Consumer

April 2018
'Exceptional' Research Points Way Toward Quantum Discoveries

Rice University scientists used nanotube films and polarized light to strongly couple light and matter progressively and on demand at room temperature. Their discovery of exceptional points in the resulting polaritons could allow researchers to explore novel quantum technologies like advanced information storage or one-dimensional lasers.

HOUSTON - (April 30, 2018) - Rice University scientists are known for exceptional research, but a new paper led by physicist Junichiro Kono makes that point most literally. The discovery of exceptional points in a unique material created by Kono's lab is one of several revelations in a paper that appears in
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Date:
04/30/2018
500VDC SMD Fuse Optimized for Electric Vehicle Applications Offers Short-Circuit Protection Up to 1500A
CHICAGO — Littelfuse, Inc. introduced a series of surface-mount fuses with interrupting current ratings up to 1500A that are optimized for use in high-voltage automotive applications up to 350VAC or 450/500VDC. NANO2 885 Series Fuse is designed to protect electric vehicles against severe fault/short-circuit curr
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Date:
04/30/2018
Vincotech Joins the Charging Interface Initiative
Vincotech has joined Charging Interface Initiative e. V., an association set up by Germany's automotive luminaries to entrench the Combined Charging System (CCS) as the definitive technology for battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs). Vincotech and CharIN's founding members, which include Audi, BMW, Daimler, P
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Date:
04/26/2018
Ultra-soft IGBT freewheeling diodes offer industry leading low losses
Infineon Technologies Bipolar GmbH & Co. KG launches a new diode family especially designed for modern IGBT applications: Infineon ® Prime Soft. This diode features an improved turn-off capability which now rates at 5 kA/µs. Prime Soft builds on the well-received IGCT freewheeling diode family which is based on
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Date:
04/26/2018
The pursuit of higher efficiency has been a driving factor in industry progress since electricity was first harnessed.  The introduction of solid state transistors in switching applications enabled the switching power converter and created a step function improvement in power conversion efficiency.  Advances in
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Date:
04/25/2018
High reliability thick-film resistors from TT Electronics get smaller
TT Electronics has announced the introduction of two additional resistor types that expand and enhance its high-reliability CR and HR series. The latest versions of these thick-film chip resistors are in the smaller 0603 size and hence offer greater opportunities for use in compact circuits where guaranteed per
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Date:
04/25/2018
Würth Elektronik eiSos expands its MagI³C series of power module
With the MagI³C-VDMM (Variable Step Down MicroModule), Würth Elektronik eiSos expands its product series of power modules with high power density, very few external components and outstanding electromagnetic compatibility. The step-down converter with variable output voltage is a particularly compact solutio
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Date:
04/25/2018
Now in stock at TTI, Inc. and ideal for demanding automotive applications are Panasonic’s LP-Series power choke coils and ZE-Series Hybrid capacitors
Now available in Europe through TTI are Panasonic’s highly power efficient LP-Series power choke coils and ZE-Series Conductive Polymer Hybrid Aluminum SMD technology capacitors featuring a high ripple current (up to 2.0A) and a low ESR value. Rugged LP series power choke coils offer inductance stability over a broad
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Date:
04/25/2018
Renesas Electronics Introduces ISL91302B, ISL91301A, and ISL91301B Multiphase PMICs with Highest Efficiency and Smallest Footprint
Renesas announced three programmable power management ICs (PMICs) that offer the highest power efficiency and smallest footprint for application processors in smartphones and tablets: the ISL91302B, ISL91301A, and ISL91301B PMICs. The PMICs also deliver power to artificial intelligence (AI) processors, FPGAs,
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Date:
04/25/2018
New Ultracapacitor and Battery-Powered DC UPS announced by BLOCK
BLOCK announces the introduction of two new 24V/40A uninterruptible power supplies. These DC input UPS ensure reliable availability of safety-critical systems in the case of power failure. BLOCK UPS supports 12V, 24V and 48V systems and can be either battery-powered or use capacitive energy storage. Product sel
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Date:
04/25/2018
Ultra slim device guarantees 5kV isolation and 8.0mm creepage and clearance distances
Toshiba Electronics Europe today announced the launch of a new gate driver photocoupler housed in a low-profile SO8L package. The TLP5832 delivers 2.5A peak output current (IOPH,IOPL) and can directly drive medium-class IGBTs and MOSFETs in applications such as inverters for industrial, air conditioning and solar appli
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Date:
04/25/2018
It’s all about materials

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Welcome to the May edition of PSD. This year seems to be constantly busy and the time is flying in. Maybe it is because the industry is on the crest of a wave at the moment, or it may be that the number of important events is increasing and we are constantly in the lead up to another one. This month, we start to
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Date:
04/24/2018
In-House Processing Brings Cost-Effective AI

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

Earlier this year I wrote a blog on Google and its tensor processing units. The company had just launched the second generation of its powerful ICs that provide the computing power for its vast datacentres around the world. The processors are specifically designed for the complex AI computational tasks found in
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Date:
04/24/2018
ProTek Devices has introduced two new steering diode / transient voltage suppressor arrays for electrical circuit protection in various computing interfaces, such as Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI and USB. The two new parts, in conjunction with passive components integrated into a TVS / filter network, can also be used for
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Date:
04/23/2018
Automated Driving Technologies Will Never Be Perfect
As a species, we have an innate fear of a fictional robot apocalypse, and it colors our every reaction to semi-autonomous and autonomous systems. Case in point – the agita over the handful of semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicle fatal crashes. Back in March, a Tesla Model X ran into a concrete lane divider at high speed, killing the driver in a horrific fiery wreck. The hook? The vehicle’s autop
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Date:
04/23/2018
TMR 3WIR and TMR 6WIR Series
The TMR 3WIR and the TMR 6WIR series are a set of 3/6 Watt DC/DC converters in a SIP-8 metal case. The design purpose of these series was to miniaturized low power DC/DC converters for railway application to the maximum without sacrificing highest efficiency. They operate up to 78°C environment temperature at full
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Date:
04/19/2018
KAIST Develops Sodium Ion Batteries Using Copper Sulfide

This is the sodiation process of copper sulfide.

A KAIST research team recently developed sodium ion batteries using copper sulfide anode. This finding will contribute to advancing the commercialization of sodium ion batteries (SIBs) and reducing the production cost of any electronic products with batteries. Professor Jong Min Yuk and Emeritus Professor Jeong Yon
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Date:
04/17/2018
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor devices which provide an efficient and reliable source of light and contain no moving parts, making them very reliable in environments with elevated vibration and shock, such as automobiles. Other desirable properties include high efficiency, long life and brightness. LE
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Date:
04/16/2018
One year on, how does the Analog Devices takeover of Linear Technology look?

Ally Winning, European Editor, PSD

It’s been almost a year a year to the day (10th March) since Analog Devices announced that the company had completed its approximately $15 billion takeover of Linear Technology. The initial announcement had come as a shock to the industry, in that one of the seemingly few remaining large privately owned electro
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Date:
04/16/2018
Synchronous buck-boost converters with four power switches can deliver very high efficiency while providing both step-up and step-down DC/DC conversion. Combining the capabilities of two separate converters (buck and boost) has the advantage of reduced solution size and cost. Four-switch converters should be abl
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Date:
04/16/2018
A Higher-Energy, Safer and Longer-Lasting Zinc Battery
College Park, Md. -- Again establishing the University of Maryland (UMD) as a leader in the development of groundbreaking battery technology, a team led by researchers at UMD's A. James Clark School of Engineering has created a water-based zinc battery that is simultaneously powerful, rechargeable, and intrinsi
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Date:
04/16/2018
CMI Expands Research in Tech Metals as Demand for Electric Vehicles Grows

The Critical Materials Institute is launching new research in the processing, use and recycling of materials necessary to EV technology.

As increasing consumer interest in electric vehicles drives the demand for supplies of lithium and cobalt (ingredients in lithium-ion batteries), the Critical Materials Institute will begin new efforts this July to maximize the efficient processing, use, and recycling of those elements. "The global te
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Date:
04/12/2018
New Ultralow Quiescent Current Buck-Boost Converters Power Industrial Systems & More

Figure 1. LTC3130 Typical Application Schematic and Features

A buck-boost DC/DC converter is one of the most valuable tools in a power supply designer’s toolbox for dealing with a variety of power conversion scenarios. In these situations, input voltages can vary widely due to non-ideal or multi-input power sources, transient disturbances or charging and discharging sto
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Date:
04/10/2018
Adding a GUI to Control Systems

Figure 1. Gen4-uLCD-43DCT-CLB display module from 4D Systems

Replacing multiple electromechanical and optoelectronic elements with a touch-sensitive LCD can significantly extend a product’s lifetime. It could also reduce the overall size of the product, particularly if the space required for the PCB is much smaller than that used for the electromechanical controls. Gi
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Date:
04/10/2018
2018 Will be a SiC Year
We’ve been playing soothsayer a lot lately, but if you strolled the halls of the Henry B. González Convention Center at APEC 2018, one theme was absolutely inescapable – the ubiquity of silicon carbide (SiC). 2018 should be its coming-out party. Nearly every company we visited chatted up the magnitude
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Date:
04/10/2018
Next Generation 2/3 Watt SIP-8 DC/DC converters
TEC 2/3 (WI) are new series with the design purpose to improve the prevalent 2/3 Watt SIP-8 DC/DC converters (eg. TMR 2/3E) in terms of cost, efficiency and performance. The latest technology and components enable an increase in efficiency by more than 20%. With the reduction of thermal loss, the operating temp
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Date:
04/09/2018
Harwin Introduces Ultra-Compact Fine Pitch Cable-to-Board Connector Offering
Continuing to extend the breadth of its interconnect solutions, Harwin has announced the latest addition to the M40 series. With phosphor bronze contacts that are rated for currents of up to 1A, these lightweight, low profile 1mm pitch units are the smallest in the company’s portfolio of cable-to-board connecto
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Date:
04/09/2018
STMicroelectronics’ ACEPACK IGBT Modules, Now at Mouser, Deliver Highly Integrated Power Conversion Up to 30kW
Mouser Electronics is now stocking the ACEPACK IGBT modules from STMicroelectronics (ST). Part of a new plastic power module family developed mainly to address industrial applications, the Adaptable Compact Easier PACKage (ACEPACK) modules provide economical and highly integrated power conversion for 3 kW –
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Date:
04/09/2018
Imec and Qromis Present High Performance p-GaN HEMTs on 200mm CTE-matched Substrates
imec and Qromis, have announced the development of high performance enhancement mode p-GaN power devices on 200mm engineered Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)-matched substrates, processed in imec’s silicon pilot line. The substrates are offered by Qromis as commercial 200mm QST® substrates as part of
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Date:
04/09/2018
Lumileds Latest LUXEON CoB Core Range LEDs, Now at Mouser, Offer High Density in a Small Surface
Mouser Electronics is now stocking LUXEON CoB Core Range (Gen 4) LEDs from Lumileds. These LEDs offer high flux densities in a small light emitting surface (LES), enabling double the luminous flux of the third generation of LUXEON CoB Core Range devices. The high-density CoBs can achieve the highest center beam candlep
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Date:
04/09/2018
RS Components delivers flexible, cost-effective rack power with modular RS Pro PDUs featuring power management options
RS Components has introduced easily upgradeable power distribution units (PDUs) to its high-quality high-value RS Pro range, which give flexibility to retrofit power metering or networked power monitoring cost effectively and with minimal disruption. The new family of PDUs offer versatile configurations, presenting an elega
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Date:
04/09/2018
Welcome to the April issue of PSD. The industry currently seems to be on the crest of a wave, or as Mark Burr-Lonnon from Mouser put it at the recent Embedded World exhibition, “If you aren’t making lots of money in the industry at this particular time, then you must be doing something wrong”. That quote wa
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Date:
04/09/2018
The Industry’s First Batteryless Electronic UHF Retail Price Tag
PITTSBURGH -- Powercast Corporation announced that it will demonstrate the industry’s first Batteryless Electronic UHF (Ultrahigh Frequency) Retail Price Tag at RFID Journal LIVE! (Booth #1260) being held in Orlando, April 10 – 12. It is a finalist for the show’s Best New RFID Product 2018 Award, with winne
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Date:
04/09/2018
Optimized Buck Regulators with Integrated MOSFETs Raise Power Density to New Levels

Figure 1. The FAN6500XX in a typical application

Integration is fundamental to solid-state electronics — the ability to bring together similar and complementary functions into a single device drives the entire industry. When coupled with developments in packaging, wafer handling and lithography, feature density continues to rise, delivering more efficient so
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Date:
04/09/2018
Controller Platform Delivers High Functionality and Unprecedented Connectivity
WAUKESHA, Wis. – According to the Pew Research Center, a whopping 77 percent of Americans own smartphones. That’s why when Generac Industrial Power developed its own control platform — the new Power Zone — specifically for its industrial generator sets, it chose to make the interface emulate a smartphone, fo
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Date:
04/05/2018
Conductive and Hybrid Conductive Aluminum Polymer Capacitors Save PCB Space and Lower Costs
MALVERN, Pa. — Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced new conductive (184 CPNS, 185 CPNZ, and 186 CPNT series) and hybrid conductive (182 CPHZ and 183 CPHT series) aluminum polymer capacitors in a variety of case sizes ranging from 4 mm by 4 mm by 5.5 mm to 10 mm by 10 mm by 12.4 mm. The Vishay BCcomponents de
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Date:
04/04/2018
In recent years, significance of semiconductor module for photovoltaic power conversion systems is increasing. Especially higher output power with existing housing size of power module is important to realize further downsizing or rating upgrade for its systems. For realizing higher output, advanced technologies
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Date:
04/03/2018
PSDcast - AC/DC Rapid Charge Solutions
In this episode of the PSDcast, we're discussing AC/DC rapid charge solutions with Faisal Ahmad from Dialog Semiconductor. Our industry often intersects with the consumer world - after all, every proprietary technology eventually reaches some sort of end-user - and two of the most biggest challenges in that shar
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Date:
04/03/2018
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