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Rutronik offers USB Type-C connectors from Molex for industrial and consumer applications

Wed, May 28, 2025

With USB Type-C connectors from Molex, Rutronik offers future-proof interface solutions for industrial and consumer electronics applications. The connectors support data rates of up to 40 Gbit/s (USB4), currents of up to 5.0 A and power delivery of up to 100 W – ideal for applications with high power requirements and limited space, such as portable medical devices, industrial electronics, AR / VR systems and smart home appliances.

Thanks to their compact design, IPX8-certified variants and high mechanical robustness (up to 10,000 mating cycles), the components are particularly suitable for applications where reliability and continuous operation are key. Various mounting options – including vertical, top and mid-mount versions – offer maximum design flexibility in a small space.

Benefits at a glance:
• USB4-compatible: data transfer rates up to 40 Gbit / s
• Power delivery capable: Up to 100 W charging power (5.0 A / 20 V)
• Metal-reinforced mating area for high mating cycles (up to 10,000 mating cycles)
• Mating force on PCB: 0
• Mating force: 5 to 20 N
• Unmating force: 8 to 20 N (1 to 30 cycles); 6 to 20 N (after 10,000 cycles)
• Sockets with liquid protection according to IPX8, thanks to LSR moulding (liquid silicone rubber) ·
• Variants with 6, 14, 16 or 24 contacts available

Application examples:
• Portable medical devices (e.g. glucose meters, inhalers)
• Smart home and (I)IoT components
• AR/VR end devices and wearables
• Industrial electronics, measuring and testing devices
• Cash register systems and projectors

https://www.rutronik.com/

 

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Integrated matching filters from ST now available for long-range wireless MCUs

Tue, May 27, 2025

STMicroelectronics has released a set of antenna-matching companion chips for STM32WL33 wireless microcontrollers (MCUs) to simplify the development of IoT, smart-metering, and remote-monitoring applications.

The new MLPF-WL-01D3/02D3/04D3 ICs combine impedance matching and harmonic filtering on a single glass substrate to optimise the main radio’s RF performance, leveraging proprietary integrated passive device (IPD) technology. Precision engineered and housed in an ultra-compact package, the highly integrated devices ensure right-first-time design while saving development time, bill-of-materials costs, and board space.

Integrating antenna protection, the new devices substantially simplify the RF connection to the MCU. In addition to ensuring optimal performance, integrated matching and filtering also increases reliability and reduces overall cost by eliminating the need to combine multiple discrete components.

In total, there will be seven variants, letting designers optimise for radio operation in high-band (826-958MHz) or low-band (413-479MHz), high-power (16dBm/20dBm) or low-power (10dBm), and for 4-layer or 2-layer PCB designs. The non-conductive glass substrate ensures outstanding performance with minimal temperature drift, and the chip-scale package has extremely compact dimensions, measuring just 1.47mm x 1.87mm and 630µm high after reflow.

The long-range sub-GHz radio of ST’s STM32WL33 wireless MCUs can operate in either of the 413-479MHz and 826-958MHz license-free bands and with up to 20dBm output power where local regulations permit. With an Arm® Cortex®-M0+ core and selected peripherals also on-chip, the highly integrated wireless MCUs simplify the design of remote-monitoring equipment for smart city, smart agriculture, and smart industry. Applications include smart meters, and safety systems, asset-trackers, and proximity detection. A set of reference designs (STDES-WL3xxxx), pre-certified and fine-tuned for STM32WL33 MCUs, is also available.

https://www.st.com

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Rohm develops new compact surface-mount near-infrared LEDs

Thu, May 22, 2025

Rohm has expanded its portfolio of surface-mount near-infrared (NIR) LEDs with new compact top-view types. They are optimised for applications such as VR/AR devices, industrial optical sensors, and human detection sensors.

The demand for advanced sensing technologies utilising near-infrared (NIR) has grown in recent years, particularly in VR/AR equipment and biosensing devices. These technologies are used in applications such as eye tracking, iris recognition, and blood flow/oxygen saturation measurements that require high accuracy. At the same time, miniaturisation, energy efficiency, and design flexibility are becoming increasingly important. In industrial equipment, near-infrared LEDs are playing a greater role with the rise of precise printer control and automation systems. In response, Rohm is expanding customer options by developing a lineup of compact packages and wavelengths that offer greater design flexibility, while contributing to higher precision and power savings by achieving high radiant intensity.

The new lineup consists of six models in three package configurations, including two ultra-compact (1.0mm × 0.6mm), ultra-thin (t=0.2mm) products as part of the PICOLED series: SML-P14RW and SML-P14R3W. In addition, there are four variants in the industry-standard (1.6mm × 0.8mm) size, featuring a narrow beam circular lens package (CSL0902RT, CSL0902R3T) and flat lens design that emits light over a wide range (CSL1002RT, CSL1002R3T). Each package is available in two wavelengths, 850nm (860nm for the SML-P14RW) and 940nm, allowing customers various options for their specific application needs. The 850nm wavelength is ideal for phototransistors and camera sensors, making it suitable for high-sensitivity applications such as eye tracking and object detection in VR/AR. At the same time, the 940nm wavelength is less affected by sunlight and does not appear red when emitting light, making it suitable for motion sensors. It is also widely used in biosensing applications such as pulse oximeters to measure blood flow and oxygen saturation (SpO2).

The light source incorporates an NIR element with an optimised emission layer structure utilising proprietary technology developed through in-house manufacturing expertise. This has made it possible to achieve industry-leading radiant intensity in a compact package, which was previously considered difficult. For example, compared to a standard 1006 size product, the SML-P14RW delivers approx. 1.4 times the radiant intensity at the same current. In other words, the SML-P14RW consumes 30% less power to achieve the same radiation intensity. This technology improves sensing accuracy and power savings for the entire system.

https://www.rohm.com

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Silanna launches industry’s smallest laser driver platform

Wed, May 21, 2025

Silanna Semiconductor has launched the FirePower series of laser driver ICs that reduce the size and increase the peak power of LiDAR applications.

FirePower Laser Driver ICs are the first to combine charging and firing on a single chip. This enables a significant reduction in size and losses as well as the removal of several components from the PCB to reduce the component count and BOM cost.

The integration also creates the ability to develop high-performance laser-based applications that deliver unmatched pulse power and precision. For example, using the IC enables a 400 W quad EEL (Edge-Emitting Laser) module to shrink from 400 mm2 to 80 mm2 (an 80% improvement), while enabling a 73% improvement in VIN-to-laser efficiency.

The first product to be launched in the FirePower family is the SL2001, a 14-pin 3.5 mm2 IC with a sub-2 ns FWHM laser pulse and dual drive for peak-power outputs of up to 1000 W.

The device has high charging efficiency and operates from a supply range of 3 V to 24 V to fire either EEL diodes or VCSELs (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser) with a pulse repetition frequency of over 10 MHz.

The SL2001 also has a differential Laser Fire output indication with a sub 0.1 ns Peak-to-Peak jitter. Built in laser output power sensing and control enables the SL2001 to meet eye-safety requirements. The device also uniquely implements programmability via an I2C interface and multi-time-programmable ROM, removing the need for an on-PCB MCU. The SL2001 can track and respond to both input voltage and resonant capacitor voltage.

The IC is targeted at LiDAR and other time-of-flight sensing systems used in industrial manufacturing, and automotive systems.

Product Marketing Director Ken Boyden said: “LiDAR and similar laser-based applications have traditionally relied on third party power supply regulators to meet the high voltage requirements of resonant pulsed laser systems. The FirePower family is the first to consolidate both highly efficient high voltage charging and high-power firing on a single chip. As the first product in the FirePower family, the SL2001 sets new benchmarks for performance and efficiency, while reducing component count and BOM cost.”

https://silannasemi.com

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