NEW
PRODUCTS:
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EDITOR'S NOTE:
This month's top product picks
are all related to efficiency. These products, ranging from MOSFETs to
transceivers, deliver energy, power or system efficiency, including in some
cases significant power savings, across many industries. Many of these devices are also housed in small packages
to save board space.
Let's start with Vishay's Si8851EDB TrenchFET
p-channel Gen III power MOSFET. This device offers two big advantages for
mobile devices. It delivers higher efficiency and saves space. The -20V power
MOSFET offers an extremely low on-resistance of 8.0 mΩ and 11.0 mΩ at -4.5 V and
-2.5 V gate drives, respectively in a 2.4- x 2.0- x 0.4-mm CSP MICRO FOOT
package size. It's the low on-resistance that allows designers to achieve lower
voltage drops in their circuits for more efficient use of power and longer
battery run times.
Another power semiconductor that delivers higher energy
efficiency is ST's 600-V trench-gate
field-stop IGBT V series. These devices are
designed to do three things: increase system energy efficiency, deliver higher
switching frequencies, and simplify thermal and electromagnetic interference
(EMI) design. How is it accomplished? ST said it's due to the smooth and
"tail-less" turn-off characteristic, saturation voltage as low as 1.8V, and
maximum operating junction temperature of 175°C. The devices eliminate the
conventional IGBT turn-off current tail and use ultra-thin die to help switching
performance and improve thermal dissipation.
This month's selection also
includes several efficient devices aimed at motor control and drive system
applications. For brushed DC motor applications, TAEC's TB9101FNG and TB9102FNG
brushed DC motor drivers for in-vehicle applications are designed
specifically for "small, power conscious motors." They offer a very low ON
resistance to support the power requirements of small motors used in automotive
electronic systems such as air-conditioner valves, door mirrors and windows.
Also used for motor applications
are LAPIS' 8-bit flash microcontrollers that are designed for small single-phase
DC motor control. The ML610Q101 and ML610Q102
include peripherals and functions designed to control small single-phase DC
motors with greater efficiency and lower noise compared with previous
solutions.
Microchip also introduced two new
solutions aimed at motor control. The Microchip dsPIC33EP512GM710 family of
dsPIC DSCs enable dual motor control, dual CAN communication and advanced
sensor interfaces. These devices enable more efficient, less expensive designs
in applications such as appliances, automotive, and industrial markets.
Aimed at motor control and drive
designs, Microchip offers the MCP8024. This three-phase
BLDC motor gate driver with power module includes functions that power dsPIC
digital signal controllers (DSCs) and PIC microcontrollers (MCUs) with
capabilities to drive six N-channel MOSFETs. This provides increased efficiency,
while lowering system cost and reducing time to market. The brushless DC
companion device provides all power, sensing and protection functions to
implement a robust and highly efficient motor system design, said Microchip.
In the RF world, RFMD has
expanded its portfolio of antenna control solutions with the RF1105 impedance tuners for
smartphones and mobile devices. The RF1105 offers a broad antenna impedance
tuning range to optimize efficiency in LTE and HSPA+ cellular devices. The
programmable RF1105 functions as a tuner sub-system across all LTE frequency
bands up to 2.7GHz, providing antenna feed matching over a wide frequency range.
What this does is simplify antenna design and enable smartphone and mobile
device OEMs to optimize antenna power and sensitivity and maximize battery
life.
In the low-power arena, EM
Microelectronic offers an ultra-low-power Bluetooth SmartController, the EM9301, powered only by
harvested energy or low-voltage, zinc-air batteries to send advertising
broadcasts to passing smartphones. Optimized for ultra-low-power wireless
sensing, remote control and monitoring applications, the EM9301 operates on as
little as 0.8V. It can be powered by a wide range of common single-cell
batteries or energy harvesters such as solar cells, piezo-electric and
electro-magnetic elements.
Another ultra-low-power device
comes from Analog Devices (ADI).Touting the industry's lowest power digital
isolators, ADI's ADuM144x family of
iCoupler digital isolators are said to reduce power by a factor of 1,000
compared to optocouplers to improve energy efficiency. They can be powered by as
little as 1 μW of power. An added bonus: It's housed in the industry's smallest
package.
Also aimed at power savings is Exar's XR3070-78X family of
ruggedized RS-485/RS-422 transceivers for harsh industrial environments.
Operating from 3.3V with a 300-uA idle current, these devices consume half the
power of a comparable +/-18V fault tolerant solution. In addition, the
XR3070-78X provides insurance against wiring faults up to +/-18V, while
protecting against ESD events exceeding IEC Level 4. These transceivers can be
used in a variety of applications including energy metering, building
automation, security systems, process control, and other industrial automation
applications.
Always
remember, these are my personal opinions. Product selection should include
consultation with your vendors and product datasheet reviews. Please scroll down
for more detailed information about each of these products, and other
significant products introduced over the past month.
Do
you think I should have considered other products for this month's picks? Send
me a note at gina.roos@epsnewsonline.com.
EPS wishes everyone a Happy Holiday
Season!
Gina
Gina Roos
Executive editor
Electronics Purchasing Strategies
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Vishay MOSFET Delivers Low
On-Resistance
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. has expanded its family of TrenchFET
p-channel Gen III power MOSFETs, claiming the industry's first -20 V device in
the 2.4- x 2.0- x 0.4-mm CSP MICRO FOOT package size. The device is designed to
increase efficiency and save space in mobile computing devices. The Vishay
Siliconix Si8851EDB offers extremely low on-resistance of 8.0
mΩ and 11.0 mΩ at -4.5 V and -2.5 V gate drives, respectively. The low
on-resistance enables designers to achieve lower voltage drops in their circuits
for more efficient use of power and longer battery run times. Continue
reading |
ST IGBTs Solve Power Design
Constraints
STMicroelectronics' touts that its
advanced 600-V trench-gate field-stop IGBT V series offers a
smooth and "tail-less" turn-off characteristic, saturation voltage as low as
1.8V, and maximum operating junction temperature of 175°C, which deliver
increased system energy efficiency, higher switching frequencies, and simplified
thermal and electromagnetic interference (EMI) design. The 600-V IGBTS increase
switching efficiency and maximum operating frequency by eliminating the
conventional IGBT turn-off current tail and use ultra-thin die thickness to help
switching performance and improve thermal dissipation, said
ST. Continue
reading | |
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TAEC Motor Drivers Target Auto
Apps
Toshiba
America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC) has announced the availability of
automotive-grade TB9101FNG and TB9102FNG brushed DC motor
drivers for in-vehicle brushed DC motor applications in small packages. The
devices are fabricated in a fine-pitch BiCD process and offer low ON resistance
to support the power requirements of small motors used in the electronic systems
of new automobiles. The devices are housed in a small, flat SSOP24 package that
reduces the device mounting area to approximately 1/3 that of equivalent
products. Continue
reading |
LAPIS 8-Bit MCUs Suit Motor Control
Apps
LAPIS Semiconductor Co.,
Ltd., a ROHM Group Company, has introduced a family of 8-bit microcontrollers
for single-phase DC motor control that supports a wide variety of applications.
The ML610Q101 and ML610Q102 include peripherals and functions designed to
control small single-phase DC motors with greater efficiency and lower noise
compared with previous solutions. These devices provide optimized features that
enable precise control of the rotation and speed of single-phase fans and
motors, while using few external components, in electrically noisy environments,
such as industrial equipment and computer systems. Continue
reading | |
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Microchip DSCs Offer Higher
Integration
Microchip
Technology Inc. has released a new family of dsPIC33 Digital
Signal Controllers (DSCs). The dsPIC33EP512GM710 family is
an expansion of Microchip's dsPIC DSC portfolio that adds higher levels of
integration for motor control applications. The DSCs enable efficient dual motor
control with 12 motor control PWM channels (6 pairs), dual 12-bit ADCs, multiple
32-bit Quadrature Encoder Interfaces, and two CAN modules. Continue
reading |
Microchip Device Delivers Complete Motor Drive
System
Microchip
Technology Inc. introduces a three-phase BLDC motor gate driver with power
module. The MCP8024
device includes functions that power dsPIC digital signal controllers (DSCs) and
PIC microcontrollers (MCUs) with capabilities to drive six N-channel
MOSFETs. This provides increased efficiency, while lowering system cost and
reducing time to market. The device provides high-integration analog such as
three current-sensing operational amplifiers, an over-current comparator, MOSFET
drivers and a bidirectional communication interface for a complete motor drive
system design. Continue reading
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RFMD Tuner Optimizes Antenna Efficiency
RFMD has launched its first impedance tuner, the
RF1105, which offers a broad antenna impedance tuning range to optimize
efficiency in LTE and HSPA+ cellular devices. The programmable RF1105 functions
as a tuner sub-system across all LTE frequency bands up to 2.7 GHz, providing
antenna feed matching over a wide frequency range. "This simplifies antenna
design and enables smartphone and mobile device OEMs to optimize antenna power
and sensitivity while also maximizing battery life," said the
company. Continue
reading |
EM Debuts Ultra-Low-Power Bluetooth Smart
Controller
EM
Microelectronic offers an ultra-low-power Bluetooth SmartController, the EM9301,
which is powered by harvested energy or low-voltage, zinc-air batteries to send
advertising broadcasts to passing smartphones. A variety of photovoltaic (PV)
solar cells have been used to power the EM9301 and an EM6819 ULP 8-bit Flash
microcontroller to send sensor data, such as temperature, light level and
beacon/location information, to an application running on nearby smartphones
using Bluetooth low-energy technology. Continue
reading
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ADI Digital Isolators Offer Power Savings
Analog Devices has claimed the industry's lowest power digital isolators with the introduction of the
ADuM144x family. Based on ADI's proprietary iCoupler technology, the ADuM144x
can be powered by as little as 1 μW of power, delivering power levels over 1,000
times lower than optocouplers and competing digital isolators, according to the
company. This makes the devices well suited for industrial and instrumentation
systems such as 4-20 mA current loops, remote sensors and green systems that
demand high energy efficiency or depend on limited power sources, such as
batteries. Continue
reading |
Exar Transceivers Consume Less Power
Exar
Corp. introduces the XR3070-78X family of ruggedized RS-485/RS-422 transceivers
for harsh industrial environments. The analog bus pins can withstand direct
shorts up to +/-18V and are protected from electrostatic discharge (ESD) events
exceeding IEC Level 4. Operating from 3.3V with a 300-uA idle current, these
devices consume half the power of a comparable +/-18V fault tolerant solution.
The family of nine devices supports data rates up to 20 Mbps in either full or
half duplex configurations. Applications include energy metering, building
automation, security systems, process control, and other industrial automation
applications. Continue reading
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Molex
Will Change Under Koch But How Much?
Don't hold your breath if you believe Molex Inc. will
not change at all or only superficially following its acquisition by Koch
Industries Inc. The new master is in the house and more than the furniture will
be shifted around. Koch targeted Molex because it sees an opportunity to improve
operational performance, jack up sales and squeeze more profits out of the
company. It will do whatever it sees necessary to achieve these goals, including
reorganization, management reshuffle, further acquisitions and brand extension
into new markets. Continue reading
Ametherm Thrives in Nevada
Ametherm, a U.S.
manufacturer of thermistors and other electronic components for circuit
protection, has doubled the size of its manufacturing plant with the purchase of
a 36,000-square-foot facility in Carson City to meet increased demand. The
privately-held company manufactures all of its circuit protection devices at the
new facility, which now serves as its new headquarters, and a smaller plant in
Carson City. Ametherm expects to hire about 10 to 15 new employees as a result
of the expansion. Continue reading
The Power IC Market is Alive and
Well
Market conditions have changed in the power
semiconductor market in 2013, and this is good news for suppliers. The market is
expected to grow in the single digits in 2013, although some application sectors
will grow faster or fall below the total market, said Victoria Fodale, senior
semiconductor market analyst for IHS. Some power semiconductor manufacturers
expect higher growth of about 10 percent for discrete devices particularly as
more customers address power efficiency in their end products. Continue reading
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