In a study published in ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, researchers from Tufts University say they have devised the first thread-based transistors (TBTs) which can be fashioned into simple, all-thread based logic circuits and integrated circuits. The Tufts devices work in a way that is analogous to an FET. Making a TBT involves coating a […]
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How bidirectional converters speed the design of dual-battery automotive systems
New standards for combined 48-V/12-V vehicles dictate stringent tests for overvoltages and currents that new converter ICs can help meet. Tony Armstrong | Analog Devices Inc. The 48/12-V automotive battery system is just around the corner. Most major automobile manufacturers have been perfecting such systems for past few years, and it is evident that their […]
Powering graphics processors from a 48-V bus
New converter topologies and power transistors promise to reduce the size and boost the efficiency of supplies that will run next-generation AI platforms. Alex Lidow | Efficient Power Conversion Artificial Intelligence (AI), gaming, cloud computing, and autonomous vehicles all employ the latest generation of graphics processors (GPUs) in lieu of CPUs. The reasoning is that […]
Key factors in power supply selection
It pays to understand a few important electrical parameters that can dictate the kind of applications specific power supplies can handle. Florian Haas | Traco Power Group A few basic factors go into the selection of low-voltage dc/dc and ac/dc power supplies for OEM use. At the risk of stating the obvious, the key objective […]
Power operating limits: How to choose the right power supply
Not all power supplies react to over and under-voltages and currents in the same way. It pays to know the tradeoffs of different approaches to protection. Ron Stull | CUI Inc. Power supplies can experience operating conditions outside normal specified limits, such as input under- or over-voltage, or variations in load and ambient temperature. These […]
Don’t be led astray on three-phase power measurements
Measurements made on power analyzers may differ from those on another because different manufacturers employ different settings and wiring assumptions. KEN JOHNSON, TELEDYNE LECROY POWER ANALYZERS have been manufactured for many years and are used in a wide variety of applications. Often, the settings and preferences dialed in from the front panel can significantly impact […]
Prepare for IEC 62368-1, the new hazard-based safety standard
Get ready to evaluate safety measures in a different way. JEFF SCHNABEL, CUI THE FAMILIAR 60950-1 AND 60065 SAFETY STANDARDS for information and communication technology (ICT) and audio-visual (AV) equipment are being phased out in 2020, in favor of a single, harmonized standard based on a more modern approach to safety and testing. OEMs must […]
Transforming ac to dc without transformers
Substituting special capacitors for transformers helps realize ac-to-dc power supplies that are both efficient and compact. JEFF SORENSEN, HELIX SEMICONDUCTORS POWER SUPPLIES that convert ac to dc have been a part of nearly every electronics-based product since the popularization of the vacuum tube radio. While the voltage levels have changed, the conversion process has always […]
Finalists announced for prestigious power electronics LEAP Awards
Four finalists were announced Friday for the inaugural LEAP Awards’ Power Electronics Category, comprising a broad array of new advances in power semiconductor and power management technology. The competition was scored by a panel of independent technical/engineering judges. This year’s inaugural LEAP Awards competition honored ground-breaking new products that set a new standard for innovation. […]
SiC MOSFET structure reduces resistance and boosts energy efficiency in power devices
Hitachi Ltd. says it has developed a new kind of silicon-carbide-based MOSFET that has dramatically lower on resistance than comparable devices. The new MOSFET uses what Hitachi calls a TED-MOS structure, for Trench-etched DMOS-FET. Compared to conventional DMOS-FET (Double-diffused MOSFET) devices, the new structure is said to reduce electric field strength, an index of durability […]
