Microelectronics world news

You might think that a smart watch or fitness wearable would not be a thermal concern for users. After all, they only have small rechargeable batteries and sip that battery’s energy to extend operating time as much as possible, typically at least 24 hours.

Their heat dissipation is many orders of magnitude less than that of a CPU, GPU, or other processor-core device cooking along at tens and even hundreds of watts. Nonetheless, wearables can be highly localized sources of heat and therefore cause potential skin problems.

I hadn’t thought about the extent of this localized heating on skin due to wearables until I coincidentally saw several items on the subject. The first was an IEEE conference article re- posted at InCompliance magazine, “Reduced-Order Modeling of Pennes’ Bioheat Equation for Thermal Dose Analysis.” The second was an article in Electronics Cooling, “Thermal Management and Safety Regulation of Smart Watches.”

The first paper was intensely analytic with complicated thermal models and equations, and while I didn’t want to go through it in detail, I did get the overall message: you can get surprisingly high localized skin heating from a wearable.

It pointed out that the simple term “skin” actually comprises four distinct tissue layers, and each is unique in its geometric, thermal, and physiological properties. The outermost layer is the exposed epidermis, beneath it is the dermis which is the “core” of the skin, then the subcutaneous fat (hyodermis) layer, and finally, the inner tissue muscle and bone, Figure 1.

Figure 1 The term “skin” really refers to a four-layer structure, where each layer has distinctive material, thermal, and other properties, most of which are hard to measure. Source: Cleveland Clinic

Damage to the skin is analyzed by the extent of partial or complete necrosis (death) of each layer. While that’s more than I wanted to know, I was curious about the assessment of skin damage.

It turns out that there is, as expected, a quantitative assessment of thermally induced damage and it is based on cumulative exposure at various temperatures. This thermal dose is estimated as cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C, or CEM43°C, which provides a time and duration number:

Where T is tissue temperature, t is time, and R is a piecewise-constant function of temperature with:

 R(T) = 0.25 for T ≤ 43°C and = 0.5 for T > 43°C.

So far, so good. The rest the of lengthy paper delved into models of heat flow, heat spreading through the skin, transforming surface data into three-dimensional data, and more. The analysis was complicated by the fact that heat flow through the layers is hard to measure and model, especially as the skin layers are anisotropic (the flow is different along different axes).

Cut to the chase: even a modest self-heating of the wearable can cause skin damage over time, and so must be modeled, measured, and assessed. How much heating is allowed? There are standards for that, of course, such as IEC Guide 117:2010, “Electrotechnical equipment – Temperatures of touchable hot surfaces.”

What to do?

Knowing there’s a problem is the first step to solving it. In the case of wearables, the obvious solution is to reduce dissipation even further, which would also increase run time as an added benefit. But efforts are underway to go beyond that obvious approach.

Coincident with seeing the two cited articles, I came across an article in the scholarly journal Science Advances, “Ultrathin, soft, radiative cooling interfaces for advanced thermal management in skin electronics.” A research team led by City University of Hong Kong has devised a photonic, material-based, ultrathin, soft, radiative-cooling interface (USRI) that greatly enhances heat dissipation in devices.

Their multifunctional composite polymer coating offers both radiative and non-radiative cooling capacity without using electricity and with advances in wearability and stretchability. The cooling interface coating is composed of hollow silicon dioxide (SiO2) microspheres for improving infrared radiation along with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and fluorescent pigments, for enhancing solar reflection. It is less than a millimeter thick, lightweight (about 1.27g/cm2), and has robust mechanical flexibility, Figure 2.

Figure 2 Overview of the USRI-enabled thermal management for wearable electronics. (A) Exploded view of the components and assembly method of the ultrathin, soft, radiative-cooling interface (USRI). (B) Photographs of a fabricated USRI layer (i) and that attached on the wrist and hand (ii). (C) Thermal exchange processes in wearable electronics seamlessly integrated with a USRI, including radiative (thermal radiation and solar reflectance) and nonradiative (convection and conduction) contributions, as well as the internal Joule heating. (D) Comparison of cooling power from the radiative and nonradiative processes in wearable devices as a function of the above-ambient temperature caused by Joule heating. (E) Conceptual graph capturing functional advantages and potential applications of USRI in wearable and stretchable electronics. Source: City University of Hong Kong

When heat is generated in a wearable fitted with this thermal interface, it flows to the cooling interface layer and dissipates to the ambient environment through both thermal radiation and air convection. The open space above the interface layer provides a cooler heat sink and an additional thermal exchange channel.

To assess its cooling capacity, they conformally coated the cooling interface layer onto a metallic resistance wire functioning as a heat source, Figure 3. With a coating thickness of 75 μm, the temperature of the wire dropped from 140.5°C to 101.3°C, compared with uncoated wire at an input current of 0.5 A with a 600-μm thickness, it dropped to 84.2°C for a temperature drop of more than 56°C. That’s fairly impressive, for sure.

Figure 3 Passive cooling for conductive interconnects in skin electronics. (A) Exploded view of a USRI-integrated flexible heating wire. (B) Photographs of the flexible heating wire before and after coating with the USRI, showing their seamless and robust integration under bending, twisting, and folding. (C) Thermal exchange processes of the USRI-coated flexible heating wire. (D and E) Measured temperature variation of the USRI-integrated flexible heating with varied interface thickness (D) and interface area (E) under different working currents. The colored shaded regions depict simulation results. (F) Image of the USRI-integrated flexible heating wire and corresponding infrared images of such devices with different thicknesses and areas. The working current was kept at 0.3 A. (G and H) Statistics of cooling temperatures of two USRI-coated flexible heating wires working at a current varying from 0.1 to 0.5 A. Both the thickness and the interface area present significant differences between the control and USRI groups (P = 0.012847 for interface thickness, P = 0.020245 for interface area, n = 3). (I) Temperature distribution of USRI-integrated flexible heating wires with varied thickness, area, and current. Source: City University of Hong Kong

Have you had to worry about excessive heat dissipation in a wearable, and the risks it might bring? Were you aware of the relevant regulatory standards for this phenomenon? How did you solve your problem?

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

 Related Content

• Wearables benefit from flexible TEG materials
• Call on mechanical engineers to solve your tough thermal problems
• Misconception revealed: Can a heat sink be too big?
• Mitigating battery overtemperature threats in wearable electronics
• Oven Performance Shows Flip Side of Thermal Management
• Taking a Step Back: Basic Thermal Concepts

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Infineon Technologies AG introduces the SSO10T TSC package with OptiMOS MOSFET technology. With its direct top-side cooling concept, the package offers excellent thermal performance. This eliminates heat transfer into or through the PCB of the automotive electronic control unit. The package enables a simple and compact double-sided PCB design and minimizes cooling requirements and system costs for future automotive power designs. The SSO10T TSC is therefore well suited for applications such as electric power steering (EPS), EMB, power distribution, brushless DC drives (BLDC), safety switches, reverse battery, and DCDC converters.

The SSO10T TSC has a 5 x 7 mm² footprint and is based on the established industry standard SSO8, a 5 x 6 mm² robust housing. However, due to its top-side cooling, the SSO10 TSC offers more than 20 percent and up to 50 percent higher performance than the standard SSO8 – depending on the thermal interface (TIM) material used and the TIM thickness. The SSO10T TSC package is JEDEC listed for open market and provides wide second source compatibility. As a result, the package can be introduced quickly and easily as the future standard for top-side cooling.

The SSO10T package enables a very compact PCB design and reduces the system footprint. It also lowers the cost of the cooling design by eliminating vias, resulting in lower overall system costs and design effort. At the same time, the housing offers high power density and efficiency, thus supporting the development of future-proof and sustainable vehicles.

The first 40 V automotive MOSFET products with SSO10T are now available: IAUCN04S6N007T, IAUCN04S6N009T, IAUCN04S6N013T, IAUCN04S6N017T. Further information is available at https://www.infineon.com/cms/en/product/promopages/SSO10T/.

Embedded World will take place from 9 to 11 April, 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany. Infineon will present its products and solutions for decarbonization and digitalization in hall 4A, booth #138 and virtually. Company representatives will also hold several TechTalks as well as presentations at the accompanying Embedded World Conference, followed by discussions with the speakers. If you are interested in interviewing an expert at the show, please email media.relations@infineon.com. Industry analysts interested in a briefing can email MarketResearch.Relations@infineon.com. Information about the Embedded World show highlights is available at www.infineon.com/embeddedworld.

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Infineon Technologies AG is expanding its XDP digital power protection controller product family with the XDP700-002, the industry’s first -48 V wide input voltage digital hot-swap controller with a programmable safe operating area (SOA) control designed for telecom infrastructure. It boasts superior current reporting accuracy of less than ±0.7 percent, enhancing the system’s fault detection and reporting accuracy. Furthermore, the product features boost-mode control technology for safer turn-on of field-effect transistors (FETs) in systems with non-optimal SOA. This new member of the XDP product family is tailored for a spectrum of telecom applications, including remote radio head power, base station power distribution, active and passive antenna systems, 5G small cell power, and telecom UPS systems.

The XDP700-002 employs a three-block architecture that combines high-precision telemetry for monitoring and fault detection, digital SOA control optimized for power MOSFETs, and integrated gate drivers for n-channel power MOSFETs. The XDP700-002 operates within an expansive -6.5 to -80 V input voltage range and can withstand transients up to -100 V for 500 ms, delivering current and voltage telemetry with a remarkable 0.7 percent and 0.5 percent accuracy respectively. It features precise PMBus compliant active monitoring for enhanced system reliability. A programmable gate shutdown during severe overcurrent (SOC) ensures robust shutdown operation within just 1 µs. The advanced closed-loop SOA control ensures higher MOSFET reliability, and the fully digital operating mode minimizes the need for external components offering a compact solution making it an optimal fit for space-constrained designes in a cost-effective way.

With options for external FETs selection and a one-time programmable (OTP) option, the XDP700-002 offers flexibility for programming faults and warnings detection as well as de-glitch levels for various usage models. Its analog-assisted digital mode offers backward compatibility with legacy analog hotswap controllers. By offering robust functionality and adaptability, the XDP700-002 exemplifies Infineon’s continuous commitment to innovation and system reliability in telecom infrastructure.

The controller perfectly matches Infineon’s OptiMOS and OptiMOS Linear FET portfolio for reliable and powerful system performance.

Availability

The XDP700-002 hot-swap and system monitoring controller IC is available in a VQFN-29 6×6 package and can be ordered now. More information is available at www.infineon.com/xdp700-002.

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Decarbonization and digitalization are the two central challenges of our time, but they rely on new and advanced technologies. At embedded world 2024 in Nuremberg, Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) will demonstrate how its innovative semiconductor solutions support and drive these advancements. Microcontrollers in particular play an important role as they are at the heart of a wide range of applications, from electric vehicles and renewable energy systems to smart homes and industrial automation. For this reason, Infineon showcases high-quality microcontrollers designed with the latest technologies and innovative features such as enhanced security and high accuracy, offering excellent performance with low power consumption.

Under the motto “Driving decarbonization and digitalization. Together.” Infineon invites its customers to embedded world 2024 to demonstrate innovative semiconductor solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future. In addition, customers can register for Infineon’s digital platform – the perfect place to dive deeper into the various technologies presented at EW during and after the event. The Infineon booth in Hall 4A (booth #138) will present highlights from the consumer and IoT, automotive, and industrial sectors.

Consumer and IoT: With its broad portfolio of IoT solutions, Infineon supports manufacturers in providing consumers with more comfortable, secure, and energy-efficient homes and buildings by utilizing the company’s latest microcontroller, sensor, security, and connectivity solutions. In this area, visitors will discover:

• Robotics development platform: The platform includes hardware and software solutions for key robotics subsystems such as main and motor controllers, battery management systems and sensors, which enable developers to get robots up and running faster and easier.
• Better sleep quality with XENSIV: Leveraging Infineon’s 60 GHz radar, PSoC and Wi-Fi® technologies, the XENSIV Sleep Quality Service is designed to measure and optimize the user’s sleep based on their individual needs.

Simplifying air quality monitoring and optimizing energy efficiency with the new XENSIV PAS CO2 5V kits: The XENSIV PAS CO2 5V Sensor2Go kit provides

• developers with seamless CO2 sensor integration and a plug-and-play solution. The effortless connection to the graphical user interface (GUI) allows users to accurately analyze CO2 data in real time from multiple kits.
• Land a rocket on the Edge: This fun game demonstrates the PSoC Edge device’s ability to integrate multiple functions such as high-performance computing, graphics processing and display, acoustic activity recognition, speech recognition, sensing and gesture recognition with ML in the same chip and application.

Automotive: As a leading supplier of automotive solutions, Infineon focuses on making smart cars a reality with proven microcontroller, connectivity, security, and sensor technologies for the industry. The company’s microelectronics play a critical role in delivering zero-emission vehicles that are smart, connected, safe and reliable.

• AI-based siren recognition: Infineon showcases an autonomous car that recognizes emergency vehicles by their characteristic siren sound and reacts accordingly without violating traffic regulations. This system solution combines MEMS microphones, a microcontroller unit (MCU), and AI software from Imagimob.
• Next generation eMobility: Infineon enables next-generation vehicles with the AURIX TC4x microcontroller family and the AURIX Development Studio (ADS). With these solutions, manufacturers can easily implement modern ADAS, advanced automotive E/E architectures and affordable Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications.
• TRAVEO T2G Cluster 6M Lite Kit: With the TRAVEO T2G CYT4DL device prototypes can be implemented in the shortest possible time and at minimal cost.

Industrial: Infineon supports smart factories and provides manufacturers with a broad sensor portfolio and an extensive partner network. In this way, the company enables reliable data acquisition and processing that enables condition monitoring and predictive maintenance in various Industry 4.0 use cases:

• Predictive maintenance: In this sector, Infineon will present a portable HVAC system equipped with the XENSIV Predictive Maintenance Evaluation Kit. The demo includes a TinyML model and a cloud-based AI service solution generator.

At the Infineon booth, the company has set up a comprehensive series of TechTalks. The seven presentations will cover a wide range of different topics, from software to products, and from consumers to industry. Full details of all Infineon conference presentations, technical workshops and TechTalks can be found here.

• “Ambient sensing: Infineon radar solutions: How Infineon’s tools and enablement can accelerate your time to market” at 10:00 a.m. presented by Firas Labidi
• “Embedded AI and safety – Embedded AI will enable the innovations for next generation of electric vehicle and autonomous driving” at 11:00 a.m. presented by Jürgen Schäfer
• “Accelerate your product development with system reference designs” at 12:00 p.m. presented by Jaya Bindra
• “Addressing the next generation of Edge AI devices with PSoC Edge” at 1:00 p.m. presented by Rebecca Phillips
• “TRAVEO T2G MCUs for automotive HD front lighting” at 2:00 p.m. presented by Maniacherry Devassy Anu
• “Unlocking the power of Edge AI with Imagimob and ModusToolbox” at 3:00 p.m. presented by Alexander Samuelsson
• “Infineon’s solutions for robotics” at 4:00 p.m. presented by Nenad Belancic

Embedded World will take place from 9 to 11 April, 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany. Infineon will present its products and solutions for decarbonization and digitalization in hall 4A, booth #138 and virtually. Company representatives will also hold several TechTalks as well as presentations at the accompanying Embedded World Conference, followed by discussions with the speakers. If you are interested in interviewing an expert at the show, please email media.relations@infineon.com. Industry analysts interested in a briefing can email MarketResearch.Relations@infineon.com. Information about the Embedded World show highlights is available at www.infineon.com/embedded-world.

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Embedded systems are the foundation of today’s electronic devices, spanning sectors as diverse as consumer electronics, telecommunications, industrial, medical, automotive and aerospace applications. Ensuring seamless operation is critical, which means that engineers encounter complex challenges as they design increasingly compact embedded systems and align them with today’s requirements for efficiency, safety, reliability and interoperability. Rohde & Schwarz offers comprehensive test and measurement solutions to meet these challenges and will present its highlights at the embedded world Exhibition & Conference 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing its state-of-the-art test and measurement solutions tailored to the embedded industry at the embedded world Exhibition & Conference. At the company’s booth 4-218 in hall 4 of the Nuremberg Exhibition Center, visitors will have the opportunity to gain insights into embedded design testing, including testing of digital designs and interfaces, power electronics, electromagnetic compatibility, wireless connectivity and in-vehicle networks.

One-box test solution supports new Bluetooth® Low Energy test features

One highlight will be the R&S CMW wideband radio communication test platform (R&S CMW500, R&S CMW270) covering the new Low Energy (LE) feature Bluetooth Channel Sounding (CS). CS extends the positioning capabilities of low energy devices based on high accuracy distance measurements. The R&S CMW platform offers fully featured RFPHY test capabilities using the phase-based ranging (PBR) principle. High-performance internal signal generators and analyzers allow repeatable high-quality device verification.

The R&S CMW platform also supports Bluetooth® Low Energy over-the-air (OTA) receiver and transmitter measurements, as defined in the upcoming Unified Test Protocol (UTP) test mode. The OTA test capability allows easy RFPHY testing of devices that do not have a physical test connector. The new Bluetooth core specification defining the CS and UTP modes is expected to be released later this year.

The R&S CMW platform is a comprehensive, fully automated test solution for verifying the physical layer functions Bluetooth Low Energy and Bluetooth Classic with the addition of LE audio measurements. Visitors can experience the new LE test modes live at the Rohde & Schwarz booth.

Another highlight is the MXO 5 oscilloscope from Rohde & Schwarz, the world’s first eight-channel oscilloscope that can detect 4.5 million acquisitions and a total of 18 million waveforms per second across multiple channels. The MXO 5 shows more of a signal’s activity than any other oscilloscope in both the time and frequency domains. With a simultaneous acquisition memory of 500 Mpoints across all eight channels, it offers twice the standard memory of competitive models. As the first eight-channel oscilloscope with digital triggering, it sets a new standard for signal analysis. It is also the first oscilloscope to offer 45 000 FFTs per second. Visitors to the Rohde & Schwarz booth will have the opportunity to see this innovative instrument in action, testing system-on-chip (SoC) power designs with multiphase buck converters.

High-speed digital interfaces play a pivotal role in electronic designs. Increasing data rates and integration densities are a challenge for designs at the IC, board and system levels. Visitors to the show can learn about powerful tools for system verification and debug, as well as compliance testing for signal integrity in interfaces, PCBs and interconnects, directly from experts in the field. Demo setups at the Rohde & Schwarz booth include USB 3.2 signal integrity debugging with receiver equalization emulation and advanced eye diagram analysis with the R&S RTP164B oscilloscope, as well as protocol decoding with the MXO 4 oscilloscope.

In addition, visitors will find a solution for fully automated (pre-)compliance testing and verification of high-speed cables (IEEE 802.3bj/by/cd/ck and PCIe 5.0/6.0) using the R&S ZNrun automation test suite, an R&S ZNA or R&S ZNB vector network analyzer and the R&S OSP320 open switch and control platform. The multiport physical layer analysis of a PCIe 6.0 compliant cable is performed by accurately de-embedding the signal with the R&S ZNB43 vector signal analyzer.

The new Wi-Fi 7 standard supports up to 16×16 MIMO with 320 MHz wide channels and 4096 QAM modulation, providing extremely fast and stable connections. When developing Wi-Fi 7 devices, the RF TX and RX characteristics must be measured under real-world conditions in signaling mode. The R&S CMX500 multi-technology multi-channel signaling tester is now available with integrated Wi-Fi 7 test functions. Test environments with multiple RF chains are particularly important in Wi-Fi 7, where multilink operation (MLO) is a key feature. The tester’s flexibility, support for multiple radio technologies and embedded IP test capabilities make it a versatile solution for a wide range of Wi-Fi 7-specific tests, such as 2×2 MIMO, 6 GHz band with out-of-band discovery, coexistence and E2E test capabilities.

Accurate ranging, low power consumption, high security and reliability – these are the features of ultra-wideband (UWB) technology features that make it suitable for many secure ranging applications, especially as a digital key. At embedded world 2024, Rohde & Schwarz will present the R&S CMP200 radio communication tester with integrated UWB test capabilities for solving UWB test challenges in mass production as well as in R&D.

Because all electronic controllers are susceptible to conducted or radiated electromagnetic emissions, many finished electronic products fail their first EMC compliance test. Every day spent debugging, isolating and correcting the EMI problem increases the time to market. As a leader in EMC testing, Rohde & Schwarz will present solutions that integrate EMI testing into the product design process. Visitors can learn how to use the powerful R&S RTO6 oscilloscope for EMI debugging or the R&S FPL1000 signal and spectrum analyzer for EMC pre-compliance testing.

Rohde & Schwarz offers the R&S ESW EMI test receiver for final EMC compliance tests. With the new R&S ESW-B1000 wideband option, the R&S ESW can expand its FFT bandwidth to up to 970 MHz to measure the complete CISPR frequency Bands C and D in a single operation. The wide bandwidth helps to intercept sporadic interference and enables higher reliability and repeatability in commercial and MIL-STD tests. The extremely high measurement speed opens up new possibilities for compliance testing as well as for emissions analysis and debugging. The R&S EPL1000 EMI test receiver offers fast, accurate and reliable EMI compliance measurements up to 30 MHz at a competitive price in the full CISPR 16-1-1 compliance receiver class for both device developers and conformance test houses.

Battery life is usually one of the most important specifications for battery-powered devices. Visitors can explore the R&S NGM200 high-precision DC power supply in a battery testing and simulation setup. The application software facilitates battery discharging, as well as the repeated discharge and recharge of rechargeable batteries. Continuous monitoring and recording of open circuit voltage and voltage under load are integral features. The DC power supply can be remotely controlled from a PC with the application software installed.

Another test setup allows visitors to use various smartwatch apps to observe how GPS affects power consumption in real time. A new analysis tool helps developers analyze power consumption data collected with the R&S NGU power supply. These source measure units can be used for battery modeling and simulation. They measure the current consumption of battery-powered devices in all phases and during the transition from sleep to active mode, which is important for design engineers.

Rohde & Schwarz will present its R&S FSPN high-speed phase noise analyzer up to 50 GHz in a demonstration test setup with a VCO device under test. Equipped with two low phase noise synthesizers and a real-time cross-correlation engine for increased measurement sensitivity, it is ideal for characterizing sensitive synthesizers and oscillators in R&D. In addition, Rohde & Schwarz will showcase its R&S LCX200 LCR meters with customized impedance measurement functions that are suitable for all discrete passive components up to 10 MHz. Using the R&S LCX sweep software tool, they can even per­form sweep measurements displaying numerous charts. The MFIA impedance analyzer from Zurich Instruments AG (a subsidiary since 2021) will also be on display. The MFIA provides impedance analysis for both low and high impedance components and has a measurement mode for quickly tracking impedance changes in devices under test.

These and other test solutions can be found at the Rohde & Schwarz booth 4-218 in hall 4 at the embedded world Exhibition & Conference from April 9 to 11, 2024 in Nuremberg, Germany. For more information visit: www.rohde-schwarz.com/embedded-world

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Low-Power, Streamlined Devices Target Energy Management, Home Appliances, Building Automation and Medical Applications

• Core: 48MHz Arm Cortex-M23
• Memory: 512KB integrated, dual-bank Flash memory and 48KB SRAM
• Analog Peripherals: 24-bit Sigma Delta ADC with digital filter, 12-bit ADC, and temperature sensor.
• Packages: 100-, 80- and 64-pin LFQFP

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Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform integrated with NVIDIA Omniverse and Orion molecular design platform accelerated with NVIDIA BioNeMo will transform the future of design

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. today announced an expansion of its multi-year collaboration with NVIDIA across EDA, system design and analysis, digital biology and AI with the unveiling of two transformative solutions to reinvent design using accelerated computing and generative AI.

First, the new Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform is the industry’s pioneering comprehensive digital twin solution to facilitate speed-of-light acceleration of the design, simulation and optimization of data centers across multiple industries. The platform virtualizes the entire data center and uses AI, high-performance computing (HPC) and physics-based simulation to significantly improve data center energy efficiency by up to 30%.

The Cadence Reality platform’s integration with NVIDIA Omniverse brings OpenUSD data interoperability and physically based rendering to the digital twin solution—helping accelerate data center design and simulation workflows by 30X.

Second, the companies are collaborating on generative AI to dramatically accelerate approaches to drug discovery. Cadence’s cloud-native molecular design platform Orion® will now be supercharged with NVIDIA’s generative AI tool, NVIDIA BioNeMo , and NVIDIA microservices for drug discovery to broaden therapeutic design capabilities and shorten time to trusted results. The collaboration brings together decades of expertise in scientific software and accelerated computing from the two companies to deliver transformative approaches to drug discovery. Accelerated by on-demand GPU access at an unprecedented scale, pharmaceutical companies can quickly and reliably generate and assess design hypotheses across a range of therapeutic modalities, including biologics, peptides and small molecules.

“The broadening collaboration between NVIDIA and Cadence is having a transformative impact on everything from data center design to drug discovery,” said Dr. Anirudh Devgan, president and CEO, Cadence. “As AI rapidly becomes a keystone technology driving data center and data center workload expansion, the Cadence Reality Digital Twin Platform integration with NVIDIA Omniverse will optimize every aspect of data center design and operations, use energy more efficiently, and pave the way for a more efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly future. Our groundbreaking efforts with NVIDIA to integrate BioNeMo with our industry-leading Orion molecular design tools hold great promise for unlocking new ideas and transforming the future of therapeutics and drug discovery. Together, NVIDIA and Cadence are leading the AI revolution.”

“Digital twins will transform manufacturing, drug discovery and countless other industries,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Using NVIDIA Omniverse and generative AI technologies, Cadence can deliver simulation and digitalization technologies to benefit individuals, companie and societies in ways we have yet to imagine.”

Digital twin technology is increasingly becoming critical to designers and operators of complex data center systems in the AI era as through creating a virtual replica of a physical system, it can use real-time data to simulate its behavior, performance and interactions in various conditions. The Cadence Reality platform provides visibility across the entire value chain, enabling data center designers and operators to simulate the performance of integrated liquid and air-cooling systems, visualize the performance of data centers and plan for what-if scenarios.

The company’s collaboration with NVIDIA also expands the capabilities of the Orion drug discovery platform by providing key capabilities, including access to BioNeMo models for structure prediction, small molecule generation and molecular property prediction. Molecules generated with BioNeMo may then be profiled and iteratively enhanced and designed with Orion tools.

Today’s announcements build upon Cadence and NVIDIA’s long-standing collaboration in areas such as:

• AI-driven digital and custom IC design, including PPA, schedule and cost reduction of NVIDIA GPUs with Cadence Innovus and Cadence Cerebrus solutions
• Over 20 years of partnership in hardware and software verification, including Palladium, Protium, and now Cadence Verisium technologies
• System design and analysis, including GPU-optimized Cadence Fidelity CFD Software and the revolutionary Cadence Millennium Enterprise Multiphysics Platform

These announcements also open a new chapter of Cadence’s Intelligent System Design strategy to help customers develop differentiated products across a wide range of industries and market verticals.

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STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, announced the resolutions to be submitted for adoption at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) which will be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on May 22, 2024.

The resolutions, proposed by the Supervisory Board, are:

• The adoption of the Remuneration Policy for the Supervisory Board;

• The adoption of the Company’s statutory annual accounts for the year ended December 31, 2023, prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The 2023 statutory annual accounts were filed with the Netherlands authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) on March 21, 2024 and are posted on the Company’s website (www.st.com) and the AFM’s website (www.afm.nl);

• The distribution of a cash dividend of US$ 0.36 per outstanding share of the Company’s common stock, to be distributed in quarterly installments of US$ 0.09 in each of the second, third and fourth quarters of 2024 and first quarter of 2025 to shareholders of record in the month of each quarterly payment as per the table below;

• The amendment to the Company’s Articles of Association;

• The adoption of the Remuneration Policy for the Managing Board;

• The reappointment of Mr. Jean-Marc Chery as member and Chairman of the Managing Board for a three-year term to expire at the end of the 2027 AGM;

• The approval of the stock-based portion of the compensation of the President and CEO;

• The appointment of Mr. Lorenzo Grandi as member of the Managing Board for a three-year term to expire at the end of the 2027 AGM;

• The approval of the stock-based portion of the compensation of the Chief Financial Officer;

• The approval of a new 3-year Unvested Stock Award Plan for Management and Key Employees;

• The reappointment of EY as external auditor for the 2024 and 2025 financial years;

• The reappointment of Mr. Nicolas Dufourcq, as member of the Supervisory Board, for a three-year term to expire at the end of the 2027 AGM;

• The reappointment of Ms. Janet Davidson, as member of the Supervisory Board, for a one-year term to expire at the end of the 2025 AGM;

• The appointment of Mr. Pascal Daloz, as member of the Supervisory Board, for a three-year term expiring at the 2027 AGM, in replacement of Mr. Yann Delabrière whose mandate will expire at the end of the 2024 AGM;

• The authorization to the Managing Board, until the conclusion of the 2025 AGM, to repurchase shares, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board;

• The delegation to the Supervisory Board of the authority to issue new common shares, to grant rights to subscribe for such shares, and to limit and/or exclude existing shareholders’ pre-emptive rights on common shares, until the end of the 2025 AGM;

• The discharge of the member of the Managing Board; and

• The discharge of the members of the Supervisory Board.

The record date for all shareholders to participate at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be April 24, 2024. The complete agenda and all relevant detailed information concerning the 2024 AGM, as well as all related AGM materials, are available on the Company’s website (www.st.com) and made available to shareholders in compliance with legal requirements as of March 21, 2024.

As for rule amendments from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and conforming FINRA rule changes, beginning on May 28, 2024, on US market the new standard for settlement will become the next business day after a trade or t+1. European settlement rule will remain at t+2.

The post STMicroelectronics Reports on Resolutions to be Proposed at the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders appeared first on ELE Times.

Introduction

Modern electronic systems need small, lightweight, high-efficiency power supplies. These supplies require cost-effective methods to take power from the AC power distribution grid and convert it to a form that can run the necessary electronics.

High switching frequencies are among the biggest enablers for small size. To that end, gallium nitride (GaN) switches provide an effective way to achieve these high frequencies given their low parasitic output capacitance (COSS) and rapid turn-on and turn-off times. It is possible, however, to amplify the high-power densities enabled by GaN switches through the use of advanced control techniques.

In this article, I will examine an advanced control method used inside a 5-kW power factor corrector (PFC) for a server. The design uses high-performance GaN FETs to operate the power supplies at the highest practical frequency. The power supply also uses a novel control technology that extracts more performance out of the GaN FETs. The end result is a high-efficiency, small-form-factor design with higher power density.

System overview

It’s well known that the totem-pole PFC is the workhorse of a high-power, high-efficiency PFC. Figure 1 illustrates the topology.

Figure 1 Basic totem-pole PFC topology where S1 and S2 are high-frequency GaN switches and S3 and S4 are low-frequency-switching Si MOSFETs. Source: Texas Instruments

S1 and S2 are high-frequency GaN switches operating with a variable frequency between 70 kHz and 1.2 MHz. S3 and S4 are low-frequency-switching silicon MOSFETs operating at the line frequency (50 to 60 Hz).

During the positive half cycle of the AC line, S2 operates as the control FET and S1 is the synchronous rectifier. S4 is always on and S3 is always off. Figure 2 shows the interval when the inductor current is increasing because control FET S2 is on. Figure 3 shows the interval when the inductor current is discharging through synchronous rectifier S1.

Figure 2 Positive one-half cycle inductor current charge interval. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 3 Positive one-half cycle inductor discharge interval. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 4 and Figure 5 illustrate the same behaviors for the negative one-half cycle.

Figure 4 Negative one-half cycle inductor current charge interval. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 5 Negative one-half cycle inductor discharge interval. Source: Texas Instruments

ZVS

The use of GaN switches for S1 and S2 enables the converter to run at higher switching frequencies given the lower turn-on and turn-off losses of the switch. It is possible to achieve even higher frequencies, however, if the GaN switches can turn on with zero voltage switching (ZVS). The objective for this design is to achieve ZVS on every switching cycle for all line and load conditions. In order to do this, you will need two things:

• Feedback to tell the controller if ZVS has been achieved
• An algorithm that a microcontroller can execute in real time to achieve low total harmonic distortion (THD)

You can accomplish the first item through an integrated zero voltage detection (ZVD) sensor inside the GaN switches [1]. The ZVD flag works by asserting a high signal if the switch turns on with ZVS; if it does not achieve ZVS at turn-on, the ZVD signal stays low. Figure 6 and Figure 7 illustrate this behavior.

Figure 6 ZVD feedback block diagram with the LMG3425R030 GaN FET with an integrated driver, protection and temperature reporting as well as the TMS320F280049C MCU. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 7 ZVD signal with ZVS (left) and ZVD signal without ZVS (right). The integrated ZVD sensor enables a ZVD flag that can be seen if the switch turns on with ZVS. Source: Texas Instruments

Integrating this function inside the GaN switch provides a number of advantages: minimal component count, low latency and reliable detection of ZVS events.

In addition to the ZVD signal, you also need an algorithm capable of calculating the switch timing parameters such that you can achieve ZVS and low THD simultaneously. Figure 8 is a block diagram of the hardware needed to implement the algorithm.

Figure 8 Hardware needed for the ZVD-based control method that enables an algorithm capable of calculating the switch timing parameters to achieve ZVS and a low THD simultaneously. Source: Texas Instruments

Solving the state plane for ZVS of the resonant transitions of the GaN FET’s drain-to-source voltage (VDS) will give you the algorithm for this design. Figure 9 illustrates the GaN FET VDS, inductor current, and control signals, along with both the time-domain and state-plane plots.

Figure 9 Resonant transition state-plane solution with the GaN FET VDS, inductor current, and control signals, along with both the time-domain and state-plane plots. Source: Texas Instruments

In Figure 9’s state-plane plot:

• “j” is the normalized current at the beginning and end of each dead-time interval
• “m” is the normalized voltage
• “θ” is used for the normalized timing parameters

The figure also shows the normalization relationships. The microcontroller in Figure 8 solves the state-plane system equations shown in Figure 9 such that the system achieves both ZVS and an ideal power factor. The ZVD signal provides feedback to instruct the microcontroller on how to adjust the switching frequency to meet ZVS.

Figure 10 shows the operating waveforms when the applied frequency is too low (left), ideal (center) and too high (right). You can see that both ZVD signals are present only when the applied frequency is at the ideal value; thus, varying the frequency until both FETs achieve ZVD will reveal the ideal operating point.

Figure 10 ZVD control waveforms when the applied frequency is too low (left), ideal (center) and too high (right). Source: Texas Instruments

Hardware performance

Figure 11 is a photo of a two-phase 5-kW design example using GaN and the previously described algorithm.

Figure 11 Two-phase 5 kW GaN-based PFC with the hardware required to apply algorithms to achieve even higher frequencies and enhance the efficiency of the overall solution. Source: Texas Instruments

Table 1 lists the specifications for the design example.

 Table 1 Design specifications for hardware example used in Figure 11.

Figure 12 shows the inductor current waveforms (ILA and ILB) and GaN FET VDS waveforms for both phases (VA and VB). The plots are at full power and illustrate three different operating conditions. In each case, you can see ZVS and a sinusoidal current envelope. The conditions for all three plots are VIN = 230VRMS, VOUT = 400V, P = 5kW, and 200V/div, 20A/div and 2µs/div.

Figure 12 The inductor current waveforms (ILA and ILB) and GaN FET VDS waveforms taken at full power for: (a) VIN≪VOUT/2, (b) VIN=VOUT/2, and (c) VIN≫VOUT/2. Source: Texas Instruments

Figure 13 shows the measured efficiency and THD for a system operating with a 230VAC input across the load range.

Figure 13 Efficiency and THD of a two-phase PFC operating with a 230VAC input across the load range. Source: Texas Instruments

 Reducing the footprint of a GaN power supply

GaN switches can increase the power density of a wide variety of applications by enabling faster switching frequencies. However, the addition of technologies such as advanced control algorithms can significantly reduce the footprint of a power supply even further. For more information about the reference design example discussed in this article, see reference [2].

Brent McDonald works as a system engineer for the Texas Instruments Power Supply Design Services team, where he creates reference designs for a variety of high-power applications. Brent received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a master’s degree, also in electrical engineering, from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Related Content

• Power Tips #124: How to improve the power factor of a PFC
• Power Tips #115: How GaN switch integration enables low THD and high efficiency in PFC
• Power Tips #116: How to reduce THD of a PFC
• PFC totem pole architecture and GaN combine for high power and efficiency

 References

1. Texas Instruments. n.d. LMG3526R030 650-V 30-mΩ GaN FET with Integrated Driver, Protection and Zero-Voltage Detection. Accessed Jan. 22, 2024.
2. Texas Instruments. n.d. “Variable-Frequency, ZVS, 5-kW, GaN-Based, Two-Phase Totem-Pole PFC Reference Design.” Texas Instruments reference design No. PMP40988. Accessed Jan. 22, 2024.

The post Power Tips #127: Using advanced control methods to increase the power density of GaN-based PFC appeared first on EDN.

Design options allow system designers to configure their system with the right performance, reliability, and safety considerations while meeting design cost and efficiency targets. The right design options can be even more important in high-voltage and/or high-current applications. In these high-power designs, an isolation technique with several integrated features can mean the difference between a product that meets and even exceeds customer expectations and one that generates numerous customer complaints.

For example, an integrated solid-state isolator (SSI) based on coreless transformer (CT) provides galvanic isolation with several design benefits. With integrated features such as a dynamic Miller clamp (DMC), overcurrent and overtemperature protection (OTP), under-voltage lockout protection, fast turn-on, and more, an integrated SSI driver can provide essential protection and ensure proper operation and extended life for high-power systems. These integrated protection features are not available in optical-based solid-state relays (SSRs).

Combined with the appropriate power switches, the highly integrated solid-state isolators allow designers to create custom solid-state relays capable of controlling loads in excess of 1,000 V and 100 A. The CT-based isolators enable energy transfer across the isolation barrier capable of driving large MOSFET or IGBT without the added circuitry of a power supply on the isolated side. SSRs designed with these innovative protection features can be highly reliable and extremely robust.

These coreless transformer-based isolators enable ON and OFF control, acting like a relay switch without requiring a secondary side, isolated power supply. Combined with MOSFETs and IGBTs, SSIs enable cost effective, reliable, and low power solid-state relays for a variety of applications. This includes battery management systems, power supplies, power transmission and distribution, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial automation, and robotics as well as smart building applications such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controllers and smart thermostats.

Energy transfer through coreless transformer

The main design feature of an SSI device is a coreless transformer which enables power transfer across a galvanic isolation barrier of up to 10 mW. This eliminates the need for an isolated power supply for the switch reducing the bill of material (BOM) volume, count, and cost as well as providing a fast turn ON/OFF feature (≤ 1 µs) to ensure that the safe operating area (SOA) of the switch is adhered to.

Figure 1 Highly integrated solid-state isolators easily drive MOSFETs or IGBTs and do not require an isolated bias supply. Source: Infineon

Integrated protection

The integrated protection features of the CT-based isolators deserve further explanation. These include overcurrent and overtemperature protection (OTP), a dynamic Miller clamp, and under-voltage lockout (latch-off) protection as well as satisfying essential industry standards.

System and switch protection

Depending on the application’s need and product variant selected, SSIs offers overcurrent protection (OCP) as well as OTP either via an external positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor/resistor or a MOSFET’s integrated direct temperature sensor.

In case of a failure event (overcurrent or overtemperature), SSI triggers a latch-off. Once triggered, the protection reacts quickly, turning off in less than 1 μs. Furthermore, it can support the AC-15 system tests, required for electromechanical relays according to the IEC 60947-5-1 under appropriate operating conditions.

Overcurrent protection

When operating solid-state relays, a common problem is the handling of fast overcurrent or short circuit events in the range of 20 A/μs up to 100 A/μs. Isolation issues often result in a short circuit with an extremely high current level that is defined by the power source’s impedance and cabling resistance.

Figure 2 shows a circuit for implementing the overcurrent protection. The shunt resistor (RSh) and its inherent stray inductance (LSh) generate a voltage drop that is monitored by the current sense comparator. Noise on the grid needs to be filtered out from the shunt signal, so an external filter (CF and RF) complements the integrated filter. When the comparator triggers, it activates the fast turn-off and latches the fault leaving the system in a safe state.

Figure 2 The above circuitry implements overcurrent protection using an isolator driver. Source: Infineon

Overtemperature protection

Another major known issue when operating solid-sate relays is the slow overload events that heat up the switches and the current sensor (shunt). Increased load current and insufficient thermal management can additionally shift the overall temperature above the thermal power transistor limits.

Figure 3 shows an example measurement of the overtemperature protection using an isolated driver. The SSI turns off two MOSFETs with integrated temperature sensors configured in a common-source mode. The sensing MOSFET heats up from the load current until the sensor voltage decreases below the comparator trigger threshold. As a result, the SSI’s output is turned off.

Figure 3 Isolated driver’s overtemperature protection triggers within 500 ns. Source: Infineon

The lower part of Figure 3 depicts a detailed zoom into the turn-off in this measurement with a time resolution of 500 ns per division. This reduced timeframe shows that the gate is turned off in much less than 500 ns. This means that the switched transistors do not violate their safe operating area.

Dynamic Miller clamping protection

Some SSIs also have an integrated dynamic Miller clamp to protect against spurious switching due to surge voltages and fast electric transients as well as the dv/dt of the line voltage. The dv/dt applied by the connected AC voltage creates capacitive displacement currents through the parasitic capacitances of a power transistor.

This can lead to parasitic turn-on of the power switch by increasing the voltage at its gate node during its “off” state. The dynamic Miller clamping feature ensures that the power switch remains safe in the “off” state.

When failure is not an option

When matched with the appropriate power switch, the isolator drivers enable switching designs with a much lower resistance compared to optically driven/isolated solid-state solutions. This translates to longer lifespans and lower cost of ownership in system designs. As with all solid-state isolators, the devices also offer superior performance compared to electromagnetic relays, including 40% lower turn-on power loss and increased reliability due to the elimination of moving or degrading parts.

When failure is not an option, the right choice of isolation can mean the difference between design success and failure.

Dan Callen Jr. is a senior manager at Power IC Group of Infineon Technologies.

Davide Giacomini is director of marketing at Power IC Group of Infineon Technologies.

Sameh Snene is a product applications engineer at Infineon Technologies.

Related Content

• Isolated Gate Drivers for GaN MOSFETs
• Gate Driver Solutions Proliferate for Motor Control
• Improving Energy Efficiency with a SiC Isolated Gate Driver
• Galvanic Isolation in Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Applications
• Isolation is good when it’s digital: Protect your people and devices

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