December 13, 2013 

NEW PRODUCTS:





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

 
HOT PRODUCTS 

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

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 productsContinue 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


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

 


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


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

 


New Products 
Component News 

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 marketsContinue 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

 

The Complexity of Managing Materials Reporting

In a simple example of a chip capacitor used in a majority of electronic products today, SGS shows how complex it can be to identify and report on the materials used in an electronic component. This is a growing challenge for electrical and electronics suppliers and manufacturers as they need to deal with growing demand to be accountable for every molecule of material contained in their products, which may impact the health of the environment, consumers and workers responsible for the manufacturing of products, and for the recovery, recycling and disposal of end of life products, said SGS. Continue reading


Semiconductor Industry Set to Grow 5% in 2013

The numbers are rolling in for the global semiconductor industry in 2013, and they look good, according to several market research firms, thanks to a strong rebound in memory devices. Several market analysts peg growth at approximately five percent in 2013. Continue reading

 

Avnet Releases Motor Control Kit

 

Component Trends: Movement in Leadtimes & Pricing

 

Bourns Site Adds Modeling Feature


IHS: Processor Sales up 24% in 2013


Semiconductor Market for Appliances to Grow 12%

 

SMART Modular Cuts Defect Rates

 

Syfer Releases EMI Filters Catalog 

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