Новини світу мікро- та наноелектроніки

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Rohde & Schwarz, Teledyne FLIR, and Keysight Technologies have each released test tools for the lab and the field.

Murata’s PKGM-200D-R vibration sensor detects high-frequency vibrations up to 11 kHz to assist predictive maintenance in production equipment. The device measures vibration acceleration along the Z-axis to detect abnormal vibrations, which can indicate early bearing wear and prevent unexpected equipment stoppage.

For rotary bearings, engineers can employ FFT analysis on vibration data to pinpoint irregularities caused by depleted grease or minor surface imperfections. By detecting these anomalies early on, FFT analysis enables proactive intervention, potentially averting impeding issues before they escalate.

Housed in a compact 5.0×5.0×3.5-mm surface-mount package, the PKGM-200D-R integrates a PZT piezoelectric ceramic element, driver circuit, and temperature sensor. Differential analog output reduces line noise. Specifications for the sensor include a detection range of ±10.2 g minimum, a frequency band of 6 kHz to 11 kHz, and sensitivity of 118 mV/g typical.

The PKGM-200D-R vibration sensor requires a supply voltage of 3.0 V to 5.2 V, with current consumption of 3.5 mA. It operates over a temperature range of -20°C to +85°C. The device is now in mass production.

PKGM-200D-R product page 

Murata Manufacturing 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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A microwave signal generator, the SMB100B from R&S offers four frequency options covering 8 kHz to 12.75 GHz, 20 GHz, 31.8 GHz, and 40 GHz. This midrange analog signal generator provides single sideband (SSB) phase noise of <-106 dBc (measured) at 20 GHz with an offset of 20 kHz and <-100 dBc (measured) at 40 GHz with a 20-kHz offset. According to R&S, the SMB100B also exhibits low wideband noise for all carrier frequencies.

Output power options of 25 dBm at 20 GHz and 19.5 dBm at 40 GHz are activated by keycode and can be installed at any time. In addition to the instrument’s standard OCXO reference oscillator, a high-performance variant is available across all frequency ranges. It enhances close-in phase noise and frequency stability, while reducing sensitivity to temperature variations.

The SMB100B has a standard 10-MHz reference frequency. An optional 1-MHz to 100-MHz variable external reference frequency input allows the unit to be integrated into existing test environments. The received reference frequency can also be sent to a separate reference output. A 1-GHz reference frequency input and output option improves phase stability between multiple SMB100B instruments.

The SMB100B microwave signal generator (up to 40 GHz) is available now and joins the existing RF models (up to 6 GHz).

SMB100B product page

Rohde & Schwarz 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Tailored for automotive motor control, the TLE9140EQW gate driver from Infineon eases the migration of systems from 12 V to 24 V or 48 V. The IC drives three-phase bridges for brushless DC motors commonly found in automotive applications, such as engine cooling fans, water pumps, oil pumps, and HVAC modules.

Part of the MOTIX family of motor control solutions, the TLE9140EQW gate driver can be paired with Infineon’s MOTIX TLE987x and TLE989x 32-bit motor control MCUs. The driver accommodates a wide input voltage range of 8 Vsm to 72 Vsm and offers high-voltage robustness up to 110 V. It also provides a gate driving capability of ~230 nC/MOSFET up to 20 kHz.

The TLE9140EQW is compliant with the ISO 26262 ASIL B functional safety standard and operates over a temperature range of -40° to +175°C. Protection and diagnostic functions include overvoltage, undervoltage, cross-current, and overtemperature, along with drain-source monitoring and off-state diagnostics.

The TLE9140EQW gate driver is available now in small TS-DSO-32 packages. Infineon also offers an evaluation board to speed prototyping and ease the design-in process.

TLE9140EQW product page

Infineon Technologies 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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ST’s LDH40 and LDQ40 voltage regulators deliver up to 200 mA and 250 mA, respectively, for use in industrial and automotive applications. The LDH40 regulator provides an adjustable output voltage from 1.2 V to 22 V. Variants of the LDQ40 regulator offer either an adjustable output from 1.2 V to 12 V or a fixed output at 1.8 V, 2.5 V, 3.3 V, or 5.0 V. Output voltage tolerance is ±0.5% at 25°C and ±1.5% over temperature.

These two low-dropout (LDO) regulators start up from an input as low as 3.3 V and operate with up to 40 V applied. To help conserve battery energy in always-on standby systems, the devices’ quiescent current is 2 µA at zero load and just 300 nA in logic-controlled shutdown mode. Automotive versions are AEC-Q100 Grade 1 qualified and operate over a temperature range of -40°C to +150°C.

The LDH40 automotive-grade regulator is in production now. Adjustable-output LDQ40 regulators, in industrial and automotive grades, are in production as well. Prices for both the LDH40 and LDQ40 automotive-grade parts start at $0.47 each in lots of 1000 units. Fixed-output LDQ40 automotive components will be available in Q2, with industrial parts to follow in Q3.

LDH40 product page 

LDQ40 product page

STMicroelectronics 

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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Version 5.4 of SignalVu Spectrum Analyzer software from Tektronix allows multichannel modulation analysis of up to eight signals in parallel. The software transforms Tektronix 5 Series MSO, 6 Series MSO, and DPO70000 oscilloscopes into a comprehensive wireless system tester. This latest update is particularly well-suited for time-domain analysis with RF measurements.

SignalVu Version 5.4 furnishes up to 26 wireless modulation schemes, including 1024-QAM to cater to the demands of higher-bandwidth applications. The introduction of shared-acquisition, multi-signal support enables the simultaneous analysis of signals that are frequency-separated, yet input through the same scope channel. This is important for the validation and optimization of advanced wireless communication systems, including phased array antennas, RF transmitters, and mixed-signal ICs.

SignalVu provides engineers and researchers with in-depth analysis of RF signals. It can be used in a wide range of applications for wireless, military, and government applications, as well as microwave and IoT sectors.

SignalVu Version 5.4 software is available now with a base price of $1670. Digital modulation analysis is offered as a downloadable license (Option SVM).

SignalVu Version 5.4 product page 

Tektronix

Find more datasheets on products like this one at Datasheets.com, searchable by category, part #, description, manufacturer, and more.

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The continual attraction of energy harvesting is well known. Who can resist possibly getting something—usually electricity—for nothing, or almost nothing? Yet the reality is that in many cases, the harvesting arrangement technically works but its cost in up-front hardware, longevity, actual harvested energy density, or other key metrics versus is an unbalanced, unfavorable situation.

But maybe that’s not a problem in a suitable application scenario. That’s what I found intriguing about a fuel cell developed by a Northwestern University-led team (which included three other universities) that harvests energy from microbes living in plain dirt, Figure 1.

Figure 1 Working in the lab, Northwestern University project leader Bill Yen buries the fuel cell in soil. Source: Northwestern University

The team does not make the usual extremely optimistic claims made by proponents of some other harvesting approaches that their innovative technique is going to “save the planet”. Instead, said Northwestern’s George Wells, a senior author on the study, “These microbes are ubiquitous; they already live in soil everywhere. We can use very simple engineered systems to capture their electricity. We’re not going to power entire cities with this energy. But we can capture minute amounts of energy to fuel practical, low-power applications.”

Where is this scheme a good fit? It’s a natural fit for agricultural IoT situations, where it’s necessary to know soil conditions such as moisture levels and temperature. The obvious solution is solar panels, but they don’t work well in dirty environments because they get covered with dirt, do not work when the sun isn’t out, and take up a significant amount of surface space.

Another option is non-rechargeable batteries, but they have a limited lifetime. It’s not practical to expect farmers to go find these scattered sensor devices to replace that power source.

Use of soil-based microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) is not a new idea, as they have been around since the early 1900s. However, their inconsistent performance and low output power, especially in low-moisture conditions, has impeded attempts to deploy them widely. Nonetheless, as project leader Bill Yen noted, SMFCs offer a large potential advantage (no pun intended), since “As long as there is organic carbon in the soil for the microbes to break down, the fuel cell can potentially last forever.”

How they work

I won’t try to explain the microbiology details, as the research paper does so both briefly and also in detail with the required chemical equations, Figure 2. It says that “In a SMFC, the biofilm growing on the anode oxidizes organic matter to release electrons, which becomes the source of electrical power. The cathode performs a reduction reaction to balance out the cell’s net charge, which requires oxygen as a reactant. The electrolyte facilitates ion exchange between the anode and cathode while preventing oxygen from penetrating into the anode.” That’s a good-enough explanation for me.

Figure 2 The electrochemistry of the microbial-based fuel cell shows how it creates electron flow. Source: Northwestern University

The team set out to overcome the limitations of existing approaches. They designed and tested multiple prototype versions over several years and took the best for literal field tests. That version owes much of its success primary to a new geometry, rather than advanced materials

Instead of using a traditional design, in which the anode and cathode are parallel to each other, that fuel cell used a perpendicular design. It worked well in dry conditions as well as within a water-logged environment.

The anode is made of carbon felt while the cathode is made of an inert, conductive metal and sits vertically on top of the anode; the anode is in the horizontal position while the cathode is at right angles to it, Figure 3.

Figure 3 The physical construction and alignment of the cell’s components is critical to achieving its performance in challenging conditions. Source: Northwestern University

The top end of the anode is buried but flush with the ground’s surface. A 3D-printed cap rests on top of the device to prevent debris from falling inside, while a hole on top and an empty air chamber running alongside the cathode enable consistent airflow.  

Since the lower end of the cathode is relatively deep beneath the surface, it stays hydrated from the moist, surrounding soil—even when the surface soil dries out in the sunlight. After any ground flooding, the vertical design enables the cathode to dry out gradually rather than all at once.

The results of their design were impressive but difficult to compare. The reasons are that there are different ways to assess performance, especially as the output is a function of many varying factors such as moisture level and its timing, temperature, soil type and texture, and more (note there are no defined IEC, ASTM or other standardized tests yet). This dilemma also makes it hard to compare the capabilities of this design to ones done elsewhere. 

One of their many graphs does give some sense of the available output, Figure 4.

Figure 4 One of the may performance graphs shows the small but consistent power output achieved, but there are many varying factors to be considered. Source: Northwestern University

The power level of the cell dropped significantly after it was “transplanted” to the outside. However, it still produced enough power to theoretically turn on MARS during spikes in moisture levels caused by occasional irrigation; see shaded red regions for the energy which can be used by MARS. (Note: MARS is a nano-power battery-free wireless interface developed by other, unrelated researchers in 2021.)

They integrated their design with an RF-backscatter scheme to transmit sensor data in SMFC-powered system, Figure 5. Backscatter operates on the order of nanowatts, making them suitable for SMFC-powered applications. By using a purely analog backscatter device like MARS, they achieved superior performance in terms of runtime availability and robustness without using batteries and storage capacitors.

Figure 5 By combining the SFMC with an RF-backscatter scheme, they were able to build and test a complete sensor and data-reporting module. Source: Northwestern University

How much more improved is their design compared to other efforts? Short answer: it’s very hard to say, primarily due to lack of a standard test procedure as noted. However, they did report they felt the data showed it was an impressive ten to 50 times better.

Also impressive is their published paper, “Soil-Powered Computing: The Engineer’s Guide to Practical Soil Microbial Fuel Cell Design” (at the Proceedings of the Association for Computing Machinery on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies). At 40 pages, it is the longest academic-class paper I have ever seen, and for good reason.

How so? It is not just a report on what they did and the results. Instead, it’s really a complete design course. It discusses how they designed, built, and evaluated various versions until they reached their final one. It also explains how they identified the shortcomings of each version, and the flow-chart they devised for each observed problem as they methodically approached each, strived to identify one or more causes, and then minimized the problem. As a result, the paper is a comprehensive tutorial in the realities of a total project cycle, even if the result is not a commercially abatable device as is the case here.

What’s your view on the practicality of microbe and soil-based harvesting for these field applications? Have you even been attracted to energy-harvesting designs which appear to have significant capabilities, until you looked more closely at the realities of their implementation?

Bill Schweber is an EE who has written three textbooks, hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features.

Related Content

• Nothing new about energy harvesting
• Clever harvesting scheme takes a deep dive, literally
• Is triboelectricity the next harvesting source?
• Energy harvesting gets really personal
• Lightning as an energy harvesting source?

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For first-quarter 2024, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system maker Riber S.A. of Bezons, France has reported revenue of €4.5m, up 20% on €3.7m a year ago...

• Q1 net revenues $3.47 billion; gross margin 41.7%; operating margin 15.9%; net income $513 million
• Q1 free cash flow $(134) million after Net Capex1 of $967 million
• Business outlook at mid-point: Q2 net revenues of $3.2 billion and gross margin of 40%

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, reported U.S. GAAP financial results for the first quarter ended March 30, 2024. This press release also contains non-U.S. GAAP measures (see Appendix for additional information).

ST reported first-quarter net revenues of $3.47 billion, a gross margin of 41.7%, an operating margin of 15.9%, and a net income of $513 million or $0.54 diluted earnings per share.

Jean-Marc Chery, ST President & CEO, commented:

• “Q1 net revenues and gross margin both came in below the midpoint of our business outlook range, driven by lower revenues in Automotive and Industrial, partially offset by higher revenues in Personal Electronics.”
• “On a year-over-year basis, Q1 net revenues decreased 18.4%, operating margin decreased to 15.9% from 28.3% and net income decreased 50.9% to $513 million.”
• “During the quarter, Automotive semiconductor demand slowed down compared to our expectations, entering a deceleration phase, while the ongoing Industrial correction accelerated.”
• “Our second quarter business outlook, at the mid-point, is for net revenues of $3.2 billion, decreasing year-over-year by 26.0% and decreasing sequentially by 7.6%; gross margin is expected to be about 40%.”
• “We will now drive the Company based on a revised plan for FY24 revenues in the range of $14 billion to $15 billion. Within this plan, we expect a gross margin in the low 40’s.”
• “We plan to maintain our Net Capex1 plan for FY24 at about $2.5 billion focusing on our strategic manufacturing initiatives.”

Quarterly Financial Summary (U.S. GAAP)

(US$ m, except per share data)	Q1 2024	Q4 2023	Q1 2023	Q/Q	Y/Y
Net Revenues	$3,465	$4,282	$4,247	-19.1%	-18.4%
Gross Profit	$1,444	$1,949	$2,110	-26.0%	-31.6%
Gross Margin	41.7%	45.5%	49.7%	-380 bps	-800 bps
Operating Income	$551	$1,023	$1,201	-46.1%	-54.1%
Operating Margin	15.9%	23.9%	28.3%	-800 bps	-1,240 bps
Net Income	$513	$1,076	$1,044	-52.4%	-50.9%
Diluted Earnings Per Share	$0.54	$1.14	$1.10	-52.6%	-50.9%

 

First Quarter 2024 Summary Review

Reminder: On January 10, 2024, ST announced a new organization which implied a change in segment reporting starting Q1 2024. Comparative periods have been adjusted accordingly. See the Appendix for more details. 

Net Revenues by Reportable Segment (US$ m)	Q1 2024	Q4 2023	Q1 2023	Q/Q	Y/Y
Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment	1,217	1,418	1,400	-14.2%	-13.1%
Power and discrete products (P&D) segment	820	965	909	-15.1%	-9.8%
Subtotal: Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group	2,037	2,383	2,309	-14.5%	-11.8%
Microcontrollers (MCU) segment	950	1,272	1,448	-25.3%	-34.4%
Digital ICs and RF Products (D&RF) segment	475	623	486	-23.8%	-2.1%
Subtotal: Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group	1,425	1,895	1,934	-24.8%	-26.3%
Others	3	4	4	–	–
Total Net Revenues	3,465	4,282	4,247	-19.1%	-18.4%

Net revenues totalled $3.47 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 18.4%. Year-over-year net sales to OEMs and Distribution decreased 11.5% and 30.8%, respectively. On a sequential basis, net revenues decreased 19.1%, 320 basis points lower than the mid-point of ST’s guidance.

Gross profit totalled $1.44 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 31.6%. Gross margin of 41.7%, 60 basis points below the mid-point of ST’s guidance, decreased 800 basis points year-over-year, mainly due to the combination of sales price and product mix, unused capacity charges and reduced manufacturing efficiencies.

Operating income decreased 54.1% to $551 million, compared to $1.20 billion in the year-ago quarter. ST’s operating margin decreased 1,240 basis points on a year-over-year basis to 15.9% of net revenues, compared to 28.3% in the first quarter of 2023.

By reportable segment, compared with the year-ago quarter:

In Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS) Product Group:

Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) segment:

• Revenue decreased by 13.1% mainly due to a decrease in MEMS and Imaging.
• Operating profit decreased by 44.8% to $185 million. Operating margin was 15.2% compared to 23.9%.

Power and Discrete products (P&D) segment:

• Revenue decreased by 9.8% mainly due to a decrease in Discrete.
• Operating profit decreased by 41.6% to $138 million. Operating margin was 16.8% compared to 26.0%.

In Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF) Product Group:

Microcontrollers (MCU) segment:

• Revenue decreased 34.4% mainly due to a decrease in GP MCU.
• Operating profit decreased by 66.7% to $185 million. Operating margin was 19.5% compared to 38.3%.

Digital ICs and RF products (D&RF) segment:

• Revenue decreased 2.1% due to a decrease in ADAS more than offsetting an increase in RF Communications.
• Operating profit decreased by 8.2% to $150 million. Operating margin was 31.8% compared to 33.9%.

Net income and diluted Earnings Per Share decreased to $513 million and $0.54 respectively compared to $1.04 billion and $1.10 respectively in the year-ago quarter.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

				Trailing 12 Months
(US$ m)	Q1 2024	Q4 2023	Q1 2023	Q1 2024	Q1 2023	TTM Change
Net cash from operating activities	859	1,480	1,320	5,531	5,577	-0.8%
Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)[1]	(134)	652	206	1,434	1,715	-16.4%

Net cash from operating activities was $859 million in the first quarter compared to $1.32 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Net Capex (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was $967 million in the first quarter compared to $1.09 billion in the year-ago quarter.

Free cash flow (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was negative at $134 million in the first quarter, compared to positive $206 million in the year-ago quarter.

Inventory at the end of the first quarter was $2.69 billion, compared to $2.70 billion in the previous quarter and $2.87 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory at quarter-end was 122 days compared to 104 days in the previous quarter and 122 days in the year-ago quarter.

In the first quarter, ST paid cash dividends to its stockholders totalling $48 million and executed an $87 million share buy-back as part of its current share repurchase program.

ST’s net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP)1 was $3.13 billion as of March 30, 2024, compared to $3.16 billion as of December 31, 2023, and reflected total liquidity of $6.24 billion and total financial debt of $3.11 billion. Adjusted net financial position (non-U.S. GAAP)1, taking into consideration the effect on total liquidity of advances from capital grants for which capital expenditures have not been incurred yet, stood at $2.78 billion as of March 30, 2024.

Business Outlook

ST’s guidance, at the mid-point, for the 2024 second quarter is:

• Net revenues are expected to be $3.2 billion, a decrease of 7.6% sequentially, plus or minus 350 basis points.
• Gross margin of 40%, plus or minus 200 basis points.
• This outlook is based on an assumed effective currency exchange rate of approximately $1.08 = €1.00 for the 2024 second quarter and includes the impact of existing hedging contracts.
• The second quarter will close on June 29, 2024.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

ST will conduct a conference call with analysts, investors and reporters to discuss its first quarter 2024 financial results and current business outlook today at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (CET) / 3:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time (ET). A live webcast (listen-only mode) of the conference call will be accessible at ST’s website, https://investors.st.com, and will be available for replay until May 10, 2024.

Use of Supplemental Non-U.S. GAAP Financial Information

This press release contains supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information.

Readers are cautioned that these measures are unaudited and not prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for U.S. GAAP financial measures. In addition, such non-U.S. GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled information from other companies. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-U.S. GAAP financial information should not be read in isolation, but only in conjunction with ST’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

See the Appendix of this press release for a reconciliation of ST’s non-U.S. GAAP financial measures to their corresponding U.S. GAAP financial measures.

Forward-looking Information

Some of the statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 or Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended) that are based on management’s current views and assumptions, and are conditioned upon and also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those anticipated by such statements due to, among other factors:

• changes in global trade policies, including the adoption and expansion of tariffs and trade barriers, that could affect the macro-economic environment and adversely impact the demand for our products;
• uncertain macro-economic and industry trends (such as inflation and fluctuations in supply chains), which may impact production capacity and end-market demand for our products;
• customer demand that differs from projections;
• the ability to design, manufacture and sell innovative products in a rapidly changing technological environment;
• changes in economic, social, public health, labor, political, or infrastructure conditions in the locations where we, our customers, or our suppliers operate, including as a result of macroeconomic or regional events, geopolitical and military conflicts, social unrest, labor actions, or terrorist activities;
• unanticipated events or circumstances, which may impact our ability to execute our plans and/or meet the objectives of our R&D and manufacturing programs, which benefit from public funding;
• financial difficulties with any of our major distributors or significant curtailment of purchases by key customers;
• the loading, product mix, and manufacturing performance of our production facilities and/or our required volume to fulfill capacity reserved with suppliers or third-party manufacturing providers;
• availability and costs of equipment, raw materials, utilities, third-party manufacturing services and technology, or other supplies required by our operations (including increasing costs resulting from inflation);
• the functionalities and performance of our IT systems, which are subject to cybersecurity threats and which support our critical operational activities including manufacturing, finance and sales, and any breaches of our IT systems or those of our customers, suppliers, partners and providers of third-party licensed technology;
• theft, loss, or misuse of personal data about our employees, customers, or other third parties, and breaches of data privacy legislation;
• the impact of intellectual property (“IP”) claims by our competitors or other third parties, and our ability to obtain required licenses on reasonable terms and conditions;
• changes in our overall tax position as a result of changes in tax rules, new or revised legislation, the outcome of tax audits or changes in international tax treaties which may impact our results of operations as well as our ability to accurately estimate tax credits, benefits, deductions and provisions and to realize deferred tax assets;
• variations in the foreign exchange markets and, more particularly, the U.S. dollar exchange rate as compared to the Euro and the other major currencies we use for our operations;
• the outcome of ongoing litigation as well as the impact of any new litigation to which we may become a defendant;
• product liability or warranty claims, claims based on epidemic or delivery failure, or other claims relating to our products, or recalls by our customers for products containing our parts;
• natural events such as severe weather, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions or other acts of nature, the effects of climate change, health risks and epidemics or pandemics in locations where we, our customers or our suppliers operate;
• increased regulation and initiatives in our industry, including those concerning climate change and sustainability matters and our goal to become carbon neutral by 2027 on scope 1 and 2 and partially scope 3;
• epidemics or pandemics, which may negatively impact the global economy in a significant manner for an extended period of time, and could also materially adversely affect our business and operating results;
• industry changes resulting from vertical and horizontal consolidation among our suppliers, competitors, and customers; and
• the ability to successfully ramp up new programs that could be impacted by factors beyond our control, including the availability of critical third-party components and performance of subcontractors in line with our expectations.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results and performance of our business to differ materially and adversely from the forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes”, “expects”, “may”, “are expected to”, “should”, “would be”, “seeks” or “anticipates” or similar expressions or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions.

Some of these risk factors are set forth and are discussed in more detail in “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” included in our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 22, 2024. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as anticipated, believed or expected. We do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update any industry information or forward-looking statements set forth in this release to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Unfavorable changes in the above or other factors listed under “Item 3. Key Information — Risk Factors” from time to time in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or financial condition.

The post STMicroelectronics Reports 2024 First Quarter Financial Results appeared first on ELE Times.

The open-source large-language model will soon be available on major hardware platforms.

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To understand how to achieve the most accurate low-noise measurements, we will compare the noise performance of multiple probe solutions using a Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) MXO 5 series oscilloscope.

The possibility of creating a universal analog-to-digital multiplexer-demultiplexer is shown.

Wow the engineering world with your unique design: Design Ideas Submission Guide

As is known, a multiplexer and a demultiplexer is an electronic device designed for selective signal transmission from one of several inputs to one output, or, on the contrary, signal transmission from one input to one of several outputs. Channel switching is performed by digital signals supplied to the control inputs.

First, let’s consider the operation of a control node containing key elements controlled by digital input signals. Figure 1 shows an example of such a node based on discrete elements such as bipolar or field-effect transistors; or using two “NOT” logic elements. When applying to the input (Inp) of such a node, signals of the level “Log. 1»/«Log. 0” the output signal levels Out1 and Out2 are switched. To switch, for example, four channels, it is necessary to use two similar control nodes.

Figure 1 Control node using discrete elements such as bipolar or field-effect transistors.

Figure 2 shows the electrical circuit of the signal transmission channel switching unit, made using two control units, Figure 1, as well as diode-resistive elements. The signals from the ABCD outputs are sent to the corresponding ABCD control inputs of analog switches, Figure 2.

Figure 2 Electrical diagram of the analog switch control unit using discrete elements.

When digital signals of the level “Log. 1” or “Log. 0” are applied to the inputs, X1 and/or X2 of the control nodes implements four combinations of selective appearance at the outputs of the ABCD levels “Log. 1”. The inputs and outputs of analog switches have the property of reversibility, which allows the device to be used both as a multiplexer and a demultiplexer.

Figure 3 shows a variant of the control unit for analog switches from a set of logic elements “NOT” and “2AND”.

 

Figures 3 Electrical diagram of the analog switch control unit using logic elements.

To be able to disable the passage of any signals from the input to the output of the device, or vice versa, the scheme shown in Figure 2 can be supplemented with the function of general disconnection of the passage of signals, Figure 4. When an Inhibit signal of the “Log. 1” level is applied to the input, the transistor Q opens and shunts the control inputs of the analog switches ABCD through the diodes.

Figures 4 Electrical diagram of the device for general disconnection of signals passing through all switching channels.

Figure 5 shows the possible pin arrangement of the universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer chip, its schematic representation, and truth table.

Figure 5 Possible pin layout of the universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer chip, its schematic representation, and the truth table.

Figure 6 demonstrates the possibility of using such a device as a multiplexer when signals from 4 sources are fed to the ABCD inputs. When digital control signals are applied to inputs X1 and X2, one of the signals taken from sources E1–E4 will pass to the output Y of the device.

Figure 6 Using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer as a multiplexer, its graphical designation, equivalent circuit, and truth table.

Figure 7 shows the options for using a universal analog of a universal multiplexer/demultiplexer as a demultiplexer.

Figure 7 Using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer as a demultiplexer, its graphical designation, equivalent circuit, and truth table.

Figure 8 shows an example of using a device for selectively enabling/disabling information transmission channels from sources E1–E4 to the outputs/inputs of ABCD.

Figure 8 Examples of using a universal analog multiplexer/demultiplexer to control the passage of signals through one of the channels involved.

The described device can be used for switching both analog and digital signals of positive polarity, however, with a slight improvement of the device, it can be converted to switch signals of both positive and negative polarity.

Michael A. Shustov is a doctor of technical sciences, candidate of chemical sciences and the author of over 800 printed works in the field of electronics, chemistry, physics, geology, medicine, and history.

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Rohde & Schwarz has teamed up with IPG Automotive, a pioneer in virtual test driving, to redefine automotive radar Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) integration testing thereby reducing the cost by bringing Autonomous Driving (AD) testing from the proving ground to the development lab. Combining the CarMaker simulation software from IPG Automotive with the R&S AREG800A radar object simulator and the R&S QAT100 advanced antenna array provides vehicle manufacturers with the ability to simulate ADAS/AD scenarios like those defined in the Euro NCAP in a controlled, safe, time-efficient and cost-reducing way. This combination provides automotive OEMs and radar sensor suppliers with a comprehensive radar sensor testing platform. It is applicable for validation and real-time, closed-loop characterization of radar sensors and enables compliance with Association for ASAM standards.

IPG Automotive’s CarMaker simulation solution is designed for the development and end-to-end testing of cars and light commercial vehicles at all development stages from MIL/SIL to HIL and VIL. The open integration and test platform allows vehicle manufacturers, engineering services companies and Tier 1 suppliers to implement virtual test scenarios in the application areas of powertrain, vehicle dynamic chassis functions and ADAS/AD functions. Thanks to a high-resolution 3D engine, the simulation of the complete sensor stack is possible in very high detail. Seamless integration into existing tool landscapes is also possible with a variety of supported standards and interfaces like the ASAM Open Standards.

The R&S AREG800A, in conjunction with the R&S QAT100, generates multiple artificial objects, each with independent range, Radar Cross Section (RCS), angle (azimuth/elevation) and radial velocity. The Open Simulation Interface (ASAM OSI) links R&S AREG800A with the CarMaker HIL test automation, creating a comprehensive test setup, proving extremely valuable for realistic driving scenario assessment within radar HIL testing. Moreover, the solution includes a Scenario Editor, specifically designed for non-simulation experts. This feature greatly simplifies the process of testing maneuver-based driving scenarios and their associated complex traffic-related configurations and makes it accessible to a wider range of professionals.

The simulation solution CarMaker features an advanced Test Manager, capable of building and running automated test sequences. It can run tests individually or simultaneously, locally or in the cloud, providing flexibility and scalability. Additionally, it automates the calculation and evaluation of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and generates reports automatically, thereby saving considerable time and effort.

The Model Manager CarMaker helps to define the configuration of virtual vehicle prototypes. This enhances the realism and accuracy of simulations, making them more useful for testing and development.

Andreas Höfer, Chief Technology Officer at IPG Automotive: “With the collaboration between Rohde & Schwarz and IPG Automotive, we intend to provide the automotive industry with a comprehensive Hardware-in-the-Loop integration test solution, bringing tests from the proving ground into the lab, resulting in significant time and cost savings in the development process.”

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Highly integrated chips support multiple wireless technologies and the latest security standards, perfectly addressing requirements for smart industrial, medical, and consumer devices

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, has revealed the next generation of its short-range wireless microcontrollers. These innovative, all-in-one components enable wearables and smart objects including smart home devices, health monitors, and smart appliances to become ever more miniaturized, easy to use, secure and affordable.

Short-range wireless technologies like Bluetooth LE, Zigbee and Thread (popular in smart meters and smart buildings) are the fabric connecting smart devices to home bridges, gateways, and controllers including smartphones. As we all seek solutions for making life more economical, sustainable, and comfortable, vendors are looking to bring creative and high-performing new solutions to market more quickly, within tight cost constraints. They need to be stylish, too: tiny, low-profile, or even embedded out of sight in other equipment, such as in smart bulbs. Going wireless is a part of this trend, for freedom, flexibility, and fashion.

Wireless microcontrollers like ST’s new STM32WBA5 product line allow a one-chip solution that’s extremely compact, reduces the bill of materials, and shortens the time to market by relieving wireless design challenges. Also, being compatible with the development tools and software packs of the STM32 microcontroller development ecosystem, the new line simplifies migrating existing products designed for wired connections.

The new series’ flagship STM32WBA55 microcontroller can communicate using multiple wireless standards concurrently, including low-energy Bluetooth LE 5.4, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter (Thread RCP). Matter border router is a perfect match with the STM32WBA5 for this new open-source connectivity standard for smart-home and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. In this way, the STM32WBA55 supports a great user experience while simplifying hardware and software engineers’ development journey, aiding affordability and time to market for the new product.

With this new generation, ST has also introduced support for the recently completed Bluetooth LE Audio specifications that enable exciting and innovative new products for richer listening and hearing experiences. These include the new Bluetooth Auracast feature, which opens the door to a new world of audio broadcasting applications.

“Lead customers are already appreciating the enhanced wireless performance, flexibility, and security of our latest STM32WBA wireless microcontrollers. They are creating diverse products including smart thermostats, tracking devices, smart chargers, headsets, power tools, and smart meters,” said Benoit Rodrigues, Wireless MCU Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “The extensive software ecosystem that provides communication stacks, microcontroller-specific software packs, sample code, and tools helps developers bring new products to market based on these MCUs quickly and efficiently.”

The STM32WBA series is the first wireless MCU in the market to achieve the important SESIP (Security Evaluation Standard for IoT Platforms) Level 3 security certification. With this, smart devices containing STM32WBA microcontrollers are ready to satisfy the US Cyber Trust Mark and EU Radio Equipment Directive (RED) regulations due to become mandatory in 2025.

“We work with smart asset tracking devices which are connected through Bluetooth to mobiles and through mobile apps to the cloud, enabling us to deliver complete asset tracking management for our customers. ST’s microcontrollers bring wireless connectivity to our multi-mode trackers,” said Olivier Hersent, CEO, Abeeway (Actility Group). “We have selected the new wireless connectivity product, STM32WBA5, for its enhanced performance with ultra-low power radio capabilities, which is key for our battery-powered devices. They ensure stable connectivity in the harsh industrial environment where we operate, combined with security that meets the highest industry standards.”

“We believe that gaming peripherals should be as unique and accessible as the gaming community itself,” said Tom Roberts, CTO, Performance Designed Products (PDP). “ST and PDP have worked together through several Video Game generations, and we have used STM8 and STM32 devices for many years. ST products consistently provide the features we need in our highly competitive market segment. We recently selected ST’s short-range wireless connectivity product, the STM32WBA5, based on the integrated MCU and Bluetooth low-energy technology, as the right solution for a new, groundbreaking game controller.  The STM32WBA offered us an ideal combination of performance, peripherals, cost efficiency and ecosystem support that enabled simple and fast development.”

Sample requests and pricing information are available from local ST sales offices. ST will introduce a ready-to-use module containing the STM32WBA, integrated with necessary external components including power-supply and antenna-balancing circuitry, in June 2024.

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For full-year 2023, epiwafer and substrate maker IQE plc of Cardiff, Wales, UK has reported revenue of £115.25m, down 31.2% on 2022’s £167.5m...