Nexperia’s new step-down DC-DC converters with lowest quiescent current enhance design flexibility

Nexperia has introduced a new series of step-down DC-DC converters featuring devices with stand-by and operating efficiency that offer engineers flexibility for designing various fixed and portable battery-powered applications across consumer, industrial and automotive end-markets.

The NEX30606 is a high-efficiency, high-accuracy step-down converter that offers a choice of 16 resistor-settable output voltages from input voltages ranging from 1.8 V to 5.0 V. It can deliver up to 600 mA of output current and offers the industry’s lowest operating quiescent current (Iq) of 220 μA. This feature makes it ideal for wearable consumer applications like hearing aids, medical sensors, patches and monitors in addition to battery-powered industrial applications like smart meters, asset-tracking and industrial (IIOT) and narrow-band internet-of-things (NBIOT) devices. This device provides >90% switching efficiency for load currents ranging from 1 mA to 400 mA and has only 10 mV of output voltage ripple when stepping down from 3.6 V Vin to 1.8 Vout.

The NEX40400 step-down converter combines high efficiency (up to 8 % higher efficiency than close competition at low – mid load condition) with low operating quiescent current (60 μA typ.) and can provide up to 600 mA output from a wide 4.5 V to 40 V input range for applications. Featuring PFM (Pulse Frequency Modulation) for high efficiency at low to mid loads and Spread Spectrum Technology for minimising EMI, the converter is ideal for industrial distributed power systems and grid infrastructure (e.g. smart e-meters) as well as consumer white goods. Low shutdown supply current (0.3 μA) also makes this converter suitable for use in battery-powered home appliances. Nexperia also plans to release an AEC-Q100 qualified version of the NEX40400 later in 2025 for use in automotive applications such as body electronics and lighting, in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) systems, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), as well as instrument clusters, cameras and displays.

Both the NEX30606 and NEX40400 offer traditional IC protection features such as Overcurrent Protection (OCP), short circuit protection, and thermal shutdown, ensuring reliability in demanding environments.

The NEX30606 is available in a space-saving WLCSP package measuring only 1.09 mm x 0.74 mm with a 0.35-mm pitch, which is almost 50% smaller than similar competing converters. The NEX40400 comes in a cost-effective 6-lead SOT8061-1 (TSOT23-6) plastic, surface-mounted package measuring 2.9 mm x 2.8 mm.

https://www.nexperia.com

 

 

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Microchip announces new family of Switchtec PCIe Gen 4.0 16-lane switches

Efficient management of high-bandwidth data transfer and seamless communication between multiple devices or subsystems are critical in automotive, industrial and data centre applications, making PCIe switches an indispensable solution. They provide scalability, reliability and low-latency connectivity, which are crucial for handling the demanding workloads of modern High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems. Microchip Technology has announced sample availability of the new PCI100x family of Switchtec PCIe Gen 4.0 switches in variants to support packet switching and multi-host applications.

The PCI1005 is a packet switch which expands a single host PCIe port to as many as six endpoints. The PCI1003 device enables multi-host connectivity through Non-Transparent Bridging (NTB) and is fully configurable to support from 4–8 ports. All devices are compliant with the PCI-SIG Gen5 specification and operate up to 16GT/s. High-speed DMA is supported on all variants. Advanced Switchtec technology features include Automatic Error Reporting (AER), Downstream Port Containment (DPC) and Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS). The PCI100x devices are available in wide temperature ranges including commercial (0°C to +70°C), industrial (−40°C to +85°C) and Automotive Grade 2 (−40°C to +105°C) ambient ratings.

“The PCI100x family is a cost-effective solution that does not compromise on high performance and high reliability. It enables designers to now take advantage of PCIe switch capabilities for mass market automotive and embedded computing applications,” said Charles Forni, vice president of Microchip’s USB and networking business unit. “In addition to these connectivity solutions, customers can get many critical components from Microchip including timing, power management and sensors.”

https://www.microchip.com

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Infineon announces advanced MEMS-based ultrasound transducer

Infineon has made significant progress in developing the technology for capacitive micromechanical ultrasonic transducers (CMUT). The technology enables the company to manufacture the first integrated one-chip solution for MEMS-based ultrasonic transducer that offers a smaller footprint, improved performance, and higher functionality. Such integration makes the new device ideal for developing new ultrasonic applications and improving existing applications in consumer electronics, the automotive industry, and medical technology.

Unlike conventional piezoelectric bulk materials, which rely on the deformation of the material itself, CMUT transmit and detect ultrasonic waves via the deflection of a micro-machined, semiconductor diaphragm. This principle, along with their compact size, low-power consumption, and high performance, enable the devices to enhance various ultrasound applications. Compared to a discrete solution, Infineon’s monolithic integration of MEMS and ASIC reduces the noise floor by 20 times and improve the absolute signal by 1000 times compared to conventional piezoelectric ceramics of a similar size. Leveraging its expertise in semiconductor design and manufacturing, Infineon can apply its advanced technology across a wide range of industries, from consumer electronics to medical devices.

Infineon’s CMUT technology enables solid-state touch buttons under any solid material, such as glass and even metal, without deforming the surface. This allows a more durable and reliable alternative to conventional mechanical buttons to be implemented, reducing the risk of wear and tear, and increasing the overall lifespan of devices. Compared to capacitive touch buttons, which can be affected by environmental factors such as humidity and temperature, CMUT-based touch buttons offer full water compatibility as well as high EMC robustness. Since the technology reduces the size of the buttons, they can be integrated into various devices, from smartphones to industrial control panels. Examples include touch buttons below the metal frame of a mobile phone or replacing car door handles for a neat design.

Several home appliance devices can profit from Infineon’s CMUT as soon as they require liquid level sensing. CMUT offer several advantages, including continuous fill level measurement, low power consumption, and easy, non-invasive mounting below the bottom of the tank. The latter is important to measure, e.g., chemicals in washing machines or dish washers, where contact electrodes are at risk to corrode.

The CMUT technology can also be used to develop innovative medical devices that utilise ultrasound technology, such as wearable devices for vital signs monitoring, health tracking, and non-invasive medical diagnostics. Leveraging CMUT technology, the devices provide continuous monitoring and feedback rather than a single measurement, which can detect potential health issues earlier and improve patient outcome. With their compact size and low-power requirements, they are ideal for wearable and point-of-care applications.

https://www.infineon.com/

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Industrial-grade fanless IoT Edge computer with USB Type-C PD 60W support

IBASE has revealed its latest fanless IoT edge computing solution, the ACS200-210. Powered by Intel Core i3-N305 and Intel Atom x7000E/N-series processors (formerly Alder Lake-N and Amston Lake-N), the ACS200-210 is engineered to operate reliably in harsh environments, with an extended temperature range of -30°C to 60°C, making it an ideal choice for critical IoT edge deployments.

The industrial-grade ACS200-210 includes USB Type-C PD 60W support, enabling high-power peripherals or large, high-brightness monitors via a single USB-C cable connection. It supports up to 16GB of DDR5-4800 memory, dual 2.5G Ethernet ports, and an array of versatile COM ports (RS232/422/485), with optional configurations for up to 6 COM ports (with Pin 9 selectable power: 5V/12V).

This system also includes four digital inputs (DI) and four digital outputs (DO) for additional control functions, along with six USB ports (two USB 3.2 and four USB 2.0). Expansion capabilities are further enhanced with three M.2 sockets that support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G/5G communication, and a Nano SIM slot for seamless connectivity. The ACS200-210 is equipped with TPM 2.0 hardware security and a wide-range DC power input (9V~36V). Additionally, a wire remote power switch offers convenient system control for industrial environments.

For installation flexibility, the ACS200-210 supports VESA (75×75, 100×100), wall-mount, and DIN-Rail configurations, enabling it to adapt to various deployment scenarios. The system also features HDMI video output and dual LAN interfaces, making it an excellent fit for IoT edge, smart factory operations, and other industrial applications.

https://www.ibase.com.tw

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