Sector News

High density source measure unit accelerates semiconductor characterisation

Thu, Jul 13, 2023

The PZ2100 series is high density precision source measure unit (SMU) that accelerates time to market with flexible software options, said Keysight. It provides 20 precision SMU channels within a 1U rack space to speed the characterisation of IC designs.

Designing a semiconductor component or device and delivering it to market remains a time-intensive, technical process, observed Keysight. Digital development engineers must connect and test multiple ports on a single device under test (DUT) throughout the design cycle to troubleshoot and characterise the performance of the IC. High density, automated characterisation prevents engineers slowing their delivery timelines as they validate with complex, multi-port designs using complicated and low density test setups, the company continued.

The PZ2100 series SMU is scalable to 20 SMU channels in a 1U rack configuration. Cooling spacers are not required when stacked. There are five SMU module options available that are configurable and upgradeable.

Keysight said time is saved by simplifying channel stacking and synchronisation to remove integration and coding complexity. The graphic user interface (GUI) accelerates test prototyping, debugging, and troubleshooting. The PathWave IV Curve Measurement software enables quick measurements and synchronisation without programming.

The all-in-one SMU module also reduces cost by integrating pulser and digitiser functions with conventional SMU functions, such as precise DC voltage and current sourcing and measuring. According to Keysight, it meets emerging requirements without additional instruments.

Keysight specialises in design, emulation, and test solutions to help engineers develop and deploy faster, with less risk, throughout the entire product lifecycle. It serves customers in communications, industrial automation, aerospace and defence, automotive, semiconductor, and general electronics markets.

http://www.keysight.com

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Isolated gate driver IC introduces Allegro’s Power-Thru series

Wed, Jul 12, 2023

Allegro MicroSystems has introduced the Power-Thru portfolio with the AHV85110 isolated gate driver. Theisolated gate driver is a single package that drives GaN FETs with up to a 50 per cent smaller footprint and a 40 per cent efficiency improvement compared to competitors’ offerings, claimed Allegro.

Wide-bandgap silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) field effect transistors (FETs) offer clear efficiency benefits at the system level but there are integration challenges, said the company.

A traditional gate driver implementation requires both an isolated gate driver and a separate isolated power supply. When assembled, connections between the driver, power source and FET can add unwanted noise and create pathways of electromagnetic interference (EMI). Working around these effects can create design complexity, add time and increase the cost of a project. It can also increase a project’s schedule, size and weight, said Allegro.

Its patent protected, highly differentiated Power-Thru AHV85110 gate driver combines the isolated gate driver and the isolated power supply into a single, compact, robust package. Allegro said it minimises EMI pathways and simplifies integration to accelerate time to market, efficiency gains, and production cost savings.

The differentiated Power-Thru technology enables engineers to provide more power, more efficiently, using 50 per cent of the design footprint for PCB savings and reduces bill of materials (BOM) count and production cost.

Another benefit is the elimination of bootstrap circuits and isolated supplies while minimising common-mode capacitance, which reduces EMI filter design efforts and improves overall efficiency, said Allegro.

It also provides a reliable, scalable design process across platforms by eliminating the need to fully redesign a power module when working with multiple GaN FET suppliers, added the company.

https://www.allegromicro.com

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Display Technology introduces DIN rail fanless embedded PC from Aaeon

Wed, Jul 12, 2023

The BOXER-6751-ADP is Aaeon’s DIN rail fanless embedded box PC. It is rugged and engineered for industry 4.0 environments. It is also compact, measuring 74.3 x 186 x 127mm for low profile deployment in industrial computing applications, including manufacturing and energy sectors.

The BOXER-6751-ADP features 12th Generation Intel Core processors. The compact form factor, combined with a DIN rail mount feature, ensures effortless integration into space-constrained environments, said Display Technology.

The BOXER-6751-ADP is engineered to operate in demanding industrial settings. Its operating temperature range is -20 to +60 degrees C and input range is 9.0 to 36V, making the PC suitable for environments characterised by extreme temperature fluctuations and power source variations. The internal and external heatsink design ensures optimal heat dissipation, mitigating the challenges associated with fan-assisted hardware in factory atmospheres, added Display Technology.

There are two DB-9 ports offering RS-232 / 422 / 485 connectivity to integrate a variety of devices. There is also a DB-15 port which enables digital I/O for equipment inspection sensors, enhancing operational efficiency and precision.

Peripheral ports support two Ethernet ports supporting 2.5GbE Intel I226-LM and GbE Intel I219-LM for seamless integration with cameras and wired networking solutions. The BOXER-6751-ADP also boasts six USB Type-A ports, with three supporting USB 3.2 Gen 2 function and three supporting USB 2.0, as well as dual HDMI 1.4b for display output, ensuring connectivity with a wide array of devices.

Storage capabilities include support for SATA III and NVMe through a 2.5 inch drive bay and an M.2 2280 M-Key slot, respectively. The M.2 2230 E-Key and M.2 3052 B-Key slots provide additional expansion possibilities, accommodating Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G modules to enhance connectivity and communication options.

http://www.displaytechnology.co.uk

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Starter kit for R-Car S4 speeds up prototyping software development

Wed, Jul 12, 2023

A development board for automotive gateway systems is now available from Renesas. The R-Car S4 starter kit is an inexpensive, development board for building software using the Renesas R-Car S4 SoC.

The SoC delivers high computing performance and an array of communication features for both cloud communication and safe vehicle control. The starter kit is less expensive than the earlier R-Car S4 reference board, which provides a development environment including an evaluation board and software. Engineers can use the kit to start the initial evaluation of car servers, connected gateways, connectivity modules for rapid application development.

The R-Car S4 starter kit includes essential R-Car S4 interfaces such as Ethernet TSN switch and CAN FD, as well as memory such as 4Gbyte of LPDDR4, 128Gbyte of UFS (Universal Flash Storage), and 64Mbyte of Quad SPI flash memory. Users can expand peripheral functions by using expansion connectors and customise the hardware to meet specific application requirements, advised Renesas.

The R-Car S4 Whitebox software development kit is an open source automotive development environment for the R-Car S4, which can be combined with the R-Car S4 starter kit. The software development kit consists of FoC (free of charge) software and can be used without the need for complicated license agreements. The software development kit (SDK) includes sample software, test programs, and resource monitoring tools for OTA (over-the-air software updates), IPS (intrusion prevention system), and IDS (intrusion detection system) for network security, allowing for various prototyping and evaluation.

There is also sample software which can be used as a base to develop applications. According to Renesas, the kit shortens development time and reduces energy consumption.

The R-Car S4 starter kit is available from major distributors or via a Renesas local sales representative.

The R-Car S4 whitebox SDK will be available by the end of August.

https://www.renesas.com

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