DATA POINTS

Jan 1, 2001 12:00 PM
PCIM POWER ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS STAFF

Interactive Web-Based Simulator Prototypes Discrete Products A new online simulation tool called "WebSIM[TM]" allows design engineers to obtain immediate performance characteristics on Fairchild MOSFET devices, particularly those used in power-supply designs for notebooks, cellphones and PDAs. This capability is a result of a partnership with Transim Corp., the maker of WebSIM. Based on device behavior models provided by Fairchild and user-selected parameters, WebSIM graphs accurate wave-forms of input/output characteristics, such as I subscript DS versus V subscript DS, and current and voltage readings of data sheet specifications. WebSIM also contains application circuits with Fairchild devices that can be simulated.

The first wave of components available on WebSIM includes 50 MOSFETs and three application circuits, including the synchronous buck converter, load-switching and bidirectional load-switching. The second wave will follow with 35 MOSFETs and two new circuits. In all, Fairchild expects to have most of the newly released 200V and below MOSFETs running on WebSIM in the next year.

Demand For Active and Passive Components To Hit $440 Billion by 2004 Global demand for semiconductors and passive electronic components is projected to increase 9.5% per year through 2004, reaching close to $440 billion. Fueling gains will be the ongoing globalization oil information technology, in particular further development of the world Internet infrastructure and the advent of new generations of handheld and wireless information processing systems.

Electronic content is rising in original equipment products in virtually all countries. Semiconductor demand will increase over 10% annually to $360 billion in 2004, while passive component growth of almost 7% per year will provide a worldwide market of $76 billion. These and other trends are presented in World Electronic Components, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industrial market research firm.

The largest electronic component producing countries are the United States and Japan, each with annual shipments in excess of $50 billion as of the latter 1990s. Other important developed world producers are Germany and the United Kingdom. Some Asian countries have become major factors in the business by exploiting certain niche opportunities found mainly in the semiconductor segment. These include South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore.

For additional information, contact Corinne Gangloff at (440) 684-9600.

Silicon Carbide Technology Transfer Agreement Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. and DaimlerChrysler have disclosed a licensing agreement that will enable Vishay to undertake the high-volume manufacture of semiconductors using DaimlerChrysler's Silicon Carbide (SiC) technology. DaimlerChrysler recently unveiled a 50A Schottky diode built on SiC, measuring 16.8 mm superscript 2, a record size for this technology. It's research into SiC has encompassed optimizing technology for high-volume manufacture of products such as diodes and transistors. Since 1997, Vishay has cosponsored DaimlerChrysler's work on SiC, focusing on the development of SiC Schottky diodes for general applications.

Under development at DaimlerChrysler AG since 1993, SiC technology enables creation of semiconductors for compact power conversion systems in electric cars, railway systems, and other mobile applications. SiC devices also allow the design of smaller and lighter converter modules that can be operated at the elevated temperatures typical of these systems.

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