From system design to SiP: What’s the design flow
Like any successful system-on-chip (SoC) effort, a multi-die system-in-package (SiP) project must start with a sound system design. But then what? Are the steps in the SiP design flow different from the stages in an SoC design? What is necessary…
Analyzing a lightning-zapped NAS
As introduced last October, the summer of 2024 was once again brutal from a lightning-induced electronics-culling standpoint at the Dipert household. I’ve already covered the hot tub control board that got zapped, as well as documenting the…
Boosting RISC-V SoC performance for AI and ML applications
Today’s system-on-chip (SoC) designs integrate unprecedented numbers of diverse IP cores, from general-purpose CPUs to specialized hardware accelerators, including neural processing units (NPUs), tensor processors, and data processing units…
Adaptive resolution for ADCs
Impact of ADC resolution and its reference
Engineers always want to get all they can from their circuits; this holds for analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). To maximize performance from an ADC, resolution is perhaps the primary spec to focus…
What you need to know about firmware security in chips
The rapid advancement of semiconductor technologies has transformed industries across the globe, from data centers to consumer devices, and even critical infrastructure. With the ever-growing reliance on interconnected devices, robust security…
The 200G/lane CPO pushes optical interconnect boundaries
A new co-packaged optics (CPO) solution claims to set the bar for next-generation interconnects serving hyperscale data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. Broadcom’s third-generation CPO technology delivers 200G per lane while…
Another PWM controls a switching voltage regulator
A recent Design Idea, “Three discretes suffice to interface PWM to switching regulators,” demonstrated one way to use PWM to control the output of a typical switching voltage regulator. There were some discussions in the comments section…
GaN switch streamlines power conversion
Infineon’s CoolGaN 650-V G5 bidirectional switch (BDS) integrates two switches in a single device to actively block current and voltage in both directions. Its monolithic common-drain design with a double-gate structure, based on gate injection…
Field analyzers gain vector functions
Anritsu’s Site Master cable and antenna analyzers are now available with optional vector network analyzer (VNA) and vector voltmeter (VVM) capabilities. These additions extend their use to field testing of filters and amplifiers, as well as…
SoCs boost smart home interoperability
Qorvo has expanded its QPG6200 portfolio of low-power wireless SoCs supporting Matter over Thread, Zigbee, and Bluetooth LE. Featuring the company’s ConcurrentConnect technology, the devices enable seamless multiprotocol communication for…
IMU tracks high-G impacts and motion
The LSM6DSV320X inertial measurement unit (IMU) from ST features dual accelerometers for activity tracking up to 16 g and impact detection up to 320 g. To support edge computing, it integrates a machine-learning core for context awareness…
Micro-speaker enables slimmer wearables
Sycamore-W, an ultra-thin near-field MEMS speaker from xMEMS, brings premium audio to smartwatches and fitness bands. With dimensions of just 20×4×1.28 mm, it reduces speaker package volume by up to 70%, freeing space within wrist-worn devices…
