Plessey, Anvil Semi and the University of Cambridge are to build ‘3C’ GaN LEDS in an attempt to bridge the ‘green gap’ – a band of wavelengths around green where LED efficiency dips. 3C – also know as ‘cubic’ – silicon carbide (SiC) showed early promise for power semiconductors, but fabrication difficulties meant it was dropped ...
Author Archives: steve bush
UK teams up to bridge LED green gap with 3C GaN
Plessey, Anvil Semi and the University of Cambridge are to build ‘3C’ GaN LEDS in an attempt to bridge the ‘green gap’ – a band of wavelengths around green where LED efficiency dips. 3C – also know as ‘cubic’ – silicon carbide (SiC) showed early promise for power semiconductors, but fabrication difficulties meant it was dropped ...
Stepper drivers self-tune motor parameters for life
There is no need to manually tune stepper motor drives, claimed Texas Instruments, as it introduced two 24V stepper motor driver chips with its patented ‘AutoTune’ technology. “AutoTune technology on the DRV8880 and DRV8881 eliminates the iterative process of manual tuning,” said TI. “On-chip intelligence dynamically monitors the motor’s performance under varied conditions over its life-time and adjusts ...
Power Integrations ac-dc converter delivers constant power
Power Integrations has developed a version of its InnoSwitch family of off-line power converter chips for constant power outputs. Called Innoswitch-CP, the converters are CV/CC fly-back switching ICs, that unsusually have a constant power output limit which, “when paired with an adaptive-voltage protocol such as Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 or USB-PD, permits smart mobile device ...
Vishay aims at notebooks with mosfet power stages
Vishay has introduced 30 and 40A mosfet power stages in 4.5×3.5 and 5x5mm packages respectively. Intended for notebook PCs, they accept PWM inputs and combine switching mosfets, gate drivers and a bootstrap Schottky diode. On-board high and low-side mosfets are GenIV TrenchFETs, the driver IC is supports 5V tri-state PWM logic, and 45 % footprint saving is claimed over discrete solutions. ...
Victorian technique makes state-of-the-art solar materials
Solar-grade perovskites – materials taking the photovoltaic world by storm – can be made by simple grinding, according to Polish scientist. The ‘mechano-chemical’ process uses a ball mill – technology that would have been familiar with production engineers a century ago. Perovskite is a crystalline structure of three elements, and by substituting these for other ...
Self-organised photo-resist boosts lithography
Self-assembling polymers could boost the resolution of lithography, according to modelling at the University of Chicago and US Argonne National Laboratory. Belgian research lab IMEC is testing the theory. Block copolymers will self-assemble when coated onto a patterned surface. The trick is to pre-pattern the surface well enough so that the lowest energy state for ...
LEDs light US icons
The Statue of Liberty and the four giant faces of Mount Rushmore are illuminated by LEDs, thanks to Iowa-based Musco Lighting, the same company behind LED floodlights at Twickenham stadium, the home of rugby. Musco got involved with the Statue of Liberty several late in 2012 following Hurricane Sandy when it installed a temporary LED lighting system ...
22,000 USB sticks go to the dry cleaners
Every year, 22,266 USB sticks and 973 mobiles phones go to the dry cleaners in pockets. Only 53% of memory sticks get returned to their owners. The figures come from a survey by security software firm ESET. “People need to pay closer attention to protecting their data,” said ESET security specialist Mark James. “Data is ...
Plextek RFI adds GaN PA expert to design team
UK design house Plextek RFI has recruited an engineer with GaN power amplifier (PA) design experience. Robert Smith was previously with Thales Nederland where he designed sub-systems for active phased array naval radar. “We are delighted to welcome Robert to our team,” said CEO Liam Devlin. “We are seeing increasing demand for our design skills from right across the ...