ELE Times

Upholding its commitment to skilling, reskilling, and upskilling the youth, the Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC), under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, has launched a livelihood training program in collaboration with Bosch Limited as part of their CSR initiative in Bengaluru.

This partnership aims to provide livelihood training to 700 youth in India, focusing on 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler service technician courses. Bosch Limited will serve as the funding and knowledge partner for this initiative. A formal MoU was signed between ASDC and Bosch Limited in the presence of Suresh B R, Country Head – HR of Bosch Limited and Sakina Baker, Head – CSR, Bosch Limited and Bosch India Foundation.

The program will focus on equipping participants with the necessary skills to service vehicles equipped with the latest BS-VI emission standards. Recognizing the challenges faced by independent auto-mechanics and garage owners who lack access to training on these new engines, the initiative includes a special program to provide these mechanics with the essential knowledge and skills to adapt to the evolving automotive landscape and remain competitive.

Suresh BR, Country Head – HR, Bosch Limited, emphasised the need for skilling, stating, “Bosch remains committed to promoting skill development, especially for the youth from underserved communities. Through the partnership with ASDC, we hope to provide access to skill-based learning opportunities for eligible youth and create a pool of skilled resources for the automotive and allied industries.

FR Singhvi, President, ASDC, highlighted the importance of upskilling independent mechanics, stating, “Without proper training on BS-VI engines, they risk losing their jobs in the future. This initiative addresses this threat by upgrading their skills and providing them with certificates.” He further emphasized ASDC’s commitment to expanding its reach and ensuring technicians possess the skills demanded by the industry.

Applauding Bosch’s efforts, Mr Singhvi added, “Our youth has immense potential, and with the right opportunities, they can achieve great things. I commend Bosch for launching this upskilling program focused on BS-VI technology.”

The partnership between ASDC and Bosch goes beyond immediate skilling. It aims to bridge the skills gap in the automotive sector and address the growing demand for qualified technicians across the country. The program will not only equip general automotive technicians with the skills to service current vehicles but also prepare them for the future of transportation with training on futuristic vehicles.

By empowering these technicians with the necessary skills and knowledge, the program empowers them for a brighter future, aligning with the broader vision of Skill India. This collaborative effort has the potential to create a significant impact on the lives of these young individuals and the Indian automotive industry as a whole.

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Texas Instruments (TI) today announced a long-term collaboration with Delta Electronics, a global power and energy management manufacturer, to create next-generation electric vehicle (EV) onboard charging and power solutions. This work will leverage both companies’ research and development capabilities in power management and power delivery in a joint innovation laboratory in Pingzhen, Taiwan. Together, TI and Delta aim to optimize power density, performance and size to accelerate the realization of safer, faster-charging and more affordable EVs.

“The transition to electric vehicles is key to helping achieve a more sustainable future, and through years of collaboration with Delta Electronics, we have a solid foundation to build upon,” said Amichai Ron, senior vice president for Embedded Processing at TI. “Together with Delta, we will use TI semiconductors to develop EV systems like onboard chargers and DC/DC converters that are smaller, more efficient and more reliable, increasing vehicle driving range and encouraging more widespread adoption of electric vehicles.”

“Delta has been developing highly efficient automotive power products, systems and solutions since 2008 to help reduce  transportation-related carbon emissions,” said James Tang, executive vice president of Mobility and head of the Electric Vehicle Solutions business group at Delta Electronics. “Through the establishment of this joint innovation laboratory with TI, Delta intends to leverage TI’s abundant experience and advanced technology in digital control and GaN to enhance the power density and performance of our EV power systems. With more leading-edge product development and design capabilities, we aim to achieve closer collaboration to accelerate product development and improve product safety and quality. We look forward to furthering our leadership and creating a win-win situation in the rapidly developing electric vehicle market.”

• Phase one for the collaboration focuses on Delta’s development of a lighter-weight, cost-effective 11kW onboard charger, using TI’s latest C2000 real-time microcontrollers (MCUs) and TI’s proprietary active electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter products. The companies are working together using TI’s products to reduce the charger’s size by 30% while achieving up to 95% power conversion efficiency.
• In phase two, TI and Delta will leverage the latest C2000 real-time MCUs for automotive applications to enable automakers to achieve automotive safety integrity levels (ASILs) up to ASIL D, which represents the strictest automotive safety requirements. Highly integrated automotive isolated gate drivers will further enhance the power density of onboard chargers, while also minimizing overall solution size.
• In phase three, the two companies will collaborate to develop the next generation of automotive power solutions, capitalizing on TI’s more than 10 years of experience in developing and manufacturing products with gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

“The rapid growth of electronics in automotive applications has enabled more feature-rich, efficient and safer vehicles. However, technical challenges remain,” said Luke Lee, president of Taiwan, Japan, Korea and South Asia, Texas Instruments. “Having been in Taiwan for 55 years, coupled with decades of experience in automotive power management, TI has built a strong connection with the local automotive industry. Establishing this collaboration and joint innovation laboratory with Delta is just one more way TI is driving vehicle electrification forward.”

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Watt Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC), a UK-based company which is primarily involved in the design, engineering and manufacture of low-to-medium volume EVs, has launched a lightweight modular EV architecture to manufacture several low to medium volume vehicle designs like sports coupes, off-road buggies, and rideshare vehicles. The new architecture allows low-volume manufacturers to make the zero-emission transition swiftly and cost-effectively.

The platform, an advanced ‘off-the-shelf’ EV solution, qualifies for the latest safety standards. Following this announcement, the focus has been shifted towards a successful launch of WEVC’s UK-designed electric light commercial vehicle, the eCV1, which has grabbed a significant amount of interest from major companies for fleet integration.

The main focus of this new passenger vehicle platform is on WEVC’s Passenger and Commercial EV Skateboard (PACES) architecture. PACES is a bonded aluminium platform designed specifically for low-volume production, offering flexibility, scalability, lightweight construction, and cost-effectiveness. It can be conditioned to various EV configurations per the customers’ needs, from sports coupes to off-road buggies, supporting front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive layouts. The platform qualifies for ISO regulations and European Small Series Type Approval crash standards.

While addressing the press Neil Yates, CEO of WEVC stated that Electrification is a major challenge for small series manufacturers. With low sales volumes, it has become difficult for these businesses to invest in new EV technology and develop it in-house. WEVC’s PACES architecture provides a sophisticated, lightweight off-the-shelf platform that is cost-effective and qualifies for ISO and European Small Series Type Approval crash standards.

Yates emphasized that the platform’s design for low-volume manufacturing provides an ideal structural and dynamic base for various high-performance EVs. He added that there is currently a surge in global customer demand for launching customized electric passenger vehicles. Their exclusive platform enables brands to swiftly and affordably transition to EVs featuring a tailored technology optimized to meet their specific requirements.

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Hyundai Motor India Ltd has been one of the most trusted brands in the country. To endure that trust, they have planned to increase the market spectrum by making their debut in the EV industry as well. Hyundai Motor India Ltd is planning to launch four electric vehicle models shortly, including Creta EV, in the last quarter of the current fiscal, as per the company’s IPO filled with the Securities and Exchange Board of India aka SEBI. Also, they are exploring a way to maximise the price competitiveness of their EV models.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) mentioned in the draft red herring prospectus that it aims to verify its EV strategy and plan EV timelines in line with market demands in India by releasing the appropriate EV models with each price segment. So that the market size could get elongated.

The company said that they are following a transition strategy, having started with the launch of high-end premium EVs and planning to transition towards the mass markets as the EV market and ecosystem scale up in India. They are aiming to launch four EV models in future, including Creta EV in the last quarter of fiscal 2025.

Moreover, HMIL has rented a section of the Chennai Manufacturing Plant to Mobis, a Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) group firm, to carry out the assembly of EV batteries, which will be supplied to the company, resulting in the reduction of import costs for battery packs, it added.

Throughout the session, the company stressed the domestic production of the EV battery through the virtue of collaboration with both local and global EV power electronic vendors. HMC also emphasised their strategic partnership with Exide Energy Solutions Ltd to facilitate localised battery production and supply in India.

Currently, HMIL offers two electric vehicle models in India: the IONIQ5 and the Kona Electric, priced approximately at Rs 45 lakh and Rs 24 lakh, respectively.

HMIL said that the company was also exploring different paths for strategic collaboration in the production of batteries. They believed the addition of domestically sourced EV models would aid in donating to diversify their passenger vehicle offering and later expand their market coverage.

Further, in the near term, the company envisions increasing localisation to secure production-linked incentive (PLI) subsidies and transition to a dedicated EV platform to vary costs, it added.

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Tata Motors, India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, manifests to provide various technology options in the electric mobility sector.

With the focus on increasing the localisation of its key components, Tata Motors enlightened the investors that the company is formulating a plan to offer motors ranging from 500 volts at present to 800 volts in the mid-term, with an on over 1000-volt motors in the long term.

The company is currently analysing battery structures from modules to cell packs in the medium term and also installing cells on the chassis for the long term. “We will make sure that these solutions and facilities become available for passenger vehicles, small commercial vehicles and big trucks,” said Rajendra Petkar, CTO, Tata Motors.

Petkar’s presentation also included discussions related to offering a Battery Management System that transitions from Wired to Wireless and eventually integrates into vehicle power electronics. “There is a focused effort for localization of EV aggregates with advanced features,” instated the slide from Petkar.

According to the investor’s presentation, Tata Motors aims to make a move from Combined Charging System (CCS) to flash charging for its passenger cars and electric buses which currently get charged through a pantograph system.

Furthermore, Petkar stated that Tata Motors is exploring the integration of Megawatt charging systems (MCS) into commercial electric vehicles, particularly heavy-duty vehicles (HGVs) and buses, to ensure minimal downtime and maximum efficiency by providing the substantial power these vehicles demand.

Talking about Tata Motors’ portfolio for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Petkar explained that there would be an improvisation in forward collision warning technologies such as keep lane assist, Lane centering, adaptive cruise control, and road sign recognition systems designed for use in Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles (MCHVs) and Intermediate and Light Commercial Vehicles (ILCVs).

Moreover, Tata Motors may review again for implementing “highway platooning,” which involves the use of electronic and mechanical coupling, to adjust distances between cars or trucks. The company may also explore the integration of a driver-assist feature named the Moving Off Information System (MOIS), designed to detect and warn drivers about pedestrians and cyclists within the vehicle’s frontal blind spot.

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Today, Infineon Technologies AG announced the company’s new AIROC CYW5591x Connected Microcontroller (MCU) product family. The new family integrates robust, long-range Wi-Fi 6/6E and Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4 along with a secured and versatile MCU to allow customers to build cost-optimized, power-efficient, small form-factor products for smart home, industrial, wearables, and other IoT applications. The flexible platform accelerates customers’ time-to-market with ModusToolbox software, RTOS and Linux host drivers, a fully validated Bluetooth stack and multiple sample code examples, Matter software enablement, and support for Infineon’s worldwide partner network.

“As an IoT leader with more than a billion Wi-Fi devices deployed worldwide, Infineon is committed to driving decarbonization and digitalization with low-power solutions that connect products to the cloud,” said Sivaram Trikutam, Vice President of Wi-Fi Products, Infineon Technologies. “The combination of our easy-to-use software, along with industry’s best wireless performance and lowest power consumption allows best-in-class IoT products to be built using the AIROC CYW5591x Connected MCU family.”

This flexible device family can be used as the main processor in an IoT device or as a subsystem in more complex designs to fully offload connectivity for IoT applications. The product family is available in three versions: CYW55913 for tri-band (2.4/5/6 GHz), CYW55912 for dual-band (2.4/5 GHz), and CYW55911 for single-band (2.4GHz) support.

Key features

Other key features of the new devices include:

• An Arm Cortex M33 192MHz MCU with TrustZone CC312 with 768 KB SRAM
• Quad-SPI with XIP with on-the-fly encryption/decryption for FLASH and PSRAM
• 1×1 Tri-Band (2.4/5/6 GHz) 20MHz Wi-Fi 6/6E (802.11ax)
• Up to +24 dBm transmit power for Wi-Fi for best-in-class range
• Supports 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E) greenfield spectrum for lower congestion and reduced latency
• Matter-over-Wi-Fi support
• Bluetooth Low Energy 5.4 supports Bluetooth low energy 2 Mbps, LE Long Range, Advertising Extensions, and Advertising code selection for LE Long Range
• Bluetooth Low Energy range and power are also optimized with up to +19 dBm transmit power
• Best-in-class LE Longe Range sensitivity of -111.5 dBm
• Extensive peripherals and GPIO support: 3xSCB(I2C/SPI/UART), TCPWM, 7 channel 12-bit ADC, Digital Microphone support, TCM (I2S/PCM), and up to 47 GPIOs
• Hardware support for AES, RSA, ECC, ECDHA, ECDSA, Root-of-Trust
• Multi-layer security supporting lifecycle management, secured boot with firmware authentication and encryption, anti-rollback, crypto key establishment, and management
• PSA Level 2 Certifiable

Infineon makes doing business easy by offering an extensive module and platform partners ecosystem that meet the customers’ specific application requirements.

Availability

Infineon’s CYW55913/2/1 is sampling now to alpha customers. To learn more, contact CYW5591x-ContactUs@infineon.com.

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We strongly believe that India will develop all the requisite national strengths that will make it a leading power in the times to come. In the last ten years India has seen robust growth – thanks to its sweeping reforms, focus on capital expenditure, infrastructure development, Make in India initiative, emphasis on self-reliance, Ease of Doing Business and socio-economic reforms.

It would be eminent to see the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a coalition government, as how fast he bangs on the self-imposing target of making India a developed country by 2047.

When Modi became prime minister in 2014, India was the tenth largest economy in the world. Today, it has achieved fifth position. What might India and the world expect from a “Modi 3.0” in terms of economic priorities. From being part of the Fragile Five to the Top Five, the Indian economy has emerged as among the top-performing economies among its peers. The government has indeed taken a slew of measures to spur the entrepreneurial spirit in the country.

Intensified efforts to grow India’s footprint in global value chains, including in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electric vehicles, green energy, and electronics.

The government will likely refine its incentives—including the flagship production-linked incentives. Policymakers are also likely to continue their trade push, with a free trade agreement. A third term could also involve efforts toward factor market reforms, including a revived push to see through the labor market reforms.

For India to become a developed nation by 2047, the strategy for the next 25 years should focus on strengthening the already existing electronics and semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure.

The government will likely maintain a high budgetary allocation toward initiatives to expand and modernize its infrastructure, including Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy. These initiatives will involve the accelerated development and modernization of highways, railways, airports, and ports. The government will also continue building digital public infrastructure (DPI).

The government is likely to maintain its goal of using green energy sources for much of India’s growing energy requirements. Policymakers will seek to continue prioritizing solar—including a massive effort to increase the use of rooftop solar in homes—as well as “green molecules” (hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol), batteries, and electric vehicles.

The government will likely redouble its efforts to represent the voices and interests of the Global South and to obtain a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

India’s economy is expected to become the third largest in the world in the coming years. However, the administration will likely face challenges both abroad and at home as it seeks to keep its economy growing at around 7 percent of gross domestic product per year.

It would be interesting to see how the government tackles the “Ciliation Dharma” with 4-5 NDA partners. We are pretty sure that the things will be sorted out amicably as Indian democracy is mature enough to handle such issues.

Indeed, Modi 1.0 to 3.0, the Odyssey is filled with great expectations, continuous struggle for constructive developments on one hand and on the other a treacherous design to grab the power. But Modi 3.0 has the makings of a transformative term for India and the world.

The post The greatest quest ever to make Bharat Great again – The Odyssey Continuous appeared first on ELE Times.

Rohde & Schwarz has become the latest member of the recently formed AI-RAN Alliance. As a global leader in wireless testing, the company will contribute its T&M expertise to this new collaborative initiative, which aims to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into wireless communications to advance radio access network (RAN) performance and mobile networks. The membership marks a significant milestone for Rohde & Schwarz on the road to 6G and takes its ongoing collaboration with industry leaders on AI-native air interfaces to a new level.

By joining the AI-RAN Alliance, Rohde & Schwarz further aligns itself with key industry players such as NVIDIA, Ericsson, Nokia and Samsung and strengthens its role in the development of AI-native air interface test methodologies. Rohde & Schwarz will contribute its cutting-edge test and measurement solutions and many years of expertise to the alliance for the optimization of next-generation wireless networks.

Formed in February 2024 during the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the AI-RAN Alliance will leverage their members’ respective technology expertise and collective leadership to focus on three key areas of research and innovation as the ecosystems moves towards 6G:

• AI for RAN: Advancing RAN capabilities through AI to improve spectral efficiency.
• AI and RAN: Integrating AI and RAN processes to utilize infrastructure more effectively and generate new AI-driven revenue opportunities.
• AI on RAN: Deploying AI services at the network edge through RAN to increase operational efficiency and offer new services to mobile users.

Prior to joining the alliance, Rohde & Schwarz has collaborated with NVIDIA’s research team on 6G research, pioneering a test bed for exploring neural receiver implementations that promise to revolutionize the air interface by improving performance and network efficiency. The strategic move to join the alliance underscores the commitment of Rohde & Schwarz to drive the future of wireless communications through innovation and collaboration.

Andreas Pauly, Chief Technology Officer at Rohde & Schwarz, said: “Collaboration is critical to unlocking the full potential of 6G technology components, such as an AI-native air interface. By partnering with leading industry players and joining the AI-RAN Alliance, we ensure that we remain at the forefront of wireless communications innovation. In this way, the ecosystem benefits from our extensive experience in creating holistic test solutions for the wireless industry.”

For more information on the role of AI in the future of wireless communications and how Rohde & Schwarz test equipment is supporting related research projects, visit: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/solutions/test-and-measurement/wireless-communication/cellular-standards/6g/ai-and-ml-for-6g-networks_257029.html

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Three Papers Report:

• stacking an AlGaN/GaN/Si HEMT on CPW lines fabricated on 200mm substrate,
• stacking 5G-compatible (30GHz) RF circuits directly above a working digital circuit, and
• unlocking a low-temperature showstopper in 400°C analog devices.

CEA-Leti scientists presented three papers at the IEEE Symposium on VLSI Technology and Circuits detailing the institute’s progress on 3D integration technologies, which are a promising approach for designing More than Moore systems, especially radio frequency (RF) integrated systems.

3D integration techniques enable high-density CMOS transistors to coexist with transistors made of III-V materials, which can reach power levels and frequencies unattainable with conventional silicon technologies. Potential applications include communications, the internet of things, medical devices and automotive sensing.

The paper, “Hybrid Integration of 3D-RF Interconnects on AlGaN/GaN/Si HEMT RF Transistor featuring 2.2W/mm Psat & 41% PAE @28GHz using a Robust and Cost-Effective Chiplet Heterogeneous Bonding Technique”, reports the stacking of an AlGaN/GaN/Si high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) on coplanar-waveguide (CPW) lines fabricated on 200mm silicon trap-rich substrate. The HEMT and CPWs lines were interconnected with copper pillars (CuPi) using a high-yield chiplet heterogeneous integration process.

“Thanks to the integration of low insertion loss CuPi interconnects – 0.1dB@28GHz and a careful management of the heat dissipation within the 3D structure – the HEMT transistor features an output power density of 2.2W/mm @10V & a peak PAE of 41 percent,” the paper reports.

“These RF performances are competitive with other 3D solutions found in the literature,” said Alexis Divay, lead author of the paper. “Our industrial-grade 3D assembly approach is highly promising for fabricating efficient and cost-effective 3D-RF III-V systems.”

The paper, “First Radio-Frequency Circuits fabricated in top-tier of a full 3D Sequential Integration Process at mmW for 5G applications”, details how for the first time 5G-compatible (30GHz) RF circuits have been stacked directly above a working digital circuit. The analog silicon RF circuits, sequentially fabricated at 500°C above a digital circuit layer with a 28nm FD-SOI industrial platform, presented performance in line with standard, thermal-budget FD-SOI devices.

“Both top- and bottom-tier circuits are fully functional with good performance after the 3D-SI process,” said lead authors José Lugo and Jean-Baptiste David. “Moreover, we explored a worst-case scenario to assess potential detrimental impacts of the ultra-thin proximity between analog-RF circuits and the digital layer. The work demonstrated the feasibility of vertical co-integration without any degradation, despite the close vicinity of both tiers. These results lay the groundwork for using 3D technologies to enable to RF applications.”

The paper, “Breakthrough processes for Si CMOS devices with BEOL compatibility for 3D sequential integrated More than Moore analog applications”, reports unlocking low-temperature “showstoppers” in versatile analog high-voltage (>2.5V) BEOL (400°C) devices.

“We demonstrated for the first time the nanosecond laser annealing, solid-phase epitaxial regrowth on a complete device, which surpasses the low-temperature, dopant activation technological showstopper,” said Daphnée Bosch, lead author of the paper.

The paper notes that the work also “demonstrated monocrystalline silicon devices with a CMOS-compatible poly gate thanks to nanosecond laser annealing in melt regime and junction dopants activation without diffusion at 400°C.” This preserves the engineered junction profile. “HPD2 final anneal cures low-temperature gate stack, achieving performances in line with planar analog CMOS technology.”

Co-author Perrine Batude said some of CEA-Leti’s industrial partners already have introduced a part of its vision: a second device layer integrated sequentially using monocrystalline channel bonding above a bottom device. However, the top pixel MOSFETs are currently processed at 1,000°C.

“With this paper, CEA-Leti creates a path toward a second step in 3D-silicon integration development with 400°C top devices stackable above a less resilient bottom tier,” she said.

A fourth paper presented by the institute at the conference covered “A Current-Source-Free Constant-Current Wireless Adiabatic Neural Stimulator Achieving a 5.5-27.7x Improved RF-to-Electrode Stimulation Efficiency Factor”.

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VJ Electronix, Inc., the leader in rework technologies and global provider of advanced X-ray inspection and component counting systems, proudly announced the recent installation of the XQuik II Plus component counter into Lonestar EMS, LLC dba Circuitronics, Inc. This new addition to their inventory management infrastructure underscores its commitment to employing state-of-the-art technology to boost efficiency and accuracy.

The XQuik II Plus is celebrated for its market-leading performance, featuring the largest installed base and the highest count accuracy, which offers an unparalleled return on investment. It is equipped with cutting-edge AI technology that requires no programming or manual teaching, capable of counting both single and multiple reels in less than 20 seconds. Its user-friendly interface and plug-and-play functionality allow for effortless integration into existing systems, delivering immediate updates to Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).

Mary Sommer, Vice President and General Manager at Lonestar EMS, LLC dba Circuitronics, Inc., commented on the acquisition, stating, “The integration of the XQuik II Plus into our operations marks a significant advancement in our component management capabilities. Its exceptional accuracy and efficiency are in perfect alignment with our commitment to providing fast, flexible solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. We are thrilled with the enhancements this technology brings to our operations and the positive impact it will have on our service delivery.”

The XQuik II Plus not only expedites the inventory process but also significantly reduces labor costs and minimizes the risk of errors through its automatic reel detection system. Its maintenance-free operation ensures continuous, uninterrupted use, proving it to be an indispensable asset for organizations aiming to refine their component counting procedures.

With its compact footprint and comprehensive global support, the XQuik II Plus is designed to accommodate the operational needs of organizations worldwide, ensuring reliable results and superior counting accuracy for components such as 01005s, diodes, and resistor networks.

For more information about the XQuik II Plus or to schedule a demo, please visit www.vjelectronix.com.

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System engineers designing high-power applications such as electric vehicles, industrial drives and pumps, and uninterruptible power supplies are choosing Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs because of the improved efficiency and increased power density SiC technology provides over IGBTs. To maintain overall system efficiency and reduce power loss, it’s essential to pair the right SiC gate driver alongside these MOSFETS.

This blog explains the importance of system power efficiency and provides a brief tutorial on the criteria you must consider when selecting a SiC gate driver, including SiC power dissipation, SiC turn-on and off fundamentals, and how to reduce switching losses. We also introduce the NCP(V)51752, a first-of-its-kind 3.75 kV gate driver with integrated negative bias.

When it comes to managing power loss, for high-power applications ranging from 10s of kW to megawatts, every milli-percent of efficiency matter. For example, a 100 W application running at 95% efficiency leaves only 5 W of power dissipation to be managed by your cooling strategy. In short, you could add a heatsink, and maybe a fan, and you’re good to go. But a 350-kW application running at the same efficiency yields 17.5 kW of power dissipation, requiring significant engineering and cost for managing your cooling strategy, not to mention your carbon footprint.

The total power loss exhibited by SiC is essentially the sum of the conduction losses plus the switching losses. SiC conduction losses are dominated by I2R, where I is the drain current (ID) and R is the RSDON or the resistance of the Drain to Source current path when the SiC MOSFET is fully turned on. System engineers can design for very low conduction losses by choosing low RDSON SiC MOSFETs, configuring multiple SiC MOSFETs in parallel, or both.

SiC switching losses are more complicated, influenced by parameters like the Total Gate Charge (QG(TOT)), the Reverse Recovery Charge (QRR), Input Capacitance (CISS), Gate Resistance (RG), EON losses and EOFF losses, to name a few.

The Total Gate Charge QG(TOT) is the amount of charge (Coulombs) that the gate driver needs to inject into the gate electrode to turn the MOSFET fully on or off. Typically, the QG(TOT) is inversely proportionate to the RDSON. So, as system engineers select lower RDSON SiC MOSFETs to reduce conduction losses in their high-power applications, the gate drive source (turn on) and sink (turn off) current requirements increase proportionally.

System design for lower switching losses becomes quite challenging because, on one hand, you want to turn on and off as quickly as possible to minimize switching losses. But on the other hand, faster switching speeds can introduce unwanted electromagnetic interference (EMI), as well as potentially dangerous and unintended parasitic turn-on during intended switch turn-off, especially in half-bridge topologies.

To operate a MOSFET and start conduction, a voltage must be applied to the gate terminal that is relative to the source terminal. Dedicated drivers are used to apply voltage and provide drive current to the gate of the power device. The gate driver serves to turn the power device on and off by sourcing or sinking the drive current, respectively. In order to do so, the gate driver charges the gate of the power device up to its final turn−on voltage, VGS(ON), or the drive circuit discharges the gate down to its final turn−off voltage, VGS(OFF). The transition between the two gate voltage levels requires a certain amount of power to be dissipated in the loop between the gate driver, gate resistor, and power device.

Today, high−frequency converters for low- and medium-power applications are predominantly making use of power MOSFETs. However, gate drivers are not only for MOSFETs, but they are also ideally suitable for relatively new and esoteric devices from the wide band gap group such as SiC MOSFETs and GaN (gallium nitride) MOSFETs. Where higher driving current is required for fast ON/OFF power switching, the best-performing devices in use today are usually SiC MOSFETs.

Because of the very high di/dt, excessive ringing can occur when the gate driver reaches the minimum Gate to Source Voltage. This is compounded by parasitic capacitances and inductances augmented by PCB layout and packaging, causing inductive kicks during turn off. These inductive kicks can inadvertently trip the VGS(TH) causing an accidental turn on during intended turn off, which can trigger disastrous results. For example, consider a half bridge application. When the low side switch is turned off and the high side switch is about to be turned on, low side switch can be accidently turned on (VGS(TH) tripped by inductive kick), causing both the high side and low side switches to be simultaneously turned on (shoot-through current). This may result in a direct short from the high voltage rail to ground, which can cause damage to the MOSFET. One very effective mitigation against this issue is to swing below 0V, down to -3V or even -5V during turn off, creating some headroom or margin against this accidental inductive kick tripping the VGS(TH).

The plot in Figure 2 (source: AND90204/D), where the x-axis captures the Negative Bias Turn off voltage from 0V to -5V, and the y-axis captures switching losses (µJ), illustrates the second advantage for negative bias turn off resulting in reduced EOFF switching losses. In fact, by lowering the turn off voltage from 0V to -3V when driving onsemi’s Gen 2 “M3S” series of SiC MOSFETS designed specifically for high switching frequency applications, switching losses can be reduced by as much as 100 uJ. An EOFF reduction from 350 µJ at 0V to 250 µJ at -3V negative bias turn-off yields 25% reduction in EOFF losses. And remember, every milli-percent matters!

onsemi offers many high voltage, high power isolated SiC gate drivers that support “external negative bias” during turn-off, where the system supplies the -3V or -5V to the gate driver to generate the negative swing.

The NCP(V)51752 is a new family of isolated SiC gate drivers featuring internal negative bias.

This feature saves system costs because the system does not have to supply the negative bias rail to the gate driver – the NCP(V)51752 does it on its own.

The four below trim options of the NCP(V)51752 are available. Other options are available on demand.

1. NCP51752CDDR2G:   Industrial, UVLO: 12V, Negative Bias: -5V
2. NCP51752DBDR2G:   Industrial, UVLO: 17V, Negative Bias: -3V
3. NCV51752CDDR2G:    Automotive, UVLO: 12V, Negative Bias: -5V
4. NCV51752CBDR2G:    Automotive, UVLO: 12V, Negative Bias: -3V

The NCP(V)51752, 3.75kV, 4.5A/9A, Galvanic Isolated (input to output), Single Channel SiC Gate Driver with integrated negative bias:

1. Mitigates against accidental turn-on during intended turn-off.
2. Reduces EOFF switching losses by 25%.
3. Saves system costs.

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The Joint Army Navy (JAN) transistors tested up to 100 Krad at 10 mrad per second

In the United States, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) manages the global defense supply chain and works with suppliers to ensure high reliability of all the components that go into an end application. Integral to the manufacturing process of components designed for military applications are rigorous tests and compliance standards that must be met to make it on the Quality Products List (QPL), which guarantees a certain level of reliability and streamlines the procurement process. As a leading supplier to the aerospace and defense market, Microchip Technology (Nasdaq: MCHP) announces its portfolio of JAN transistors is now tested and qualified to Military-Standard Enhanced Low Dose Radiation Sensitivity (ELDRS) requirements including MIL-STD-750, Test Method 1019 and specifications such as MIL-PRF-19500/255, /291, /355, /376 and /391.

These military-grade transistors have been manufactured to withstand varying levels of radiation exposure and are part of the Joint Army Navy (JAN) designation system used to specify components procured for military applications. These designations ensure that electronic components used in critical military and aerospace applications can operate reliably in radiation-rich environments.

• JANSE Transistors (30 Krad): Withstand up to 30 Krad per unit of absorbed radiation dose
• JANSK Transistors (50 Krad): Withstand higher levels of radiation, up to 50 Krad
• JANSU Transistors (100 Krad): The most radiation-resistant among these families, capable of enduring up to 100 Krad

Microchip’s legacy in aerospace and defense spans 60 years, with fabs dedicated to aerospace and defense semiconductor manufacturing and testing. The company’s fab in Ennis, Ireland, is a robust MIL-PRF-19500 screening and reliability testing facility. Microchip’s fab in Lawrence, Massachusetts, is DLA Certified with the capability to conduct in-house ELDRS to MIL-STD-750, Test Method 1019. Microchip provides the flexibility for customers to test to the designated Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA) level depending on the program needs for the components and end application.

“Through rigorous in-house testing at our Ennis and Lawrence facilities, our products are certified to operate with high performance and high reliability in harsh environments,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete products group. “We are committed to developing and manufacturing products that ease the design process based on our customers’ specific requirements. Microchip was the first company to provide Total Ionizing Dose (TID) rated Radiation-Hardened Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs); now, we worked closely with the DLA to add testing for ELDRS characterization.”

Microchip has a broad portfolio of high-reliability solutions designed for the aerospace and defense market including Radiation-Tolerant (RT) and Radiation-Hardened (RH) MCUs, FPGAs and Ethernet PHYs, power devices, RF products, timing solutions, as well as discrete components from bare die to system modules. Additionally, Microchip offers a wide range of components on the QPL to better serve its customers. To learn more about Microchip’s aerospace and defense solutions, visit the website.

The new families of JAN transistors are supported by comprehensive analysis, test reports and detailed data sheets.

The families of JANSE (30 Krad), JANSK (50 Krad) and JANSU (100 Krad) transistors are now available. For additional information and to purchase, contact a Microchip sales representative, authorized worldwide distributor or visit Microchip’s Purchasing and Client Services website, www.microchipdirect.com.

Resources

High-res images available through Flickr or editorial contact (feel free to publish):

• Application image: flickr.com/photos/microchiptechnology/53744134673/sizes/l

The post Microchip Adds Military-Standard Enhanced Low Dose Radiation Sensitivity (ELDRS) Qualification to Its Portfolio of Small-Signal Bipolar Junction Transistors to Ensure High Reliability for Critical Applications appeared first on ELE Times.

RoX SDV Platform Combines Hardware, Out-of-Box Software and Cloud-Native AI Development Environment for ADAS, IVI and Gateway Systems

• QNX
• Red Hat
• Vector AUTOSAR
• WITTENSTEIN  SAFERTOS®

• Candera CGI Studio
• EPAM AosEdge
• Excelfore eSync
• MM Solutions
• STRADVISION SVNet
• Nullmax

• ASTC VLAB Works
• Synopsys Virtualizer Development Kit (VDK)

• AWS
• Microsoft Azure

The post Renesas’ R-Car Open Access Platform Accelerates Software-Defined Vehicle Development With Market-Ready Software appeared first on ELE Times.

Accelerates Wide Bandgap Product Offering and Introduces 15 New GaN-Based Winning Combination Reference Designs

Renesas Electronics Corporation (“Renesas” TSE:6723), a premier supplier of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Transphorm, Inc. (“Transphorm” Nasdaq: TGAN), a global leader in gallium nitride (GaN) as of June 20, 2024. With the closing of the acquisition now completed, Renesas will immediately start offering GaN-based power products and related reference designs to meet the rising demand for wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor products.

WBG materials such as GaN and silicon carbide (SiC) are considered key technologies for next-generation power semiconductors due to their superior power efficiency, higher switching frequencies and small footprints compared to conventional silicon-based devices. Both GaN and SiC-based products are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, driven by demand from electric vehicles (EVs), inverters, data center servers, artificial intelligence (AI), renewable energy, industrial power conversion, consumer applications and others.

“Customers instantly benefit from the new GaN products through turnkey reference designs, which integrate technologies from both companies,” said Chris Allexandre, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Power at Renesas. “Adding GaN into our portfolio also reinforces our commitment to develop products and technology that make people’s lives easier. Providing robust and sustainable power solutions that save energy, reduce cost and minimize environmental impacts does just that.” 

Investing in the power business is an important part of Renesas’ strategy for achieving sustainable, long-term growth. Other recent moves that Renesas has made to bolster this market segment include: the opening of the Kofu Factory, a dedicated 300-mm wafer fab for power products; ramping up a new SiC production line at the Takasaki Factory; and forging an agreement with Wolfspeed to secure a steady supply of SiC wafers over the next 10 years. With GaN technology now part of Renesas’ portfolio, Renesas is poised to offer more comprehensive power solutions to support the evolving needs of customers across a broad range of applications. 

On the same day that it completed the acquisition of Transphorm, Renesas rolled out 15 new Winning Combinations, market-ready reference designs that combine the new GaN products with Renesas’ embedded processing, power, connectivity and analog portfolios. These include the designs of Transphorm’s automotive-grade GaN technology integrated for on-board battery chargers as well as 3-in-1 powertrain solutions for EVs.

• 500W Onboard Battery Charger for 2-Wheeler EV
• 3-in-1 EV Unit: Inverter, Onboard Charger, DC/DC Converter
• 240W 48V Extended Power Range AC/DC Adapter 
• 3.6KW Bi-directional Digital Power DAB System

Founded in 2007 in Goleta, California, Transphorm, with roots from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Wide Bandgap industry, is built on a foundation of unique technology entrepreneurship. Transphorm, a leading innovator in GaN semiconductors designs, manufactures and sells high-performance and high-reliability GaN power products for a broad spectrum of high-voltage power conversion applications.

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Electrical power grids have recently embraced digital transformation, driven by the pursuit of net-zero carbon emissions. This evolution has turned legacy utility networks into smart grids, aiming to enhance energy management through real-time data collection and analysis. Ensuring the smooth operation of a smart grid is a complex task, necessitating effective solutions for timely data acquisition, analysis, and notifications among diverse subsystems.

Smart grids encompass multiple subsystems, including traditional power generation, renewable energy sources, digital substations, microgrids, energy storage systems, and end users. Each subsystem has unique characteristics and requirements, such as power distribution control, power monitoring, and energy storage management. The challenge lies in the diverse communication protocols used by these subsystems. For example, feeder lines typically use IEC 61850, DNP3, or IEC 101/104; meters rely on Modbus; renewable energy systems use CANbus; and backup power systems employ J1939. Integrating all this data is a complex task.

Effective protocol conversion and data integration are critical in this complex environment. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) are often used for this purpose, but they require extensive programming, which increases both cost and complexity. Industrial computers are another option, but they demand expertise in managing various communication protocols. Additionally, on-site diagnostic and troubleshooting tools are necessary to address potential issues even after the system has been operational for some time. The complex network topology also requires careful consideration of network security, especially in harsh environments.

Protocol gateways provide an optimal solution. They enable protocol conversion through simple configuration, eliminating the need for extensive programming. This facilitates seamless data integration and communication between different systems, even without extensive technical skills.

Many smart grid devices are located in remote areas, making remote access and troubleshooting essential to minimize the time and cost associated with dispatching personnel for on-site issue resolution. Protocol gateways offer built-in tools for troubleshooting, significantly reducing the time required for fault diagnosis and the cost of external debugging tools.

Given the potential for remote connections to protocol gateways, security is paramount. Protocol gateways need to provide secure connection features, such as HTTPS connections, robust account and password management, and comprehensive event log recordings. These features help mitigate the risk of hacker attacks and ensure system security.

Smart grid equipment often operates in harsh environments. Therefore, protocol gateways must be rugged, with resistance to wide temperature ranges and electromagnetic interference, to ensure the system’s overall reliability.

In the smart grid era, protocol gateways are crucial for ensuring smooth data flow between different systems. The various communication protocols used by the subsystems of the electrical grid require effective protocol conversion and seamless data communication to fully realize a smart grid. Protocol gateways enable easy protocol conversion through simple configuration, remote troubleshooting, and enhanced system security. Implementing this technology will contribute to smarter and more efficient energy management, advancing the development of smart grids and transforming electricity delivery worldwide.

Story credit: Moxa

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STMicroelectronics has introduced the TSB952 dual operational amplifier (op amp) with 52MHz gain bandwidth and supply current of just 3.3mA per channel at 36V, delivering high performance for power-conscious designs.

With its wide supply-voltage range of 4.5V-36V, the TSB952 provides design flexibility and can operate from diverse power sources including industry-standard voltage rails. In addition, the wide supply range helps the system withstand large transient spikes and voltage drops. Also featuring rail-to-rail output swing, the op amps fulfil applications that demand a wide dynamic range, such as signal conditioning for power supplies.

The TSB952 can operate from -40°C to 125°C, enabling designers to use the devices in industrial and automotive environments. ST will release AEC-Q101 qualified parts for automotive use later in 2024. All devices have 4kV ESD tolerance (human body model) and are EMI hardened.

The TSB952 is available in an ultra-small 3mm x 3mm DFN8 package with wettable flanks that saves space and allows economical PCB designs. It is also available in the popular SO8 package with standardized pin assignments to facilitate upgrading existing designs for increased performance and efficiency.

The industrial-grade versions in DFN8 and SO8 are in production now. The automotive-qualified devices will be available in Q3 2024. Pricing starts from $0.96 for orders of 1000 units and free samples of the TSB952 are available from ST eStore. The TSB952 is included in ST’s 10-year longevity program that guarantees long-term product availability.

For more information, please visit www.st.com/tsb952

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Infineon Technologies AG introduces the new CoolGaN Transistor 700 V G4 product family. The devices are highly efficient for power conversion in the voltage range up to 700 V. In contrast to other GaN products on the market, the input and output figures-of-merit of these transistors provide a 20 percent better performance, resulting in increased efficiency, reduced power losses, and more cost-effective solutions. The combination of electrical characteristics and packaging ensures maximum performance in many applications such as consumer chargers and notebook adapters, data center power supplies, renewable energy inverters, and battery storage.

The product series comprises 13 devices with a voltage rating of 700 V and on-resistance range from 20 mΩ to 315 mΩ. The increased granularity in device specification, combined with a wide range of industry standard package options including PDFN, TOLL and TOLT allow RDS resistance and packages to be selected according to application requirements. As a result, both electrical and thermal system performance can be optimized and implemented in the most cost-effective solution.

The devices are characterized by a fast turn-on and turn-off speed and minimal switching losses. The on-resistance range enables power systems from 20 W to 25,000 W. In addition, the 700 V E-mode with the industry’s highest transient voltage of 850 V increases the reliability of the overall system as it offers greater robustness against anomalies in the user environment such as voltage peaks.

The CoolGaN Transistor 700 V G4 products in TOLL, PDFN 5×6 and 8×8 packages are available now, more variety in RDS(on) as well as the TOLT package will follow later this year. More information is available here.

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PCIM Asia, Asia’s leading exhibition and conference for power electronics, intelligent motion, renewable energy and energy management will return to the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center from 28 – 30 August 2024. More than 80% of available booth space has already been reserved at the event’s 2024 edition, as exhibitors look to highlight their latest advancements across a wide range of market segments including e-mobility, clean energy and energy storage, wide-bandgap (WBG) devices and more. The event will facilitate industry discussion on these high-growth application areas through a series of themed forums, as well as through its industry-leading conference programme.

Worldwide, electric vehicles (EV) and renewable energy have emerged as key drivers of expansion in the global power electronics market, particularly for WBG devices such as GaN and SiC. Forecasts indicate that the markets for these devices could reach as high as USD 1.33 billion and USD 5.33 billion respectively by 2026, signalling new opportunities for business growth and innovation across the industry.

At PCIM Asia 2024, participants will find these trends and technologies explored across multiple channels, including on the exhibition floor, through a series of forums and at the PCIM Asia Conference. The event brings together industry stakeholders from throughout the power electronics supply chain – from manufacturers and suppliers to researchers and industry experts – to network, share expertise and discover new products and solutions.

Alongside the main exhibition, PCIM Asia hosts a selection of concurrent forums that provide additional opportunities for learning and interaction. The Exhibitor Forums provide a platform for exhibitors to promote their latest technologies, while the Industry Forums feature invited speakers, including researchers and subject matter experts, who discuss developments, innovations and challenges in the power electronics field across selected application areas.

• Power Electronics Application Forum: A platform for exhibitors to present their latest products and solutions to the Chinese power electronics market, with offerings including a trend summit, product release presentations, technical training, product demonstrations and business matchmaking sessions.
• WBG Semiconductor Forum: Addressing the wide bandgap devices market, this forum will cover the latest advancements in SiC and GaN power technologies, discussing supply chain considerations as well as the applications of these technologies in various fields.

• Electric Vehicles and Intelligent Motion Forum: Industry experts and researchers will engage in discussions on electric vehicles, fuel cells, intelligent control systems and electric drives, all within the context of China’s rapidly expanding EV ecosystem.
• Clean Energy and Energy Storage Forum: Academics and leading enterprises will explore advancements in renewable energy generation and next-generation energy storage, along with enabling solutions in intelligence, digitalisation, multi- vector energy systems and more, highlighting the role of clean energy in supporting sustainability and the low-carbon transition.

Like its acclaimed sister event, PCIM Europe in Nuremberg, Germany, PCIM Asia hosts an industry-leading conference concurrently with the exhibition. This conference brings together experts from both industry and academia to exchange technical knowledge and present their latest research findings.

Reflecting the event’s rising global influence in the power electronics sector, the PCIM Asia Advisory Board reviewed over 100 paper submissions in 2024, representing a 30% increase over the 2023 edition. Topics covered include Si devices, power conversion, e- mobility, packaging technologies, smart grid networks, and more.

Prospective attendees can register before 1 July to take advantage of an early bird 20% discount on conference tickets. Details and the registration portal can be found at: https://jinshuju.net/portals/RJ4w0v/login.

PCIM Asia is jointly organised by Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt Co Ltd and Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. To find out more about PCIM Asia, please visit www.pcimasia-expo.com or email pcimasia@china.messefrankfurt.com.

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Malware poses an increasingly severe threat to businesses, potentially disrupting operations, causing data loss, and eroding customer confidence. However, business leaders can adopt effective malware prevention strategies to mitigate these risks.

Company leaders should prioritize educating employees on daily malware prevention practices. Many individuals underestimate the potential damage of a single malware attack due to their routine, trouble-free internet experiences. For instance, clicking on a malicious link can initiate an attack. A 2023 study revealed that nearly one-third of people are likely to click such links or comply with fraudulent requests.

The study also highlighted that emails containing malware often feature human-resources-related subject lines, such as updates on vacation time or dress code changes. This tactic makes the emails appear relevant to many employees, increasing the likelihood of interaction. Employees might click on these emails to avoid managerial reprimands or to ensure they don’t miss out on important information, inadvertently broadening the hackers’ reach.

Some training programs enhance malware prevention by simulating common scam tactics. This allows IT departments to analyze response rates and identify trends. Training should also evolve to reflect the latest hacking methods. For example, Singaporean bank employees were trained using deepfake videos created with AI tools, highlighting how realistic such attempts can be. If employees see a video or hear an audio clip of their boss instructing them to take action, they are likely to comply without question, not realizing it could be a scam.

Training should be tailored to different roles, file types, and request scenarios to ensure employees can apply their knowledge in real-world situations effectively.

Another simple yet effective strategy is to encourage employees to think critically before downloading files. A seemingly harmless work-related file could be malware in disguise. Employees should consider:

• Do I know the sender?
• Was I expecting this file attachment?
• Is the file in a recognizable format?
• Have I received similar attachments before?

This checklist helps break the habit of mindlessly clicking on attachments. While an unusual attachment isn’t always malware, verifying its validity before downloading is crucial. Malicious files often come with common extensions, such as Word documents or PDFs. A 2023 study found a 53% increase in malware attacks using these file types, detecting an average of 411,000 malicious files per day. This underscores the importance of vigilance.

Phishing attacks have become highly diverse, utilizing methods like text messages and compromising third-party sites. These attacks often create a sense of urgency, pressuring victims to act quickly to avoid severe consequences related to tax returns, paychecks, or overdue bills.

Verifying a message’s authenticity can be quicker than many realize. Authoritative organizations often provide guidance on identifying phishing attacks. For instance, the IRS has clarified it never engages with taxpayers via email. Hence, any email claiming to be from the IRS is a scam.

Employees should never reply directly to suspicious emails. Instead, they should verify the message through legitimate contact methods. For example, if an email appears to be from Amazon, they should visit Amazon’s website directly and contact customer service to confirm the message’s authenticity.

Many businesses continue using outdated operating systems, often citing the high cost and time required for updates. However, running outdated systems is risky as developers release patches to fix vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Older systems may no longer receive these updates, making it difficult for IT teams to maintain security.

Businesses can take a staged approach to updating operating systems if budgets are tight. Prioritize the most critical or vulnerable systems first. Alternatively, companies might temporarily allow employees to use personal laptops, provided they undergo IT security screening.

These strategies demonstrate various ways to reduce the risk of malware affecting businesses. Proactively adopting these suggestions can help ensure that every employee contributes to maintaining the company’s cybersecurity.

Story Credit: Revolutionised

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Space-based applications are an important area for Infineon Technologies AG, with the company’s products being used in satellites, mars rover instruments and space telescopes, all of which require the highest reliability even under the most adverse conditions. Infineon today announced the availability of the industry’s first radiation-hardened (rad-hard) 1 and 2 Mb parallel interface ferroelectric-RAM (F-RAM) nonvolatile memory devices. These additions to Infineon’s extensive portfolio of memories feature unsurpassed reliability and endurance, with up to 120 years of data retention at 85 degrees Celsius, along with random access and full memory write at bus speeds.

Infineon F-RAM devices are intrinsically rad-hard, and the technology is ideally suited for the evolving mission requirements of space-based applications that historically have used slower, less rugged EEPROM nonvolatile storage devices. Features compared to alternatives include faster memory random access, better data security with instant non-volatile write technology and low power, with extremely low programming voltage down to 2 V and maximum operating current of 20 mA.

“As more space applications are architected to process data on-system, and not on-ground via telemetry, there is increasing demand for high-reliability non-volatile memory to work in tandem with space-grade processors and FPGAs for data-logging applications,” said Helmut Puchner, Vice President, Fellow Aerospace and Defense, Infineon Technologies. “Infineon introduced the first SPI F-RAM devices for this market in 2022, and the addition of parallel interface devices reflects our commitment to delivering best-in-class, highly reliable and flexible solutions for next-generation space requirements.”

Target applications for Infineon’s rad-hard F-RAM devices include data storage for sensors and instruments, data logging for calibration data, secure key storage for data encryption, and boot code storage. In addition to outer space, they are also suitable for avionic and other applications that require military standard temperature grades (-55°C to 125°C).

Like the SPI version, the chemical composition of the new Infineon parallel interface F-RAM devices results in exceptional non-volatile memory features, including instantaneous switching of atomic state, instead of a trapped charge to program bits in EEPROM technologies. F-RAM is inherently immune to soft errors and magnetic field or radiation effects. There is no requirement for software to manage page boundaries, and near-infinite endurance (1013 write cycles) means there is no need for wear levelling.

The parallel devices are packaged in 44-lead ceramic TSOP and the QML-V qualified devices have superior radiation performance of:

• TID: >150 Krad (Si)
• SEL: >96 MeV·cm 2/mg @115°C
• SEU: Immune
• SEFI: <1.34 * 10-4 err / dev.day (active/standby) / Immune (sleep mode)

Availability

The complete portfolio of rad-hard F-RAM non-volatile memories, including 2 Mb SPI and 1 and 2 Mb parallel devices, is available now. More information is available at www.infineon.com/1and2MbFRAM.

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