High voltages and high currents circulating in EVs make the fundamentals of electrical isolation techniques an important topic. Ross Sabolcik, Silicon Labs AS automotive designs move toward electrification, high-wattage power electronics become critical to new electronic drivetrain and battery systems. In these applications, digital controllers safely interface with the high-voltage systems of modern electric vehicles […]
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Electrical isolation technology at Silicon Labs
When you’re talking about power products and power supplies, galvanic isolation is a big deal.In that area, Silicon Labs has a wide portfolio of products that cover everything from digital isolators, which allow you to isolate a communication bus, or other digital signals up through high powered gate drivers to allow an interface to MOSFETs, […]
Advances in Power over Ethernet ICs
Power-over-Ethernet specs have changed over the years — PoE devices have gotten more powerful, and so Ethernet cables are starting to become more like a power line. Silicon Labs’ John Wilson recently did a short video with us about four new power device ICs built with higher PoE power levels in mind. John reviewed demonstrations […]
Clocks/oscillators meet stringent 56G SerDes phase-jitter requirements
Silicon Labs has expanded its timing portfolio to meet the high-performance clocking requirements of 56G PAM-4 SerDes and emerging 112G serial applications. With this portfolio expansion, Silicon Labs is the only timing supplier to offer a comprehensive selection of clock generators, jitter attenuating clocks, voltage-controlled crystal oscillators (VCXOs) and XOs for 100/200/400/600G designs that satisfy sub-100 […]
Clock generators, jitter attenuators, VCXO/XOs target latest 56G SerDes-based 100/200/400/600G communications, data center designs
The Silicon Labs Si5391 is said to be the industry’s lowest jitter, any-frequency clock generator. It can provide all clock frequencies needed in 200/400/600G designs from a single IC while delivering sub-100 fsec RMS phase jitter performance for 56G SerDes reference clocks. Featuring up to 12 differential outputs, the Si5391 clock is available in frequency […]
Teardown: Inside the Neurometrix Quell TENS device
A TENS device for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation wraps around the upper calf much like a wristwatch wraps around the wrist. Here are some of its operational secrets. A medical device called a Quell performs what’s called transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the lower leg. This technique is said to relieve diabetic pain. None of […]
Mesh networking software now built into BLE radios
Wirepas and Silicon Labs today announced they have joined forces to deliver a combined hardware and software solution that unleashes the potential of multiprotocol connectivity for mesh networks. Building on their growing relationship and success in the smart metering market, Wirepas and Silicon Labs have collaborated to create an industry first: a truly concurrent multiprotocol switching solution with one ERF32 […]
High-efficiency PoE chips target IP cameras, wireless access points, IP phones and smart lighting
Two new Power over Ethernet (PoE) Powered Device (PD) families called the Si3406x and Si3404 families include all necessary high-voltage discrete components on a single PD chip. The new PD ICs support IEEE 802.3 at PoE+ power capabilities, flexible power conversion options exceeding 90% efficiency, robust sleep/wake/LED support modes, and superior EMI immunity. These capabilities […]
Multiprotocol wireless software handles IoT connectivity for next-gen apps
New dynamic multiprotocol software for the Wireless Gecko system-on-chip (SoC) and module portfolio enables simultaneous operation of Zigbee and Bluetooth low energy (LE) on a single SoC. This package handles Internet of Things (IoT) applications without incurring the additional complexity and hardware cost of a two-chip architecture, thereby reducing the wireless subsystem bill-of-materials (BOM) cost […]
USB Type-C reference design simplifies design of lithium ion battery packs
Silicon Labs has introduced a comprehensive reference design to simplify the development of USB Type-C rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs used to power smartphones, tablets, laptops, headphones and other portable devices. The reference design includes everything developers need to create dual-role port (DRP) applications with USB Type-C power delivery (PD), accelerating the development of new USB Type-C […]