Logarithmic amplifiers: A quick tour of theory and practice
In this post, we will take a gentle dive into logarithmic amplifiers—commonly known as log amps—those quietly powerful circuits that work behind the scenes to decode exponential signals and tame wide dynamic ranges.
Log amps: Basics and…
Burning power lines
There was one heck of a scary item in the news recently. The following screenshots were taken from a video that was recorded in the teeth of recent inclement weather. Overhead power lines had actually caught fire.
Figure 1 Overhead power lines…
Navitas tightens SiC losses with refined TAP
Navitas Semiconductor has announced its 5th-generation GeneSiC platform featuring high-voltage trench-assisted planar (TAP) SiC MOSFETs, describing it as a significant advancement over previous generations. The new 1200-V MOSFET line complements…
Software accelerates 3D interconnect design
The Keysight Chiplet 3D Interconnect Designer automates the design of 3D interconnects for chiplet and 3DIC advanced packages. By removing time-consuming manual steps, the tool streamlines the optimization of complex interconnect structures—including…
Samsung leads with HBM4 DRAM performance
Samsung has begun mass production and commercial shipments of its HBM4 DRAM, marking what it describes as an industry first. Built on Samsung’s 6th-generation 10-nm-class DRAM process with a 4-nm logic base die, this high-bandwidth memory…
Embedded capacitors improve AI/HPC power delivery
Empower has launched three embedded silicon capacitors (ECAPs) for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) processors. The portfolio includes the EC2005P (9.34 μF in a 2×2-mm package), EC2025P (18.68 μF in a 4×2-mm package), and EC2006P…
Automotive high-side driver withstands cold crank
ST’s VNQ9050LAJ 4-channel high-side driver controls 12-V automotive ground-connected loads via a 3-V and 5-V CMOS-compatible interface. Operating from 4-V to 28-V with typical RDS(on) as low as 50 mΩ per channel, the device remains active…
Preemptive utilities shutdown oversight: Too much, too little, or just right?
Preventing fires and other calamities by proactively shutting off power in advance of inclement weather is dependent on forecast precision; customers’ needs should also be a considered factor.
Following up on my prior blog post, wherein I…
Using integration and differentiation in an oscilloscope
Modern digital oscilloscopes offer a host of analysis capabilities since they digitize and store input waveforms for analysis. Most oscilloscopes offer basic math operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, ratio, and…
AI is stress-testing processor architectures and RISC-V fits the moment
Every major computing era has been defined not by technology, but by a dominant workload—and by how well processor architectures adapted to it.
The personal computer era rewarded general-purpose flexibility, allowing x86 to thrive by doing…
Silly simple supply sequencing
Frequent contributor R. Jayapal recently shared an interesting Design Idea (DI) for power supply control and sequencing in MCU-based applications that combine analog and digital circuitry: “Short push, long push for sequential operation of…
AI in 2026: Enabling smarter, more responsive systems at the edge
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its momentum across the electronics ecosystem, 2026 is shaping up to be a defining year for edge AI. After years of rapid advancement in cloud‑centric AI training and inference, the industry is reaching…
