The profile of a power simulation tool for SiC devices
Power electronics design is a critical aspect of modern engineering, influencing the efficiency, reliability, and performance of numerous applications. Developing circuits that meet stringent requirements while considering manufacturing variations…
Creating a very fast edge rate generator for testing (or taking the pulse of your scope)
I recently purchased a new oscilloscope for home use. It’s a 250 MHz scope, but I was curious what the actual -3dB frequency was as most scopes have a bit more upper end margin than their published rating. The signal generators I have either…
Chiplets diary: Three anecdotes recount design progress
The chiplet design movement representing multi-billion-dollar market potential is marching ahead with key building blocks falling in place while being taped out at advanced process nodes like TSMC’s 3 nm. These multi-die packaging devices…
Cadence debuts AI thermal design platform
Cadence Celsius Studio, an AI-enabled thermal design and analysis platform for electronic systems, aims to unify electrical and mechanical CAD. The system addresses thermal analysis and thermal stress for 2.5D and 3D ICs and IC packaging, as…
Cortex-M85 MCUs improve motor control
The third group in the Renesas RA8 series of MCUs, RA8T1 devices offer real-time control of motors and inverters used in industrial, building, and home automation. Like other RA8 microcontrollers, the RA8T1 group is based on a 480-MHz Arm Cortex-M85…
Flyback switcher ICs boost efficiency
InnoSwitch5-Pro programmable flyback switchers from Power Integrations employ zero-voltage switching and SR FET control to achieve >95% efficiency. A switching frequency of up to 140 kHz and a high level of integration combine to reduce the…
Low-noise amplifier is radiation-tolerant
Teledyne’s TDLNA0430SEP low-noise amplifier targets space and military communication receivers and radar systems operating in the UHF to S-Band. The radiation-tolerant device offers a low noise figure, minimal power consumption, and small…
Scope probes reach bandwidths up to 52 GHz
InfiniiMax 4 oscilloscope probes from Keysight operate at bandwidths up to 52 GHz (brickwall response) and 40 GHz (Bessel-Thomson response). The company reports that the InfiniiMax 4 is the first high-impedance probe head operating at more than…
“Sub-zero” op-amp regulates charge pump inverter
Avoiding op-amp output saturation error by keeping op-amp outputs “live” and below zero volts is a job where a few milliamps and volts (or even fractions of one volt) of regulated negative rail can be key to achieving accurate analog performance.…
Prosumer and professional cameras: High video quality, but a connectivity vulnerability
As I’ve recently mentioned a few times, I’m ramping up my understanding and skill set on a couple of Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Cameras (BMPCCs), both 6K in maximum captured resolution: a first-generation model based on the BMPCC 4K…
HBM memory chips: The unsung hero of the AI revolution
Memory chips like DRAMs, long subject to cyclical trends, are now eying a more stable and steady market: artificial intelligence (AI). Take the case of SK hynix, the world’s second-largest supplier of memory chips. According to its chief financial…
Power Tips #125: How an opto-emulator improves reliability and transient response for isolated DC/DC converters
In high-voltage power-supply designs, safety concerns require isolating the high-voltage input from the low-voltage output. Designers typically use magnetic isolation in a transformer for power transfer, while an optocoupler provides optical…
