGan family of power […]
Compact eGaN FETs target high power density converter apps
Efficient Power Conversion Corporation expands the selection of low voltage, off-the-shelf gallium nitride transistors with the introduction of the EPC2066 (0.8 mΩ typical, 40 V) GaN FET. The low losses and small size of the EPC2066 make it the ideal switch for the secondary side of high power density 40 V – 60 V to […]
IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) announces 2022 call for papers
Under the theme, “The 75th anniversary of the Transistor and the Next Transformative Devices to Address Global Challenges,” the 68th annual IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) has issued a Call for Papers seeking the world’s best original work in all areas of microelectronics research and development. The 2022 IEDM is being planned as an […]
How big is the band gap? A heated discussion
There’s a trick with a soldering iron can be used to determine whether an unidentified semiconductor is n-type or p-type. In essence, it determines whether the majority carriers are holes (p-type) or electrons (n-type). Just as heat makes a gas expand (PV=nRT), the hot tip of a soldering iron makes carriers expand away from the […]