June 2003 Archives of Breaking News

6/18/2003

By Ashok Bindra, Editor, PETech

Power Alliance to Standardize POL Modules

To stimulate the growth of nonisolated point-of-load (POL) converters in distributed power architecture, DSP leader Texas Instruments has inked a second source licensing agreement with Artesyn Technologies, and Astec Power, a subsidiary of Emerson. This alliance between three dc-dc converter suppliers—Artesyn, Astec Power and TI—is aimed at standardizing high performance POL modules to ensure interoperability and customer design flexibility. It will offer users pin-compatible footprints that provide the same functionality and form factors. All three companies will manufacture products with the same electrical designs that ensure interoperability and true second sourcing.

Under the terms of this agreement, Artesyn and Astec will second source TI’s recently launched PTHxx series (see photo, left, for the PTHxx family of products). “As industry demand increases for a standard footprint and multiple sources for advanced point of load power solutions, this agreement with TI gives our customers what they desire,” said Todd Hendrix, vice president of worldwide marketing for Artesyn. “We are excited about the customer benefits and the potential growth that will occur in the point of load market.” “By combining our complementary strengths, Astec Power, Artesyn and TI are uniquely positioned to stimulate the rapid growth of this market by offering pin-compatible modules," said Mark Rice, vice president of worldwide marketing for Astec Power. "This alliance signifies a new commitment among rivals in the power industry to offer flexibility for our customers."

“The aim of this alliance is to make TI’s POL products as standards in the market,” said Don Matthiesen, product marketing manager for TI’s plug-in products. This license is only for the PTHxx series, stated Matthiesen. This product was chosen for its advanced features like auto-tracking, and is 70% smaller than previous TI modules, added Matthiesen. He continued, “Although we are creating competitors, the expansion will be much greater to help the productline.”

The agreement is not exclusive. And there are no restrictions for the partners in terms of regions and markets, said TI. Embedded in this agreement is the plan to jointly develop new silicon for future solutions. Hence, the second generation PTHxx part will be a joint development effort between the three partners. This work is expected to begin in the second half of this year. Meanwhile, three of the 15 members of TI’s PTHxx family are in production, with the remaining slated for production by the end of third quarter.

For more information, visit www.artesyn.com, www.gotoemerson.com, and www.ti.com.

6/18/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

National Semiconductor and Synopsys Collaborate for PowerWise Technology

National Semiconductor Corp. and Synopsys Inc. recently announced they are collaborating to develop a reference design flow supporting National Semiconductor’s energy-efficient PowerWise™ technology for handheld portable devices. The PowerWise reference design flow, based on Synopsys’ proven Galaxy™ Design Platform, facilitates faster implementation of the PowerWise technology among IC designers as well as wide adoption by handset manufacturers worldwide.

Energy efficiency has rapidly become a key differentiator for handheld portable devices. National Semiconductor’s PowerWise closed-loop Adaptive Voltage Scaling (AVS) technology increases energy efficiency significantly over existing open-loop voltage scaling schemes, achieving the lowest possible voltage at which an application can still meet its performance requirements. After jointly developing a methodology for designs with variable voltage supplies during the first phase of this collaboration, the two companies are now proceeding with the development of the PowerWise reference design flow.

As part of this effort, Synopsys is integrating support for variable voltage supplies in its Galaxy Design Platform, while National Semiconductor is providing libraries that utilize Synopsys’ advanced Liberty™ library format. These libraries make use of Liberty’s Scalable Polynomial Delay Model (SPDM), a delay model that offers a more accurate timing representation and reduces memory requirements, Scalable Polynomial Power Model (SPPM), and Scalable Polynomial Leakage Model (SPLM). National Semiconductor is also contributing key intellectual properties (IPs) and test cases.

“Energy efficiency is a key problem for many of our customers,” said Antun Domic, senior vice president and general manager of Synopsys’ IC Implementation business unit. “Our work with National takes full advantage of the most advanced variable supply voltage capabilities of the Galaxy Design Platform, implemented in synthesis, timing analysis and physical design. It has helped us to improve energy-efficient design techniques and will accelerate their adoption among our customers.”

“The addition of variable supply voltage capabilities in the Synopsys Galaxy Design Platform will enable the design of SoCs exhibiting a significant reduction in power consumption,” said Peter Henry, vice president for portable power products, National Semiconductor. “There has been tremendous interest in National Semiconductor’s PowerWise technology since its launch last November. The collaboration between two leaders in power management and EDA software will streamline the development of PowerWise-based applications.”

For more information, visit www.national.com.

6/18/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Industry Benchmark Report Being Compiled

Milwaukee-based Allied Industrial Marketing Inc. is currently compiling an industry benchmark report for the harmonic filter industry. While maintaining confidentiality of sensitive company information, the report will provide valuable industry data including market size, influence of leading technologies, vital industry statistics, sales trends, projections and more.

The report serves as a benchmark to help manufacturers understand their relative position in the harmonic filter industry (market share, productivity, sales growth, average selling prices, etc). Technologies included in the report are passive and active filters as well as phase shifting (12 and 18 pulse harmonic cancellation) transformers for medium and low voltage systems.

The 2002 benchmark report will provide valuable insight about the influence of power quality standards on all types of power electronics equipment, and the market preferences for various filtering techniques. Harmonic filters are used in conjunction with drives, UPS, computer mainframes, office equipment, medical equipment, elevators, HVAC and other power electronics equipment in both industrial, commercial applications.

Allied Industrial Marketing serves the electrical and power electronics equipment industries as a resource for marketing information and a provider of part-time marketing management services.

All manufacturers of harmonic filters and harmonic cancellation transformers are encouraged to submit a confidential survey and will receive a $200 discount off the standard price of $299. Publication is planned during Summer 2003—in time for 2004 strategy development and objective setting. Survey forms are available in pdf format by clicking: Harmonics Filter Survey Form pdf,or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected].

For more information, contact John Houdek at: Phone: 414-354-8747, or e-mail [email protected].

6/16/2003

By Ashok Bindra, Editor, PETech

Motorola, PowerDsine Join Forces To Deliver PoE ASIC

Motorola Inc.'s Semiconductor Products Sector and PowerDsine, supplier of power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions, are combining forces to jointly develop an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for the emerging PoE market. Combining Motorola’s SMARTMOS process with PowerDsine’s power over LAN expertise, the partners have unveiled plans to design and deliver IEEE 802.3af compliant ASIC chips for Ethernet switches and midspans to allow emerging VoIP phones, WLAN access points, network security cameras, Bluetooth devices, and others to share power and data over the same cable.

The IEEE is expected to ratify Draft 4.3 of the 802.3af standard this month. Analysts estimate that nearly 50 million Ethernet ports will be compatible with the new standard by 2005. Furthermore, experts project that 85% of all the Ethernet ports will be PoE enabled in the next four or five years.

The first fruit of this joint effort will be a 12-port solution (15W power per port) based on Motorola’s SMARTMOS 8, which allows integration of power devices with high-voltage analog and high-density digital logic functions on a single chip. The SMARTMOS 8 circuits can handle more than 100V. According to PowerDsine, samples of the PoE ASIC will be available in the fourth quarter, with production in early 2004. In addition to being fully complaint to 802.3af, it will also work with pre-standard proprietary solutions. PowerDsine says higher integration to address the needs of 24- and 48-port solutions is also in the works.

“Motorola's SMARTMOS technology and our system know-how allows us to develop an ASIC that stands above the rest in the industry,” said Igal Rotem, CEO of PowerDsine. "We're working together to extend our market reach and to build a flexible, yet tightly integrated and reliable solution that is top of the line, takes up less space and requires fewer components—something customers need today.”

The design team, which is already in place, has been working together for a few months.

For more information, visit www.powerdsine.com.

6/17/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

High Current Inductors

The LP02 line of high current inductors for VRM and synchronous buck applications features higher current densities than competitive products due to its extremely low DCR (0.4mΩ max.).

Suitable for applications from 300 kHz to more than 1 MHz, its design uses a gapped ferrite core to maximize efficiency at high frequencies. The LP02 is available in 2 sizes with values ranging from 50nH to 470nH. Standard packaging is tape and reel (1000/reel).

For more information, visit www.icecomponents.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

AC-DC Switching Power Supplies

Astec Power’s new HPS3KW line of high-efficiency ac-dc switching power supplies offers up to 18kW in a 3U (5.25-in. high) bulk front end. Individual modules deliver 3000W of output power at 85% efficiency. A 19-in. rack can be configured with up to six of the compact devices for a total of 18,000W of clean bulk dc power in less than 2400 cu in. of rack space. For maximum system reliability, the hot-swappable modules can also be configured for N+1 redundancy with up to 15kW in the same space.

In addition, the HPS3KW addresses a wide range of distributed power architecture (DPA) requirements for industrial, test, instrumentation, networking, and telecom applications where designers seek reliable and cost effective power solutions. They accept ac input from 180Vac to 264Vac and feature active power factor correction (typically >0.98) that meets EN61000-3-2 requirements for input current harmonic content. The single-output devices provide 48Vdc output at 57A and offer a standby supervisory output of 5V at 5A. Each module has overvoltage and overcurrent protection, active inrush current limiting circuitry, and an internal OR-ing device. The fan-cooled units require 5.7A (10%) minimum load and include built-in EMI filtering, forced current sharing between modules operating in parallel, and remote programmability (margining) of the main output voltage. In addition, all HPS3KW modules are standard with N+1 diode isolation and addressing for I2C communications.

For more information, visit www.astecpower.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

DC-DC Converters

Linear Technology Corp.’s LTC3734 and LTC3735 dc-dc converters power Intel's® Centrino® mobile technology for thin and light notebook PCs. The LTC3734 and LTC3735 are high efficiency synchronous step-down dc-dc controllers with integrated MOSFET drivers and Intel Pentium® M compatible power saving mode. The IC's high 550 kHz operating frequency, on-board MOSFET drivers, current mode operation, and high efficiency complement the new generation of compact, low-profile wireless Intel Centrino platform notebook PCs. Their high efficiency maximizes the power-saving features of the Centrino chipset.

Depending on the microprocessor speed and the CPU's maximum current requirement, designers can choose either the single-phase LTC3734 for up to 20A or the PolyPhase® LTC3735 for up to 40A load current capability. The LTC3734 and LTC3735 can also be used to power Pentium M processors in single-board computers, servers with multiple racks, networking servers, and communication systems.

They operate from input supplies ranging from 4V to 30V and boast a ±1% accurate 0.6V reference voltage. The adjustable operating frequency from 210 kHz to 550 kHz is effective in reducing noise interference in wireless notebook PCs. Both ICs feature overvoltage protection and a short-circuit shutdown timer that can also be disabled. Cycle-by-cycle current limiting and a sense resistor allow designers to accurately size the MOSFETs, inductor and output capacitors. The LTC3734 is housed in a 5 mm x 5 mm QFN package. The 2-phase LTC3735 is offered in a 36-lead SSOP.

For more information, visit www.linear.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Tiny LDO Power Management ICs

The MIC221x family from Micrel offers one of the highest performance, smallest size and most efficient power management solutions for the portable electronics market. It consists of two low-dropout (LDO) regulators, a power-on reset (POR) supervisor, and an open-drain driver.

The MIC2213 and MIC2214 offer a dual LDO regulator with an integrated POR supervisor and an open-drain driver. The first regulator (LDO1) is capable of sourcing 150mA of current, while the second regulator (LDO2) can source 300mA and has a POR circuit that detects faults on the output. The MIC2213/4 allows the user to program the delay on the POR to alert the processor when the output of the LDO has reached and settled to its intended voltage. This feature allows for sequencing and fault detection for the processor's supply voltages. The MIC2213/4 also offers an open-drain, N-Channel MOSFET that can be used to drive external LEDs for backlighting applications in portable electronics.

The total current consumption of the MIC2213/4 is only 48uA, compared to existing discrete solutions that consume 200uA. The MIC2213 offers the additional benefit of sequencing between two LDO outputs. LDO1 must reach 90% of its final value prior to LDO2 turning on, ensuring LDO1 is on first.

The MIC2213 and MIC2214 are uCap regulators, stable with small ceramic output capacitors, eliminating the need for larger, less reliable tantalum capacitors.

For more information, visit www.micrel.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Quarter-Brick DC-DC Converters

Datel’s new ULQ Series of quarter-brick dc-dc converters offer efficiencies to 91% and noise as low as 25 mVp-p. Featuring full usable power to +70°C and lead-free construction, the SMT models have heat shields.

Output voltages include 1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2V, 2.5V, and 3.3V. Output currents are15A, 20A, and 25A, and input voltages are 24V or 48V nominal. All models are fully isolated (2250Vdc) and line/load regulated (±±0.5%/±0.5% max.).In addition, the ULQ Series offers BASIC insulation and UL/EN/IEC60950 safety approvals.

For more information, visit www.datel.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Solid-State Relays

Crydom Corp.’s new CW24 and CW48 Series of solid-state relays (SSRs) offer high thermal ratings with reduced power dissipation, which reduces the heat sink requirements while providing optimum performance. The series also provides integrated, removable finger-proof covers, LED status indication, and user-friendly universal connectors.

Complementing its Series-1 solid-state relays, the new family of SSRs offers high power ac output switching capabilities. Using the same footprint as the Series-1 SSRs, they are easily incorporated into existing designs that will allow for a small increase in depth for the removable finger-proof cover.

Offered in steady-state current ratings of 10 Arms, 25 Arms, 50 Arms, 90 Arms, and 125Arms, they have high surge ratings in the rugged, silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), ac switch output configuration.

The steady-state/surge-current ratings make them attractive for applications in the heating, motor control, uninterruptible power systems (UPS), ventilating, air-conditioning, computer, peripherals, power management, food service equipment, medical electronics, and printing industries.

For more information, visit www.crydom.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Warner Power Introduces PowerPlay® Chassis

Warner Power's PowerPlay® is a space saving, multi-function, electronic packaging systems. It’s designed to replace the expensive, less reliable wiring methods by combining the power supply, wiring, mounting hardware and associated labor into one customized subassembly.

With its high performance, small footprint all-in-one chassis, designers can simply drop it into a greatly reduced space and achieve all their power requirements and component interconnections in one simple operation. In addition, PowerPlay systems provide automatic line selection for inputs from 70Vac to 260Vac.

For more information, visit www.warnerpower.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Murata Electronics North America Names President

Murata Electronics North America recently named Hiroshi Jozuka as president. In this role, Jozuka will incorporate his diverse experience and knowledge to further cement Murata’s position in the ceramic electronic components industry. With almost 25 years of experience at the company, Jozuka will build on his responsibilities to lead the charge in driving both sales and valuation for the corporation stateside.

"I am extremely pleased to become a part of Murata Electronics North America," said Jozuka. "North American operations represent tremendous opportunities for us to leverage our research and development, as well as our design functions to benefit Murata on a global level. It is truly an honor to have been selected for this position."

Most recently, Jozuka was the managing director for Murata Singapore, the largest capacitor manufacturer outside of Japan. Since April 1979, he has held various management positions within the Kyoto and Fukui locations, such as general manager (Fukui) and manager for Kyoto’s Planning Department. In addition, Jozuka worked at Hitachi Zosen Corp. for 10 years before moving into the General Administration Department at Murata. He obtained his bachelors degree from Kobe University in 1969.

For more information, visit www.murata-northamerica.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Catalyst Semiconductor Receives U.S. Patent

Catalyst Semiconductor has been awarded a U.S. patent (number 6,518,737) on its low dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulator design. The new circuit technique enhances Catalyst’s capability to incorporate its programmable EEPROM technology and mixed-signal design into system level ICs.

“This patent grant is an important milestone in Catalyst’s movement toward system-level ICs that combine our extensive EEPROM capability with mixed-signal circuits,” said Barry Wiley, vice president of marketing for Catalyst Semiconductor. “We believe exploiting this capability will allow us to make key contributions to our existing mobile communication, automotive, and consumer electronic customer base.”

The patent covers an LDO linear regulator with non-Miller frequency compensation. Optimum frequency compensation and transient response are obtained by using wideband, low-power operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs). In contrast to previous approaches, requiring tightly specified equivalent series resistance (ESR) for the external capacitor, the patented solution imposes no lower ESR limit. An LDO using a low ESR load capacitor will exhibit superior transient response with less undershoot or overshoot. The transient response of the patented LDO very nearly resembles the response of a single-pole system.

For more information, visit www.catalyst-semiconductor.com.

6/16/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

IPC Power Resistors Moves to New Facility

IPC Power Resistors (IPC) recently announced that it will be moving from its leased Florence, Ky., headquarters to a new location that the company owns in Erlanger, Ky. The move is scheduled for June 20, 2003.

“The new facility was needed to accommodate IPC’s growth; our volume has increased almost 300% over the last 5 years,” said Richard Field, president of IPC. “The new building will allow us to streamline our business and provide for future growth, as well as improve upon our already industry-leading delivery times.” The larger modern manufacturing facility is being completely renovated to suit the company’s needs, increasing the square footage of IPC’s operations by more than 3,000 sq ft. The headquarters building will house the company’s manufacturing, product development, testing and administrative operations. In addition to a new manufacturing flow on the shop floor, new fabrication equipment has been purchased. The company’s recently launched UL and CSA test lab will also move to the new building, where there will be more space and equipment to perform advanced product testing, including the required analysis for UL Listing and CSA Certification.

The company’s new address will be 167 Gap Way, Erlanger, Ky. 41018. Its current phone number (800-208-7915) and Web site (www.ipcresistors.com) address will remain the same.

For more information, visit www.ipcresistors.com.

6/4/2003

By Ashok Bindra, Editor, PETech

Interactive Online Design Tool Cuts Power Supply Development Time

To bring system level design capabilities to online simulation and development environments, Santa Clara, Calif.-based National Semiconductor has combined its broad portfolio of power management ICs with advances in its interactive Webench power supply design tool. As a result, the new interactive systems solutions selector solutions.national.com. and the revamped Webench 4.0 toolset together give users the ability to visualize complete systems online and interactively optimize the design in a few clicks before generating bill of material and creating the intended prototype. This new toolset will permit users to bring products to market in timeframes that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago, according to Phil Gibson, vice president of National’s Web business unit.

An easy-to-use interactive online design support environment, solutions.national.com. expedites the selection of power management devices for a specific application. Presently, it features solutions for some 30 specific applications for markets such as automotive, broad communications, displays, industrial medical systems, consumer, and wireless communications. Efforts are underway to expand this system solutions list to nearly 100 before the year’s end. Using a graphical navigation guide, users can access color-coded system level diagrams, obtain a list of recommended ICs, perform electrical and thermal simulations via Webench 4.0, and order product samples for worldwide delivery within 24 to 48 hours. The selection guide lets users select power management parts for a specific application by adjusting parameters such as power supply voltage, package type pin count, cost, and more than 300 electrical characteristics.

The revamped Webench 4.0 now features switching regulators for high-voltage power supply designs, as well as the supplier’s catalog of LDOs, adding more than 500 new devices. According to Edward Lam, vice president, power management at National, “The high-voltage switchers and LDOs extend the Webench toolset into an entirely new range of industry solutions.”

Major enhancements to Webench 4.0 include higher simulation accuracy, faster design, a carbon-copy feature, and multilingual capability. To assure faster and greater accuracy, new Spice-based simulation models have been added, while the older ones have been fine-tuned. Test suites can easily be duplicated with the carbon-copy feature, allowing engineers to automate test suites. The multilingual ability of Webench 4.0 offers easy translation from English to Japanese, Korean, Standard Chinese, and Simplified Chinese. In addition, National’s Analog University and knowledge-based research are integrated with Webench.

Webench usage continues to grow. Worldwide, more than 44,000 registered engineers create an average of 12,000 designs per month. In the past year, the use of Webench tools has surged by 230%—a significant increase since its humble beginnings in 1999, when the online simulator for power supply designers was first launched. Interestingly, much of the new growth is coming from Asia.

For more information, visit www.national.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Low-Profile, Surface-Mount Inductors

Vishay Intertechnology Inc.’s IHLP-5050FD-01 series is a low-profile, high-current inductor with typical DCR values as low as 0.47 mΩ and low losses at frequencies up to 5 MHz.

This latest addition to the patented Vishay Dale IHLP family of compact, surface-mount inductors is designed to provide a higher-performing, power- and space-saving solution for dc-dc converter and energy storage applications in end products, including computers, servers, telecom, and automotive electronics.

Devices in the IHLP-5050FD-01 series are offered in a surface-mount package measuring just 0.508 in. (12.9 mm) × 0.520 in. (13.2 mm), with a height profile of 0.256 in. (6.5 mm). The inductor's high saturation current ranges from 30A to 120A, and its maximum DCR values range from 0.50 mΩ to 11.2mΩ.

Standard inductance values range from 0.10 µH to 4.7 µH, with a tolerance of ±20%. At full rated current, they feature an inductance drop of less than 20%—a lower inductance roll-off than is provided by ferrite materials.

The IHLP-5050FD-01 inductors feature a self-shielded package and meet military specifications for resistance to thermal shock, moisture, mechanical shock, and vibration.

For more information, visit www.vishay.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Single Die MOSFET and Schottky Barrier Diode for DC-DC Converters

To meet the requirement for greater integration of devices and ever-smaller MOSFET packages for dc-dc converter applications, Toshiba America Electronic Components Inc. with its parent company, Toshiba Corp., has developed the industry's first integration of a power MOSFET and a Schottky barrier diode onto a single die to create a new device called a MOSBD™.

Toshiba's first MOSBD, designated TPC8A01, is a dual-channel device that combines two MOSFETS and a Schottky barrier diode, thus integrating the three devices required for synchronous rectification in dc-dc converters into a single package, allowing easy installation on a printed circuit board and providing greater board space savings. The device is suitable for dc-dc converters in notebook PCs, PDAs, LCDs, and motor drivers for hard disk drives.

Toshiba plans to expand the MOSBD line-up to include a single-channel version, integrating two devices (a MOSFET and a SBD). The single-channel version is under development.

The new MOSBDs greatly reduce wiring resistance and inductance due to the elimination of external wiring between the MOSFET and the diode. It is also manufactured using Toshiba's UMOS III process technology, enabling further performance improvement. The TPC8A01 MOSBD features a small footprint of 30 mm2 with a thickness of 1.6 mm, and is housed in industry-standard SOP-8 package.

For more information, visit chips.toshiba.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Tighter Tolerances for Thin Film Networks

Providing electronic design engineers with new levels of precision and stability, TT electronics BI Technologies has enhanced its nickel-chromium thin film technology to produce resistor networks with absolute tolerances less than 0.05% and TCRs below 25ppm/°C. The company’s recent investments in advanced production equipment and processes, including laser tailoring, ion beam milling and sputtering systems, have increased the capability, capacity, and the reliability of its nickel-chromium thin film resistor line.

BI Technologies offers precision resistor networks in a wide range of standard and custom resistance values from 10 Ω to 1 MΩ, with isolated or bused schematics incorporating from four to 23 resistors. Absolute tolerances are less than 0.05%, with ratio tolerances between resistors within a network less than 0.01%. TCR values are less than 25ppm/°C, and tracking is less than 2ppm over the temperature range of –55°C to +125°C. Long-term stability is typically 50ppm/year. Standard and custom networks are available in most popular plastic or hermetically sealed IC package types, including SOIC and QSOP.

For more information, visit www.bitechnologies.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Constant Frequency Step-up Switching Regulator

Linear Technology Corp.’s LT3460 is a high efficiency, 1.3 MHz, constant frequency step-up switching regulator in an SC-70 or ThinSOT™ package.

The LT3460 uses an internal 300mA switch that delivers output voltages as high as 36V from input voltages of 2.5V to 16V. It switches at 1.3 MHz, allowing the use of tiny, low-cost capacitors and inductors. This constant frequency topology results in low, predictable output noise that can be easily filtered, making it ideal for xDSL power supplies and biasing applications for handheld TFT displays.

The LT3460's wide input voltage range of 2.5V to 16V makes it suitable for a wide array of applications, from Li-Ion powered handhelds to industrial instrumentation. A low-profile SC70 or ThinSOT package and tiny externals optimize the LT3460 for space-constrained applications.

For more information, visit www.linear.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

PMU Integrates Major Functions for Handheld Devices

The AS3601 from austriamicrosystems offers an effective price and performance solution by integrating all major functions for handheld devices: dc-dc step-up and step-down converters, LDOs, a battery charger/fuel gauge, general purpose I/Os (GPIOs), features such as white LED drivers, and an audio amplifier—all on a single chip. Due to the high integration level, it consumes 60% less PCB space and costs 50% less than comparable solutions.

Real time software control of all functions and regulators using a serial interface provides flexibility, enabling the IC to fully adapt to the system configuration and to optimally manage the power supply. Using a single external resistor, any one of eight factory-preset sequences can be selected to optimize the startup procedure. Custom startup sequences can be mass-programmed to meet the demands of a variety of product designs and end markets.

The fully integrated and programmable dc-dc converter can either directly supply low voltage controller cores or act as a pre-regulator to the LDOs, increasing the overall power efficiency. The realized dynamic power control concept directly targets the upcoming 0.18 µm and 0.13 µm baseband controllers. Each of the 10 high performance LDOs can be programmed individually over a wide voltage range with precision resolution down to 50 mV.

For more information, visit www.austriamicrosystems.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Adapter Offers External Power Supply for 100W Applications

Phihong’s PSA150U power provides an external power supply option for applications that have traditionally required an internal solution. The external alternative increases system space, decreases EMI, and reduces heat, thereby increasing safety.

The PSA150U delivers up to 130W of power with 85% efficiency, the highest on the market. Along with increased reliability, stability, and overall lifetime of the power supply, the PSA150U adapter’s universal ac input range eliminates the need for a voltage switch.

The PSA150U power adapter features a high power density at 130W output, and carries worldwide EMC compliance. It’s designed for use in industrial controls, imaging machines, gaming machines, networking systems, portable electronic and telecommunication equipment that require zero down time.

The PSA150U power supply’s high efficiency allows it to minimize heat dissipation, resulting in an adapter that is small and reliable. In addition, it’s CE compliant, thus reducing system approval cost while meeting conducted and radiated EMI standards. The adapter’s robust construction readily survives dips and browns-outs, surges, spikes and lightning strikes.

For more information, visit www.phihong.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Programmable Interface for DC Fans

SmartFan Cirrus is a compact, microprocessor-based interface designed for the electronics, industrial, and HVAC control markets. Unlike many fan manufacturers, Cirrus offers an off-the-shelf, user-programmable interface for these fans.

Cirrus controls the speed of, and monitors tach pulses from one or two dc fans (24V or 48V) used in applications such as files servers, ATE products, storage subsystems, medical devices, telecommunications equipment, and HVAC systems. Cirrus regulates fan speed from a control signal (0mA to 20mA, 0Vdc to10Vdc), remote transducer, or thermistor. Alarm outputs are provided for overtemperature, loss of control signal, and failed fan conditions. On-board programming, three mounting, and connection configurations, including DIN rail mount and 4×4 job box mount, make this design extremely flexible and economical.

Other benefits include acoustical noise reduction, environmental (humidity, temperature, pressure, or flow) regulation, greater system reliability, increased fan life, improved safety, and energy savings.

For more information, contact Jim Quirk at 978-486-4160, ext. 207, or e-mail [email protected].

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

10W, Space-Level DC-DC Converters

The International Rectifier S-series line of 10W, radiation-hardened, “off-the-shelf” dc-dc converters is available unscreened or screened to Class K per MIL-PRF-38534, simplifying qualification processes and enabling faster project completion compared to custom-designed converters.

Small and light, they’re ideal for low power circuits such as analog and digital control power systems, as well as signal amplifiers and sensors in geo-synchronous (GEO) and low earth orbit (LEO) satellite applications.

The converters feature 28Vdc input, with single or dual output configurations, and operate up to 81% efficiency. They also include various functional and protection features, such as undervoltage lockout, output overvoltage limiter, on/off inhibit, short-circuit and overload protection. Other features include magnetically coupled feedback, with radiation hardness of 100 krads total ionizing dose (TID).

For more information, visit www.irf.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Temperature-Regulated CC-CV Battery Charger

Maxim Integrated Products’ MAX1501 is the first linear charger to integrate constant temperature regulation. This regulation minimizes charge time with improved reliability and accepts regulated or unregulated wall adapters with 4.5V to 13V outputs.

The proprietary thermal regulation automatically adjusts the charging current to avoid excessive power dissipation and to limit PCB temperature during constant-current, constant-voltage (CC-CV) charging. This minimizes charge time without degrading reliability. The thermally enhanced, 16-pin QFN package (5 mm × 5 mm) enables charge current up to 1.4A.

To provide complete flexibility, the MAX1501 charges both lithium-ion (Li+) and NiMH batteries and regulates the output voltage in a no-battery condition. This flexible charging control allows users to program the fast-charge current up to 1.4A, the top-off current, and the safety timer (3 hr, 4.5 hr, or 6 hr) for cell phones, PDAs, and digital still cameras.

The MAX1501 accepts a 4.5V to 13V input voltage range, but disables charging when the input voltage exceeds 6.5V to prevent excessive power dissipation. Other features include a charge-current monitor, charging status indicators for LED or logic, and auto-restart when the battery voltage falls below 4V.

For more information, visit www.maxim-ic.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Fan-Cooled Power Supply

Astec Power’s new LPQ142-CF top fan-cooled version of its LPQ142 power supply provides forced air required for continuous operation at the unit's 145W output power rating. With user adjustability on three of its four output voltages, one with a range of 3.3V to 25V, this power supply is suitable for any low profile application that requires tightly regulated and low-output ripple on four dc outputs. Active power factor correction enables compliance with EN61000-3-2 requirements for input current harmonic content. The unit's wide universal input voltage range (85Vac to 264Vac and 120Vdc to 300Vdc) and frequency range (47 Hz to 63 Hz) transcend international borders.

Boasting 3.45W per cubic inch, the LPQ142-CF is ideal for designers who need a robust plug-and-play solution for applications such as remote networking, single-board computing, and high-speed Ethernet. With 75% efficiency at full load, the LPQ142 has single-wire current sharing on the main output that is adjustable from 3.3V to 5.5V. The forced-air cooling enables the device to provide full rated output power while operating within an ambient temperature range of 0°C to 50°C. The LPQ142-CF can continue to deliver power between 50°C and 70°C, as long as the maximum power drawn from the unit is de-rated by 2.5% per °C of ambient temperature above 50°C.

For more information, visit www.astecpower.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

AVX Converting Multilayer Varistors to Lead-Free Finish

In response to customer requests for lead-free products, AVX Corp. is converting its multilayer varistors to a lead-free plated finish. The new plating will be available on MLVs produced at all AVX North American facilities by Oct. 1, 2003. MLVs manufactured at the Dijon, France, facility will be available with a similar lead-free finish before the end of 2003.

Testing indicates that parts with the lead-free finish meet or exceed all electrical, physical, and reliability test requirements. In addition, the lead-free parts are backward compatible with existing solder assembly profiles designed for lead-bearing parts.

“It is clear that electronic manufacturing worldwide is migrating toward lead-free processes,” said Brian Ward, AVX product manager. “It is our goal to make environmentally friendly finishes the standard on all of our MLV products.”

The change will also include AntennaGuard™, CAN BUS™, MultiGuard™, StaticGuard™, TransFeed™, TransGuard™, and UltraGuard™ devices. However, AVX will continue to provide the lead-bearing finish beyond the transition period for customers who specifically require it.

For more information, contact Brian Ward at 919-878-6400, by fax at 919-878-6470, or visit www.avxcorp.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Bayview Technology Group and Partners Save Energy

Bayview Technology Group, makers of an energy saving device for coin-operated cold beverage machines called the VendingMiser®, recently announced partnerships with Nevada Power Co. and Sierra Pacific Power. These alliances allow Nevada to reduce energy consumption and save money, while providing its customers with an incentive program.

Customers of Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power now qualify for a rebate of $100 toward the purchase of the VendingMiser. The rebate will be awarded to the first 700 units installed in the Las Vegas area and to the first 300 installed in the Reno area.

On average, each vending machine consumes 3500 kWh per year. The state of Nevada has an average rate of $.065/kWh; therefore one machine costs roughly $228 in electricity each year. The VendingMiser reduces the electricity costs of cold drink vending machines by an average of 46%. Over the course of five years, 1000 VendingMiser's will save the state of Nevada approximately $608,400.

VendingMiser is an activity-based plug-load control for coin-operated cold drink vending machines, which reduces energy consumption without affecting the product. VendingMiser powers down a vending machine when there is no activity. In addition, VendingMiser's smart technology monitors the room temperature and automatically re-powers the machine to ensure a cold beverage is served at all times.

For more information, call 800-770-8539 or visit www.bayviewtech.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Whitney Blake Co. Receives ISO 9001:2000 Certification

The Whitney Blake Co. recently received ISO 9001:2000 certification. To receive certification, the company implemented a Quality Management System in accordance with all of the new ISO 9001-2000 level requirements. The scope of the new Quality Management System includes manufacture of electrical retractile cords, straight cordage, and cord assemblies in rubber and plastic (thermosetting and thermoplastic) materials.

The goal for ISO Quality System Requirements is the development of fundamental quality systems that provide for continuous improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.

For more information, visit www.wblake.com.

6/3/2003

Edited by PETech Staff

Semiconductor Spintronics to Revolutionize Electronics Industry

Ongoing research into spintronics—a method aimed at enabling spin-polarized current flow through semiconductors—is likely to result in a new class of multifunctional electronics.

Practical spintronics incorporate existing microelectronic manufacturing techniques. It involves the development of many electronic devices that include ferromagnetic materials. Moreover, it‘s enabling the development of ultrafast switches and fully programmable all-spintronics microprocessors that can combine logic, storage, and communications on a single chip.

"Superior optical properties of semiconductors and their ability to amplify both optical and electrical signals will form the basis for these developments, which will eventually contribute to the emergence of semiconductor spintronics," said Technical Insights Analyst Charles Joslin.

However, the viability of this technology is greatly dependant on devising economic ways to combine ferromagnetic metals and semiconductors in integrated circuits—a demanding task, given the differences in crystal structure and chemical bonding.

In addition, these ferromagnetic semiconductors should have Curie temperatures above the room temperature and have the ability to incorporate both p-type and n-type dopants.

Challenges also exist in determining efficient ways to inject spin-polarized currents into a semiconductor; in recognizing the properties at boundaries between different types of semiconductors; and in developing the ability to retain polarization. Moreover, for greater spin polarization, concentrated materials that are capable of allowing Zeeman splitting of the conduction band are required.

“The scope of semiconductor spintronics hinges on the development of techniques for injection, transportation, and detection of spin-polarized currents without using strong magnetic fields, which will also be effective at or above room temperature,” said Joslin.

For more information, visit www.frost.com. or www.Technical-Insights.frost.com.