Selecting Fuses: Simple Procedures to Get the Right Overcurrent Protection for DC-DC Converters

Fuses protect against overcurrent events by melting their elements and opening the circuit. Fuses must be applied at or below their specified voltage rating, which differs between ac and dc current...

Mission-Critical Applications Require High-Voltage Capacitors to Meet Stability and Durability Requirements

In mission-critical applications, the need for stability and durability goes beyond financial considerations or minor inconveniences. When downtime could result in serious security breaches or even loss of life, reconstituted mica paper capacitors provide the required reliability, while still providing for end-user customization...

Stepper Motor Controller/Driver Simplifies Stepper Motor System Design

A stepper motor controller/driver IC integrates a digital control core which enables a single microcontroller to easily manage several motors, because it only has to issue high-level movement commands to the IC...

Step-Up Converter /Power Manager Harvests Energy from ±30mV Inputs

A highly integrated step-up dc-dc converter and power management IC can start up and run from either plus or minus millivolt input sources, making it ideal for energy harvesting applications in which the input voltage polarity is unknown or subject to reversal...

Mobile Systems Poised to Take Advantage of Power-Pinching ICs and Architectures

Longer battery life provided by new ICs and innovative power management will drive design of mobile systems, including smartphones, tablets and other portable, hand-held products...

True Bridgeless PFC Converter Achieves Over 98% Efficiency, 0.999 Power Factor: Part 2

A Bridgeless PFC converter based on a novel switching method eliminates full-bridge rectifiers and helps to reduce the size and cost of switching power supplies...

Vapor Chamber Heat Sinks Eliminate Power Conductor Hot Spots

Vapor chamber heat sinks employ a phase change principle to eliminate hot spots and keep power semiconductors cooler than traditional heat sinks, increasing system reliability and decreasing field repair costs...

One Powerful Decade Update: Vapor Chamber Heat Sinks

Using vapor chambers can be an efficient way to manage heat in today’s small die, high-power semiconductor devices where effective cooling helps ensure long component life and reliability...

Adaptive On-Time DC-DC Converters Combine Speed and Efficiency

Advanced control loop adjusts the on-time based on input and output voltages, resulting in pseudo-fixed frequency operation with ±15% accuracy and predictable EMI...

Do Old ICs Fade Away?

Have you ever wondered about what happens To all the old electronic equipment that is discarded each year?...

Power Semiconductor Market Declined 24% in 2009

The power semiconductor market was worth $10.1 billion in 2009, declining by 24% from 2008 (power modules dropped 26%, and discretes 24%)...

Siemens Secures Order for its Single Largest Onshore Wind Project in the United States

Siemens energy recently secured an order for its single largest U.S. wind turbine project...

Rochester Electronics Facility Certified To AS9120 Standard

Rochester Electronics has certified its facility in Newburyport, Mass to AS9120 requirements, the aerospace quality management system for distributors...