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

Tue, Jan 21, 2025

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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Infineon announces advanced MEMS-based ultrasound transducer

Thu, Jan 16, 2025

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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Nexperia enhances Energy Harvesting portfolio with innovative PMIC reducing BOM cost

Tue, Jan 07, 2025

Nexperia is expanding its energy harvesting portfolio with the NEH71x0 power management IC (PMIC) family. This advanced PMIC line combines performance, cost-efficiency, and versatility, setting a new standard in sustainable design for low power applications. These devices eliminate the need for an external inductor, reducing circuit board space and bill-of-materials (BOM) cost. It is available in a compact 4 mm x 4 mm QFN28 package. Applications include remote controls, key fobs, smart tags, asset trackers, occupancy sensors, environmental monitors, wearables, keyboards, tire pressure monitors, and any number of Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

These new PMICs represent a complete power management solution for energy harvesting: enabling engineers to extend battery life, recharge batteries or supercapacitors, and even eliminate batteries in certain designs, thanks to its cold start feature. With the NEH71x0 (NEH7100BU, NEH7110BU) PMICs, designers can choose from multiple ambient power sources such as light, kinetic/piezo or a temperature gradient. With an input power range from 15μW to 100mW, these high-performance energy harvesting ICs can convert energy with an efficiency of up to 95%. These devices include an on-chip maximum power point tracking (MPPT) adaptive algorithm to optimise the energy harvested, which adapts every 0.5 second, making the PMIC extremely responsive to changing environmental conditions.

The NEH71x0 family integrates a range of power management features to protect batteries and storage elements, including over-voltage protection, low-voltage detection, and over-current protection. The addition of a low dropout (LDO) regulator and USB charging further reduces the BOM cost and simplifies the design process. For greater functionality, the NEH710BU variant includes I2C programmability and measurement readings, giving engineers additional flexibility and control in their designs.

NEH71x0 complements NEH2000, Nexperia’s first energy harvesting power management IC – a compact, low-BOM converter – by adding more advanced energy harvesting features and a new set of power management features, marking the next step in a growing roadmap of innovative inductor-less energy harvesting products.

https://www.nexperia.com/energyharvesting

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ST introduces first STM32-ready wireless IoT modules leveraging collaboration with Qualcomm

Wed, Dec 11, 2024

ST has introduced the first product of its strategic collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to simplify development of next-generation wireless solutions for industrial and consumer IoT applications. The collaboration aims to deliver initially IoT modules leveraging ST’s powerful STM32 ecosystem and Qualcomm Technologies’ leading wireless connectivity solutions.

The first of these modules, the ST67W611M1, contains a Qualcomm® QCC743 multiprotocol connectivity system-on-a-chip (SoC), pre-loaded with Wi-Fi6, Bluetooth 5.3 qualified, and Thread combo, made easy to integrate with any STM32 microcontroller (MCU) or microprocessor (MPU). The module will support Matter protocol over Wi-Fi for future-proof connectivity, making the STM32 portfolio seamlessly accessible to the Matter ecosystem. Aiding the system integration, the module also contains 4Mbyte Flash for code and data storage, and a 40MHz crystal. There is also an integrated PCB antenna or micro RF (uFL) connector for an external antenna.

“Our collaboration delivers multiple advantages for the large community that leverage the STM32 family in their embedded systems,” said Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF Products Group (MDRF) at STMicroelectronics. “Qualcomm’s expertise in highly influential and widely used wireless connectivity technologies is now at product developers’ fingertips and combines with the powerful software, tools, features and project acceleration offered by the STM32 development ecosystem.”

“This is just the beginning of our mission, which we expect to deliver many further successes enabling new and advanced edge processing applications,” said Rahul Patel, Group General Manager, Connectivity, Broadband and Networking Business Unit, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with STMicroelectronics to bring more unparalleled connected experiences with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, AI, 5G and more.”

Advanced hardware security is built in, with hardware cryptographic accelerators, as well as services including secure boot and secure debug, reaching PSA Certified Level 1 protection. The module is self-contained and pre-certified according to mandatory specifications, requiring no RF design expertise from the user to create a working solution. Highly integrated in a 32-lead LGA package, it is ready to place on the board and permits simple, low-cost PCB designs with as few as two layers.

The ST67W611M1 leverages the STM32 ecosystem, which contains over 4,000 commercial part numbers, powerful STM32Cube tools and software, and enhancements that boost edge AI development. AI enhancements include the recently introduced STM32N6 MCUs, which contain ST’s Neural-ART Accelerator, and the ST Edge AI Suite that provides an AI Model Zoo and STM32Cube.AI and NanoEdge AI optimisation tools.

The modules are designed to be quickly and seamlessly integrated with any STM32 microcontroller or STM32 microprocessor, which offer flexible options for performance, price, and power across a broad spectrum. The MCUs available range from cost- and power-sensitive devices containing the Arm® Cortex®-M0+ core to devices containing high performing cores such as Cortex-M4 and Cortex-A7 in the STM32MP1/2 MPUs.

Samples of the ST67W611M1 are available, with OEM availability in Q1 2025, with broader availability in Q2 2025.

https://www.st.com/st67w

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

Infineon announces advanced MEMS-based ultrasound transducer

Nexperia enhances Energy Harvesting portfolio with innovative PMIC reducing BOM cost

ST introduces first STM32-ready wireless IoT modules leveraging collaboration with Qualcomm

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