Stacked-load schemes have made power conversion more economical in server racks. New developments in this technology promise to provide additional gains in efficiency. Laszlo Lipcsei, Alexandr Ikriannikov, Di Yao — Maxim Integrated, now part of Analog Devices Load currents continue to rise in server applications while rail voltages tend to drop. Consequently, the conduction losses […]
FAQ
Clearing up confusion about tracking multiple current levels
Multichannel power monitors help simplify battery-based systems employing multiple current sensors. Mitch Polonsky • Microchip Technology Inc. Designers of power systems can be forgiven for having some confusion about power monitors. Some of them may even be using a multichannel power monitor without knowing it. That’s because, regrettably, several different phrases are used to refer […]
Gains from GaN
Energy efficiencies made possible by gallium-nitride semiconductors are starting to impact every day products. Paul Wiener • GaN Systems, Inc. | Ron Stull • CUI, Inc. Wide-bandgap power semiconductors are in production now and recommended for new designs. The earliest adopters among power supply OEMs have already begun introducing new product lines employing this technology […]
Power bricks get an effeciency boost with GaN
The design of an LLC resonant converter illustrates how eGaN FETs can shrink the physical size of modern supply circuitry. Alex Lidow, Efficient Power Conversion Corp. The rapid expansion of computing and telecommunications has brought a migration to a 48 V-based power architecture. Applications for this higher-voltage architecture include artificial intelligence, 5G, big data, and […]
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 […]
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 […]