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Plessey pins future on micro LED displays, gears up for production 190418_TI-Box_EW_UK_Snipe.indd 1 4/10/19 3:51 PM STEVE BUSH Devon-based LED chip-maker Plessey is to focus entirely on micro LED-based micro displays, and has ceased launching new lighting LEDs. “The business strategy is 100% micro LED applications: augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), smart watches and large panel outdoor displays,” Plessey president of business development Mike Lee told Electronics Weekly. “We are in the middle of raising up to $30m. This is an investable space – micro LEDs are hot and it’s here in the UK – people are interested.” AR glasses, in particular, put unique demands on the internal display technology, and Plessey claims to be in a position to meet those demands. The challenge is display intensity: if AR glasses are to be used outdoors the The time has come to start preparing your entries for the most important electronics industry awards of the year, the Elektra Awards. In 2019 we celebrate the 17th successive year of awarding the very best of every aspect of the electronics industry, recognising excellence in the global marketplace. Entries open 1 May on our website. With revamped categories and criteria we aim to ensure that manufacturers, distributors, designers, individuals and research groups have the best chance possible to win a coveted Elektra Award. New awards highlight the success of start-ups and the contribution that independent marketing organisations make to a business’s success. We’re returning to our favourite venue, London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, so enter now and save the date, 4 December, for the party of the year. www.elektraawards.co.uk internal micro display has to be very bright to compete with ambient light – without excessive bulk, heat generation or power consumption. Combining its GaN-on-silicon LED process and chip-making history, the fi rm can wafer-bond a high resolution micro-LED display matrix to a CMOS active backplane to create an emissive monolithic display that is far brighter than OLED micro displays – the other emissive technology vying for a place in AR glasses. The other two possible technologies – DMD (digital micro mirror) and LCoS (liquid crystal-on-silicon) – are both refl ective, adding the bulk of a light source and its optics, approximately doubling light engine size. Gearing up for production is under way in Plymouth, according to Lee, with millions of pounds already spent on new equipment. Its long-awaited third MOCVD reactor – for growing the interface layers and quantum wells needed to build GaN LEDs on silicon Market commoditisation has caused the company’s Devon fab to abandon plans for manufacturing lighting LEDs 1 MAY 2019 • No. 2747 ElectronicsWeekly NEWS electronicsweekly.com Design and print so� robots p7 ADI adds high-res SAR ADCs p14 The risk of taking on Trump p17 Devboard has snap-off MCUs p18 We need to talk about STEM p22 PCIM product preview p25 ANALYSIS & COMMENT FEATURES & TECHNOLOGY wafers – has been installed. “Number three is commissioned and going now. It’s robotics-based – a full production tool. Reactors one and two are more manual,” he said. “We are pricing MOCVD reactors four and fi ve.” What happened to the lighting LEDs? Plessey always argued that its GaN-on-Si process would be cheaper for making lighting-class LEDs compared with the incumbent GaN-on-sapphire process. And according to Lee, it is, but “the problem with power LEDs is that every man and his dog have set up GaN-on-sapphire LED lines and they are quickly becoming commodity”, he said. Added to this, ‘mid-power’ LEDs are increasingly popular in lighting and, according to Lee, 80% of the cost of a mid-power is packaging, so the advantage of a lower-cost die is lost. See page 21, native green micro LED display 190418_TBB_EW_UK.indd 1 4/10/19 3:57 PM DON’T MISS THESE… TSMC releases 5nm design infrastructure www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 3 NEWS 190418_TBB_EW_UK.indd 1 4/10/19 3:57 PM Semiconductor revenues in 2018 were $474bn, representing a 12.5% increase on 2017 PAGE 4 12.5% The PCIM 2019 conference programme includes… Power semiconductors, thermal management, packaging, low and high power converters PAGE 25 “ Plessey’s technology builds InGaN quantum wells over a silicon substrate using >100 epitaxally-grown layers PAGE 21 100 The number of industry heavyweights who discussed skills at our roundtable event PAGE 22 12 DAVID MANNERS TSMC has announced delivery of the complete version of its 5nm design infrastructure within the Open Innovation Platform (OIP). The release enables 5nm SoC designs in next-generation advanced mobile and high-performance computing (HPC) applications, targeting high-growth 5G and artifi cial intelligence markets, the company said. Electronic design automation (EDA) and IP vendors collaborated with TSMC to develop the design infrastructure, including technology fi les, process design kits (PDKs), tools, fl ows and IP, through multiple silicon test vehicles. The 5nm process is already in risk production. Compared with the company’s 7nm process, its scaling features deliver 1.8x logic density and 15% speed gain on an Arm Cortex-A72 core, with better SRAM and analogue area reduction enabled by the process architecture, it said. The 5nm process boasts process simplifi cation provided by EUV lithography, and “is making excellent progress in yield learning, achieving the best technology maturity at the same corresponding stage” compared to previous developments, said TSMC. The 5nm design infrastructure includes full versions of its design rule manual (DRM), Spice model, process design kits (PDKs) and silicon validated foundation and interface IP, while supporting a full range of certifi ed EDA tools and design fl ows. Backed by the company’s Open Innovation Platform, “customers have already started intensive design engagements, paving the way for product tape-outs, pilot activities and early sampling”, the company said. According to TSMC’s Cliff Zhou: “5nm technology requires deeper design-technology co-optimisation”. He said seamless collaboration with ecosystem partners ensured delivery of silicon-validated IP blocks and EDA tools ready for customer use. The latest 5nm PDKs are available for production design, and include device symbols, Pcells, netlisting and techfi les to enable design fl ow from custom design to physical verifi cation and sign-off the company said. TSMC collaborated with design ecosystem partners, including Cadence, Synopsys, Mentor Graphics, and Ansys to certify full-line EDA tools through the TSMC OIP EDA tool certifi cation program. Taiwan company’s 5nm design infrastructure for EUV lithography enters risk production Plasmonic hydrogen sensor rebuffs poisoning The world’s fastest hydrogen sensor is being claimed by Chalmers University in Sweden: it can detect 0.1% hydrogen in air in less than one second. The device consists of millions of palladium-gold alloy nanoparticles – a material that is known for its ability to absorb large amounts of hydrogen. The plasmon phenomenon then causes the sensor to change colour when the amount of hydrogen in the environment changes. A polymer coating reduces the apparent activation energy for hydrogen transport in and out of the nanoparticles. “In concert with an optimised volume- to-surface ratio of the signal transducer uniquely off ered by nanoparticles, this enables sub-second sensor response times,” according to the Nature Materials paper ‘Metal–polymer hybrid nanomaterials for plasmonic ultrafast hydrogen detection’, which explains the work. A second polymer membrane forms a barrier to the environment, preventing other molecules, such as carbon monoxide, from getting in and deactivating the sensor. “We have notonly developed the world’s fastest hydrogen sensor, but also a sensor that is stable over time and does not deactivate,” said Chalmers researcher Ferry Nugroho. Semi revenues $475bn NEWS 4 NEWS IN BRIEF Japan’s wireless network operators Docomo, So bank, KDDI and Rakuten, are to spend $14.4bn on installing 5G networks over the next ve years. The newcomer, Rakuten, plans to spend $1.75bn; So bank plans to spend $1.86bn; KDDI plans to spend $4.2bn and Docomo plans to spend $7.2bn in arrangements approved by the country’s communications ministry. The operators plan to begin services in 2020. RS Components’ parent company Electrocomponents has launched a global technology business to focus on single board computing and the internet of things (IoT). Called OKdo, “it will provide end-to-end support for all SBC and IoT segments, spanning makers, entrepreneurs, industrial designers, educators and re-seller partners”, according to the company. Passive RFID tags attached to objects in the home have been used by researchers from the University of Michigan to track people’s everyday activities. The IDAct system, uses 900MHz passive UHF tags and a single antenna in each room. Data came from dynamic changes in received signal strength and received signal phase as objects were moved, or when the body of a volunteer changed the electromagnetic environment around objects – made richer because the reader frequency-hops ve times a second, giving multiple strength and phase parameters. CEL of Santa Clara has announced a family of deep ultra-violet (UV-C) LEDs for sterilisation and disinfection. The wavelength is 275nm, “which is a particularly eff ective wavelength in the UV-C spectrum at killing bacteria for sterilisation applications”, claimed the company. Long working life is claimed – for example, the 3mW output version (25mA input) should exceed 10,000 hours. UlemCo has announced plans to launch a zero-emission 50kW (KVA) generator later this year. The zero emission genset is intended for use in urban areas, where the impact of harmful emissions from non-road mobile machinery is increasingly being understood. When running over an eight-hour construction shi , the unit will use around 15-20kgs of hydrogen, depending on the average load. It will create zero emissions from an air quality perspective, without any a er-treatment and save up to 640g/kWh of CO2 against a diesel powered comparator. 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com SMALLER STRONGER FASTER www.rohm.com VENTURI Formula E team has adopted ROHM’s full SiC power modules for its fully electric racing cars. ROHM’s innovative products power the implementation of e-mobility by delivering the next generation of power semiconductor devices. Our unique vertically integrated in-house manufacturing guarantees high quality and a consistent supply to the market. SiC technology enables SMALLER inverter designs in terms of volume and weight. SiC can achieve higher power density for STRONGER performance. SiC helps vehicles to cross the finish line FASTER and supports fast-charging solutions. FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE ROAD ROHM_Brand2019_226x300+3mm_EN_V01.indd 1 16.04.19 10:01 The US Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) has produced a report asking the US government for more support, writes David Manners. It has asked for investments in research to promote semiconductor innovation, including trebling investments in research across federal scientifi c agencies to $5bn a year to advance new materials, designs, and architectures to increase chip performance. It wants research investments in fi elds such as materials science, computer science, engineering, and applied mathematics doubled across federal scientifi c agencies to boost future technologies such as artifi cial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced wireless networks, said the report. It urges the government to attract and develop a skilled workforce to ensure leadership in semiconductor research, design, and manufacturing and to reform the immigration system by eliminating caps on green cards for high-skilled STEM graduates from around the world. It also wants to see an increase in investments in STEM education of 50% and a national initiative to double the number of STEM graduates by 2029. To ensure access to global markets and protect intellectual property the report recommends that the US modernises free trade agreements, to remove market barriers, protect IP, and enable fair competition in the sector, and increase resources for law enforcement and intelligence agencies to prevent and prosecute theft of semiconductor IP and trade secrets. SIA urges support for semiconductor industry DAVID MANNERS Semiconductor industry revenues were $474.6bn in 2018, according to Gartner. This represents a 12.5% increase from 2017. 2018 growth was weaker than 2017’s 21.9% due to memory growth slowing to 24.9% versus 2017 growth of 61.8%. “Despite slowing growth, the memory market was still the largest semiconductor market, accounting for 34.3% of revenue,” said Gartner’s Andrew Norwood. “This was driven by increases in average selling prices (ASPs) for DRAM for the majority of 2018. However, ASPs began to decline in the fourth quarter and this will continue through most of 2019 due to oversupply conditions.” Samsung increased its lead at the top of the semiconductor vendors table due to the booming DRAM market. Currently, 88% of its revenue comes from memory sales. “Samsung’s lead is literally built on sand, in the form of memory silicon, and those shifting sands in 2019 will almost certainly lead to Samsung losing its No.1 semiconductor crown to Intel in 2019,” said Norwood. Intel’s semiconductor revenue grew by 12.9% compared with 2017, despite delays in the introduction of its 10nm manufacturing process and a constrained low-end CPU supply situation in the second half of 2018. Hynix experienced the strongest growth among the top 10 worldwide semiconductor vendors with a 37.4% increase in 2018. Top 10 semiconductor vendors by revenue, worldwide, 2018 (millions of $ US) 2018 Rank 2017 Rank Vendor 2018 Revenue 2018 Market Share (%) 2017 Revenue 2017-2018 Growth (%) 1 1 Samsung Electronics 73,649 15.5 61,158 20.4 2 2 Intel 66,290 14.0 58,725 12.9 3 3 SK Hynix 36,240 7.6 26,370 37.4 4 4 Micron Technology 29,742 6.3 22,895 29.9 5 6 Broadcom 16,261 3.4 15,405 5.6 6 5 Qualcomm 15,375 3.2 16,099 -4.5 7 7 Texas Instruments 14,593 3.1 13,651 6.9 8 11 ST Microelectronics 9,213 1.9 8,021 14.9 9 9 Western Digital 9,078 1.9 9,159 -0.9 10 10 NXP Semiconductors 9,022 1.9 8,746 3.2 Top-10 279,463 58.8 240,229 16.3 Others (outside Top 10) 195,168 41.2 181,494 7.5 Total Market 474,631 100.0 421,723 12.5 Source: Gartner (April 2019) SMALLER STRONGER FASTER www.rohm.com VENTURI Formula E team has adopted ROHM’s full SiC power modules for its fully electric racing cars. ROHM’s innovative products power the implementation of e-mobility by delivering the next generation of power semiconductor devices. Our unique vertically integrated in-house manufacturing guarantees high quality and a consistent supply to the market. SiC technology enables SMALLER inverter designs in terms of volume and weight. SiC can achieve higher power density for STRONGER performance. SiC helps vehicles to cross the finish line FASTER and supports fast-charging solutions. FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE ROADFROM THE RACETRACK TO THE ROAD ROHM_Brand2019_226x300+3mm_EN_V01.indd 1 16.04.19 10:01 SMALLER STRONGER FASTER www.rohm.com VENTURI Formula E team has adopted ROHM’s full SiC power modules for its fully electric racing cars. ROHM’s innovative products power the implementation of e-mobility by delivering the next generation of power semiconductor devices. Our unique vertically integrated in-housemanufacturing guarantees high quality and a consistent supply to the market. SiC technology enables SMALLER inverter designs in terms of volume and weight. SiC can achieve higher power density for STRONGER performance. SiC helps vehicles to cross the finish line FASTER and supports fast-charging solutions. FROM THE RACETRACK TO THE ROADFROM THE RACETRACK TO THE ROAD ROHM_Brand2019_226x300+3mm_EN_V01.indd 1 16.04.19 10:01 190214_AuthDBlue_EW_UK_QtrPage.indd 1 2/8/19 1:06 PM NEWS STEVE BUSH LED maker Osram Opto has joined a German project to explore the principles of high-resolution displays using arrays of micro LEDs. Osram will work alongside ASM Amicra and Fraunhofer IISB in the SmartViz project, which has funding from the Bavarian state ministry for regional development. Their potentially high luminance (light output per unit area) could put micro LEDs ahead of other emissive technologies such as OLEDs in space-constrained applications such as augmented reality (AR) glasses. UK-based Plessey recently switched its development focus entirely to monolithic micro LED arrays. The focus of SmartViz appears to be diff erent: sparse arrays of micro LEDs for automotive interior applications. Over the next two and a half years Osram said it aims to build the foundations of transparent high-resolution direct-viewing displays – intending to produce a demonstrator at its conclusion in October 2021. The three parts will be: Design of effi cient red, green and blue micro LED structures SmartViz will be developing automated ways to transfer high numbers of micro LED die from source wafers to the backplane electronics. Requirements include ~1.5μm positioning accuracy of chips <40μm across. This “will require entirely new technological approaches, which will be addressed within the project”, said Osram. “The consortium partners have the necessary expertise to realise the envisioned technological breakthrough.” ASM Amicra is a production automation specialist with knowledge of photonic component micro assembly. Fraunhofer IISB (Institute for integrated systems and device technology) specialises in power electronics and technologies for producing semiconductor devices. It will design and manufacture transparent electronic circuits. Osram SmartViz project leader Hubert Halbritter described his company’s role, “as a project partner with in-depth experience in micro pixel imaging components that will research effi cient, high-luminance pixels. Along with our partners, we aim to gain technology leadership in one of the key future technology markets,” he said. Handling sub-components Display assembly. “Implementation of such concepts and applications requires in-depth studies of the underlying physical principles that are in part diff erent from today’s macro LED chips,” said Osram. Transparent and fl exible image encoders will feature, as will transparent substrates based on indium gallium zinc oxide thin-fi lm transistors (IGZO TFTs) for controlling individual pixels. “This approach allows for quasi-transparent surfaces, which can be fi lled with content only if the micro LEDs are switched to active,” said Osram. “Employing such an active matrix backplane for the driver electronics allows image rendering with micro LEDs to produce visualisation scenarios with ultra-high resolution.” Osram joins German high res micro LED display project Sparse arrays of micro LEDs could put images on see-through surfaces 190214_AuthDBlue_EW_UK_QtrPage.indd 1 2/8/19 1:06 PM NEWS www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 7 STEVE BUSH Soft robots can be designed to move in predictable ways and then be 3D printed, according to Purdue University. The US university has created a customisable soft robot structure and an algorithm to do the customisation. The moving structure is a 3D elastomeric lattice, deformed by tension in tendons running through it – pulled by motors, for example. Data is input as a CAD fi le which includes the required resting shape of the robot, as well as the required location of ‘joints’ and the direction in which they should move. The computer algorithm takes a few seconds to convert the CAD model into a 3D ‘architected soft machine’ (ASM) that can be printed on a stereolithographic 3D printer, or injection moulded, according to the university. It involves reducing the amount of lattice triangulation where movement is required, followed by a mathematical function called Voronoi tesselation. The resulting controlled buckling allows motions such as contraction, twisting and bending to be achieved, according to the Advanced Functional Materials paper: ‘3D-architected soft machines with topologically encoded motion’, which describes the work. It states that complex motions such as multi-fi nger gripping or quadrupedal locomotion are possible. The lattices are largely space and can have as little as 8% the density of the starting elastomer. They can be squashed by 400% and stretched by 500% while retaining the ability to return to the starting shape. “ASMs can perform complex motions such as gripping or crawling with ease, and this work constitutes a step forward toward the development of autonomous and lightweight soft robots,” said engineer Ramses Martinez. They have “the potential to improve not only care-giving but also disaster-response robotics”, he said. Online videos show uni- and bi-directional motion, a soft quadruped and a stretchy sphere. The technology is patented, and the researchers are looking for partners to test and commercialise it. Reduced lattice triangulations and Voronoi tesselation put bends in the right places Researchers automate the design and printing of soft robots One source for your entire BOM Newest and widest selection of electronic components in stock C M Y CM MY CY CMY K 880489-One Source for your BOM TI -111x300.pdf 1 13.03.19 17:17 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 EL_EPDT_Conformal_205x140mm_032019_prepress 26 March 2019 09:04:14 3D modelling for many-GHz PCBs runs on servers or cloud NEWS 8 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com STEVE BUSH Cadence is aiming at high-end PCBs and motherboards with a 3D electromagnetic modelling package called Clarity 3D Solver. It is aimed particularly at the fastest parallel and serial links, such as DDR4 and 112Gbit/s – the latter achieved using PAM4 four-voltage-level signalling. “Chips are getting much faster,” Cadence product director Brad Griffi n told Electronics Weekly. “There are no shortcuts with 112G with PAM4, everything has to be modelled, and you have to have accurate models.” The Clarity approach to this is what Griffi n describes as ‘true 3D’ – rather than 2D, 2.5D, quasi-static, or any of the other methods used to shrink computational load. The company has created an automated technique to spread the necessary high processing load across suffi cient processing cores to get the job done in a reasonable time. “With legacy techniques, you need a copy of the whole design on each machine, so you are really going to need 1Tbyte machines,” according to Griffi n. “With Clarity, the whole thing will run on whatever resources you have. You don’t have to chop up a problem to avoid crashing, so you don’t need an expert to carve up the design so it runs. You can get by with 64Gbyte or 128Gbyte in each of 10 machines and you will not run out of memory and you will get a solution.” Real measurement from PAM4 silicon (left) compared with modelled output (right) Cadence Carity solver tackling the flexi PCB assembly Cadence’s Clarity Solver wearable device With 112G, everything needs to be modelled, including: IC – Redistribution layers within the package, bumps, balls, near-chip routing, vias and signal return path; PCB – breakoutrouting, vias, pad stacks, signal return path; Backplane – connector mechanical structure, 30 layers, back-drilled vias Online discussion Steve Kurt Very interesting and perhaps a bit frightening? I was involved with some EMC work on boards/ECUs that were incorporating Ethernet. It was closer to 10Gb/s rather than 100, and it was a big change for everyone involved in the PCB layout and connector selection. Very educational, but a de� nite challenge. Hard to imagine the change in culture and expectations if full 3D modelling is required before getting boards made. On the other hand, the EMC folks will be very popular. Steve Bush I wonder if folk will get used to designing at such speeds, or if the layout tools will automatically add standard features that will cope with GHz data busses to a � rst approximation. The Cadence tool uses s-parameters – so proper RF design at the microscopic level on a digital PCB – who’d have thought. On a separate note, as the � ow of young engineers is not as good as it should be here in the UK, I wonder what industry will do once the knowledgeable EMC folk have retired – possibly ignore it until everything stops working properly? Mind you, the harmonics of 100GHz must almost be light, so some cardboard might block them. Steve Kurt It does seem like there will be some sort of standards or rules for routing the high speed buses. The transitions at the chips or connectors will be the challenging part, along with eff ect with nearby traces. Like many skills, I think some EMC engineers are “born”, and some develop into EMC engineers. Here in the mid-US, the University of Missouri at Rolla has a dedicated EMC program. My recent employer did hire one of their EMC grads for our EMC lab. He le¥ a¥ er a while. I suspect we were too heavy into the routine of testing and writing reports, and not involved enough with development work. As long as there are analogue and RF engineers, there is the opportunity to turn them towards the EMC side of things and hone their skills. Of course, analogue and RF skills are a bit scarce too, so maybe the folks doing high speed digital design are nearly RF engineers too? At the other end of the scale, “we have run it on up to 320 CPUs internally, and we have done up to 400 multiple times, and could go to thousands of cores, which we will be doing”, he said. Exactly how the adaptive meshing massively parallel matrix solver spreads the processing load around Griffi n was not saying, but it came out of the company’s System Analysis Group, formed 10 months ago, and its workings are related to the way the fi rm’s Voltus product works. “Not every line of code is new, there is stuff from other Cadence lines,” he said. “It is not the Voltus solver, but the parallelism techniques are consistent with the Voltus solver. We invented it, no one has caught up yet.” Given 100Gbit/s interconnect between servers, the company is claiming “nearly linear scalability” between the number of cores used and processing speed-up, and no loss of accuracy. “Clarity is way closer to linear” than what has gone before, said Griffi n. Clarity can be used within Cadence’ workfl ows, where changes to the model can be pushed back up the design chain. It can also be used with the fl ows of other companies, but with less integration. When in-house customer processing facilities are insuffi cient, Cadence is now off ering a cloud-based number-crunching service called CloudBurst Platform. Although it runs on third party cloud resources, Cadence will manage all CloudBurst activity, removing the need for customer IT set-up. 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 0 5 25 75 95 100 EL_EPDT_Conformal_205x140mm_032019_prepress 26 March 2019 09:04:14 NEWS MIT moots hybrid lorries without diesel engines STEVE BUSH Researchers at MIT are proposing plug-in hybrid vehicles for long-distance heavy transport. The lorry would be primarily powered by batteries, but a non-diesel spark-ignition engine would extend range to that of today’s vehicles, according to MIT, avoiding the 10-15 tonnes of batteries required to propel an all-electric truck. The engine would be ‘fl ex-fuel’, able to use any combination of petrol, ethanol or methanol. And the series hybrid (=‘plug-in’) allows the fuel engine to always operate at its optimum speed, maximising its effi ciency – as has happened for decades in ‘diesel-electric’ trains. “We’ve been working for a number of years on ways to make engines for cars and trucks cleaner and more effi cient, and we’ve been particularly interested in what you can do with spark ignition, because it’s intrinsically much cleaner,” said Daniel Cohn of MIT’s ‘Energy initiative and plasma fusion and science center’. The institute’s goal remains to create entirely battery-powered vehicles, but the fl ex-fuel hybrid is a possible early route into the marketplace, overcoming concerns about limited range, cost, or the need for heavy batteries to achieve longer range. Cohn and engineer Leslie Bromberg have been working for years on the proposed fl ex-fuel engine, which is claimed to have the potential to emit far less greenhouse gas than a pure petrol engine, at only a small incremental cost, according to the researchers. If run on methanol or ethanol from renewable sources, net greenhouse gas emissions could be zero. “It’s a way of making use of a low greenhouse gas fuel, but always having the option of running it with gasoline,” said Cohn. “Computer modelling of a whole range of desired engine characteristics, combined with screening of the results using an artifi cial intelligence system, yielded clear indications of the most promising pathways and showed that such substitutions are indeed practically and fi nancially feasible,” said MIT. Part of the fi nancial equation, according to Bromberg, is that petrol engines have become more effi cient and clean over the years and the relative cost of diesel fuel has gone up, so that the cost advantages that led to the near-universal adoption of diesels for heavy trucking no longer apply. “Over time, gas engines have become more and more effi cient, and they have an inherent advantage in producing less air pollution,” he said. The concepts were presented at the annual SAE International conference last month. 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com NEWS POWER PRODUCTS: SEE PCIM PREVIEW, PAGES 25-28 200W PSU for industrial robots STEVE BUSH Cosel is aiming at industrial robots and automation with a triple output 200W open-frame AC-DC power supply. Called RBC200F, its three confi gurable outputs are isolated, with one having a reinforced isolation to power IGBTs or similar applications. Input and outputs are digitally controlled. The master output DC-DC converter has an LLC resonant topology, when the second and third outputs are quasi-resonant-fl y-back. Peak effi ciency is 91%. Inputs can range across 84-264Vac and output power is actually 207W. The master output (Slot 1) can deliver 24V adjustable 22.8-26.4V, or 48V adjustable, 45.6-52.8V with 144W output power. The second output (Slot 2) can host confi gured modules of 3.3V (5A), 5V (5A), 12V (2.5A), 16.5V (1.9A), 24V (1.3A), 48V (0.65A), ±12V (0.7A) or ±15V (0.7A) – which is between 16.5W and 30W depending on module. The third output (Slot 3) can host any of the single output voltage modules in the same power level. For higher voltages, outputs can be connected in series, and all output voltages are adjustable via a built-in potentiometer. Isolation is: 3kVac input to output; 2kVac input to ground; 500Vac master output to second output; and 3kVac third output to master output or second output. Certification to IEC/EN62477-1 OVC III and compliance to EN61558-2-16 allows direct connection to the installation distributionpanel, eliminating the need for an additional isolation transformer. Certifi cation is also in accordance to UL62368-1, C-UL (equivalent to CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.62368-1), EN62368-1, EN62477-1 (OVC III) and complies with EN61558-2-16 (OVC III). With a built-in active input fi lter, conducted noise complies with FCC-B, VCCI-B, CISPR11-B, CISPR32-B, EN55011-B, EN55032-B and the harmonic current emission with the IEC61000-3-2 (class A). In accordance with IEC62368-1, leakage current is 0.4-0.75mA maximum – or option G off ers 0.15mA maximum. Cooling is through convection between -20°C and +70°C, with derating starting at 50°C when mounted horizontally – it can be installed in any orientation. Operation is at up to 3,000 metres (9,000m storage). Protection includes in-rush current limitation, over-current, over-voltage and thermal. It measures 101x38.3x152mm, with the 152 stretching to 164mm including the terminal block. The device weighs 450g. In addition to the low-leakage option, there is an optional covered chassis, a vertical mounting terminal block, and conformal coating for harsh or corrosive environments. PICK OF THE PRODUCTS 10 Eaton offers patented assurance with our TDC180 British top plug fuse Eaton’s TDC180 series 1/4" x 1" cylindrical British plug top fuse is designed for domestic use according to BS1362 and available in current ratings from 1 A to 13 A. The TDC180 fuse conforms to the requirements of the Plug and Socket Safety Regulations 1995 and is to be fitted into domestic BS1363 plug. Eaton is the sole owner of the United Kingdom Patent No GB2410626B for this TDC180 British plug top fuse. We recommend avoiding fuses that are in violation of this patent. Eaton does not license this IP to any competitors. This fuse serves a critical role in preventing short circuits from causing further damage to domestic items and hence reliability is a critical consideration when selecting such fuses. Eaton’s BussmannTM Series of fuses has provided decades of reliable protection and is proud to offer the TDC180 series for applications such as these. Learn more about Eaton’s full line of BussmannTM Series fuses www.eaton.com/fuses Delta’s PJU-60W open-frame AC-DC PSUs come with an integrated DC uninterruptable power supply, and are aimed at security applications. There are two versions: PJU-13V60WCBA, with a 13.8V 3.5A output is designed to work with a 12V sealed lead-acid battery PJU-27V60WCBA, with a 27.6V 1.4A output and is designed to work with a 24V sealed lead-acid battery. Batteries are not included. “They will switch over to battery mode operation seamlessly to prevent system down-time in the event of power disruption or unexpected loss of AC input power. PSU with battery back-up in 2x4in footprint for security The diagnostic monitoring signals: ‘AC OK’ and ‘battery low’ can alert the user,” according to Luso Electronics, which is stocking the parts. The main output channel and battery channel will operate in CC-CV mode to maintain voltage regulation of main output channel while charging the external battery, and to prevent damaging deep discharge, the battery is diconnected if drained below 9V or 18V depending on version. Footprint is 2x4 inches (~50x100mm). Protection is included from: reverse polarity battery connection, over-voltage, over-current, over-temperature and short-circuit. Effi ciency is up to 89% (at 230Vac) and convection-cooled operatation is between -20°C and +70°C. “In view of IEC/EN/UL 60950-1 standards expiring in December 2020, the PJU series will come certifi ed with IEC/EN/UL 62368-1 approval,” said Luso. “They also comply to EMI according to EN 55032 Class B.” A metal chassis and cover is available as an option. 20W medical DC-DC converter has 2x MOPP STEVE BUSH XP Power has launched a range of 20W DC-DC power modules with international agency approvals for medical and healthcare applications. The series, called JHM20, is particularly intended for use where a reinforced (two measures of patient protection – 2x MOPP) safety isolation barrier is needed – including patient contact and patient vicinity applications. Certifi ed by both UL and TUV, approvals include IEC60601-1, EN60601-1 and ANSI/AMMI ES60601-1 for medical safety. “This certifi cation, and with the CB report including risk management, allows designers to use them for critical safety barriers with confi dence,” said the company. “Suitable for direct POWER PRODUCTS NEWS Explore more at: electronicsweekly.com/ew-compare Eaton offers patented assurance with our TDC180 British plug top fuse Eaton’s TDC180 series 1/4" x 1" cylindrical British plug top fuse is designed for domestic use according to BS1362 and available in current ratings from 1 A to 13 A. The TDC180 fuse conforms to the requirements of the Plug and Socket Safety Regulations 1995 and is to be fitted into domestic BS1363 plug. Eaton is the sole owner of the United Kingdom Patent No GB2410626B for this TDC180 British plug top fuse. We recommend avoiding fuses that are in violation of this patent. Eaton does not license this IP to any competitors. This fuse serves a critical role in preventing short circuits from causing further damage to domestic items and hence reliability is a critical consideration when selecting such fuses. Eaton’s BussmannTM Series of fuses has provided decades of reliable protection and is proud to offer the TDC180 series for applications such as these. Learn more about Eaton’s full line of BussmannTM Series fuses www.eaton.com/fuses patient contact, the modules have a maximum of just 2.5μA of patient leakage current and offer 2x MOPP at a 250Vac working voltage.” There are 18 modules, all with a 50.8x25.4mm PCB-mount footprint and all with 2:1 input ranges – at nominal input voltages of 12 (9-18V), 24 (18-36V) or 48Vdc (36-72V). Isolated, fully-fl oating, single or dual output versions are available at 5, 12 and 15Vdc – the duals allowing the provision of single 24 or 30V rails. All single outputs can be trimmed by 10% using a single external resistor. Maximum effi ciency ranges across 86-89% depending on version, and no-load current across 4-11mA. Operation is from -40°C to +80°C, with de-rating required above +60°C. Short-circuit and over-load are among the protections included. The case is made from a self-extinguishing UL94V-0 material. JHM20 modules are certifi ed to meet EN55011 Level A EMC emissions without external components, as well as IEC60601-1-2 Ed. 4 EMC immunity. “These pre-certifi cations ease the task of the designer when submitting for system-level approvals,” said the company. The modules come with a three-year warranty. The series is available from Digi-Key, Element14, Farnell, RS Components, some regional distributors or direct from XP Power. Electronics Weekly - Power - General (2) We WANT A DC DC CONVERTER FOR OUR SOLAR POWERED INSTALLATIONS You need A CONDUCTION COOLED RELEC CONVERTER + The specialist in power conversion and displays ... and that’s just the beginning! 01929 555800 sales@relec.co.uk relec.co.uk ARE YOU READY? Submit your entries now and join us for an exhilarating evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 December. elektraawards.co.uk Organised by: Partners: Electronicsweekly ElectronicsNewsElectronicsweekly The 2019 Elektra Awards are now open for entries. We’ve revamped our categories to ensure individuals and companies worldwide have the best chance of winning a prestigious Elektra Award. Electronics Weekly - Power - General (2) We WANT A DC DC CONVERTER FOR OUR SOLAR POWERED INSTALLATIONS You need A CONDUCTION COOLED RELEC CONVERTER Operation to 100 degreesCustom integrated solution Adjustable outputs Detailed application notes Choice of input ranges Overseas CEM support UL / CE safety reports + RELEC CONVERTER High Reliability (>1000k hrs) Operation to 100 degrees + The specialist in power conversion and displays ... and that’s just the beginning! 01929 555800 sales@relec.co.uk relec.co.uk POWER PRODUCTS NEWS ARE YOU READY? Submit your entries now and join us for an exhilarating evening at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 4 December. elektraawards.co.uk Organised by: Partners: Electronicsweekly ElectronicsNewsElectronicsweekly The 2019 Elektra Awards are now open for entries. We’ve revamped our categories to ensure individuals and companies worldwide have the best chance of winning a prestigious Elektra Award. STEVE BUSH ABB has announced a series of IEC food-safe motors for food and beverage plants, sealed to IP69 with stainless steel cases built to withstand high pressure cleaning and clean-in-place (CIP) methods. The cases are smooth and self-draining, with no crevices where particles can collect. No motor shrouds are used, which might otherwise harbour food and allow bacteria to breed. Markings are laser etched on to the frame, avoiding channels and ridges where contaminants could accumulate. Capacities range across 180W to 7.5kW, in 2- to 6-pole versions, for 230-690V, at 50 or 60Hz, in frame sizes 71-132. Effi ciency is premium-end IE3 to reduce energy consumption and emissions. “Flexible mounting arrangements ensure they will fi t almost any application,” claimed the company, and “encapsulated windings enable the motors to last much longer than general-purpose products in tough wash-down conditions”. ABB’s Food Safe family includes stainless steel NEMA motors, shaft bearings and gearing. Need a motor that is clean enough to eat off? 750W RF power transistor for 915MHz Ampleon has announced a 750W RF power transistor off ering 72.5% effi ciency at 915MHz, built on the fi rm’s Gen9HV 50V process. Called BLF0910H9LS750P, it operates from 902 to 928MHz making it suitable, according to Ampleon, for industrial, scientifi c, and medical systems, as well as professional cooking. It’s input is pre-matched, and the device is rugged enough to withstand a load mismatch equivalent to a VSWR of 10:1, through all phases. “This enables users to simplify their system designs and employ less sophisticated circuit-protection mechanisms,” said Ampleon. It is available now, from Ampleon and distributors including Digi-Key and RFMW. 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com NEWS PRODUCTS: SEE PCIM PREVIEW, PAGES 25-28 14 Higher Reliability smaller footprint New Ready-To-Use Cable Assemblies Now Available with Reverse Fixing Screw-Lok for Design Flexibility - Save time and money on tooling, training and testing cables - Metal back-shells for maximum strain relief and RF shielding - Up to 45% smaller and up to 75% lighter than Micro-D - Resists extremes of shock, vibration and temperature - Excellent out-gassing properties www.harwin.com/gecko-sl Harwin Gecko-SL EW May 19.indd 1 16/04/2019 16:44 Waterproof 3.5mm jack sockets CUI has introduced a series of 3.5mm waterproof audio jack connectors rated to IP67. They come in surface-mount, mid-mount SMT, and through-hole styles, with right-angle orientation and four conductors (sleeve, ring 1, ring 2 and tip). There are various sorts, with profi les as low as 5.3mm, typically with elastomer rings that seal against the inside of the associated enclosure. “These waterproof audio jacks help designers create a sealed barrier between their device and the environmental contaminants often encountered in consumer electronics, mobile, and industrial applications,” said the company. Rating is for up to 10,000 mating cycles -30 to +85°C operation, 12V and 1A. One minute withstanding is 250Vac contact to contact. Contact resistance is 50mΩ between terminal and mating plug, and 30mΩ between terminal in a closed circuit (<100mA 1kHz). Depending on variant, shielding, an internal switch, mounting tabs for PCB stability and re-fl ow solder compatibility are features of the series and carry a UL94V-0 fl ammability rating. Dual 16-bit 4Msample/s ADCs in 3x3mm STEVE BUSH Analog Devices has released a couple of dual high-resolution SAR (successive- approximation register) ADCs operating at up to 4Msample/s, both packaged in 3 x 3mm 16pin LFCSP. 16-bit AD7380 14-bit AD7381. Dual simultaneous-sampling is available, and the company is promoting the devices for motor control, sonar, power quality and data acquisition applications. “The conversion process and data acquisition use standard control inputs allowing easy interfacing to microprocessors or DSPs. “Integrated on-chip oversampling blocks improve dynamic range and reduce noise at lower bandwidths,” said Mouser Electronics, which is stocking the parts. The serial interface has two separate data output pins and data can be accessed via one or both. Sampling and conversion is on the falling edge of CS. Analogue inputs are diff erential and accept “a wide common-mode voltage”, said Mouser. Taking a look at a datasheet (but check both datasheets), common mode rage is 0.2V to Vref-, range is -Vref to +Vref, and absolute range is -0.1V to Vref+0.1V. The buff ered internal reference is 2.5V (typical drift ±1ppm/°C), although there is an option for an up to 3.3V external reference. CMRR (common mode rejection ratio) is -75dB at 500kHz. SFDR (spurious-free dynamic range) of the 16- bit version is -110dB. Operation is over 3.0 to 3.6V power and -40 to +125°C ambient. Consumption is typically 21.5mA and 83mW (26mA and 107mW max) Support comes from two evaluation boards: EVAL-AD7380FMCZ and EVAL-AD7381FMCZ, which have to be used with the EVAL-SDP-CH1Z high- speed controller board. Chip combines secure hash algorithm and PUF to protect IoT Maxim’s DS2477 secure co-processor is intended to protect industrial, medical and IoT applications with authentication and physical security. “It is a secure I2C co-processor with built-in 1-Wire master that combines FIPS202-compliant secure hash algorithm [SHA-3] challenge and response authentication with Maxim’s ChipDNA feature to provide protection against security attacks,” said Mouser, which is stocking the part. ChipDNA is Maxin’s brand for its ‘physically uncloneable function’ (PUF) – which uses random fabrication variation to produce an on- chip key that is repeatable over time, temperature and rail voltage. “Attempts to probe or observe ChipDNA operation modifi es the underlying circuit characteristics, which prevents discovery of the unique value used by the chip cryptographic functions,” said Mouser. An actively-monitored die shield is said to detect and react to intrusion attempts, and there is a unique and unalterable factory programmed 64-bit ID number. Chip features include: FIPS 202-compliant SHA-3 algorithm for bidirectional authentication FIPS 198-compliant keyed-hash message authentication code (HMAC) TRNG with NIST SP 800-90B compliant entropy source I2C communication is available up to 1MHz. Operation is over 2.2V to 3.63V and -40°C to +85°C, and the package is a 3x3mm 6-pin TDFN-EP. Frontier puts DAB, FM and streaming on one chip STEVE BUSH Frontier has introduced a chip for internet streaming and reception of DAB, DAB+ and FM. Called Chorus 4, it will also be available built-in to the Venice X module, which is a “customisable turn-key system which enables brands and manufacturers to build smart radios quickly and cost-eff ectively”, claimed the company. “By combining internet, DAB, DAB+ and FM in a single device, smart radios provide end-users with a complete range of listening options – including DAB/DAB+ services, internet radio stations, online music servicessuch as Amazon Music and Spotify and podcasts.” On board is dual-band Wi-Fi with www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 PRODUCTS NEWS 15 Explore more at: electronicsweekly.com/ew-compare Higher Reliability smaller footprint New Ready-To-Use Cable Assemblies Now Available with Reverse Fixing Screw-Lok for Design Flexibility - Save time and money on tooling, training and testing cables - Metal back-shells for maximum strain relief and RF shielding - Up to 45% smaller and up to 75% lighter than Micro-D - Resists extremes of shock, vibration and temperature - Excellent out-gassing properties www.harwin.com/gecko-sl Harwin Gecko-SL EW May 19.indd 1 16/04/2019 16:44 two antennas and Bluetooth 4.2 support, as well as support for a colour screen to present information and artwork. Venice X, (pictured above) has the same core connections as the fi rm’s Verona 2 module, allowing a single board supporting either module to be used inside diff erent end-user products. In addition there are iOS or Android control apps that can be branded to the customer and it is possible to disable the DAB and FM capability “if these are not required by customers”, said Frontier. Venice X enters mass production at the end of this month – and there is a product brief to read. Venice X connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n WEP, WPA, WPA2 security Bluetooth 4.2 USB 2.0 High Speed device/host Support for off -module Ethernet On-module audio DAC I2S or S/PDIF digital audio output SPI LCD interface Infra-red remote control Keyboard presets, rotary encoder I2C compatible SCB interface COMMENT 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com16 It’s interesting that China takes a dim view of bitcoin mining. After all, China is the world’s biggest bitcoin miner, with about half the world’s bitcoin mining operations based there – including the biggest miner and maker of mining gear – Bitmain. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said earlier this month it was seeking public opinions on a revised list of industries it wants to discourage, restrict or eliminate because they do not obey laws and regulations, are unsafe, waste resources or pollute the environment. The list included, for the fi rst time, bitcoin mining. Such mining is, of course, a staggering waste of electricity and a useless, unproductive human activity. But are those good enough reasons for Beijing’s Communist economic planners to ban a harmless revenue- ElectronicsWeekly Bitcoin falls from favour as price instability bites ELECTRONICS WEEKLY COMMENT We should not be surprised if, despite it’s previous enthusiasm, China moves to reject bitcoin On 2 May the winners of the 2019 EW BrightSparks will be celebrated at a presentation event hosted by the IET at the Maxwell Library, Savoy Place, London, in company with the judges and sponsors. For this third iteration of the BrightSparks trophy the designer, Saar Drimer at Boldport Studio, has updated the livery of the award re� ecting the rich quality of the nominees. IN PICTURES creating activity for the country? Well, one reason may be that gambling is illegal in China and bitcoin can be seen as a gambling exercise. And the other reason is that bitcoin seems to be uncontrollable and unpredictable. From $20,000 in December 2017 the price of a bitcoin hit $3,200 in December 2018 – and then last week suddenly popped 20% to top $5,000. And here’s the thing: No one knows why. And that could be the main reason why the communist central economic planners want to ban it – because they don’t know how to control it. It is, of course, diffi cult to imagine oneself in the minds of communist economic central planners in order to try to see the world as they see it, but one suspects that such people are particularly galled and appalled by situations over which they have no control. Southern House 10th Floor Wellesley Grove Croydon CR0 1XG England. www.electronicsweekly.com Email addresses name.surname@emap.com EDITORIAL: 020 8253 8671 Group editor, Electronics Weekly & AV Magazine: Clive Couldwell, 020 8253 8643 Components editor: David Manners, 020 8253 8664 Technology editor: Steve Bush, 020 8253 8665 Web editor: Alun Williams, 020 8253 8666 Features editor: Caroline Hayes Production editor: Sue Proud, 020 8253 8667 Editorial assistant: Alison Noble, 020 8253 8671 Head o f multimedia: David Berman, +44 7850 101439 ADVERTISING Commercial director: Steven Ray, 020 8253 8652 Senior account manager: Hara Tsakona, 020 8253 8649 Account manager: Jaspreet Thind, 020 8253 8651 Senior production designer: Victoria Heath, 020 8253 8655 Ad ops executive: Helen Simpson, 020 8253 8635 Marketing executive Kimryn Serwood, 020 8253 4607 Managing director: Richard Watts, 020 8253 8695 CIRCULATION: UK SUBSCRIPTIONS One year UK £102; Europe £133. Rest of the world £165; USA £140; and Canada £152. Remittance required with subscription order to Electronics Weekly Subscriptions, Abacus e-Media, email: metropolis@ abacusemedia.com. Apply for a free copy at: www.electronicsweekly.com Registered at the Post Offi ce as a newspaper. ISSN 0013-5224. Electronics Weekly is published by emap (part of Metropolis International Group Ltd, address above). Printed by Buxton Press Limited. ABC audited. Electronics Weekly is a trademark of Metropolis International Group Ltd. COMMENT The risk of taking on Trump MANNERISMS www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 17 Recent events prove that you’re in for a rough ride if you decide to take on president Trump TOP TWEETS Why is ultrasonic sensing a good option for robotics? Find out here: https://bit.ly/2uWS9ZV @TXInstruments Two rival #AI approaches combine to let machines learn about the world like a child @IBMResearch Teaching kids AI and machine learning with an Arduino Due-based kit: http://bit.ly/2Ik77kF @arduino Getting the new Intel Neural Compute Stick working with the @Raspberry_Pi is not easy using the supplied instructions. Find out how to do it here. #AI #Movidius #MyriadX #NCS2 @WilliamMarshal1 #ICYMI: During #MWC19, leading industry experts discussed the best practice, #security mechanism and future development of #IoT #Security. Find out more: https://gsma.at/2U10yFX @GSMA Join the discussion @ElectronicsNews #ElectronicsNews /ElectronicsWeekly Electronics Weekly Group Read all about it Keep up to date with all our blogs at Electronicsweekly.com DAVID MANNERS Falling out with US president Trump has downside consequences. ZTE was deprived of US components and nearly bankrupted, Huawei is seeing its global expansion plans trashed, Fujian Jin Hua saw its $10bn DRAM project halted, loads of Chinese companies’ attempted takeovers of US companies have been thwarted by the White House – and goods from China may still get a 25% tariff slapped on them. In addition, Chinese money going into Silicon Valley startups – $3.1bn worth last year – is being spurned. The money fl ow is slowing. US start-ups are becoming wary of accepting Chinese money because they have to report it to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, which can hold up their investment plans and open them up to future US government scrutiny. Some Chinese investors are trying to avoid that scrutiny by taking stakes of less than 10% in companies and not asking for board seats, which limits their ability to get technologies transferred to China. Sh ut te rs to ck Nothing illustrates the long arm of the Trump administration more clearly than the pressure on companies and countries not to buy Huawei switchgear. Australia banned Huawei from its 5G programme. BT dropped Huawei from a particularly sensitive network it is building. The Italian government yesterday denied reports it had banned Huawei from 5G contracts because of US pressure. Germanyis still deliberating, while Deutsche Telekom has said that not using Huawei gear will set back the introduction of 5G in Germany by two years. The EU has called for a unifi ed European approach to the company’s technology. Mind you the whole situation could be changed next month when the White House says it expects to conclude a trade deal with China. But it all goes to show that you’re in for a hairy ride if you decide to take on president Trump. The money hasn’t gone out of autonomous cars but it seems to be directed more narrowly and more sensibly these days. The old hope that we’d all have these things and they would bring you back from the pub after imbibing a skinful is gone. Instead we see the money going into more focused applications. Recent examples include the Aurora, a two-year-old San Francisco autonomous driving start-up company which raised over half a billion dollars from VW, Sequoia and others to pursue Level 4 autonomous vehicles in metropolitan areas. The target market is taxis. The other big autonomous vehicle investment was a $940m lob out from the the Softbank Vision Fund to three-year-old start-up Nuro. Nuro is pursuing the comparatively lowly goal of developing goods delivery vans for metropolitan areas. The image gives you a sense of something more down-to-earth than the photos of sleek autonomous EVs driving cross country with which we’ve been regaled in the past half-decade. Maybe realism is creeping into the driverless vehicle fi eld. Realism creeps into the driverless dream Here’s a pic of an Aurora vehicle BLOGS 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com18 GADGET MASTER Devboard Watch: ST’s STM8-SO8 Disco has three snap-off MCUs ALUN WILLIAMS Here’s another devboard to note. From ST Microelectronics and dubbed the STM8-SO8-DISCO, it’s a kit for evaluating all three of its 8-pin STM8 microcontroller variants. Possible applications for the MCUs include home-automation, smart lighting and access cards, as well as industrial sensors and battery chargers. The supported MCUs are: STM8S001J3M3: (1kbyte ram, 128byte data eeprom) 16-bit timers with three comparator outputs, three capture-compare channels, a 10-bit ADC, and an 8-bit timer. STM8L001J3M3 (1.5kbyte ram, 2kbyte data eeprom) is a low-power variant (consumes 0.3µA in halt mode) and includes 8-bit and 16-bit timers, and two comparators. STM8L050J3M3 (1kbyte ram, 128byte data eeprom) is a low-power variant and has a 12-bit ADC and four-channel DMA controller. There is a single button and indicator LED for interacting with the board, then ST’s STLINK/V2 and a USB port handle in-circuit debugging and programming from a connected PC. The MCUs are soldered on to individual snap-off sections of the board and each has an 8-pin DIL pattern of pins underneath to allow it to plug into an application. Even after they have been snapped off , there is a DIL socket on board for reprogramming. Each chip has a 16MHz STM8 core with 8kbyte of fl ash. System-control features include watchdog, clock control, UART, SPI, fast I2C and up to six user I/Os. STM8-SO8-DISCO features include STM8S001J3M3 microcontroller featuring 8Kbytes of Flash memory, 1Kbyte of RAM and 128bytes of Data EEPROM in an SO8 package STM8L001J3M3 microcontroller featuring 8Kbytes of Flash memory including up to 2Kbytes of Data EEPROM and 1.5Kbytes of RAM in an SO8 package STM8L050J3M3 microcontroller featuring 8Kbytes of Flash memory, 1 Kbyte of RAM and 256 bytes of Data EEPROM in an SO8 package 1 user LED 1 user push-button Individual and breakable STM8 SO8 to DIL8 module DIL8 socket to ease programming of the STM8 MCU On-board ST-LINK/V2 debugger/programmer Comprehensive free software libraries and examples Support of a wide choice of integrated development environments (IDEs) including Cosmic, IAR, Raisonance, iSYSTEM and STMicroelectronics’. You can read more about and download latest versions of the demonstration source code and documentation. The board is priced at $8.50 and available now from st.com or distributors. See our EW-Compare pricing tool ALUN WILLIAMS Here’s an interesting one, if you are at all involved in Android security issues. Google’s Android Security & Privacy team has published its fi fth annual Year in Review report, for 2018. The document is intended to detail security advances made in the year, for example with programs like Android Enterprise Recommended, platform developments such as Treble and new OEM agreements. It also provides some insight into some of the metrics the team has collected, such as around the number of devices receiving security updates, potentially harmful applications, device hygiene and click fraud. You can read the full report at g.co/androidsecurityreport2018. The report highlights work done with Android “Pie”, version 9, for example: “With Android 9, we added a myriad of great security features. “We strengthened the application sandbox and hardened the developer APIs. “We continued to invest in hardware-backed security via the trusted execution environment (TEE) and on select devices through discrete tamper-resistant hardware. “We also layered a set of privacy preserving enhancements and adopted more anti-exploitation techniques so that bugs don’t turn into exploitable vulnerabilities.” A video available via the Eyes On Android blog gives an overview of “layered security, transparency and openness”. www.electronicsweekly.com/eyes-on-android Google publishes Android Security annual Year in Review report EYES ON ANDROID Devboard’s snap-off MCUs means it ELECTRO RAMBLINGS BLOGS www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 19 In a recent blog post I showed you the TERA Ethernet system from Simeon. This week I bring you the Category 7 Metal RJ45 Outdoor Industrial GigE Capable Cable Assemblies from L-Com. Category 7 cables When I am introducing new products, I am always on the lookout for something a little diff erent or that can add value. In the case of the L-Com Cat 7 cables there are some special features that make these assemblies attractive. First, the outdoor use of these cables is fairly unique. At the moment many Cat 7 systems are primarily designed for internal use therefore limited in their application. The ability to run these cables outdoors opens up a wide range of uses. For example, internet of everything-enabled devices that are not traditional PC-based networks can make use of the super fast Cat 7 connections. Second, the unique screw locking mechanism ensures no accidental disconnect from the host device. The metal housings provide a sturdy industrial-grade durability, meaning these cables are good to go in any environment from an offi ce through to factory of outdoor devices. Because the cable is UV- and oil-resistant, is built with Halogen Free thermoplastic polyurethane (HF-TPU) and has fl ame resistance per the UL AWM 20622 standard. Industrial applications will be the main target market as typically these are the areas where the anti-corrosive cable properties will be most useful. Here are some quick technical specifi cations: 10G rated Category 7 cable constructed with an overall Braid Shield over individually shielded twisted pairs (S/FTP) Die-cast metal, ruggedised RJ45 connectors Cable is UV and oil-resistant, is built with halogen free thermoplastic polyurethane (HF-TPU) and has fl ame resistance per UL AWM 20622 1x optional Unifi ed GigE bracket included; bracket can be confi gured to either horizontal or vertical GigE confi guration with optional spacers. Temperature range of +60°C and static bend radius of 1.39-inch (35.34mm) Applications include: 10GBASE-T – 10/100/1,000/10,000 Category 7 – Category 6a 10G applications Factory automation Outdoor industrial ethernet Machine vision applications. As data networksare becomingly more bandwidth hungry it is good to see there is a wide choice on the market. In addition to this I like the way that L-Com has targeted these assemblies towards industrial use and this makes them stand out from the crowd, which can be hard in the world of data networking. Only Connect: Category 7 RJ45 outdoor industrial GigE-capable cables Welcome to another in the series by Nicab’s Nick Locke, our experienced interconnection cable assembly specialist BLOGS 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com20 Two days before the lathe ENGINEER IN WONDERLAND Here’s a progress report on the latest developments in the bicycle lamp 3D printing project Having done quite a bit of 3D printing with my trusty, tiny, cheap Fabrikator v2, a few issues are emerging. One is z-wobble caused by a rigid yet slightly non-coaxial coupler between the z-axis drive stepper motor and a slightly bent leadscrew. My obscure printer uses the same leadscrew as version 1 of the common MonoPrice Select Mini, and a few folk have had similar issues with them, and this project takes inspiration from some of the fi xes they created or found. Fitting a fl exible coupler is said to help as, I have learned, only really well made machines are accurate enough for solid couplings between motor and leadscrew – any misalignment or bend makes the driven item wobble around as much as its guiding structures will allow (two 6mm rods in the Fab v2). For 3D printers, the ideal answer is a fl exible coupler to the motor, and no bearing at the other end of the leadscrew. If location is required at the far end of the leadscrew – to stop it getting accidentally bent during handling, for example – I wonder whether a second fl exible coupler would be appropriate, possibly of a diff erent stiff ness to lessen the chance of longitudinal oscillation at resonance, maybe? Certainly having a solidly-mounted bearing at the far end can cause wobble. All the easy-to-get fl exible couplers are 18mm in diameter and 25mm long. They are made fl exible by cutting a helical slot around them, turning the central section into a spiral. These are available with a 4mm hole at one end and a 3mm hole at the other, which would suit the Fab v2’s M4 threaded rod leadscrew (assuming grub-screw-on-thread location is acceptable) and the motor shaft. However, the more common printer size is 8mm (for a T8 Acme leadscrew) and 5mm (for a Nema 17 motor shaft). I noticed that the bore down the middle of the coupler depends on the larger end hole, so the common one gets an 8mm hole, and the 3+5mm version gets a 5mm hole – meaning that the latter has more material left (234mm2 compared with 204mm2) so is stiff er than the common size. A stiff er coupler did not seem appropriate for such a tiny printer, so an 8mm coupler was bought (maybe it should have been a 10mm version (176mm2) for even more give). Sleeving down the 8mm end meant boring and reaming a 3mm hole in some metal rod, then turning the outside down to 8mm. Having never used a reamer before (just ~£2 off internet) I was amazed at how easy it was to use, and how perfectly the 3mm hole came out in both aluminium and brass (an old 7/64″ drill provided the raw hole at ~2.8mm). Turning the outside down for a snug fi t in the ‘8mm’ hole took a couple of goes – 8.04mm was too slack, 8.06mm worked. In inches, the diff erence here is less than ‘one thou’, fostering a sense of pride in this almost-novice. By the way, the hole in the coupler was distorted around the grub screw holes, so there was never going to be a perfect solution. A junior hacksaw cut turned the sleeve into something that can grip a shaft when the grub screws are tightened – and the whole thing seems to work, at least when tested on the shaft of a 3mm drill. Next comes bonding a lump of metal (brass in photo, above) onto the leadscrew – which is 200mm of stainless steel M3 studding, then turning this down to fi t into the ‘5mm’ coupler end. By the way, stainless steel studding is allegedly more likely to be straight than mild steel – I have no idea how true this is. I bought two anyway, of which one, happily, is straight. So far, a plug for the back of the lathe headstock hole (pictured, left) has been turned up to keep the far end of the leadscrew aligned and stable while working on the business end. It transpires that, provided the things turn out ok, setting time aside for making things is seldom wasted, and can be fun. www.electronicsweekly.com/engineer-in-wonderlandA plug to align the loose and of the loadscrew DIY diameter-reducing sleeve installed Cloud versus edge Running effi cient machine learning (ML) on the edge is a diff erent kettle of fi sh from running it in the cloud, and Arm has come up with a neat encapsulation of the diff erences: Typically applied to a limited number of focused, vertical applications Targets a small range of processors Plenty of available power and bandwidth Large equipment budget. ML on edge devices Potentially applied to a wide and diverse range of applications Many possible processor targets, from CPUs and GPUs to NPUs, DSPs and other forms of dedicated accelerator Numerous – often proprietary – application programming interfaces (APIs) Devices are relatively low-cost, and operate in thermally and power-constrained environments. The diff erences have an impact on software requirements. While the scale of neural networks varies from the cloud to the edge, developers in either scenario have a common goal: to run neural networks developed in high-level frameworks, particularly the most popular, such as Google’s TensorFlow and Facebook’s Caff e. Developers targeting high-power CPUs and GPUs in the cloud will use hardware-specifi c software libraries to translate and run these high-level frameworks. But the numerous APIs edge developers are faced with make it diffi cult to create performance-portable, platform-agnostic software. What’s needed is an easy way to target a wide range of processor types. MANNERISMS Multiple ML use cases on edge devices BLOGS Why has Plessey developed a native green LED micro display LED LUMINARIES Why has Plessey gone to the trouble of creating a GaN-on-Si micro LED display process that emits green? Intensity and effi ciency are the reasons, according to the company’s director of micro LED applications Clive Beech. Plessey’s original technology, which started life in the University of Cambridge, builds InGaN quantum wells over a silicon substrate using over 100 epitaxially-grown layers that prevent wafer bowing and match crystal lattices, among other things. Originally aimed at lighting LEDs, the devices emit blue light and need a phosphor coating to produce white for lighting or green or red for displays. It just so happens, according to Beech, that green tends to be predominant in the output required from RGB video displays, and that phosphor conversion from blue to green is particularly lossy. The reason that this is so involves a chain of facts. Conventional phosphors can’t be used because the 10-50μm particle size swamps the 5μm pixels of a micro display – leaving only quantum dot (qd) phosphor colour conversion. However, unless the qd layer is over 30μm thick, too much blue escapes through it to produce a pure green – and 30μm is impractical balanced on a 5μm pixel in an RGB matrix and blurring on an all-green display with tiny pixels. Blue leakage can be cut by adding a blue blocking layer, although this also reduces the green output. How much more practical, to make green natively in the quantum wells? – particularly if separate red, green and blue display chips are to be used. According to Beech, a high proportion of the >100 layers in the epitaxial stack need to be re-engineered – and the scheme worked fi rst time in practice. As well as nowbeing able to make an high-defi nition (1,080) RGB micro display using three separate emissive chips and a combining prism – the whole thing in a cube less than 5mm across, according to Plessey – patents have been sought for a method of creating native green pixels next to native blue pixels on the same substrate – although Beech will reveal nothing until the intellectual property is secure. For the time being, three panel displays will be off ered so that OEMs can get to market as quickly as possible. Read the second half of this blog at: www.electronicsweekly.com/led-luminaries BRIGHTSPARKS ROUNDTABLE 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com22 We need to talk about Stem Challenge can be a force for good, an inspiration to new players to enter the � eld and attempt a life of innovation or entrepreneurial endeavour. It can also be a disincentive to take that step when it is perceived as risk. Electronics Weekly assembled a panel of industry in� uencers to discuss how the next generation of electronics engineers could be recruited and retained to ensure the long-term success of the UK electronics sector In the last edition of Electronics Weekly we reported on the deliberations of the 2019 EW BrightSparks selection panel. For the third successive year our association with RS Components to seek out the most talented young engineers working in electronics in the UK has produced an impressive array of talent and initiative. The panellists were impressed by the quality of the nominees – and by the willingness of so many of them to invest their own time and energy in reaching out to other, younger people to encourage them to develop the skills that could lead them towards careers founded on Stem (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. To make the most of the occasion, which had brought together so many industry heavyweights with an interest in supporting skills and career developments in electronics, the remainder of the day was given to a discussion about issues that had been raised during this and previous years’ assessments of the entrants to BrightSparks.Ph ot og ra ph s b y Da vi d Be rm an www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 23 ROUNDTABLE BRIGHTSPARKS “ Generation Zers expect to see three career changes in their working lives diffi cult – other stuff is easier”. He said: “Kids at 14 and 15 see that and choose some of the other subjects. Teachers are focused on good grades, so they subconsciously get children to do subjects which get better grades.” Isabella Mascarenhas, vice-president for Grass Roots and Shining Stars at RS Components, said: “Companies have to go into schools and take the learning into schools. The curriculum hasn’t kept up with the development of technology and the diff erent ways of working.” Lakin pointed out that for schools, funding was an issue. “How many teachers are engineers?” asked Steve Ray, Electronics Weekly’s commercial director. “Career guidance is very important,” he added. Lakin cautioned that, while every school now has to have a careers advisor, “that’s great, as long as they are informed”. An international angle Adam Rees-Leonard, chair of science and technology at UK Naval Engineering Science and Technology (NEST), said: “Engineering in the UK has a diff erent profi le from that in Germany – the vision isn’t there. In Germany, an engineer is respected like a doctor.” Lizzie Truett, young professionals engagement manager at the IET, pointed out the diffi culty for schools in keeping up with the changing face of the industry. “The traditional route to engineering 20 years ago is not the norm any more. People want hands-on experience; they want to innovate or create their own companies. I don’t think we [the UK] are set up for that.” Lakin pointed out that the new ‘T-level’ qualifi cations – a two-year technical study programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-old learners due to start in September 2020 – will bring a fundamental change. It is hoped that they will encourage learners to follow a hands-on route. “There is a huge cohort that the education system is failing,” said Mascarenhas. “Traditionally, companies that recruit young people focus on a graduate scheme, but what other talent are we missing because it’s not being covered by employers?” Lindsley Ruth, CEO of EW BrightSparks sponsor RS Components’ US-based parent company Electrocomponents, said he felt that, “everything in the west is too short-term”. He challenged the panel: “I ask, ‘what is the rallying cry for Great Britain?’ In the [San Francisco] Bay Area, you have a whole ecosystem – business, universities, government. What’s lacking here is a clear vision of what the UK wants to do in the next fi ve to 10 years from a technology standpoint. “Once we have that vision, we can start building the infrastructure,” he said. “The Chinese Ministry of Education has identifi ed a skills shortage and is now doing curriculum reform that puts Stem at the heart of it,” observed Lakin. “There’s a big diff erence between China and the west,” Curren pointed out. “The focus is on the one child to succeed and engineering is seen as a way to getting your child a good future. Kids in the west are spoilt.” Ruth agreed. “Kids are spoilt and the hunger and the motivation that creates the innovation is not there,” he said. But Mascarenhas said she felt that what drives young people is also to do with money. “I think that’s why many of them want to run their own companies, because there’s a perception that ‘if I earn enough, I can get on to the property ladder’,” she said. Sarah Constable, who is marketing communications manager at RS Components, reported on a survey of Generation Z (those born from the mid 1990s to early 2000s). “They are going to be working the longest out of all generations,” she said. “Within a 50- to 60-year period, they believe they are going to have three career changes. That’s the attitude they are getting into.” She concluded that as a result, at age 15 or 16 they were not embarking on what they saw as a lifetime career path. “They are not setting themselves up for life,” Constable said. The survey also revealed that recruitment options have shifted. Young applicants “want to send videos or use Snapchat or social media”, she said. “They don’t want to write a long CV or The opening questions posed to the panellists concerned the diffi culties in attracting young people to the sector, reports George Cole. Where are the career opportunities for the next generation of graduate engineers and how can we attract more people into the profession? asked Electronics Weekly group editor Clive Couldwell as he kicked off the lively debate. With a panel that refl ected a diverse range of expertise from across the industry, there was no shortage of strong opinions. David Lakin, head of education for 5-to-19-year-olds at the IET said: “The reality is that there is a huge skills shortage. We need more people with digital skills and coding skills. “Not enough teachers have Stem skills and knowledge; young people are more adept with the technology than the teachers.” He added that while the IET was running a number of programmes designed to inspire young people, such as First Lego League, there was also a need to educate parents about the potential career opportunities in engineering. Graham Curren, CEO of IC design company Sondrel, suggested that the problem was infl uenced by “a fundamental fi lter in education which says that science and engineering are BRIGHTSPARKS ROUNDTABLE 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com24 Roundtable Panel Lindsley Ruth – CEO, RS Components (Electrocomponents plc) Clive Couldwell – group editor, Electronics Weekly Graham Curren – CEO, Sondrel Paul Hide – TechUK, director of market engagement andmembership David Lakin – head of education 5-19, IET Isabella Mascarenhas – vice-president Grass Roots and Shining Stars, RS Components Adam Rees-Leonard – UK Naval Engineering Science & Technology (NEST) – chair of science & technology Lizzie Truett – young professionals engagement manager, IET Pete Wood – head of partnerships and services/technical evangelist, RS Components Sarah Constable – marketing communications manager, RS Components Steve Ray – commercial director, Electronics Weekly Alun Williams – web editor, Electronics Weekly be interviewed by a typical recruiter – who is a 50-year-old white male.” Mascarenhas agreed. “They fi ll out forms that treat them like a commodity rather than a person with a personality or a passion,” she said. The retention conundrum The discussion moved on as Couldwell asked the panel whether the UK should be worried about keeping talent. “UK policy is defi nitely anti-talent,” said Paul Hide, director of market engagement and membership at TechUK. “We are becoming a very inward-looking society, which is very dangerous. If you were an international corporation, why would you invest here? “We have good universities and still have an entrepreneurial outlook, but our relative position globally is moving down,” Hide warned. Ruth, however, reckoned that the British were generally tough on themselves and cited the UK public transport and healthcare systems, which he said are pretty good. “I think it’s an attractive place to live. The food didn’t used to be good but now that’s good too,” he added. Steve Ray, Electronics Weekly’s commercial director, suggested that “Germany has the same problems as us. We have to look at how we can compete, because other countries are going to step up their game. “How do we make UK PLC more attractive than Germany, China, America and everywhere else?” Ray asked. Time to get real Another issue that followed from diffi culties in recruitment and it. If you compare that approach to other successful places like Israel, people focus on spending the money, doing it themselves and getting on with it. “It’s not about ‘I need help.’ It’s a diff erent attitude,” he said. “There are many incubators around, some good, some bad” said Pete Wood, who is head of partnerships and services, and a technical evangelist at RS Components. “If you are an engineer, you are often good at that bit but no good at running a business. It’s the business skills that are often lacking – How do you raise fi nance? How do you run your account? How do you pay your rent? I think it’s super-important that people have those life skills.” Mascarenhas pointed out that “life skills are changing and a lot of life skills programmes are often outdated”, adding: “It’s similar with technology and the way of working.” The clear conclusion at the end of the discussion was that change is the only constant in this industry. Whether you consider how people work or the way they apply for a job; the technology they use to the skills they require, none of these is static. There is already of talk of changing Stem to Stream (to incorporate robotics), or to iStem, with the ‘i’ standing for innovation. UK engineering must decide how to respond to all of this change and rise to the challenge of continuous change, ensuring that it leads not to entropy, but expansion. retention was whether the young people’s expectations are realistic. Do many of them expect overnight success rather than putting in 10 years of work before seeing the fruits of their labour? Alongside this was the question of what levels of help and support should be available to them. Constable was unequivocal. “We shouldn’t nurture a generation of kids who think everybody will do it for them. But we are the older generation and we should know better, and we should morally be guiding people to get to where they want to be. “For me, it’s our moral, ethical and professional responsibility if we see there’s a gap and we believe as an industry we should take the time and simplify it for them,” she said. “But absolutely, categorically I am not suggesting that we do it for them,” said Constable. “We owe it to the industry if we want it to be here in 30 years.” Curren observed: “There’s a tendency for people to fl ip from one thing to the next and it’s not helped by a government that does this.” Rees-Leonard pointed out that: “There are so many barriers, including the wider business skills you need to be an entrepreneur. “I benefi ted from being attached to an entrepreneurial centre, where you could use an offi ce to base yourself,” he said. “That was a valuable tool, as was some seed funding.” Curren cautioned: “If you make it too easy for people to start off , they don’t think about PCIM PREVIEW www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 25 Among the contenders in the GaN corner, is Alpha and Omega Semiconductor, which has recently introduced a 650V GaN family. The AONV070V65G1 GaN 650V transistor is designed for high effi ciency and high density power supplies in telecoms, server and consumer adapter markets, where GaN can be used to meet the high energy requirements in a smaller form factor, reduce cooling requirements and energy costs. The 70mΩ pure enhancement mode device is manufactured on a fully qualifi ed GaN-on-Si substrate that is more than half the size of traditional silicon mosfet devices, claims the company, and has 10X lower gate charge (Qg) and eliminates the body diode reverse recovery charge (Qrr). The low on-state gate leakage allows the device to be used with commercially available Si mosfet gate drivers. The low inductance, thermally enhanced DFN 8x8mm package has a large thermal pad for heat removal and a separate driver sense pin to control the switching speed. The company has also recently released the AONS32100 mosfet, which can be used in servers where a high safe operating area (SOA) is benefi cial for hot-swapping to manage the high inrush current. Maximum RDS(on) is 0.73mΩ at gate source voltage equivalent of 10Vgs. The mosfet is available in a 5x6mm DFN. The company will also be highlighting a 2x 30V n-channel mosfet in a dual DFN 3.3x3.3mm XSPairfet package, which was introduced last month. The AONP36336 is designed for buck-boost converters used in Type-C applications, for example notebooks, USB hubs and power banks. The mosfet joins others in the XSPairfet series and uses bottom source packaging technology. The low parasitic inductance leads to low switch node ringing characteristics, says the company. The DFN 3.3x3.3mm symmetric package integrates a high side and low side mosfet with 4.7mΩ and 5.8mΩ maximum on-resistance, respectively. The low side mosfet is connected directly to the exposed pad on the PCB to enhance thermal dissipation and to improve effi ciency. Alpha and Omega Semiconductor: 9-615 PCIM Europe 2019 Tuesday 7 to Thursday 9 May 2019 Nuremberg Messe, Nuremberg, Germany Alongside the exhibition, there is also a conference programme covering topics such as thermal management, power electronics in transportation, motor control and drives, energy storage, communication and cybersecurity in power electronics and so� ware tools and applications. Pick of the PCIM products Ahead of PCIM Europe 2019 in Nuremberg Electronics Weekly presents some of the highlights to be found on exhibitors’ stands Wide bandgap devices continue to dominate discussions on the exhibition fl oor, with gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) vying for attention and jostling for market sectors competing with silicon (Si). The two can be roughly divided into low power, low voltage, high frequency applications for GaN and high power, high voltage switching applicationsfor SiC. GaN gains in servers The AONV070V65G1 from Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Claimed to be the smallest, most effi cient, fully integrated 6A buck regulator available today, the MYMGA1R86RELC2RA DC-DC converter has a footprint that is 25% less, and a profi le 30% lower than the nearest competing option, according to Murata. The 12x9x2mm device can be used for automotive, industrial, datacentre, IoT, mobile computing and smartphone designs, where the two-stage power conversion architecture can reduce the overall system size and bill of materials by reducing the number of passive components needed for power conversion. It integrates passive components, including bulk output capacitance to meet transient load requirements and does not require additional external components for most applications, says the company. Using two-stage power conversion architecture developed by Arctic Sand, which was acquired by Murata’s semiconductor division pSemi in April 2017, the DC-DC converter has an input voltage of 5.5V–14.4V and a programmable output of 0.7V–1.8V at up to 6A. The converter is designed for two-cell, three-cell and 12V PoL applications. Peak effi ciency exceeds 90% for 12V input to 1.8V output, which is more than 5% higher than competing products, claims Murata. The product will be sampling in August. Murata: 9-523 Buck regulator reduces footprint, lowers profile 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com26 PCIM PREVIEW EPC promotes eGaN transistor Effi cient Power Conversion (EPC) continues its promotion of eGaN with the EPC2052 100V GaN transistor in a small chip-scale package. The transistor is designed for 48V DC-DC power converters, motor drives and light detection and ranging (lidar) applications. The 100V, 13.5mΩ EPC2052 is capable of 74 pulses and achieves greater than 97% effi ciency at 500kHz and greater than 96% effi ciency at 1MHz. Its 150x150mm (2.25mm2) package saves space in these high effi ciency, high power-density applications. It achieves greater than 97% effi ciency at a 10A output, switching at 500kHz and greater than 96% at a 10A output while switching at Silicon carbide is still centre stage at Nuremburg power show Littlefuse adds SiC Schottky diodes Also playing in the 650V space, Littelfuse has introduced two series of silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diodes that are AEC-Q101-qualifi ed. The LSIC2SD065DxxA is available with current ratings of 6A, 10A and 16A and is available in a TO 263-2L package. The LSIC2SD065ExxCCA is in a TO-247-3L package and with current ratings of 12A, 16A, 20A and 40A. Characteristics shared by both series are negligible SiC Jfet die packaged with controller UnitedSiC manufactures SiCs and has released SiC Jfet die that can be packaged with a controller IC which has an integral, low voltage mosfet to create a fast, cascode-based, 20W to 100W fl yback device. There are seven die available in wafer form, ranging from 650V to 1,700V and RDS (on) down to 140mΩ. There are three die sizes available, the smallest being 0.8x0.8mm. The company advocates SiC cascodes as robust, due to the ability of SiC Jfets to handle repeated avalanche and short circuits. Using the Jfet in series with the LV mosfet, means that the source of the normally-on Jfet rises to 12V before the Jfet turns off and the IC starts switching. This current path can be used as a start-up supply for the controller IC. An auxiliary supply from the converter transformer is gated-in when the converter starts running, with no further dissipation, says the company. The normally-on SiC Jfets can be used in fl yback AC-DC designs, such as consumer adapters and auxiliary power supplies, where zero standby dissipation can simplify start-up. They can also be used in wide-input (up to 1,400V) fl yback auxiliary supplies in industrial applications, for example motor drives and high power lighting applications. UnitedSiC : 9-432 1MHz, resulting in reductions in system size in, for example, 48V input power converters for computing and telecomms, LED lighting and Class-D audio. There is also the EPC9092 development board to evaluate the GaN fet. The 100V maximum device voltage, half bridge board has the GaN transistor and Texas Instruments’ LMG1205 gate driver. It measures 50.8x50.8mm. EPC: 7-335 and 9-440 EPC has developed the EPC2052 GaN transistor for motor drives and lidar reverse recovery current, high surge capability, and a maximum operating junction temperature of 175°C. The SiC Schottky diodes dissipate less energy and can operate at higher junction temperatures than standard silicon bipolar power diodes. They can use smaller heat sinks and have a smaller footprint for space-constrained electric vehicle charging stations, as well as high frequency output rectifi cation and power factor correction designs, where the lower switching losses of SiC compared with silicon bipolar diodes and its fast temperature independent switching is particularly suitable for high frequency switching operations. Littelfuse: 9-303 Rohm adds more automotive SiCs Rohm Semiconductor recently extended its automotive-grade SiC mosfets, with the SCT3xxxxxHR series. Isolated gate driver ICs for power mosfets have been added for industrial and automotive power systems. The off ering includes an AEC-Q100-qualifi ed gate driver, with 3.75kV isolation, designed to drive SiC power Mosfets. It also has built-in active miller clamping to prevent parasitic turn-on eff ects and an undervoltage lockout to drive the company’s SiC mosfet. Rohm also provides SiC power modules, which at 1,700V/250A claim to have the industry’s highest reliability in high temperatures and humidity, and to enable smaller heatsinks and associated components. It will also show the JN series of 600V super-junction mosfets with fast recovery diode (FRD) and its RGS automotive graded switching IGBTs for EVs. Rohm: 9-312 PREVIEW PCIM In addition to standard magnetic components Etal can create custom components for demanding markets Forced-resonant soft switching topology developed by Pre-Switch replaces the IGBT or SiC driver with an intelligent controller board – the Pre-Drive3 – and a plug-in resonant power gate module. The architecture delivers the same switching loss performance as a fi ve-level design – or better – but with reduced cost, control complexity and bill of materials cost, says the company. To eliminate the switching losses associated with hard switching, the company uses artifi cial intelligence (AI) to constantly adjust the relative timing of elements within the switching system to off set the current and voltage waveforms. The company off ers the Pre-Drive3 controller board – powered by the Pre-Flex FPGA – and resonant power gate driver board, which it claims enables developers to double output for a typical inverter, or increase switching speed by a factor of up to 20. According to Bruce T Renouard, CEO at Pre-Switch, electric vehicle (EV) designers have been among the fi rst to adopt this technology. “It dramatically reduces iron core losses in electric motors at cruising torques, providing 5%-12 % more range,” he said. Pre-Switch: 6-119 Conference info The PCIM Europe 2019 conference programme has a wide-ranging list of topics, including power semiconductors, thermal management, packaging, low and high power converters, transportation, motors and actuators, automation, renewable energy and energy storage. A full list can be found at the PCIM website: www.pcim.messago.com Magnetic components for renewable, automotive, rail, medical and industrial markets, will be highlighted by Etal. The company says that in addition to the standard range available, it can optimise or create custom components in a cost- and environmentally-eff ective way, particularly for theautomotive, defence, robotics, railway and renewable energy applications. The portfolio includes chokes, air coils, coils, current transformers, power transformers and signal transformers, plus planar products, such as custom made transformers and/or inductors. The company also designs and manufactures very small toroid products and complex modules for common mode chokes or compact, high effi cient, fl yback transformers. Etal: 6-104 www.electronicsweekly.com | 1 May 2019 27 Magnetic components made to order AI addresses EV soft switching Nexperia has extended its constant current LED driver family with eight new AEC-Q101 qualifi ed devices that deliver up to 250mA. The 16V NCR32xx and 40V NCR42xx series are available in two package styles, the smaller SOT457 (SC-74) or higher power SOT223 (SC-73) – the latter working up to 1.25W. Output is stabilised at 10mA without an external resistor, and adjustable up to 250mA using an external resistor. Voltage over-heard is 1.4V – due to the high-side npn confi guration – and operation is up to a junction temperature of 150°C. Nexperia aims at cars with 250mA LED driver Part numbers vary with enable voltage. For example, the NCR320U is enabled by 12V and the enable pin can survive up to 25V, while the NCR321U operates at 3.3V and can survive 4.5V. In both cases, enable input current is 1.2mA at the rated enable voltage. Given a driver that can meet the input requirements, PWM dimming is available at up to 10kHz. Not all are 250mA parts – NCR420U and NCR421U are 40V parts that only work up to 150mA output. “Capable of being paralleled, NCR32x and NCR42x are suited to constant current source and automotive applications including interior and exterior lighting such as door handles, dashboards, number plates, indicators and rear lights,” said Nexperia product manager Joachim Stange. Nexperia: 9-541 Load sharing using two NCR320U PCIM PREVIEW 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com28 E-Mobility Area PCIM Europe puts a spotlight on the power industry, with a conference programme that off ers the chance to explore and discuss some of the issues in the industry today. There is an E-Mobility Area, with presentations on topics and trends in e-mobility. The E-Mobility Forum features half-hour presentations covering new developments and challenges in power electronics, from electric, hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles, to charging infrastructure challenges and payment systems. E-Mobility Area: 6-220 High-current inductors, SMT-mountable double inductors and high-power terminals will be the focus of the Würth Elektronik eiSos stand. The company will show WE-HCF and WE-HCFT, high- current inductors with a current loading capacity of up to 75A, with ferrites, such as WE-CBF for a data line fi lter and for supply voltage decoupling and WE-MPSB, a storage inductance for DC-DC converters and high-current switching power supplies. The WE-VD is a disk varistor designed to operate immediately after an overvoltage pulse without sequential current. Visitors can also see the WE-MCRI and WE-CFWI coupled inductors and the WE-CMBNC current-compensated line choke which uses permeable nanocrystalline core material. It is a robust component and operates the extended temperature range from -40 to +125°C, suitable for motor interference suppression. The company will also present Infi neon has added the XDPL8221 to its XDP LED series for cost-eff ective dual-stage drivers with advanced features. The device combines a quasi-resonant PFC and a quasi-resonant fl yback controller with primary side regulation and a comms interface. The XDPL8221 combines advanced functions such as multi control featuring constant voltage, constant current and limited power as confi gurable operating parameters. The performance of the XDPL8221 helps to design more effi cient devices. It supports full functionality for AC and DC input in the nominal input voltage range of 100Vac to 277Vac or 127Vdc to 430Vdc. The built-in digital control Core materials and inductors ‘Combined Solutions for Thermal Management and Electromagnetic Shielding’ at a poster presentation on 7 May between 3.15 and 5.15pm. On 9 May, Markus Stark, head of product technology and strategy passive general management, will speak about ‘Near fi eld radiation – causes, eff ects and suppression – techniques of power inductors in power electronic systems’ (Hall 6, Booth 322 from 12.00 to 12.20pm). Würth Elektronik eiSos: 7-229 Wideband probe meets high speed demands Providing electrostatic shielding for interference immunity, the CWTHF current probe will be launched at the show, by Power Electronic Measurements (PEM UK). The probe will join the company’s CWT range of clip-on Rogowski current probes which provide a convenient, wide bandwidth alternating current measurement. This model off ers higher frequency operation and improved e-fi eld immunity. It uses an electrostatic shielded Rogowski coil to provide immunity to interference from fast local dV/dt transients or large 50 or 60Hz voltages. According to the company, it can measure faster current transient rise times, achieving a high frequency (-3dB) bandwidth of up to 30MHz for a 300mm coil and a maximum current slope of over 100kA/µs. The probe has a robust, 8.5mm thick coil with a 10kV peak insulation voltage. Target applications are power electronics development, particularly in noisy, high speed applications, EMC and power quality measurement in motor drives and traction, pulsed power measurements and even lightning strike currents. The probe is available in current ratings from 30A to 300kA, with coil circumferences of 300mm to 1,000mm as standard and longer available on request. PEM: 7-124 Infineon adds to LED drivers selects and can switch between quasi resonant, discontinuous conduction or active burst modes. The UART interface with a command set enables control of the functions of the device and provides status information enabling numerically exchanged real time data. The driver IC can be dimmed fl icker-free below 1%, while the current is regulated with a high accuracy. It also off ers a dim-to-off function to keep the device in a standby mode when the light is off with a low standby power (<100mW, depending on driver design). The XDPL8221 comes in a DSO-16 package and is easy to design in. In� neon: 9-313 JOBS CLASSIFIED 1 May 2019 | www.electronicsweekly.com30 Voted as the highest engineering company in the Sunday Times 25 Best Big Companies To Work For, we offer unrivalled work-life balance, comprehensive benefi ts and a supportive workplace where our employees believe they make a valuable contribution. F ind out more: www.mbdacareers .co .uk JOIN THE UK’S BEST BIG ENGINEERING COMPANY TO WORK FOR. 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