ECN-Electronic Component News articles from April 2009

ECN-Electronic Component News archives from April 2009

Talking about tomorrow.(Editor's View)
April 1, 2009... As you may have noticed, ECNmag.com has significantly expanded its editorial focus online. This has been done to provide you, the reader, with more resources in more areas that appeal to you. We have added more national-level news pertaining to...

Digital Signal Controllers bring digital power to mainstream applications.(Leading Off)
April 1, 2009... Microchip Technology announced the first seven next-generation 16-bit dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) for common, multi-loop switch-mode power supplies (SMPSs) and other- power-conversion applications. The new dsPIC33F "GS" Series...

Backlight light guides enable LCD zone control.(Leading Off)
April 1, 2009... Built to be user-addressable, Microlens-based LED backlight assemblies from Global Lighting Technologies can control each LED's color and intensity to enable independent management of the brightness and the color of individual zones within the...

Microscale heat pump enables pinpoint thermal management.(Leading Off)
April 1, 2009... Nextreme Thermal Solutions' OptoCooler HV14 high voltage, low current thin-film thermoelectric cooler (TEC), targeted at laser diode cooling for the telecommunications, achieves a 60[degrees]C temperature difference between its cold and hot...

Touch sensor controller converts capacitance to digital data.(Leading Off)
April 1, 2009... Targeting mobile devices, Fujitsu Microelectronics' FMA1127 touch sensor controller converts capacitance generated by the human body and conductive touch pad to digital data with no analog processing. The water-resistant unit performs in alarm...

Radio modules.(PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW)
April 1, 2009... With the GSMA World Congress in the rear-view mirror, many radio module products have recently entered the maret. This section looks at some of those new radio modules, and even more new products can be viewed online--side-by-side--at...

Two paths lead to FIR filters: easy-to-use FIR filters serve equally well in hardware or software.(Digital Filter Primer)
April 1, 2009... Because finite impulse response (FIR) filters use a mathematical algorithm to process information, engineers rely on them when an analog filter just won't do. "FIR filters appeal to people who don't want to become filter designers" explained...

GaN-based power devices make possible a new paradigm in power conversion.(SEMICONDUCTOR HIGHLIGHT)
April 1, 2009... From planar HEXFETs to TrenchFETs and superjunction FETs, silicon power MOSFETs have continued to evolve for the last 30 years to satisfactorily serve numerous markets. In fact, during that period, there have been some two orders of magnitude...

Audio ADCs hit the high notes: everything from filter performance and software to clock signals and PCB layouts affects audio-ADC performance.(COVER STORY)
April 1, 2009... Although engineers have used analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) for some time, newer ADCs aimed at audio applications can put design skills to the test. The audio signal chain in current products and new designs can involve more stringent...

Standards for embedded microcontrollers.(DESIGN TALK)
April 1, 2009... Typically, industries use standards to improve product quality and enable component sharing across projects. In practice, such standards achieve wide acceptance since the synergistic effects provide significant benefits to the user community....

Circuit protection without degradation.(DESIGN TALK)
April 1, 2009... In some ways a circuit protective device is like the bouncer at a bar, charged with keeping out the undesirables but welcoming the paying customers. A good bouncer can tell the difference at a glance and do the job unobtrusively. A bad bouncer...

Delivering advanced residential gateways: how a distributed architecture supports efficient delivery of advanced services residential gateways.(Digital & Analog)
April 1, 2009... Designing residential gateways (RG) to support multiple services, security, and manageability can be a challenge. The various services require different throughput, latencies, and processing power, which puts extreme pressure on the CPU. This...

On design.(Digital & Analog)
April 1, 2009... Think of the worst possible scenario and then make the design. That fore-mostly means: Get rid of all superfluous. Cut to the basic need. Eliminate any fancy ideas. Reduce the weight. Share common fasteners if possible. Reinforce any...

PCIe boards incorporate two PMC/XMC modules.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2009... Coming in a single PCIe envelope, Pentek's 7700 family of PCIe boards integrate up to two PMC/ XMC modules. The Gen 2 PCIe xl6 interface can be used for motherboard connections and XMC interfaces for gigabit links between modules and other...

Industrial panel PC has 12 ISA/PCI slots.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2009... Bundling with a PICMG 1.0 Core2 Quad/Dual or Pentium 4 single board computer (SBC), Advantech's IPPC-7158B 15" industrial panel PC exhibits a passive backplane with up to 12 ISA/PCI expansion slots. The unit consists of a XGA TFT LCD, a...

Motion-control cards operate in multiple modes.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2009... Accepting a control voltage from 5 VDC to 24 VDC, the VMC-3000 Series of single-axis plug-in motion controller modules from Varedan are DSP-based cards that configure in a variety of modes including position, torque, and a frequency-locked...

Antenna covers four frequency bands.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2009... Laird's modular antenna assembly offers SDAE.S, GPS, AMPS, and PCS coverage. With a design of 16 mm, the base module is designed to fit multiple vehicle platforms with various roof curvatures. It is installed on the car in the factory, and...

PMC card offloads host processing tasks.(BOARDS, MODULES & EMBEDDED SYSTEMS)
April 1, 2009... The SPMC/DPMC-214 PMC card from Curtiss-Wright offloads host processor cards from CANbus, MilCAN, and Utility Bus processing tasks. Available in both air- and conduction-cooled versions, the PMC card provides four CANBus ports or four MilCAN...

Heater is touch-safe.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
April 1, 2009... Able to deliver 50 W to 150 W, the CS060 Series heater from Omega Engineering has a double-insulated plastic case for touch-safe operation. The clip-mounted device is intended for use with water, automotive, and food-processing applications....

Frameless motors integrate rotor ring to outside hub.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
April 1, 2009... Presenting a rotor external to the stator, Applimotion's ULT-O frameless motors enable the integration of the rotor ring into an outside rotating hub. The devices are optimized to run at low speeds for position applications or at high speeds...

Relays offer 50-A option.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
April 1, 2009... Using a longer yoke and armature, as well as a stronger spring structure than the 40-A standard model, Hasco Components' HAT Series relays have a 50-A current option. The SPST version had a 3-mm contact gap for arc suppression. Switch coil...

Gearmotors exhibit high continuous torque.(ELECTROMECHANICAL/MECHANICAL DEVICES)
April 1, 2009... Demonstrating corresponding fixed output speeds from 120 rpm to 6 rpm, Bison's VWDIR20 parallel shaft AC gear-motors demonstrate a continuous torque rating from 100 in./lb to 600 in./lb (11.3 N/m to 68.8 N/m). The devices use 1/4-hp (186-W)...

Transistor module includes oscillator, buffer amp functions.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... The 1.2-mm x 1.0-mm x 0.5-mm six-pin UPA828TD twin transistor from NEC features built-in oscillator and buffer amplifier functionality. With a noise figure of 1.3 dB and an insertion gain of 7.5 dB, the module has an operating frequency of 9...

Boost converter needs no inductor.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... With up to 30 mA of output, austriamicrosystems (1) AS1302 DC/DC inductorless boost converter requires two [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] austriamicrosystems +43(0)3136 500 5653 www.austriamicrosystems.com

DRAM chip is densest available.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... Using 50-nm process technology, the 4Gb DDR3 DRAM chip from Samsung is presented as having the highest density available. The chip can be produced in 16-GB registered DIMMs for servers, as well as 8-GB unbuffered DIMM, and 8-GB small outline...

Amp family maintains 1.14-mA/ channel quiescent current.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... The THS differential amplifier family from Texas Instruments has a quiescent current of 1.14 mA/channel. With a power-down current of 20 [micro]A, the devices have a 145-MHz and 490-V/[mu]s slew rate to buffer and amplify signals. Other...

MOSFETs combine process technology with planar cell structure.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... Combining process technology with planar cell structure technology, a series of high-voltage pi-MOS VII MOSFETs from Toshiba is intended for AC/DC and ballast applications. The first seven 500-V devices provide a selection of drain current from...

Software tools aid RF design.(INTEGRATED CIRCUITS)
April 1, 2009... Two downloadable software tools from Analog Devices are intended to aid in RF systems design. The ADIsimRF design tool calculates a variety of parameters within an RF system including cascaded gain, noise figure, and power consumption....

Chipset serves data projectors.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
April 1, 2009... Comprised of a red, green, and blue LED, Luminus Devices' PhlatLight LED PT-121 chipset is designed for next-generation, lamp-free data projectors using micro-displays ranging from 0.65" to 1". The unit offers instant start up with no warm up...

AMOLED display lasts over 30,000 hours.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
April 1, 2009... Demonstrating a resolution of 240 X RGB X 320 with up to 262,000 colors, OSD Displays' OSD0283AMQV-T 2.8' diagonal QVGA Active Matrix. Organic LED (AMOLED) module exhibits a lifetime rating of >30,000 hours. The device supports 18-/16-/6-bit...

LED drivers supply high output current.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
April 1, 2009... Offering output current accuracy of up to [+ or -] 2%, Aimtec's AMLD-IZ and AMLDL-Z Series step-down DC/DC LED drivers (SSLDs) offer standard output currents of 300 mA, 350 mA, 500 mA, 600 mA, and 700 mA. The DIP24- or DIP14-packaged units...

Blue laser diode targets micro-projectors.(OPTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
April 1, 2009... OSRAM Opto Semiconductors' blue laser diode serves micro-projectors integrated in mobile devices, such as cell phones and digital cameras. The 3.2-mm high component demonstrates a wavelength of 450 nm, output of 50 mW, voltage of 5.5 V, and...

Optocouplers offer high CMR.(PTOELECTRONICS & DISPLAYS)
April 1, 2009... Driving output currents of 2.5 A and 1 A, respectively, Fairchild's FOD3120 and FOD3150 optocouplers demonstrate common mode rejection (CMR) of 35 kV/us and 20 kV/us, respectively. The devices can drive 1,200-V/20-A IGBTs and MOSFETs, exhibit...

Flared-pin fin heat sinks target emerging green apps.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Performing in natural convection environments, Cool Innovations' line of flared-pin fin heat sinks is designed for emerging green applications such as solar cells and LED lighting. The products offer a sparsely configured staggered pin array...

Card/coplanar connectors support high-speed signal transmissions.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Using a card edge interface and a vertical or right angle insertion, respectively, Molex's EdgeLine family of" edge card and coplanar connectors maintain high-speed signal transmissions. The MicroTCA-compliant card units offer differential...

Pocket-sized enclosures serve handheld electronics.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Offering sizes of 3.760" x 2.008" X 0.681" and 4.890" x 2.610" x 0.906", TEKO Enclosures' 'OVO' pocket-sized enclosures are designed for handheld electronics, such as RF and infrared remote control units and controller devices connected via a...

Thermal interface material features high conductivity.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... With thermal conductivity of 6 W/mK and thermal impedance of 0.05 [Kin.sup.2]/W, Keratherm U 90 thermal interface material from MH&W International has a voltage breakdown property of 4 kV. It provides perforation protection with a tensile...

Transistor sockets contain brass alloy receptacles.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Offering three, four, eight, or 10 positions, Mill-Max's Series 917 TO-5 and TO-100 transistor sockets have precision-machined, brass alloy receptacles assembled with a Mill-Max, four-finger #30 contact inside each socket. The #30 contact...

Low-profile copper cable fits tight situations.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Addressing dense, higher-port-count switch installations using 10 GbE, FCoE, or 8 Gigabit Fiber Channel, a low-profile SFP+ direct-attach copper cable assembly from W.L. Gore and Associates is half the cross-sectional area of OM3 fiber optic...

Crimp connectors provide secure positive locking.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Providing stable contact performance under unexpected external forces, the PUD Series of disconnectable 2-mm pitch, double-row crimp-style connectors from JST have a leaf-spring structure and offer secure positive locking. The housing...

Coax cables connect digital applications.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Banana Peel plenum DS-3 and DS-4 Series coax cables from Belden are designed for digital signal interconnect and cross-connect applications. Available in 26 AWG (735A plenum-rated) and 20 AWG (734A plenum-rated) sizes in three- and six-count...

Screw assemblies suit miniature applications.(PACKAGING & INTERCONNECTS)
April 1, 2009... Comprised of small-diameter, precision-rolled, lead screws and nuts, Kerk Mini Series lead screw assemblies from HaydonKerk Motion suit miniature applications. The assemblies can operate without external lubrication, maintenance, or adjustment....

VCO operates from 2,745 MHz to 2,860 MHz.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... Offering a control voltage range from 0.5 V to ~4.5 V, Crystek's CVCO55CC-2745-2860 VCO performs from 2,745 MHz to 2,860 MHz. The oscillator exhibits a typical phase noise of -106 dBc/Hz at 10-KHz offset and typical output power of 4 dBm. The...

VCXO serves universal edge QAM.(ASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... Providing a PECL or LVPECL output with a frequency range from 200 MHz to 1 GHz (245.76-MHz STD), Valpey Fisher's VFVX100 VCXO targets universal edge QAM. The 9-mm X 14-mm SMT component exhibits Valpey Fisher, 800-982-5737,...

Radial inductors address low- and medium-current applications.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... The 1100 R and 1300 R Series of radial lead format inductors from Murata Power suit low and medium current applications. The 1100R Series has overall dimensions of 4 mm diameter X 5.5 mm, is offered with inductance values ranging from 1...

Chokes address renewable energy sector.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... Suitable as input and output devices for solar, wind, and fuel-cell inverter applications, Premo's POT CORE Series chokes operate in the renewable energy sector and railway sector applications. The shielded components offer heights of 100 mm,...

Tantalum capacitors rated to 2,200 [micro]F.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... Designed for applications where bulk capacitance is needed to boost transmitter power, such as PCMCIA/USB wireless express cards, AVX's PulseCap tantalum capacitors are rated to 2,200 [micro]F/ 6.3 V. The components exhibit a max. case height...

MLCCs offer ESD resistance.(PASSIVE & DISCRETE COMPONENTS)
April 1, 2009... Based on the X7R material, Epcos' E-series multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) demonstrate typical ESD levels of 18 kV (0603/10 nF), 9 kV (0805/1 nF) and 25 kV (0805/10 nF) to AEC-Q200. The components offer sizes of 0603 and 0805,...

COTS power supplies target military applications.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Designed for Hi-Rel applications such as military, industrial and railway, COTS Compact PCI power supplies from Digital Power meet MIL-STD-810. Available inputs include 100 VAC to 240 VAC at 60 Hz or 400 Hz, as well as 18 VDC to 72 VDC (48-V...

DC/DC converters Demonstrate 4:1 input ranges.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Including a remote on/off signal, XP Power's 12-W JTF12 Series and 20-W JTM20 Series DC/DC converters offer 4:1 input ranges from 9 VDC to 36 VDC or 18 VDC to 75 VDC. The devices exhibit dual output voltages of [+ or -] VDC, [+ or -] 12 VDC, or...

Fuses demonstrate high interrupting capacity.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Offering a 5-mm X 20-mm ceramic body, littelfuse's 215 Series time-lag cartridge fuses can interrupt currents as high as 500 A at 250 VAC. The UL- and CSA-recognized components offer current ratings of 15 A, 16 A, 20 A, and 25 A at up to 250...

6-W DC/DC converters include reinforced insulation.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Coming in a 24-pin DIP package, Tracopower's THB-6 Series DC/DC converter modules present reinforced insulation while delivering 6 W of output power. The devices offer 4,000-VAC isolation, input voltage ranges from 9 VDC to 18 VDC, 18 VDC to 36...

Surge protective devices meet UL 1449 Third Edition standard.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Built with TPMOV surge suppression technology, Ferraz Shawmut's new Surge-Trap surge protective devices (SPDs) comply with the UL 1449 Third Edition standard. The units exhibit modular-style IP-20-grade "finger-safe" protection, and mount on a...

Fan-cooled 1U supply suits medical applications.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... With an output of up to 300 W, the active-PFC TMPC-300-1U fan-cooled supply from Tumbler Technologies and TRUMPower is approved to UL 60601 -1, EN 60601-1, and IEC 60601-1 medical standards. CE-marked and RoHS-compliant, the 7.48" x 3.94" x...

Six-watt DC/DC converters offer wide temperature range.(Power Sources)
April 1, 2009... Mornsun America's WRA_YMD and WRE_ YMD Series 6-W DC/DC converters perform from 2:1 inputs ranging from 4.5 VDC to 72 VDC and provide regulated single and dual output voltages of 3.3 VDC, 5 VDC, 12 VDC, 15 VDC and 24 VDC. The metal-packaged...

Power modules demonstrate 60-W constant output.(POWER SOURCES)
April 1, 2009... Exhibiting short-circuit protection, MTM Power's PMAS/PCMAS60 Series primary-switched AC/DC power modules deliver constant output of 60 W. The SMT units offer input ranges from 90 VAC to 264 VAC and 100 VDC to 353 VDC; and single output...

Signal analyzer includes temperature and voltage input channels.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
April 1, 2009... The USB-based 655u, a dynamic signal analyzer from IOtech, offers both tempera-Cure and voltage input channels. The Analyzer features five temperature inputs, along with 10 voltage or direct integrated electronic piezoelectric (IEPE) input...

Paperless data acquisition system uses touchscreen.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
April 1, 2009... Operating via a finger or the onboard stylus, Omega Engineering's RD8300 networkable paperless data acquisition system uses a 142-mm (5.6") color Active Matrix TFT LCD with a touchscreen. The CE-compliant instrument offers built-in OPC server...

LCR meter touts high accuracy.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
April 1, 2009... Measuring inductance, capacitance, and resistance in series and in parallel with 500 test frequencies from 12 Hz to 100 KHz, Protek's Model Z9218 LCR meter provides component measurement rates of up to 12 times per second with a 0.02% basic...

Hall sensors make the road their home.(SENSOR ZONE)
April 1, 2009... For the last half-century, sensors based on the Hall effect have provided a low-cost, solid-state option for sensing any object that incorporates a magnetic field. Their main benefit is non-contact measurement, and since their signal...

Do-it yourself-power.(Brainstorm)
April 1, 2009... Q: Moving forward, what technology will dominate energy harvesting? John Perzow, Analog Devices www.analog.com Today, even fractiona-percent improvements in power-conversion efficiency are noteworthy. Significant improvements focus on...

efficiency zone.
April 1, 2009... Electric Vehicles on Cell Phone Contracts Shai Agassi, CEO of Better Place, wants to make electric cars viable. His solution? Spread battery-swapping stations throughout the world, using a fee structure similar to cell-phone contracts. ...