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The upgraded SLA (sealed lead acid) battery-based UPS (uninterruptable power supply) now residing in my furnace room has done a great job so far feeding backup power to my two NASs and my key broadband and LAN gear. But what about other, beefier devices in my residence that I also might want to keep running if premises power goes down especially for a lengthy timespan, such as my chest freezer out in the garage? And what about toting a beefy power source along with me on road trips in my camper van, for use in situations where I decide to spend substantial time somewhere far away from conventional sources of electricity?

A couple of months ago, I found my answer, at least for now: the Phase2 Energy PowerSource 660Wh 1800-Watt Power Station, which I picked up on sale for $149.99 plus tax at Meh:

The sold-new model number is P2E660PSS, and here are some specs courtesy of Meh’s forum:

• Provides 1800 watts of peak output power (1440 watts continuous) to run most household appliances
• Features an instant-on UPS for uninterrupted power
• Allows daisy-chaining of unlimited additional batteries for extended device run times
• Includes a built-in solar controller with Anderson connector for connecting solar panels
• Equipped with an LCD power display for quick power and output status
• Designed with built-in handles for easy transport
• 660 Wh battery capacity (12V, 55Ah)
• Outputs: Four AC, dual USB, one 12V DC (“cigarette lighter adapter”)
• Dimensions: 19.9″L x 12.8″W x 8.9″H
• Power source: ‎Solar powered, Battery Powered

Turns out it’s a clone of the Duracell PowerSource 660 1800 Peak Watt Gasless Generator and Portable Power Station, model DR660PSS, which (believe it or not) originally sold for $699.99:

(The “gasless” terminology you sometimes see associated with these units doesn’t reference an absence of gas emissions; instead, it refers to the fact that unlike legacy AC generators, these aren’t powered by natural gas, propane, diesel and and/or standard gasoline fuel sources.)

So why the substantial discount to $149.99? For one thing, Phase2 Energy seemingly no longer exists, considering the company’s DOA website. Duracell doesn’t sell its version of the product any more, either. If I had to guess, based on my research, I’d wager that both are private label retail versions of a design commonly sourced originally from Battery-Biz, but I digress…

Some of the reason for the price reduction may come from bulk coupled with the cost of replacement batteries. One key spec missing from the above bullet list is the P2E660PSS’s weight: 58.33 lbs. Granted, there are “built-in handles”, but unless you’re a weightlifter, “easy transport” is still a stretch. And as this review notes, “the OEM battery, which is Chinese, is very hard to find, and if you can it is really expensive.”

Some of the reason may come from the mixed feedback. Granted, the customer reviews on Best Buy’s and Amazon’s websites were nearly all four- and five-star in nature. But online reviews from knowledgeable enthusiasts, such as this one, were less sanguine:

That said, the reviewer admits that the product is still a good value for what it costs, even at its original $699.99 price tag. And admittedly, his website is titled “Powered Portable Solar,” so he proportionally focused more on the product’s inefficient PWM charge controller circuitry than someone not interested in solar recharging might (he also “dinged” it for its modified sine wave inverter, which is both less output-efficient than the more expensive pure sine wave inverter alternative and whose output may cause problems with particularly picky AC devices). I plan to discuss solar charging both in general and specifically as it relates to my particular device in a planned upcoming follow-on blog post.

That all said, the likely largest reason for the discount-and-demise is that this entire SLA battery-based product category is in the process of being obsoleted by lithium battery-based portable power successors such as those from longstanding companies such as Anker, Bluetti, EcoFlow, and Jackery, plus an increasing number of China-based low-priced competitors. Recent Meh sale examples include this 500W one from Phase2 Energy (who I gather is apparently dumping its remaining closeout product inventory) for $149 refurbished or $199 new:

or this 1200W Energizer-branded one, complete with a separate 200W solar cell, for $599.99:

Why? SLA batteries are bulky, heavy, and have a limited shelf life (something I recently experienced firsthand) along with limited recharge cycle counts ahead of their inevitable demise. On the latter point, the Powered Portable Solar review highlights the 250-cycle lifetime spec for Duracell’s PowerSource 660, which may signify an improvement vs the SLA norm. The product’s internal battery is variously reported as being an AGM (absorbed glass mat) variant (I haven’t taken my device apart yet to confirm), which if true would deliver improvements in metrics such as deep cycle tolerance, charging speeds, recharge cycles, temperature and vibration tolerance, etc. versus conventional SLAs, albeit at an incremental-price tradeoff.

Successor devices are generally based on LiFePO₄ (lithium iron phosphate) battery technology. How’s this translate in terms of comparative product specifications? Take, for example, the Bluetti AC18O, which I randomly selected from a Google search results list based on its similar-sounding 1800-W AC output (although note that for the Duracell and Phase2 Energy devices, this is the peak spec with 1440 W as the continuous-output counterpart, whereas the Bluetti AC180 specs 1800 W continuous and 2700 W peak):

The Bluetti 180’s weight—35.3 lbs—is nearly half that of its SLA precursors, although it’s a tad bit larger volume-wise: 13.39” x 9.72” x 12.48” (some of which, in fairness, is taken up by its higher 11-total output count; four pure sine wave AC, one USB-C, four USB-A, one 12V DC, and an integrated wireless charging pad). The internal battery capacity is 1,152 Wh. It touts 3,500+ recharge cycles to 80% original capacity, recharges to 80% in 45 minutes with a 1,440-W AC input, and offers a 5-year warranty (versus 2 years on the Duracell, and Phase2 Energy’s no longer around, of course …ironically, I’d discovered the company’s DOA website when I went online to register it for extended warranty coverage purposes).

So, what are the tradeoffs? Upfront cost is one big one. The Bluetti 180 is currently selling (as I type these words on July 14) for $999 on the manufacturer’s website, although Amazon currently has it listed for $450 less ($549) as a pre-Prime Days promotion. A lot of that price differential comes from the cost variance between relatively the new LiFePO₄ and mature SLA battery technologies. That said, of course, a LiFePO₄-based power station will last quite a bit longer than its legacy SLA-based precursor, thanks to the significant variance in recharge-cycle capabilities, but the upfront sticker shock factor can’t be dismissed, either.

One other key difference between SLA and LiFePO₄ (and other lithium-based technologies, for that matter) involves their varying instantaneous-power responses (something that I also recently experienced firsthand). As “narfcake” noted in the Meh forum discussion on the Phase2 Energy PowerSource 660Wh 1800-Watt Power Station:

The caveat is that LiFePO4 is usually just rated for its output – expect a 50Ah battery to max out at 50A output. AGM/SLA are capable of outputting much higher currents (with diminished runtime), hence tiny 8Ah batteries in a UPS being able to crank out 1200+ watts, which is 100+ amps.

Such instantaneous-spike support is also beneficial, for example, with refrigerator and freezer compressor motors or any other device with higher-than-nominal startup power needs.

In closing, while we’re comparing different battery technologies, a few words on LiFePO₄ versus the other lithium-based approaches I’ve already alluded to are probably in order. The list of alternatives begins, I suppose, with the disposable (non-rechargeable) lithium metal cells used, for example, in my Blink security cameras. But given that the applications we’re covering in this post all fundamentally rely on batteries’ recharging capabilities, the primary alternatives are lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium polymer, more accurately stated as lithium-ion polymer (Li-Po), a Li-ion derivative which uses a semisolid (gel) polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte.

Lots of online resources exist, with varying emphases, accuracies and vested interests along with breadth and depth of detail, in striving to compare these three rechargeable lithium-based technologies. LiFePO₄ batteries are generally understood to have the highest cycle counts, for example, translating into long life, and are also comparatively immune from thermal runaway and overheating. But they’re the most expensive of the approaches on a cost-per-capacity basis, likely in part because they’re the least mature of the three. Li-Po seemingly has the highest charge density and can also be molded into a variety of flexible form factors, but is prone to swelling along with fire and the like, therefore requiring careful handling both while in use and in storage. And Li-ion, perhaps the most mature of the three approaches, is in many respects an intermediary step between the other two from various evaluation factors’ perspectives.

That all said, as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a power engineer, so my understanding of these evaluation factors (and how each technology stacks up against them, both now and as they further mature in the future) may be incomplete compared to the knowledge base of at least some of you. As always, therefore, please sound off with your thoughts in the comments!

—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Vision Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the company’s online newsletter.

 Related Content

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• Battery-Powered Large Home Appliances: Good Idea or Resource Misuse?
• Vehicle emissions: Issues and workarounds for various monitoring conditions
• The PowerStation PSX3: A portable multifunction vehicular powerhouse with a beefy battery
• Blink Cameras and their batteries: Functional abnormalities and consumer liabilities

The post SLA batteries: More system form factors and lithium-based successors appeared first on EDN.

submitted by /u/Jvinsnes [link] [comments]

In the rapidly evolving field of consumer health, building automation and personal electronics, the demand for advanced, reliable, and efficient sensing solutions is ever-increasing. Here, tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) technology has emerged as a game-changer, offering remarkable improvements across various applications.

This article focuses on the design challenges of wearable consumer health devices and other adjacent applications and how sensors with TMR technology meet these challenges with power efficiency, size, sensitivity, robustness, precision, and predictable performance over temperature.

Power efficiency and extended operation time

In wearable consumer health devices, such as continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and hearing aids, uninterrupted monitoring is crucial for managing health conditions effectively. Interruptions chiefly occur when the device battery has lost its charge and must be recharged. To ensure uninterrupted operation of these devices, battery life must be conserved as much as possible.

CGMs and other wearable sensors are typically hermetically sealed. To ensure optimal battery life upon receipt by customers or patients, it is important to keep the CGM sensor turned off while in storage or during transportation.

In CGMs (Figure 1, left), a sensor with TMR technology can be used to activate the device when triggered by a magnet upon unboxing. The extremely low power consumption of a sensor with TMR technology—as low as a few tens of nano-amperes, compared to Hall-effect devices consuming >1 mA—virtually consumes no power while the device is in a non-active state, thus maintaining battery life while in storage.

Figure 1 Continuous glucose monitor is shown on left and hearing aid on right. Source: Allegro MicroSystems

In wireless rechargeable hearing device earbuds (Figure 1, right), a sensor with TMR technology can optimize battery life by detecting when the device is in use or when it’s placed in its charging case to activate charging. A separate switch using TMR technology can be used to detect when the lid of the charging case has been opened or closed.

These same advantages of TMR technology apply to personal electronic devices such as wireless earbuds and battery-operated building security systems like motion sensors and smoke detectors, where the detection of the presence of a magnet can be used to activate, charge, or troubleshoot the device.

Small size and high sensitivity

Another design challenge for wearable consumer health devices is their relatively small size. Design space is at a premium in compact devices such as CGMs and hearing aids.

Sensors with TMR technology meet this challenge with their small form factor and their high sensitivity. Their form factor can be as small as 1.45 mm × 1.45 mm × 0.44 mm in an LGA-4 package, and sensitivity can be as high as BOP = 0.9 mT and BRP = 0.5 mT (Figure 2). This high sensitivity translates into reduced magnet size and cost. By reducing the size and cost of the magnets, sensors with TMR technology enable manufacturers to design smaller, lower cost, and more efficient devices without compromising on accuracy or performance.

Figure 2 This TMR sensor comes in a 1.45 mm × 1.45 mm × 0.44 mm LGA package. Source: Allegro MicroSystems

Sensors with TMR technology detect magnetic fields in the x and y directions. This enables smaller, low-profile designs as magnets no longer need to be placed 90 degrees above the sensor. Instead, they can be positioned adjacent to the sensor, resulting in a slimmer design.

The small size and high sensitivity of sensors with TMR technology also plays a pivotal role in gaming controllers and cameras. In gaming controllers, sensors with TMR technology enable precise distance measurements, improving user control and enhancing the gaming experience.

Similarly in cameras, sensors with TMR technology can contribute to superior image stabilization by accurately detecting and compensating for minute movements.

Robustness, precision, and predictable performance over temperature

Consumer health devices must deliver consistent and predictable performance with dependable data for better charging and device activations despite being exposed to environmental and electrical variations such as temperature fluctuation. For example, hearing aids must maintain accuracy over varying temperatures to ensure that charging is activated when it should be and not falsely activated.

Sensors with TMR technology maintain precision and predictable linear performance over a wide temperature range, making them easier to predict and calibrate and ensuring correct device activation and charging of consumer health devices (Figure 3).

Figure 3 BOP and BRP are shown versus temperature for CT813x magnetic sensors. Source: Allegro MicroSystems

This same precision and predictable performance over temperature extend to building security systems and smart locks, where sensors with TMR technology provide reliable detection of open and close states regardless of temperature, thus enhancing reliability.

TMR in next-generation sensing applications

Battery life, small design space, reliability, accuracy, and immunity to external variations—these design challenges in wearable consumer health devices and other adjacent applications are met by sensors with TMR technology with their extreme power efficiency, small size, high sensitivity, robustness, precision, and predictable performance over temperature.

TMR technology ensures that devices remain space-efficient and power-optimized while delivering exceptional performance. In consumer electronics, the seamless integration of sensors with TMR technology enhances user experiences by providing more reliable device activation or charging initiation. In security and building automation, sensors with TMR technology contribute to accurate, more reliable systems that offer enhanced safety and efficiency.

Ultimately, the adoption of TMR technology in various applications highlights its potential to drive the next wave of innovation in sensing solutions. By meeting the demands for efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, TMR technology is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of consumer health, building automation, and consumer electronics.

Motaz Khader is senior director for global business development at Allegro MicroSystems.

Related Content

• How does a TMR sensor operate?
• Where Hall effect sensor designs stand in 2023
• Allegro MicroSystems to Acquire Crocus for $420M
• What About Reliability of Magnetic Position Sensor?
• TMR Sensors Improve Performance and Reduce Size in Power Applications

The post TMR empowers sensors in health wearables, building automation appeared first on EDN.

Flashtec NVMe 5016 controllers are optimized to manage growing enterprise and data center workloads

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) boom and rapid expansion of cloud-based services are accelerating the need for data centers to be more powerful, efficient and highly reliable. To meet the growing market demands, Microchip Technology has released the Flashtec NVMe 5016 Solid State Drive (SSD) controller. The 16-channel, PCIe Gen 5 NVM Express® (NVMe) controller is designed to offer higher levels of bandwidth, security and flexibility.

“Data center technology must evolve to keep up with the significant advancements occurring in AI and Machine Learning (ML). Our fifth generation Flashtec NVMe controller is designed to lead the market in fulfilling the increased need for high-performance, power-optimized SSDs,” said Pete Hazen, vice president of Microchip’s data center solutions business unit. “The NVMe 5016 Flashtec PCIe controller can be deployed in data centers to facilitate effective and secure cloud computing and business-critical applications.”

The Flashtec NVMe 5016 controller is designed to support enterprise applications such as online transaction processing, financial data processing, database mining and other applications that are sensitive to latency and performance. Additionally, it serves growing AI needs with higher throughput for reading and writing large data sets used in model training and inference processing and provides the high bandwidth necessary to move large volumes of data quickly between storage and compute resources. At sequential read performance of more than 14 GB per second, the NVMe 5016 controller maximizes the usage of valuable compute resources in traditional and AI-accelerated servers under demanding workloads.

In addition to supporting the latest standard NVMe host interface, the NVMe 5016 controller is designed for a high random read performance of 3.5M IOs per second and a power profile focused on power-sensitive data center needs, delivering more than 2.5 GB of data per watt. The NVMe 5016 controller utilizes advanced node technologies and includes power management features like automatic idling of processor cores and autonomous power reduction capabilities. To support the latest Flash memory, including Quad-Level Cell (QLC), Triple-Level Cell (TLC) and Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND technologies, the NVMe 5016 controller provides strong Error Correction Code (ECC). All Flash management operations are performed on-chip, consuming negligible host processing and memory resources.

“Microchip’s latest Flashtec PCIe controller, utilizing advanced 6 nm process technology, addresses the power optimization requirements for demanding applications. Its flexible architecture delivers the processing power needed for cutting-edge AI workloads in a compact package,” said Greg Matson, senior vice president of strategic planning and marketing for Solidigm. “The Flashtec PCIe controller’s quality and reliability interop very well with Solidigm’s QLC NAND, ideal for meeting the increasing demand for data-intensive workloads such as AI and ML.”

“Longsys and Microchip have cultivated a strong relationship to drive the rapidly expanding enterprise SSD market,” said Huabo Cai, chairman and CEO of Longsys. “Microchip’s reliable and flexible architecture of the PCIe Flashtec products offers an excellent foundation for Longsys’ enterprise solutions with multiple advanced NAND Flash, delivering efficiency and reliability to standard or customized high-performance enterprise SSDs.”

The NVMe 5016 controller’s flexibility and scalability help reduce the total cost of ownership as advanced virtualization capabilities like single root I/O virtualization (SR-IOV), multiple physical functions and multiple virtual functions per physical function maximize the PCIe resource utilization. The consistent, programmable platform gives developers who plan to utilize Flexible Data Placement (FDP) in their SSDs the control to maximize the performance, efficiency and reliability of Flash resources on the SSD. Coupled with Microchip’s Credit Engine for dynamic allocation of resources, the NVMe 5016 controller enables reliable on-demand cloud services.

“We congratulate Microchip on its latest generation of Flashtec PCIe controllers,” said Maitry Dholakia, vice president of memory products for KIOXIA America, Inc. “The ongoing innovation of ECC in Flashtec controllers, along with their flexible architecture, enables compatibility with our advanced NAND flash products.”

“Congratulations to Microchip on the launch of their new NVMe SSD controllers,” said Dan Loughmiller, director of NAND Product Line Management and Applications Engineering at Micron. “As an industry-leading NAND supplier, our collaboration within the data center storage ecosystem enables customers who want to couple our packaged NAND solutions with their new controllers. We are excited that our work together continues to deliver compatibility with our NAND.”

As the volume of data storage expands, the risk of security threats correspondingly increases, underscoring the imperative for robust and reliable security measures. The Flashtec NVMe 5016 controller is designed to deliver enterprise-level integrity and dependability with comprehensive data protection, uninterrupted operations and safeguarding of confidential information.

Security features have been integrated into the NVMe 5016 controller to help maintain the integrity of both firmware and data throughout its lifecycle—from factory inception to retirement. These features encompass Secure Boot with a hardware Root-of-Trust, dual signature authentication to facilitate system OEM or end-user verification, support for various security standards through diverse authentication algorithms, user data protection with encryption for both data-in-transit (link level) and data-at-rest (media level) and sophisticated key management practices. These practices adhere to stringent security protocols, including the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3 Level 2 and the Trusted Computing Group (TCG) Opal standards.

In terms of data integrity and reliability, the controller features overlapping end-to-end data protection with NVMe Protection Information (NVMe PI) and single error correction and double error detection (SECDED) ECC, and advanced error correction through Adaptive LDPC. It also includes failover recovery mechanisms utilizing Redundant Array of Independent Disk (RAID) techniques, further fortifying the resilience of the storage system.

Visit the Data Center Solutions page on Microchip’s website to learn more about the company’s full portfolio of data center hardware, software and development tools.

Development Tools

The Flashtec NVMe 5016 PCIe Gen 5 SSD controller is supported by an ecosystem of tools including the PM35160-KIT and PMT35161-KIT evaluation boards in various NAND options, a Software Development Kit (SDK) with PCIe-compliant front-end firmware, Microchip’s ChipLink tool for advanced debug and more.

Pricing and Availability

Microchip Flashtec NVMe 5016 controllers are available for sampling to qualified customers. Contact your Microchip salesperson for details or visit https://www.microchip.com/en-us/about/global-sales-and-distribution to find a listing of sales offices and locations near you.

The post Microchip Introduces High-Performance PCIe Gen 5 SSD Controller Family appeared first on ELE Times.

• Delivers high power density with STDRIVE101 3-phase gate-driver IC and extremely low power consumption in sleep mode
• Assembled boards now available in eSTore

The EVLDRIVE101-HPD (High Power Density) motor-drive reference design by STMicroelectronics packs a 3-phase gate driver, STM32G0 microcontroller, and 750W power stage on a circular PCB just 50mm in diameter. The board features extremely low power consumption in sleep mode, below 1uA, and its tiny outline can fit directly in equipment like hairdryers, handheld vacuums, power tools, and fans. It also fits easily into drones, robots, and drives for industrial equipment such as pumps and process-automation systems.

Built with ST’s robust and compact STDRIVE101 3-phase gate driver, the reference design gives flexibility to choose the motor-control strategy, such as trapezoidal or field-oriented control (FOC), with sensored or sensorless rotor-position detection. The STDRIVE101 IC contains three-half bridges with 600 mA source/sink capability and operates from 5.5V to 75V to handle any low-voltage application. The chip integrates voltage regulation for the high-side and low-side gate drivers and configurable drain-source-voltage (Vds) monitoring protection. It also provides an external pin for choosing direct high-side and low-side gate inputs or PWM control.

Developers can take advantage of the STM32G0 single-wire debug (SWD) interface to interact with the microcontroller, while support for direct firmware update allows applying bug fixes and new features.

The power stage of the EVLDRIVE101-HPD reference design features STL220N6F7 60V STripFET F7 MOSFETs, which preserve efficiency with their 1,2mΩ typical Rds(on), easing plug-and-play connection of the motor. Additional features include fast-acting power-on circuitry that disconnects the power source when idle to save energy and extend operation in battery-powered applications. Protection built into the driver IC ensures system safety and efficiency, including the Vds monitoring of the power-stage MOSFETs, as well as under-voltage lockout (UVLO), overtemperature protection, and cross-conduction prevention.

The EVLDRIVE101-HPD is ready to use out of the box and is available now from the eSTore, for $92.00.

The post STMicroelectronics releases 750W motor-drive reference board in tiny outline for home and industrial equipment appeared first on ELE Times.

So earlier today, I was working from home and caught myself staring at a few clock kits that i assembled, and came to a realization of how far we, as a human species, advanced in integrating technology. I have these 3 clocks…they all do the same thing, except one is constructed out of discrete parts with a nixie tube display, another is constructed using CMOS integrated circuits (i.e. AND gates, counter/dividers, BCD 7 segment decoders, D-Type flip flops, etc). The last one is made around a STC15W408AS microcontroller. What dawned on me just now is that these 3 devices show the evolution of technology. From an incredibly complex device using discrete components, then to a simplified device using integrated circuits (which does the exact same thing a the discrete clock, except integrating all those transistors and diodes into CMOS ICs), then finally to a device that just uses a few parts centered around a programmable microcontroller. Not only that, the simplest device that uses a few parts has far more features than the first two, like an auto-dimming display, displays temperature, displays the month/day/year for the date, has a couple of alarms you can set, has multiple melodies for the alarms, option to chime at the top of the hour, etc. And to think I was able to experience this evolution of technology is pretty amazing! submitted by /u/Asuntofantunatu [link] [comments]

🔥 Рекомендація на бакалаврат 2024 kpi пн, 08/05/2024 - 19:35

Gallium nitride (GaN) power IC and silicon carbide (SiC) technology firm Navitas Semiconductor Corp of Torrance, CA, USA says that Samsung has expanded adoption of its GaNFast ICs from the original flagship Galaxy S22, S23 and S24 to the mainstream Galaxy A, and Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 smartphones with enhanced Galaxy AI features...

ams OSRAM GmbH of Premstätten, Austria and Munich, Germany says that, this fall, it will launch the SPL S8L91A_3 A01, a high-performance 915nm infrared SMT pulsed laser with a monolithically integrated 8-channel design in a QFN (quad flat no leads) package. By simplifying the system design and boosting the performance, the laser is said to increase the effectiveness and reliability of long-range, high-resolution LiDAR systems...

Oscilloscope measurement parameters provide accurate measurements of acquired waveforms. Most digital oscilloscopes offer around twenty-five standard parameters like frequency, peak-to-peak amplitude, and RMS amplitude. What if you need a measurement parameter that is not in the standard measurement package? Most oscilloscope manufacturers keep alert for these opportunities and offer specialized software analysis packages with optional application-specific parameters. Optional software for power, jitter, serial data, and many more applications, each with specialized measurement parameters, are offered. Another solution is to allow users to create custom measurements using both waveform and parameter math.

Waveform math combines whole waveforms using mathematical functions. Parameter math allows oscilloscope users to create custom measurement parameters based on simple arithmetic relationships between standard measurement parameters. These features allow users to extend the original complement of measurement parameters and to create new parameters based on their measurement needs. This feature can extend the number of available measurements beyond the basic measurement parameters available in the oscilloscope.

This article will examine some commonly used measurements and show how waveform and parameter math can be used to calculate them based on standard measurements.

Setting up a custom measurement using parameter math

Parameter math is controlled in the measurement parameter setup of this oscilloscope and offers eight arithmetic operations to apply to one or more defined measurement parameters (Figure 1).

Figure 1 A typical measurement parameter math setup takes the ratio of parameter P3 to parameter P4. Source: Arthur Pini

The available arithmetic operations are sum, difference, product, ratio, reciprocal (invert), identity, rescale, and constant. These operations, supplemented by the use of waveform math operations can yield many custom parameters. Parameter math also includes the ability to do these calculations using visual basic scripts. Visual basic scripting is used to internally program the scope and automate selected scope operations.

Measurements based on parameter math share all the characteristics of standard measurement parameters. They can be displayed singly or statistically adding mean, minimum, maximum, and standard deviation values. They can be used as inputs to waveform math functions including histograms, trends, and tracks.

Examples of custom measurement parameters. Range finder

Measuring distance using ultrasonic signals involves taking a difference between two parameters along with rescaling that measurement from time delay to distance. Figure 2 shows a range measurement using an ultrasonic signal.

Figure 2 Using parameter math to take the time difference between a transmitted and reflected ultrasonic pulse. Source: Arthur Pini

The ultrasonic range finder emits a series of 40 kHz pulses and then detects the time to receive a reflection for each transmitted pulse. The oscilloscope measurement determines the maximum amplitude of the transmitted (parameter P1) and reflected pulses (parameter P3) using gated measurements. It then measures the time at which each maximum occurs using the X@max parameter (parameters P2 and P4). The time difference between these parameters (P5) is the delay between the pulses. This time represents double the distance between the range finder and the target. The final step is to use the parameter math rescale function to multiply the time by one-half of the pulse velocity. The parameter P6 multiplies the time difference by the velocity of the pulse in air divided by two [171.5 meters per second (m/s)]. The rescale function also features the ability to modify the units so that the readout is in units of meters. The resultant distance of 548 millimeters.

Frequency to wavelength

All digital oscilloscopes can read the frequency of a periodic signal. What if you needed to measure the signal’s wavelength? Wavelength is the velocity of the signal divided by its frequency. For a 2.249 GHz sinewave in air, the velocity is 300,000,000 m/s and the wavelength is 0.133 meters (133 mm). The calculation is easy enough to do with a calculator but suppose you wanted to document the measurement and have it available on the oscilloscope screen along with all your other measurements. Using a combination of the constant and ratio arithmetic operations and the measured frequency, the wavelength can be added to the screen as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 The constant setup for computing wavelength from frequency using parameter math. The constant is divided by the measured frequency to obtain the signal’s wavelength. Source: Arthur Pini

The calculation of wavelength from frequency starts with entering the velocity of the signal in air at 300M m/s into parameter P2. The setup of the constant includes the ability to enter the physical units of the constant, m/s in this case. The ratio of signal velocity to frequency is accomplished by using the ratio function in parameter P2 to the frequency in P1 as shown in P3. The wavelength of the 2.249 GHz sinewave is 133 mm.

Crest factor

The crest factor is the ratio of the peak amplitude of an RF signal to its RMS value. The oscilloscope measures the peak-to-peak value of a waveform but getting the peak value takes a little math. Figure 4 shows the process using a 40 gigabaud 8PSK signal on a 1-GHz carrier. Determining the peak value of a complex signal is complex. Peaks can be positive or negative in polarity. The peak value is extracted by using the absolute value waveform math function to create a peak detector, converting the acquired bipolar RF signal into a unipolar signal, and then using the maximum measurement parameter to find the greatest peak.

Figure 4 Using the absolute value math function and the maximum measurement parameter to measure the peak value of a modulated RF carrier. Source: Arthur Pini

The math trace F1 performs the computation of the absolute value of the modulated RF carrier in trace M1. Measuring the peak value is done using the maximum value measurement parameter as parameter P1. This process produces a custom measurement of the amplitude using a math function and can be done in any oscilloscope offering the absolute math functions and a maximum or peak measurement, it does not require the use of measurement parameter math. The second half of the crest factor calculation does use parameter math. Continuing with the maximum parameter P1 with the peak value of the RF carrier. The measurement P2 is the RMS value of the RF waveform, a standard measurement. Parameter math is used to complete the calculation of the crest factor by taking the ratio of P1 to P2 and displaying it as parameter P3.

Apparent power and power factor

Although measurements of switched-mode power supplies are generally supported by an application-specific software option in this oscilloscope it is possible to make the same measurements using a combination of waveform and parameter math. Figure 5 provides an example of computing apparent power, real power, and power factor based on the acquired primary voltage and current of a switched-mode power supply.

Figure 5 Using parameter math to calculate apparent power, real power, and power factor based on the input line voltage and line current of a power supply. Source: Arthur Pini

The apparent power P3 is the product of the RMS values of the line voltage P1 and line current P2. The parameter math rescale function P4 is used to convert the reading of apparent power to the correct units of volt-amperes (VA).

To calculate the real power the waveform math product function multiplies the voltage and current waveforms. This is the instantaneous power shown in math trace F1. The parameter P5 measures the mean of the instantaneous power resulting in the real power reading. The ratio of the real to the apparent power is the power factor shown as P6 which used the ratio parameter math function.

FM modulation index

Frequency modulation (FM) is commonly used for applications like frequency shift keying and spread spectrum clocking. One of the key measurements made on an FM signal is its modulation index. The modulation index is the ratio of the FM signal’s frequency deviation from the carrier to its modulation frequency. Neither of these measurements can be made directly from the modulated carrier. The signal has to be demodulated to determine the FM deviation and modulation frequency.

Demodulation is easy to accomplish by using the waveform math track function of the frequency measurement parameter. The track is a time-synchronous plot of the signal’s instantaneous frequency. Figure 6 shows the key measurements made in computing the FM modulation index of an FM signal with a 90-MHz carrier.

Figure 6 Using measurements of the track function of frequency demodulate the 90-MHz FM signal to compute the frequency deviation and modulation frequency needed to calculate the modulation index. Source: Arthur Pini

The FM carrier is shown in the upper left grid. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the modulated carrier, in the right-hand grid, shows the dynamics of the variation of the signal frequency about the 90-MHz carrier. The horizontal scale factor of the FFT is 500 kHz per division, frequency deviation can be read approximately from the FFT as ± 250 kHz.   

A more accurate determination of the frequency deviation can be obtained by plotting the track of the signal frequency. This is shown in the lower left-hand grid. The track function plots the instantaneous frequency measured on a cycle-by-cycle basis versus time, synchronous to the source waveform. The vertical axis of the track function is in units of frequency. A parameter measurement of the track’s peak-to-peak amplitude P2 is double the frequency deviation. The parameter math rescale function is used to divide the track by a factor of two with the frequency deviation result in P3 as 251.67 kHz. The frequency of the track P4 is the modulation frequency, 10 kHz in this example. P5 uses the parameter math ratio function to compute the modulation index by dividing the frequency deviation by the modulation frequency. The modulation index is 25.2.

The oscilloscope used for these examples is a Teledyne LeCroy WaveMaster 8Zi-A which, like other Teledyne LeCroy Windows-based oscilloscopes, includes parameter math. Oscilloscopes that do not include parameter math may be able to use scripting or similar programming capabilities to perform these calculations.

Waveform and parameter math

Using a combination of waveform and parameter math allows oscilloscope users to create custom measurements. These measurements are displayed on-screen just like the standard measurement parameters and can be used as the basis of ongoing analysis including measurement statistics and histograms, trends, and track waveform math functions.

Arthur Pini is a technical support specialist and electrical engineer with over 50 years of experience in electronics test and measurement.

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LED product and lighting maker Lumileds LLC of San Jose, CA, USA says that in July it completed the sale of its Lamps and Accessories business to First Brands Group LLC (a global automotive parts maker that serves the worldwide automotive aftermarket)...

AAEON’s SRG-IMX8PL and PICO-IMX8PL enhance its growing RISC computing line.

Industry leader AAEON has expanded its RISC computing product portfolio with the release of the SRG-IMX8PL and PICO-IMX8PL, a Mini PC and 2.5” PICO-ITX board, respectively. Both products are powered by the NXP i.MX 8M Plus platform, featuring a quad-core Arm Cortex-A53 processor with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) operating at up to 2.3 TOPS.

Built to provide cost-efficient IoT Gateway solutions in rugged environments, the SRG-IMX8PL and PICO-IMX8PL both offer wide temperature ranges of -40°C to 80°C with the use of a fanless heatsink, a 9V to 36V power input range. The SRG-IMX8PL Mini PC also features enhanced shock, drop, and vibration resistance.

Dual LAN ports with IEEE 1588 and TSN capabilities, alongside Wi-Fi and 4G module support via M.2 2230 E-Key and full-size mini card, provide each device with broad connectivity options for industrial IoT use. Additionally, both the PICO-IMX8PL and SRG-IMX8PL support a wide range of operating systems, including Debian 11, Android 13, Windows 10 IoT, and Yocto, as well as data communication protocols such as Modbus, MQTT, and OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA).

Other key interfaces that make the two products well-suited for low-power, efficient IoT applications are the variety of industrial communication protocols they offer. Both platforms provide dual CAN-FD, dual COM for RS-232/422/485, and a range of other options such as GPIO, SPI, I2C, and UART. These interfaces offer scalability, long-distance communication, and wide compatibility for legacy systems.

It should also be noted that the SRG-IMX8PL is available with both wall-mount and DIN rail mounting options, making the compact system suitable for a variety of settings.

Pricing and ordering information are now available via AAEON’s online contact form, with the products also available via the AAEON eShop.

For detailed specifications, please visit the IoT Gateway & Protocol Expansion section of the AAEON website.

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Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased 7.1% quarter-over-quarter to 3,035 million square inches (MSI) in the second quarter of 2024 but saw an 8.9% decline from the 3,331 million square inches recorded during the same quarter last year, the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

“The silicon wafer market is recovering driven by strong demand related to products for data centers and generative AI,” said Lee Chungwei (李崇偉), Chairman of SEMI SMG and Vice President and Chief Auditor at GlobalWafers. “While the recovery is uneven across different applications, 300mm wafer Q2 shipments indicated 8% quarter-over-quarter growth for the best performance among all wafer sizes. There are a growing number of new semiconductor fabs under construction or ramping production volume. This expansion, along with the longer-term trend toward a $1 trillion semiconductor market, will inevitably require more silicon wafers.”

Data cited in this release include polished silicon wafers, including those used as virgin test wafers, as well as epitaxial silicon wafers, and non-polished silicon wafers shipped by the wafer manufacturers to end users.

Silicon wafers are the fundamental building material for the majority of semiconductors, which are vital components of all electronic devices. The highly engineered thin disks are produced in diameters of up to 12 inches and serve as the substrate material on which most semiconductors are fabricated.

The SMG is a sub-committee of the SEMI Electronic Materials Group (EMG) and is open to SEMI members involved in manufacturing polycrystalline silicon, monocrystalline silicon or silicon wafers (e.g., as cut, polished, epi). The SMG facilitates collective efforts on issues related to the silicon industry including the development of market information and statistics about the silicon industry and the semiconductor market.

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The advancement of three-dimensional integrated circuits (3DICs) offers substantial performance enhancements by consolidating more functionality into compact designs. However, this innovation also brings significant challenges, particularly in managing the increased heat dissipation.

The Benefits and Obstacles of 3DICs

3DIC technology entails layering several silicon wafers or dies and linking them through vertical interconnects. This stacking provides several advantages:

1. Enhanced Performance: Reducing the distance between components minimizes signal delays, accelerating processing speeds.
2. Increased Functionality: Multiple functionalities can be integrated into a single compact package, leading to more versatile devices.
3. Lower Power Consumption: Shorter interconnects can result in reduced power consumption compared to traditional 2D ICs.

Despite these benefits, 3DICs face challenges, with thermal management being a primary concern. The increased component density can result in elevated temperatures, which may affect the performance and reliability of the device.

Why Effective Thermal Management Matters

Thermal management in 3DICs is complex due to factors such as:

1. High Power Density: The close arrangement of components generates significant heat.
2. Thermal Gradients: Uneven power distribution can create varying temperatures across the chip.
3. Thermal Resistance: Stacked, thinned dies increase resistance to heat dissipation.

Inadequate thermal management can lead to performance degradation, reduced reliability, and shorter device lifespans. Therefore, thorough thermal analysis is critical throughout the design process.

The Importance of Early-Stage Thermal Analysis

Historically, thermal analysis was conducted at the package and system levels, separate from IC design. However, with the advent of 3DICs, early-stage thermal analysis at the die level is crucial. This approach helps:

1. Identify Hotspots: Early detection of high thermal activity areas enables design adjustments to improve heat distribution.
2. Optimize Design: Iterative analysis during die and package design enhances thermal performance.
3. Improve Reliability: Addressing thermal issues early boosts overall product reliability and reduces failure risks.

Advancements in Die-Level Thermal Analysis

Emerging integrated chip-package thermal co-design tools are vital for addressing 3DIC thermal challenges. These tools offer:

1. IC Design Integration: Integration with existing IC design tools ensures thermal analysis is part of the design process.
2. Precision and Detail: Sophisticated solvers deliver comprehensive thermal analysis for the 3DIC assembly.
3. Automated Simulation: Automation makes thermal analysis accessible to designers without specialized expertise.
4. Iterative Analysis: Continuous refinement based on thermal feedback is facilitated.

Integrated Thermal Analysis Solutions

An example of an effective thermal analysis tool is one that includes a custom 3D solver within a well-established IC design platform. This tool supports various 3D integration technologies and allows for comprehensive thermal assessment from initial design to final approval. It is integrated with other design tools across IC, package, and system levels.

Utilizing Thermal Analysis Throughout the Design Process

An effective thermal analysis tool should be capable of supporting multiple phases of the design process:

1. Early Design Planning: High-level power estimates guide thermal impact exploration, including 3D partitioning and package selection.
2. Detailed Design: Thermal analysis verifies that designs remain within thermal limits, focusing on power maps and hotspot effects.
3. Design Signoff: Comprehensive verification ensures the design meets thermal and reliability requirements.
4. Package-System Integration: IC-level thermal models aid in package and system thermal analysis, streamlining the development process.

Practical Integration and Usability

Effective thermal analysis tools should be user-friendly, incorporating automation features such as:

1. Optimized Gridding: Finer grids in critical areas for accuracy and coarser grids elsewhere for efficiency.
2. Time Step Automation: Automatic generation of smaller time steps during power transitions.
3. Equivalent Thermal Properties: Simplifying models while maintaining accuracy.
4. Power Map Compression: Adaptive bin sizes to capture non-uniform power distribution.
5. Automated Reporting: Summary reports that highlight key results for decision-making.

Visualization and Debugging

Advanced visualization tools are crucial for interpreting results and debugging. Features may include:

1. Overlaying Thermal Maps: Visualizing power distribution and thermal behaviour in the context of the layout.
2. Multiple Colormap Displays: Viewing thermal distributions across 3D components with animation capabilities.
3. Waveform Viewing: Integrating temperature and power waveforms with measured results for calibration.

Real-World Applications and Case Studies

The benefits of integrated thermal analysis solutions are demonstrated in real-world scenarios. For instance, CEA utilized an advanced tool from Siemens EDA to study their 3DNoC demonstrator, achieving high accuracy with minimal differences between simulated and measured data. Additionally, thermal-aware partitioning and optimization in complex designs involving multiple chiplets demonstrated significant improvements in thermal management.

Conclusion

The shift to 3DICs represents a major advancement in semiconductor design, offering enhanced performance and functionality. Addressing the associated thermal challenges requires robust thermal analysis tools. By incorporating early-stage thermal analysis, designers can ensure their 3DICs meet performance and reliability standards, paving the way for the next generation of high-performance electronic devices.

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Physicists from the Cavendish Laboratory have discovered groundbreaking methods to enhance the performance of organic semiconductors. By innovating ways to remove more electrons from these materials than previously possible and leveraging unique properties within a non-equilibrium state, they have achieved significant improvements for electronic devices.

Enhanced Electron Removal and Non-Equilibrium States

“Our goal was to understand the impacts of heavy doping in polymer semiconductors,” stated Dr. Dionisius Tjhe, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Cavendish Laboratory. Doping, the process of adding or removing electrons in a semiconductor, enhances its ability to conduct electrical current. In a recent Nature Materials paper, Tjhe and his colleagues explained how these novel insights could significantly enhance the performance of doped semiconductors.

Energy Bands and Advanced Doping Levels

Electrons in solids are organized into energy bands, with the valence band playing a crucial role in properties like electrical conductivity and chemical bonding. Typically, doping in organic semiconductors involves removing a small fraction of electrons from the valence band, creating holes that conduct electricity.

“Typically, only 10 to 20 percent of electrons are removed from the valence band of an organic semiconductor,” Tjhe explained. “However, in our study, we succeeded in completely emptying the valence band in two polymers. Even more remarkably, in one of these materials, we were able to extract electrons from the band beneath the valence band, which may be an unprecedented achievement in the field.”

Higher Conductivity in Deeper Energy Levels

Interestingly, the conductivity is significantly higher in the deeper valence band compared to the top one. Dr. Xinglong Ren, a co-first author of the study, noted, “Higher conductivity in deep energy levels could lead to more powerful thermoelectric devices, which convert heat into electricity. By finding materials with higher power output, we can make waste heat conversion into electricity more viable.”

Polymer Benefits and Broader Implications

While researchers believe the valence band emptying effect could be replicated in other materials, it is most easily observed in polymers. “The polymer’s energy band arrangement and disordered chains facilitate this effect,” Tjhe pointed out. “Achieving this in other semiconductors like silicon is more challenging. Understanding how to replicate this in other materials is our next crucial step.”

Innovative Methods to Enhance Thermoelectric Performance

Doping increases hole numbers but also raises ion counts, potentially limiting power. However, using a field-effect gate electrode allows researchers to control hole density without affecting ion numbers.

“By utilizing the field-effect gate, we discovered that modifying the hole density produced unusual results,” according to Dr. Ian Jacobs, a Royal Society University Research Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory. “Surprisingly, adjusting the hole density with the field-effect gate, whether by adding or removing holes, always resulted in increased conductivity.”

Exploiting Non-Equilibrium State Properties

The researchers linked these surprising effects to a ‘Coulomb gap,’ a seldom-seen characteristic in disordered semiconductors. This phenomenon vanishes at room temperature but was observable at -30°C.

“Coulomb gaps are difficult to detect as they only manifest when the material cannot achieve its most stable state,” Jacobs explained. “In our material, ions become frozen at relatively high temperatures.” When electrons are added or removed in this frozen state, the material enters a non-equilibrium state, revealing the Coulomb gap.”

This non-equilibrium state allows both thermoelectric power output and conductivity to increase together, a significant improvement. The current limitation is that the field-effect gate only affects the material’s surface. Affecting the bulk could enhance power and conductivity even further.

Future Prospects

Despite remaining challenges, the researchers have outlined a clear path to improving organic semiconductor performance. Their work opens doors for further investigation, particularly in energy applications. “Tapping into transport within these non-equilibrium states continues to offer a promising approach for improving organic thermoelectric devices,” said Tjhe.

With these advancements, the potential for organic semiconductors in electronic devices and energy applications looks more promising than ever.

 

Source: University of Cambridge

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КПІ реалізовуватиме нові наукові проєкти за підтримки DAI Global LCC kpi пн, 08/05/2024 - 11:23

Open-source projects allow anyone to examine, modify or improve the respective code, offering significantly more flexibility than proprietary software. They are also gaining momentum by creating opportunities to enhance the future of electric vehicle (EV) charging. What are examples of the possibilities, and how could this progress affect electronics design engineers?

Start with determining the best EV charging locations. Many EV advocates assert that charging locations must be viable for professionals who spend long hours on the road in heavy-duty trucks. Although some managers have transitioned their fleets to electric vehicles, those switches can only exist as long-term, reliable options with the necessary infrastructure.

Take Amazon, for instance, which brought an open-source tool called Charging Location for Electric Trucks (CHALET) to Europe. People associated with the e-commerce company hope it will contribute to the region’s decarbonization strategies by supporting involved parties in deciding where to build future stations.

This data-driven tool allows users to enter specifics such as transit times, vehicle ranges, and battery statistics to generate ranked lists of the best places to put EV chargers. This innovation is part of a goal to invest more than €1 billion in five years to electrify and eliminate carbon emissions from Amazon’s European transportation network. In 2022, it began using fully electric 40-ton trucks in the European and U.K. markets. Thanks to CHALET, more businesses are expected to follow suit.

Figure 1 CHALET aims to help determine appropriate locations for charging stations. Source: Amazon

Once that happens, electronics design engineers should stay abreast of how to offer charging products that provide the reliability and fast speeds demanded by industry representatives. Those leaders will be much more likely to begin using EVs or expand their current usage if the foundational technologies can meet their stringent requirements.

Offering better EV charging visibility

Some consumers are warming up to owning electric vehicles, but they want assurances that the experience will be maximally convenient. Statistics indicate EVs comprised a 7.6% share of the U.S. market in 2023. However, some people interested in buying them worry about potential difficulties in finding charging points. Such challenges could become especially bothersome during road trips through unfamiliar areas.

So, a U.K. network operator has taken an open-source approach that other regions may adopt if it proves successful. The system uses an API that shows whether an area’s chargers are working or potentially dysfunctional due to power outages. Such information could help people plan their trips and avoid wasted time and disappointment caused by inoperable charging stations. Reduced frustration should make EV ownership more pleasant, encouraging people to make permanent changes.

One power supplier tested this open-source solution with EV users, and 94% of participants wanted to keep receiving the outage information once the trial concluded. That feedback resulted in the network operator creating an app with push notifications informing customers of planned or unplanned infrastructure disruptions and estimating restoration times.

This example shows why electronics design engineers should prioritize visibility and user-friendliness in their decisions. Most people appreciate visual features that confirm charging statuses. Still, it’s even better when they link with apps that show people the whole network and all available power points.

More consistency to charging protocols

One of the current challenges with some countries’ EV charging points is a lack of interoperability between the necessary communication protocols. However, representatives from the United States Joint Office of Energy and Transportation and the Linux Foundation believe open-source options could bring positive changes.

Figure 2 Open-source tools could significantly contribute to building a viable charging infrastructure. Source: Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

The entities will collaborate to develop and maintain independent, open-source tools that improve charging-related communications associated with vehicles and other EV industry components. This includes power grids and charging station payment apps. Those involved believe the efforts will improve interoperability and make charging a more reliable activity for EV owners.

This partnership could impact electronics design engineers because participants want to find solutions to facilitate better charging options for consumers and industrial users. They also aim to establish minimum standards that engineers and others can meet to streamline the development of highly effective real-world applications.

Although EVs are becoming more popular, people will be even more open to buying and using them if charging infrastructure is widely available, easy to use, and reliably functional. Here, open-source projects can support those goals and many others.

Ellie Gabel is a freelance writer as well as an associate editor at Revolutionized.

 

 

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STMicroelectronics, a prominent global semiconductor leader, has released its financial results for the second quarter ending June 29, 2024. The company reported net revenues of $3.23 billion, with a gross margin of 40.1%, an operating margin of 11.6%, and a net income of $353 million, translating to $0.38 diluted earnings per share.

Financial Highlights Jean-Marc Chery, President & CEO of STMicroelectronics

The second quarter saw STMicroelectronics (ST) achieving net revenues of $3.23 billion, which was slightly above the midpoint of the company’s business outlook. This performance was primarily driven by higher revenues in the Personal Electronics segment, partially offset by lower-than-expected revenues in the Automotive sector. The company’s gross margin of 40.1% was in line with expectations.

 

 

 

Jean-Marc Chery, President & CEO of STMicroelectronics, stated in the media briefing, “Q2 net revenues were above the midpoint of our business outlook range, driven by higher revenues in Personal Electronics, partially offset by lower-than-expected revenues in Automotive. Gross margin was in line with expectations.”

For the first half of 2024, ST reported net revenues of $6.70 billion, with a gross margin of 40.9%, an operating margin of 13.8%, and a net income of $865 million. However, year-over-year, the first half net revenues decreased by 21.9%, primarily due to declines in the Microcontrollers and Power and Discrete segments.

Segment Performance

The company’s performance varied across different product segments:

• Analog, Power & Discrete, MEMS and Sensors (APMS): This segment saw a year-over-year revenue decrease of 16.2%. Within this segment, Analog products, MEMS and Sensors (AM&S) revenues fell by 10.0%, mainly due to a decline in Imaging. Power and Discrete products (P&D) revenues dropped by 24.4%. The operating profit for AM&S decreased by 44.5% to $144 million, while P&D saw a 57.9% decline in operating profit to $110 million.
• Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products (MDRF): This segment experienced a significant year-over-year revenue decrease of 35.5%. The Microcontrollers (MCU) segment alone saw a 46.0% drop in revenue, mainly due to a decrease in General Purpose MCU. The operating profit for the MCU segment plummeted by 87.1% to $72 million. In contrast, the Digital ICs and RF products (D&RF) segment’s revenue decreased by a modest 7.6%, with a 23.8% drop in operating profit to $150 million.

Strategic Focus Areas

1. Automotive: Despite the decline in demand, ST continues to execute its strategy to support car electrification. The company secured multiple wins in power discrete with both silicon-carbide and IGBT technologies for traction inverters at leading car manufacturers. Additionally, ST has announced a long-term Silicon Carbide supply agreement with Geely Auto for SiC power devices in their battery EVs and established a joint lab to explore innovative solutions for evolving automotive architectures.
2. Industrial: The anticipated stabilization of demand in the Industrial sector did not materialize, with customer orders remaining weak, particularly for general-purpose microcontrollers. Short-cycle businesses such as power tools, residential solar, lighting, and appliances continued to struggle, while longer-cycle businesses like energy storage, grid, EV charging, and process automation showed more resilience. Entering the second half of the year, ST faces a weaker-than-expected backlog.
3. Personal Electronics, Communications Equipment, and Computer Peripherals (CECP): Engaged customer programs in these sectors ran as expected, providing some stability amidst broader market volatility.

Market Challenges and Future Outlook

STMicroelectronics faced several challenges during the second quarter. Contrary to prior expectations, customer orders for Industrial applications did not improve, and demand in the Automotive sector declined. Chery noted, “During the quarter, contrary to our prior expectations, customer orders for Industrial did not improve and Automotive demand declined.”

Looking ahead, STMicroelectronics has set its business outlook for the third quarter of 2024. At the midpoint, the company expects net revenues of $3.25 billion, representing a year-over-year decrease of 26.7% and a sequential increase of 0.6%. The gross margin is anticipated to be around 38%, impacted by approximately 350 basis points of unused capacity charges.

Jean-Marc Chery outlined the company’s plan for the full fiscal year 2024, targeting revenues in the range of $13.2 billion to $13.7 billion, with an expected gross margin of about 40%.

Financial Summary

A detailed comparison of the financial results is as follows:

• Net Revenues: Decreased by 25.3% year-over-year to $3.23 billion in Q2 2024.
• Gross Profit: Decreased by 38.9% year-over-year to $1.30 billion.
• Operating Income: Decreased by 67.3% year-over-year to $375 million.
• Net Income: Decreased by 64.8% year-over-year to $353 million.
• Diluted Earnings Per Share: Decreased by 64.2% year-over-year to $0.38.

Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Highlights

For the second quarter, STMicroelectronics reported net cash from operating activities of $702 million, compared to $1.31 billion in the year-ago quarter. The company’s net capital expenditures (Capex) were $528 million, compared to $1.07 billion in the same period last year. Free cash flow, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, was $159 million, down from $209 million in Q2 2023.

The company’s inventory at the end of the second quarter stood at $2.81 billion, up from $2.69 billion in the previous quarter but down from $3.05 billion in the year-ago quarter. Days sales of inventory increased to 130 days, compared to 122 days in the previous quarter and 126 days in Q2 2023.

STMicroelectronics also highlighted its shareholder return initiatives, including $73 million in cash dividends and an $88 million share buyback, completing its $1,040 million share repurchase program launched in July 2021. In June 2024, the company announced a new share buyback plan comprising two programs totaling up to $1.1 billion to be executed over three years.

As of June 29, 2024, ST’s net financial position, a non-U.S. GAAP measure, was $3.20 billion, up from $3.13 billion as of March 30, 2024. The company’s total liquidity was $6.29 billion, with total financial debt of $3.09 billion. The adjusted net financial position, considering the effect of advances from capital grants, stood at $2.80 billion.

Manufacturing and Expansion

In May, STMicroelectronics announced the construction of a new high-volume 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing facility in Catania, Italy. This facility will produce power devices and modules, including both device manufacturing and testing and packaging. Alongside the SiC substrate manufacturing facility on the same site, these facilities will form ST’s Silicon Carbide Campus. This ambitious project is projected to be a €5 billion multi-year investment, supported by €2 billion from the State of Italy under the EU Chips Act.

During the quarter, ST also expanded its existing multi-year 150mm silicon carbide substrate wafers supply agreement with SiCrystal.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead to Q3 and beyond, STMicroelectronics expects continued challenges due to the current semiconductor cycle’s impact on various end markets, inventory adjustments, and the nonlinear acceleration of structural trends towards sustainability. The company has revised its full-year 2024 revenue projection between $13.2 billion and $13.7 billion, representing a decline of about 22% at the midpoint compared to 2023.

The company continues to invest in R&D and strategic initiatives, such as the ST Edge AI Suite, which simplifies and accelerates edge-AI application development.

The Way Forward

STMicroelectronics is navigating a complex and volatile semiconductor market with a mix of strategic adaptations and long-term investments. The company’s ability to weather the storm will depend on its agility in adjusting to market dynamics and its continued focus on innovation and customer engagement. With a Capital Markets Day scheduled for November 20th in Paris, stakeholders will have an opportunity to gain further insights into ST’s strategic direction and growth ambitions.

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