Microelectronics world news
DMD powers high-resolution lithography
With over 8.9 million micromirrors, TI’s DLP991UUV digital micromirror device (DMD) enables maskless digital lithography for advanced packaging. Its 4096×2176 micromirror array, 5.4-µm pitch, and 110-Gpixel/s data rate remove the need for costly mask technology while providing scalability and precision for increasingly complex designs.
The DMD is a spatial light modulator that controls the amplitude, direction, and phase of incoming light. Paired with the DLPC964 controller, the DLP991UUV DMD supports high-speed continuous data streaming for laser direct imaging. Its resolution enables large 3D-print build sizes, fine feature detail, and scanning of larger objects in 3D machine vision applications.
Offering the highest resolution and smallest mirror pitch in TI’s Digital Light Processing (DLP) portfolio, the DLP991UUV provides precise light control for industrial, medical, and consumer applications. It steers UV wavelengths from 343 nm to 410 nm and delivers up to 22.5 W/cm² at 405 nm.
Preproduction quantities of the DLP991UUV are available now on TI.com.
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Co-packaged optics enables AI data center scale-up
AIchip Technologies and Ayar Labs unveiled a co-packaged optics (CPO) solution for multi-rack AI clusters, providing extended reach, low latency, and high radix. The joint development tackles AI infrastructure data-movement bottlenecks by replacing copper interconnects with CPO in large-scale accelerator deployments.
The offering integrates Ayar’s TeraPHY optical engines with AIchip’s advanced packaging on a common substrate, bringing optical I/O directly to the AI accelerator interface. This enables over 100 Tbps of scale-up bandwidth per accelerator and supports more than 256 optical scale-up ports per device. TeraPHY is also protocol agnostic, allowing flexible integration with customer-designed chiplets and fabrics.
The co-packaged solution scales multi-rack networks without the power and latency penalties of pluggable optics by shortening electrical traces and placing optical I/O close to the compute core. With UCIe support and flexible protocol endpoints at the package boundary, it integrates alongside compute tiles, memory, and accelerators while maintaining performance, signal integrity, and thermal requirements.
Both companies are working with select customers to integrate co-packaged optics into next-generation AI accelerators and scale-up switches. They will provide collateral, reference architectures, and build options to qualified design teams.
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Platform speeds AI from prototype to production
Purpose-built for Lantronix Open-Q system-on-modules (SOMs), EdgeFabric.ai is a no-code development platform for designing and deploying edge AI applications. According to Lantronix, it helps customers move AI from prototype to production in minutes instead of months, without needing a team of AI experts.
The visual orchestration platform integrates with Open-Q hardware and leading AI model ecosystems, automatically configuring performance across Qualcomm GPUs, DSPs, and NPUs. It streamlines data pipelines with drag-and-drop workflows for AI, video, and sensors, while delivering real-time visualization. Prebuilt templates support common use cases such as surveillance, anomaly detection, and safety monitoring.
EdgeFabric.ai auto-generates production-ready code in Python and C++, making it easy to build and adjust pipelines, fine-tune parameters, and adapt workflows quickly.
Learn more about the EdgeFabric.ai platform here. For details on Open-Q SOMs, visit SOM solutions. Lantronix also offers engineering services for development support.
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Dual-core MCUs drive motor-control efficiency
RA8T2 MCUs from Renesas integrate dual processors for real-time motor control in advanced factory automation and robotics. They pair a 1-GHz Arm Cortex-M85 core with an optional 250-MHz Cortex-M33 core, combining high-speed operation, large memory, timers, and analog functions on a single chip.
The Cortex-M85 with Helium technology accelerates DSP and machine-learning workloads, enabling AI functions that predict motor maintenance needs. In dual-core variants, the embedded Cortex-M33 separates real-time control from general-purpose tasks to further enhance system performance.
RA8T2 devices integrate up to 1 MB of MRAM and 2 MB of SRAM, including 256 KB of TCM for the Cortex-M85 and 128 KB of TCM for the Cortex-M33. For high-speed networking in factory automation, they offer multiple interfaces, such as two Gigabit Ethernet MACs with DMA and a two-port EtherCAT slave. A 32-bit, 14-channel timer delivers PWM functionality up to 300 MHz.
The RA8T2 series of MCUs is available now through Renesas and its distributors.
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Image sensor provides ultra-high dynamic range
Omnivision’s OV50R40 50-Mpixel CMOS image sensor delivers single-exposure HDR up to 110 dB with second-generation TheiaCel technology. It also reduces power consumption by ~20% compared with the previous-generation OV50K40, enabling longer HDR video capture.
Aimed at high-end smartphones and action cameras, the OV50R40 achieves ultra-high dynamic range in any lighting. Built on PureCel Plus‑S stacked die technology, the color sensor supports 100% coverage quad phase detection for improved autofocus. It features an active array of 8192×6144 with 1.2‑µm pixels in a 1/1.3‑in. format and supports premium 8K video with dual analog gain (DAG) HDR and on-sensor crop zoom.
The sensor also supports 4-cell binning, producing 12.5‑Mpixel resolution at 120 fps. For 4K video at 60 fps, it provides 3-channel HDR with 4× sensitivity, ensuring enhanced low-light performance.
The OV50R40 is now sampling, with mass production planned for Q1 2026.
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TI Unwraps Motor Control MCUs for Cost-Sensitive, Real-Time Designs
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