Electronic Components

Power YouTube videos support power converter adoption 28th January 2014 Ericsson has put together videos to promote its 3E PSU portfolio, showing potential adopters how to use the firm’s Digital Power Designer on-line tool. “With built-in digital control and monitoring, the 3E series includes isolated bus converters and digital point-of-load [POL],” said the firm. “The latest version of Digital Power Designer inclues a number of features that enable board power designers and system architects to simulate either simple or complex power schemes. Version 1.4 features loop compensation functionality that makes it easy to simulate output capacitors and output filtering networks such as PI filters, and to optimise loop response without hardware modification for the end application.” There is also the 3E Design Toolbox which includes five boards supporting power interface modules, bus converters, current sharing, single-in-line 3E POL regulators and a generic board accommodating thro...

Power Formula 1 cars more hybrid than hybrids from today 28th January 2014 2014 Renault Formula1 engine 400 For the 2014 season, Formula 1 cars will have smaller engines, plus two ‘energy recovery systems’ (ERS): regenerative braking, like most road hybrids, and an exhaust gas-driven electrical generator – the kind of electrically-enhanced turbo charging that has yet to reach road cars. Regenerative braking is not new to Formula 1. Hybrid technology was first introduced to the race series in 2009 with ‘Kinetic Energy Recovery System’ (KERS), whose influence has been increased by regulation over the years. However, today is the day when cars both ERS systems, and far more energy storage, start pre-season testing in Jerez, Spain. “The 2.4 litre normally-aspirated V8 engines of 2013 produced around 750bhp, with an additional 80bhp available for around six seconds per lap from KERS. The 2014 V6s put out around 600bhp. However, the two ERS systems (ERS-K and ERS-H) will give driver...

Research Space: Dream Chaser mini shuttle gears up for first orbital flight 28th January 2014 NASA astronauts may be getting a sweet new ride. Engineers at Sierra Nevada Corporation have announced that the Dream Chaser will make its first orbital flight on 1 November 2016. The Dream Chaser will launch attached to an Atlas V rocket as shown in this artist’s impression. In previous flight tests, the craft was “flown” suspended from a helicopter. Its first free flight ended badly when it crash-landed after successfully gliding on autopilot from an altitude of 3.8 kilometres. The Dream Chaser is one of three spacecraft vying to replace NASA’s retired space shuttle and restore the US’s ability to send astronauts into orbit. Currently, astronauts must hitch a ride to the International Space Station in Russian Soyuz capsules. Other contenders being developed with NASA’s support are Boeing’s CST-100 and SpaceX’s Dragon. Although the Dream Chaser is small – about 9 metres long, compare...

Information Technology Solar charger for iPhones is a Kickstarter hit 28th January 2014 San Diego-based start-up StrongVolt has raised $52,000 on Kickstarter crowd-funding site for its iPhone and iPad solar charger. The charger consists of multiple panels which fold up into a “pocket-sized” format. Dubbed SmartCharger, it uses patent-pending technology developed by the start-up which allows the solar charger to automatically reconnects after passing under clouds or shade and is specifically designed for iDevice compatibility. These are different power verison of the charger ranging from 3W to 18W. The 18W version (28.5″x12.5″x0.2″) charges an iPhone in one and a half hours and the 5W version (15.4″x7″x0.2″) charges an iPhone in three and a half hours, according to StrongVolt. “Apple iDevices such as iPods, iPhones and iPads are notorious for not working with existing solar chargers because they require a constant and stable power source,” claimed StrongVolt. “The SunTrack tech...

Discretes Toshiba expands mosfet range to 250V 28th January 2014 Toshiba has 32 power mosfets for synchronous rectification, primary side switching and secondary side switching, with device from 60 to 250V. They come in TSON (3x3mm) or SOP (5x6mm) packages. “On-resistance values of many members of the family are best in class,” claimed the firm, quoting: the 100V TPH4R50ANH (4.5mΩmax at 10VGS) and 200V TPH2900ENH (29mΩmax at 10VGS). Rating choice is 60, 80, 100, 150, 200 or 250V. These are ‘VIII-H’ mosfets based on the company’s eighth generation UMOS trench process. Target applications include ac/dc and dc/dc conversion in industrial systems, digital home appliances, computing equipment and gaming products. “The 80 to 150V devices will be particularly well-suited to power supplies in various elements of telecommunications application,” said Toshiba. Welcome to SUV System Ltd! SUV System Ltd is ...

Business Spreadtrum sampling faster, more integrated, entry-level smartphone ICs 28th January 2014 Chinese wireless IC specialist Spreadtrum has brought out a more integrated, faster, single-core Platform for entry-level smartphones. Two chip-sets based on the platform are sampling now, and a third will sample in Q2. The platform supports WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and EDGE, integrating a Cortex-A7 CPU running at speeds up to 1.2GHz as well as GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and FM connectivity. This higher level of integration coupled with faster device performance is designed to further reduce the cost of entry-level smartphones. “Our single-core smartphone platform provides a rich user experience to the consumer who is buying a smartphone for the first time,” says Dr. Leo Li, chairman and CEO of Spreadtrum, “by integrating connectivity, we are able to bring down the total device cost for our customers which can help further improve end-market retail prices. This can help further open up mass mar...

Business X-FAB and Imec offer 0.18 micron SOI HV MPW runs 28th January 2014 Analogue/mixed-signal foundry X-FAB is working with Imec to offer multi-project wafer runs through imec’s EUROPRACTICE IC Service for X-FAB’s 0.18 micrometer SOI HV process (XT018) and a junction-isolated HV process (XH018). The offered service enables small start-ups and academic institutions throughout Europe to access the full functionality of X-FAB’s high-voltage/low-power 0.18 micrometer technology and prototype ASIC designs in a cost-effective way. The EUROPRACTICE IC Service offered by imec and Fraunhofer brings ASIC design and manufacturing capability within the technical and financial reach of anyone who wishes to use ASICs. It offers low-cost ASIC prototyping and small volume production ramp-up to European universities and publicly funded research institutes for microelectronic and microsystem design through multi-project wafer (MPW) and dedicated wafer runs. “Through our cooperation with ime...

Business ST annual revenues fall to $8.02 billion; expects 9.5% fall in Q1 28th January 2014 STMicroelectronics had Q4 revenues of $2.01 billion, gross margin was 32.9%, and the net loss was $36 million. 2013 full year revenues were $8.08 billion for a net loss of $500 million. 2012 revenues were $8.49 billion and 2011 revenues were $9.7 billion. In the last two years ST has racked up losses of $1.6 billion. “In the first quarter, we expect overall revenues to decrease sequentially by about 9.5%,” said ST CEO Carlo Bozotti. ST had net cash of $741 million on December 31, 2013, compared to $1.19 billion on December 31, 2012. ST’s had ‘financial resources’ of $1.89 billion and debt of $1.15 billion on December 31, 2013, compared to $2.49 billion and $1.30 billion, respectively, on December 31, 2012. Welcome to SUV System Ltd! SUV System Ltd is ISO 90012008 Certified electronics distributor with 10...

Business Tablet processors on a roll 28th January 2014 300m tablet  processors will ship in 2014, says IHS, very close to the 315 million x86 PC processors shipped last year according to IC Insights. Last year 243.1 million tablet processors were shipped, says IHS, and by 2016 400 million a year will ship. ‘The main challenge facing Intel will be how to compete in the entry-level segment,’ says IHS. Intel will be up against Chinese chip manufacturers Rockchip, Allwinner, and Amlogic and Taiwanese chip-maker Mediatek, all of which are used to cut-throat competition on price – and some of the Chinese tablets sell for $50. Intel is planning to pay tablet manufacturers to use its chips – a strategy which is likely to cost Intel upwards of $800 million this year. That’s on top of the losses, estimated at $2.5 billion, which Intel made trying to sell mobile processors last year. ‘One major advantage for the Chinese is the capability to produce turnkey chip solutions ready for deploy...

Diary Dates JTAG boundary scan webinars are free 27th January 2014 JTAG Technologies is running a series of webinars in February with one hour learning modules covering JTAG boundary-scan topics. Starting with a technology introduction on February 4th the series moves on to cover – ‘Design for test’ requirements when implementing boundary-scan on February 6th. The following week will introduce the use of start of the art application developer tools (e.g. JTAG ProVision). Other topics to be covered include the use of low-cost JTAG tools such as JTAGLive Studio, the scope for emulative test and programming using the CoreCommander tool-set and also ‘Productionising’ tests with in a sequence. Registration, full details and dates are available online These are live webinars and participants will be able to ask (type) questions in real-time. The anticipated audience will include electronics design engineers looking at JTAG for hardware validation, test engineers not yet familiar wit...

Sensors Digital colour sensing chip is tiny 27th January 2014 Intersil colour sensor Intersil has announced a light-in digital-out colour photometric chip. Called ISL29125, and measures only 1.65×1.65mm, it is intended to be used alongside displays, monitoring ambient light so the perceived display colour and intensity can be maintained. “Specifically, in OLED display TV applications, it can be used to adjust the blue organic material ageing profile to maintain consistent contrast and brightness throughout the life of the display,” said the firm. Dynamic range is 5.7mlux to 10klux, in two ranges: 0.0057 to 375lux, and 0.152 to 10,000 lux, measured through an internal integrating 16bit ADC operating at 100ms/colour. Part-to-part variation of RGB output is said to be less than +/-10% Operating is over -40 to +85°C from 2.25V to 3.63V, using 85uA, or 0.5uA when shut down. The digital interface is I2C, needing pull-ups to between 1.7 and 3.63V. There is an evaluation board and a p...

Research Phosphorene: graphene with a bandgap 2014/01/27 US and Chinese scientist have made transistors from a graphene-like substance called black phosphorus, which is being dubbed phosphorene in its few-layer form. Just like graphene, phosphorus can form a flat sheet molecule. Although up-close it is heavily corrugated while graphene is flat – the difference being a result of phosphorus’ three covalent bonds and carbon’s four. “The three bonds take up all three valence electrons of phosphorus so, unlike graphene, monolayer black phosphorus is a semiconductor,” said the Chinese team in its paper ‘Black Phosphorus Field-effect Transistors‘, published on arxiv.org. “For few-layer phosphorene, interlayer interactions reduce the band gap for each layer added, and eventually reach ~0.3eV for bulk black phosphorus.” In the bulk form, layers are held together by Van der Waals – also like graphene. For research, flakes of both materials can be removed from lumps of the raw material u...