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In cooperation with Erlangen-based Fraunhofer IISB (Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology) and Neuss-based bimanu Cloud Solutions GmbH in Germany, Herzogenrath-based deposition equipment maker Aixtron SE is leading a joint project ‘Increasing Energy Efficiency in SiC Epitaxy’...

Stephen Woodward’s DI, “Flip ON Flop OFF” does a wonderful job for DC voltages. I thought of extending this idea to much-needed AC voltages, as all our gadgets work with AC voltages.

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

Figure 1 shows the compact circuitry using a simple counter IC. This circuit utilizes a single push-button (PB) to switch between ON and OFF states for AC voltages. When you push PB once, the output terminal J2 gets 230V/110V AC. For the next push, output at J2 becomes zero. This action continues for subsequent pushes. Accordingly, the gadget connected to J2 will be ON or OFF.

Figure 1 Pushbutton circuit that switches on ON and OFF for AC voltages using electromechanical relay (RL1).

In Figure 1’s circuit, when PB is momentarily pushed once, U1’s(counter 4024) Q1 goes HIGH, counting one input pulse, which makes the Darlington pair Q1 and Q2 conduct. Relay RL1 gets energized. Its NO contact closes and passes 230V/110V AC connected to J1 to J2. The gadget connected to J2 turns ON.

When you push PB again, the second pulse is generated and counted by U1. It’s Q1 (LSB of counter) becomes LOW, making Q1 and Q2 OFF. The relay gets de-energized, and the AC voltage to J2 gets disconnected, making the gadget turn off. R2 and C2 are for the power-on reset of U1.

If you prefer not to use an electromechanical relay, a solid-state relay can be used, as shown in Figure 2. In this circuit, when you push PB once, the Q1, Q2 pair starts conducting, current flows through the LED of U3, an optically coupled TRIAC, causing it to conduct. Due to this, U4 TRIAC conducts, passing 230V/110V to J2. When you push PB again, the Q1, Q2 pair opens, stopping current flow through the LED of U3. The TRIACs of U3 and U4 stop conducting, disconnecting power to J2.

Figure 2 Circuit switches AC power on and off for output-connected gadgets using a solid-state relay formed by U3 and U4.

Jayapal Ramalingam has over three decades of experience in designing electronics systems for power & process industries and is presently a freelance automation consultant.

Related Content

• Flip ON Flop OFF
• To press ON or hold OFF? This does both for AC voltages
• Elaborations of yet another Flip-On Flop-Off circuit
• Flip ON flop OFF without a flip/flop

The post Push ON, Push OFF for AC voltages appeared first on EDN.

When gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA announced a strategic partnership for Taiwanese foundry Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC) to start production of 100V GaN products on 200mm silicon wafers in first-half 2026, this includes Navitas’ 650V devices transitioning from its existiing sole GaN-on-Si wafer foundry supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd (TSMC) to Powerchip over the next 12–24 months...

📰 Газета "Київський політехнік" № 27-28 за 2025 (.pdf) Інформація КП чт, 07/03/2025 - 15:00

Mouser Electronics Inc (a Berkshire Hathaway company) has announced a global distribution agreement with Ampleon B.V. of Nijmegen, The Netherlands, which manufactures radio frequency power devices based on gallium nitride (GaN) and LDMOS technologies. Ampleon says that its portfolio offers flexibility in scaling design and production for any volume and addresses a wide range of applications, including 5G infrastructure, industrial, scientific & medical (ISM), navigation, broadcast communications, and safety radio...

Антикорупційний квест 2.0 — “Вибір за вами” kpi чт, 07/03/2025 - 11:43

Murata company pSemi Corp of San Diego, CA, USA – a fabless provider of radio-frequency (RF), analog and mixed-signal solutions – has announced leadership changes and organizational restructuring to support its evolving business strategy and future growth...

Less than a month after Qualcomm announced its acquisition of Alphawave Semi, another chiplet deal is in play. Artificial intelligence (AI) chip developer Tenstorrent has snapped up Blue Cheetah Analog Design after licensing its die-to-die (D2D) interconnect IP for AI and RISC-V chiplet solutions.

Blue Cheetah was founded in 2018 with an initial investment from Marvell co-founders Sehat Sutardja and Weili Dai and their pioneering vision for chiplets. Its BlueLynx D2D interconnect subsystem IP provides physical (PHY) and link layer chiplet interfaces compatible with both Open Compute Project (OCP) Bunch of Wires (BoW) and Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) standards.

Blue Cheetah also brings a wealth of analog mixed-signal expertise in developing D2D, DDR, SerDes, and other technologies critical in chiplet design. It’s co-founder and CEO Elad Alon is an expert in analog and mixed-signal design. He is also the technical lead of the Bunch of Wires PHY standard.

In addition to chiplet designers, Blue Cheetah offers chiplet interconnect IP solutions to various foundries and process nodes. Earlier this year, it announced the successful tape-out of its BlueLynx D2D PHY on Samsung Foundry’s 4-nm SF4X process node.

The latest version of BlueLynx PHY supports both advanced and standard chiplet packaging with an aggregate throughput exceeding 100 Tbps. As a result, the BlueLynx subsystem IP enables chip architects to meet the bandwidth density and environmental robustness necessary to ensure successful production deployment.

Qualcomm’s acquisition of Alphawave Semi and Tenstorrent buying Blue Cheetah mark an important step in the consolidation of the chiplet ecosystem. With the acquisition of Blue Cheetah, Tenstorrent will gain in-house capabilities for advanced interconnects and other analog and mixed-signal components.

Will 2025 be the year of chiplets? Are there more chiplet acquisitions in the works? There are several chiplet upstarts, such as Baya Systems and Chipuller, and likely, larger semiconductor outfits are currently eyeing them to acquire chiplet design capabilities.

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• Jim Keller: ‘Whatever Nvidia Does, We’ll Do The Opposite’
• Tenstorrent Shows Off Single-User LLM Speed For Workstation
• Chiplet Marketplace, Sustainability Top Discussions at OCP Summit
• Qualcomm’s Alphawave Acquisition Targets Data Centers and AI, But What’s Next?

The post Tenstorrent’s Blue Cheetah deal a harbinger of chiplet acquisition spree appeared first on EDN.

The rapid advancement of electrification has revolutionized the energy and mobility sectors and provides decisive impulses for industry and society. Power electronics is the indispensable driver of this transformation. With the acquisition of ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH, Rohde & Schwarz complements its broad T&M portfolio.

In the constantly changing market environment of the past few decades, ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH has managed to achieve continuous growth through innovative solutions and products. The ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH portfolio will contribute to expanding the market position of Rohde & Schwarz in the field of power electronics. The family owned company in Hesse with around sixty employees will be fully integrated into the Rohde & Schwarz group. The location will be retained and will continue to be used for power measurement equipment.

For Christina Geßner, Executive Vice President Test & Measurement Division, the acquisition is an important next step that contributes to the sustainable growth strategy of the global technology group: “Both Rohde & Schwarz and ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH are privately owned companies with a long tradition. A passion for technology and innovation has always been in the DNA of both our companies. The acquisition will further strengthen our position as a relevant and reliable technology partner for our customers in the field of power measurements, create synergies and generate further growth.”

ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH has been an established name in the power measurement market for more than 40 years and not only has a broad customer base but also a strong sales network. The privately-owned company’s exceptionally strong product portfolio supports a wide range of industry-leading use cases and applications, particularly in the electromobility, industrial electronics and renewable energy sectors. The future consolidation and bundling of expertise and portfolios represent a significant expansion of the Test & Measurement Division’s existing offering in the field of power electronics.

Dr. Conrad Zimmer, Managing Partner of ZES ZIMMER Electronics Systems GmbH, says: “Decarbonisation and electrification of various industries will have a major impact on the demand for power electronics and power measurements in the coming decades. A merger with Rohde & Schwarz will allow ZES ZIMMER to make the best use of these growth opportunities. Georg Zimmer founded the company in 1980, and over the last four decades, the employees have built a company with a passion for technology and engineering, whose products are known and appreciated worldwide. I thank our customers for their trust in the company and its products, and all our employees for their dedication and loyalty, and I believe that as a privately-owned company that thinks long term, Rohde & Schwarz will continue the success story of ZES ZIMMER.”

The complete takeover of ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH into the Rohde & Schwarz group is an important building block in the long-term growth strategy. At the same time, Rohde & Schwarz is expanding its development capacity with the acquisition and strengthening Germany as an industrial and technological powerhouse.

The post Rohde & Schwarz acquires ZES ZIMMER Electronic Systems GmbH and expands its T&M portfolio for power electronics appeared first on ELE Times.

Designed for Permanent Contact With Variety of Liquids, AEC-Q200 Qualified Device Eliminates the Need for Costly Wire to Wire Connectors

Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. introduced a new AEC-Q200 qualified NTC immersion thermistor. Featuring a miniature design with a compact sensor tip and thin insulated wire, the Vishay BCcomponents NTCAIMM66H is ideal for the small spaces of liquid-cooled automotive systems, where it provides a fast 1.5 s response time to temperature changes.

The rugged device released consists of a miniature NTC thermistor mounted in a stainless steel 316L housing with lead (Pb)-free brass, and 0.35 mm² AWG#22 insulated lead wires with a FLR2X construction that enables a traction force higher than 30 N. These wires allow for direct crimping with automotive connectors eliminating the need for costly wire to wire connectors while the stainless-steel housing enables permanent contact with water or other liquids.

The NTCAIMM66H will be used for temperature measurement, sensing, and control in liquid-cooled automotive systems such as HEV/EV on-board chargers (OBC) and charging plugs and sockets, in addition to solar heating systems, energy storage systems, industrial drives and tools, and servers. The device can be customized with different cable and stripping lengths, gauges, and conductor plating to meet the need of specific applications, enabling Vishay customers to integrate the thermistor into their complete sensor solutions for HEV / EV thermal management systems (TMS).

The immersion sensor offers resistance at +25 °C (R25) of 10 kΩ, with tolerance of ± 2 %, and beta (B25/85) of 3984 K, with tolerance of ± 0.5 %. The device features maximum power dissipation of 100 mW and an operating temperature range of -40 °C to +125 °C.

The post Vishay Intertechnology NTC Immersion Thermistor Delivers Fast 1.5 s Response Time for Liquid-Cooled Automotive Systems appeared first on ELE Times.

Empowering Secure and Open Compute Infrastructure with Industry-Leading BMC Solutions

Nuvoton Technology Corporation announced that its latest BMC chip revision, NPCM8mnx, has been officially certified under the Open Compute Project (OCP) Security Appliance Framework Enablement (S.A.F.E.) program. This milestone underscores Nuvoton’s commitment to advancing security, transparency, and collaboration within the server and data center industry.

OCP S.A.F.E. certification affirms that Nuvoton’s NPCM8mnx BMC chip meets the highest standards of hardware and firmware security, openness, and supply chain trust. The certification process includes rigorous evaluation against OCP’s secure boot, firmware integrity, and secure recovery requirements, ensuring readiness for hyperscale deployment.

As part of the certification process, Nuvoton completed a comprehensive security audit conducted by NCC Group, an OCP-approved third-party security review provider. The audit validates the robustness of Nuvoton’s security design and implementation. The NPCM8mnx chip integrates a dedicated security enclave called the Trusted Integrated Processor (TIP). The TIP firmware implements Platform Root of Trust (pRoT) functionality and provides a secure foundation for both the BMC and the platform. TIP is provisioned during chip manufacturing by Nuvoton to embed the customer’s Secure Boot keys and a Unique Device Secret (UDS), used by the DICE (Device Identifier Composition Engine) software stack. This built-in trust anchor is key to enabling robust and scalable platform security in modern data center environments.

The OCP S.A.F.E. certification applies to the NPCM8mnx A3 revision of the TIP ROM code and Cryptography Library. This version introduces Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) support, including LMS (Leighton-Micali Signatures) verification for Secure Boot. The A3 ROM supports a hybrid signature scheme, combining LMS with the legacy ECDSA-384 to enhance resilience against both classical and quantum attacks during firmware authentication.

In addition to the OCP S.A.F.E. certification, the previous NPCM8mnx A2 chip revision has already achieved FIPS 140-3 certification, including:

• CMVP certificate
• CAVP listing
• Entropy Source Validation (ESV)

“We’re honored to receive OCP S.A.F.E. certification for our NPCM8mnx BMC chip,” said Uri Trichter, VP of Server Products at Nuvoton. “This validates our long-term commitment to empowering open infrastructure with trustworthy, secure, and high-performance silicon. As the ecosystem advances toward zero-trust architecture, Nuvoton is proud to contribute resilient solutions for hyperscale and enterprise deployments.”

Nuvoton is actively working toward FIPS 140-3 certification for the A3 revision as well, continuing its commitment to meeting stringent global security standards.

The post Nuvoton’s NPCM8mnx BMC Chip Achieves OCP S.A.F.E. Certification appeared first on ELE Times.

Apologies for the messy point to point wiring, thats just how I build circuits on this type of board. The other side has a 20 pin SMD IC soldered to the same wire, and to 2x 10 pin headers, on its own carrier. Turning the chip into a DIP package submitted by /u/aspie_electrician [link] [comments]

My wife spotted a $5 remote control at a Thrift Store/Op Shop so I decided to build Doc Brown's DeLorean remote from Back to the Future (1985). The digits are multiplexed using a 74HC595 shift register but I didn't use a 7-segment BCD display driver because the "6" and "9" digits don't use the top or bottom segments that we are familiar with. The movie was released on the 3rd of July back in good old 1985. submitted by /u/Tominator2000 [link] [comments]

Infineon Technologies AG of Munich, Germany says that its scalable gallium nitride (GaN) manufacturing on 300mm wafers is on track for first samples to be available to customers as of fourth-quarter 2025, positioning it to expand its customer base and reinforce its position as a leading integrated device manufacturer (IDM) in the GaN market as demand continues to grow. The GaN market for power applications will grow by 36% annually to about $2.5bn by 2030, forecasts Yole Group in its report ‘Power SiC and GaN Compound Semiconductor Market Monitor, Q1 2025’...

I went for an induction day at my new college today ( I’m 16 so it’s not as high level as American college). I followed a schematic and put this together. It’s my first time soldering and studying electronics. Todays been an exciting day submitted by /u/Glittering_Ad3249 [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/9551-eletronics [link] [comments]

The other day, I was casually scrolling through Google when I stumbled upon a flood of dirt-cheap RC snubber circuit modules on various online stores. That got me thinking—it’s high time we talk about these little circuits and their real-world applications.

This post will offer some insights on RC snubber circuits along with a few handy tips for inductive load suppression. Whether you are a newbie looking to learn the ropes or an expert in need of a quick refresher, there is something in here for you. Let us dive in…

On paper, RC snubber circuits function as protective measures in switching applications, utilizing a resistor and capacitor together to mitigate voltage spikes and transient noise. But the commonly available RC snubber circuit module, sometimes referred to as an RC absorption circuit module by certain vendors, only contains a resistor, a capacitor and a varistor—just three basic components.

According to most vendors, the prewired module is suitable for AC/DC 5-400 V inductive loads (<1,000 W) to protect relay contacts and triacs. I could not find an actual schematic of it anywhere on the web, but since it’s pretty easy to prepare it through physical inspection, I drew it myself. Here is that diagram.

Figure 1 The block diagram represents the RC snubber module circuit. Source: Author

The components in the module are:

• R = 220 Ω/2 W Resistor (MFR 1%)
• C = 104 J/630 V Capacitor (CBB22)
• MOV = 10 D/471 K Metal Oxide Varistor (10 mm/470 V ±10%)

The R-C values used in the snubber are by necessity compromises. In practice, the resistor value (R) must be large enough to limit the capacitive discharge current when the switch contacts close, but small enough to adequately limit the voltage when the switch contacts open. Larger capacitor value (C) decreases the voltage when the switch contacts open but it increases the capacitive discharge energy when the switch contacts close.

Furthermore, when the switch contacts are open, a current will be flowing through the snubber network. It should be verified that this leakage current does not cause issues in the application and that the power dissipation in the snubber resistor does not exceed its power rating.

A quick design insight

The optimal approach to determining the R-C values involves using an oscilloscope to trial various R-C combinations while monitoring spike reduction (or turn-off transient reduction). Then adjust the R and C values as needed until the desired reduction is achieved. Based on my practical experience, for most relays and triacs, 100 nF + 100 Ω values provide an acceptable suppression.

The above-mentioned RC snubber module, intended to be wired across a switching point as shown below, is a simplified resistor-capacitor snubber circuit made up of a resistor and a capacitor connected in series. Here, the resistor helps to absorb the energy from the voltage spikes, while the capacitor provides short-run storage for this energy. This way, the risk of a harm due to sudden change in electrical flow is minimized.

Figure 2 The RC snubber module is wired across a switching point. Source: Author

Most snubber circuits also include a metal oxide varistor (MOV) along with the RC circuit by placing the metal oxide varistor across the input line. An MOV is a specialized type of voltage dependent resistor (VDR) that uses a metal oxide, most commonly zinc oxide, as its non-linear resistor material.

The MOV will then protect the parallel circuit and the load. The MOV will set the maximum input voltage and di/dt through the load while the RC snubber sets the maximum dv/dt and peak voltage across the switching element like a triac; di/dt and dv/dt values should be considered when handling non-resistive loads.

At this point, it’s worth noting that when a triac drives an inductive load, the mains voltage and the load current are not in phase. To limit the slope of the reapplied voltage and ensure the right triac turn-off, a snubber circuit is usually connected in parallel with the triac. The snubber circuit can also be used to improve triac immunity to fast transient voltages.

Summed up briefly, the generic RC snubber circuit module covered in this post is suitable for certain circuits with inductive loads and switching devices such as triacs, thyristors, and power relays. When used, the two input screw terminals of the module are connected to the two contacts of the relay (such as common and normally open contacts), or it’s connected in parallel with the triac/thyristor (Figure 3).

Figure 3 The above image offers application hints for RC snubber modules. Source: Author

Inductive load suppression

Let it be known that inductive load suppression encompasses methodologies designed to mitigate the adverse effects of potential backlashes, which manifests when an inductive load—such as a solenoid or motor—is abruptly de-energized.

Moving on to additional guideposts for inductive load suppression, suppressor circuits are commonly used with inductive loads to control voltage spikes when a control output switches off. These circuits help prevent premature failure of outputs by mitigating the high-voltage transients that occur when current flow through an inductive load is interrupted.

The randomly selected sample voltage waveforms shown below illustrate this more clearly.

Figure 4 Here is a comparison between unsuppressed and snubber-suppressed voltage waveforms. Source: Paktron

In addition, suppressor circuits play a crucial role in reducing electrical noise/arc generated during the switching of inductive loads. Poorly suppressed inductive loads can make subtle noise that may interfere with the operation of delicate electronic components and circuits. The most effective way to reduce interference is to install an external suppressor circuit electrically across the load or switch element, as required by the setup, and position it in close physical proximity.

Listed below are some fine-tuned inductive load suppression application hints. The corresponding figures helps to visualize them.

1. In most applications, placing a standard diode across a DC inductive load provides sufficient protection for DC or relay outputs that control DC inductive loads. However, if your application demands faster turn-off times, incorporating a properly sized Zener diode is a recommended approach.
2. For relay outputs controlling AC inductive loads, an MOV can be paired with a parallel RC circuit. At this stage, ensure that MOV’s working voltage is at least 20% higher than the nominal line voltage.
3. In DC voltage applications, the RC snubber network is typically wired across the relay contacts, whereas in standard AC voltage applications, it’s placed across the load. To reinforce the point, the RC snubber mechanism must be wired across the triac in phase control circuits.

Figure 5 The above image offers AC/DC application hints for inductive load suppression. Source: Author

Well, to wrap things up, RC snubbers help control voltage spikes and scale down noise in circuits, making them essential in power electronics. This quick guide provides only a glimpse into the complex topic, leaving plenty more to uncover—from diverse design configurations to their wide-ranging applications.

When dealing with power electronics systems, a thorough understanding of snubber behavior is essential for engineers and enthusiasts alike.

T. K. Hareendran is a self-taught electronics enthusiast with a strong passion for innovative circuit design and hands-on technology. He develops both experimental and practical electronic projects, documenting and sharing his work to support fellow tinkerers and learners. Beyond the workbench, he dedicates time to technical writing and hardware evaluations to contribute meaningfully to the maker community.

Related Content

• Calculating An R-C Snubber
• RCD Snubber Design Guidelines
• Resistor-Capacitor (RC) Snubber Design for Power Switches
• Optimizing snubber design through frequency-domain analysis
• Digital control enables high reliability DC-DC power conversion with active snubbing

The post A hands-on guide for RC snubbers and inductive load suppression appeared first on EDN.

Using aliexpress NE555P i was able to get -78.55% - +99.23% Duty cycle, and 6.666MHz - 6.868MHz at most. Was impossible for me to get so high with a duty cycle around 50/50 so the square waves aren't really square anymore at those speeds. But i'm impressed by how durable and versatile a 53 year old IC can be. Long live the 555 timer! Also my schematic that i came up with and used for this test is found on the last picture, VR1 adjusts duty cycle and VR2 and C1 adjusts frequency. Wrote down my first capacitors and VR2's frequency range. For the higher numbers i changed to 1pf capacitor and different sizez of potentiometers ranging from 2k to 500k Think it was 50k and two 1pf capacitors in series that gave the highest numbers. submitted by /u/Whyjustwhydothat [link] [comments]

These PCB production residues are perfect to store the SMD components like resistors, capacitors and LEDs up to 1206 size. It's much better then stashing the mountains of the old boards. submitted by /u/nerovny [link] [comments]

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA has announced a strategic partnership with Taiwanese foundry Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC) to start production and continue development of 200mm GaN-on-silicon technology...