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Author: Capt. Nikunj Parashar, Founder & CMD at Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt. Ltd. 

In recent years, the defence sector has witnessed a transformative wave of technological advancements, with a particular focus on integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into various facets of military operations. The emergence of all-electric air mobility services, particularly in the form of personal aerial vehicles, represents a groundbreaking shift in the defence technology landscape. AI and ML technologies have rapidly become integral components of military systems, enhancing their capabilities across various domains. In the realm of sensors, these technologies enable more sophisticated data analysis, allowing for real-time threat detection and predictive maintenance. AI facilitates advanced targeting, autonomous decision-making, and improved accuracy so that information systems benefit from AI-driven analytics, providing commanders with actionable insights for strategic decision-making.

One of the most notable and exciting developments in the defence sector is the emergence of all-electric air mobility services. Personal Aerial Vehicles (PAVs), often referred to as urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles, represent a paradigm shift in transportation within military operations. These vehicles leverage electric propulsion systems, eliminating the need for traditional fuel and significantly reducing both operational costs and environmental impact while providing various services such as emergency medical evacuation, logistical support and reaching areas that cannot be accessed through traditional modes of aerial transport, saving cost and time.

The adoption of all-electric air mobility services in the military context offers several advantages. Firstly, these vehicles provide unparalleled flexibility and agility, allowing for rapid deployment and evacuation in challenging terrains or emergencies. The electric propulsion systems also contribute to stealth capabilities, reducing acoustic and thermal signatures compared to conventional aircraft. Moreover, personal aerial vehicles are designed to operate in urban environments, providing an additional layer of versatility for military operations in complex and densely populated areas. Their vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities eliminate the need for extensive runway infrastructure, enabling deployment from confined spaces, such as rooftops, landing zones and droneports. The integration of AI into these aerial platforms enhances their autonomy and safety features along with advanced navigation systems, obstacle detection, and collision avoidance capabilities, making these vehicles suitable for a wide range of military applications.

The Role of Drones in Border Security and Beyond

As the defence industry continues to push the boundaries of innovation, the integration of unmanned systems has become pivotal in providing robust and efficient solutions for safeguarding national borders. Borders present a unique set of challenges, demanding cutting-edge technologies to address the vast expanses of water in coastal regions and remote terrains in hilly areas. The defence industry recognizes the unparalleled capabilities of autonomous drones, whether they be Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), in meeting these challenges head-on, offering comprehensive solutions for border surveillance.

Autonomous drones, equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and technologies, have become indispensable assets in the arsenal of defence systems. These unmanned maritime and aerial platforms operate seamlessly without direct human intervention, following pre-programmed routes or responding dynamically to emerging threats. The defence sector harnesses the autonomy of these drones to ensure continuous, systematic, and cost-effective monitoring of maritime borders as they are equipped with advanced sensors, high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging, enabling them to capture detailed and actionable intelligence about the maritime environment and difficult terrains, providing the capability to detect, track, and respond to potential threats in real-time, bolstering national security measures.

The real strength of autonomous drones lies in their ability to cover extensive areas swiftly, providing unparalleled situational awareness. The defence sector employs these systems to conduct thorough surveillance, identify suspicious activities, monitor vessel movements, and combat illicit operations such as smuggling and illegal fishing, facilitating rapid decision-making and response coordination. This not only enhances the safety of defence personnel but also ensures continuous surveillance capabilities, maintaining an unyielding presence along maritime borders.

Furthermore, the defence industry capitalizes on the versatility of autonomous drones, extending their applications beyond border security. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms enhances data analysis, allowing for the identification of complex patterns and potential threats with unprecedented accuracy. This proactive approach empowers defence agencies to stay ahead of emerging challenges and allocate resources effectively. The use of such technology represents a futuristic leap in military capabilities as these vehicles not only address operational challenges but also align with the growing emphasis on indigenization in developing defence technologies. As the defence sector continues to evolve, the integration of these cutting-edge technologies is shaping the future landscape of military operations.

The post Technological Advancements in the Aerospace and Defence Sector – Integration of AI/ML into sensors, weapons and information systems designed for the Military appeared first on ELE Times.

In today’s fast-paced world, technology has revolutionized various aspects of our lives, including how we monitor and safeguard our vehicles. One such advancement in vehicle security is the car tracker, a sophisticated device designed to provide real-time location information and other valuable data about a vehicle’s whereabouts. In this blog post, we’ll delve into what car trackers are, the different types available, how they work, and the benefits they offer to vehicle owners.

What is a Car Tracker?

A car tracker, also known as a GPS tracker or vehicle tracker, is a compact electronic device that utilizes the Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the precise location of a vehicle in real time. It communicates this information to a central server or a designated user interface, allowing vehicle owners or authorized personnel to monitor the vehicle’s movements remotely.

Types of Car Trackers

1. Hardwired Trackers: These trackers are directly connected to the vehicle’s power source and are usually installed discreetly within the vehicle’s electrical system. Hardwired trackers offer robust and continuous monitoring capabilities, making them suitable for long-term vehicle tracking.
2. Plug-and-Play Trackers: Also known as OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) trackers, these devices are plugged into the vehicle’s OBD port, typically located under the dashboard. Plug-and-play trackers are easy to install and can be transferred between vehicles effortlessly, making them ideal for temporary tracking or rental fleets.
3. Battery-Powered Trackers: These trackers operate on internal batteries and do not require a direct connection to the vehicle’s power source. Battery-powered trackers offer flexibility in installation and are often used in situations where covert tracking is required or in vehicles without a permanent power source.

How Does the Car Tracker Work?

Car trackers rely on GPS technology and cellular networks to transmit location data. Here’s a simplified overview of how they work:

1. GPS Acquisition: The tracker receives signals from GPS satellites to determine its precise location coordinates.
2. Data Transmission: The tracker then transmits this location data and other relevant information such as speed and direction to a central server or user interface via cellular networks.
3. Remote Monitoring: Vehicle owners or authorized users can access this information in real-time through a web-based platform or a dedicated mobile app, enabling them to track the vehicle’s movements remotely.

Car Tracker Benefits

1. Vehicle Security: Car trackers serve as a powerful deterrent against theft and unauthorized use by providing real-time location information. In the event of a theft, trackers facilitate quick recovery efforts, increasing the chances of recovering the stolen vehicle.
2. Fleet Management: For businesses with a fleet of vehicles, trackers offer valuable insights into vehicle utilization, route optimization, and driver behaviour. This allows for better fleet management, improved efficiency, and cost savings.
3. Insurance Discounts: Many insurance companies offer discounts to vehicle owners who install car trackers, which are considered a proactive measure to mitigate the risk of theft or loss.
4. Peace of Mind: Knowing that their vehicles are equipped with trackers provides vehicle owners with peace of mind, especially when their vehicles are parked in unfamiliar locations or left unattended for extended periods.

In conclusion, car trackers are invaluable tools for enhancing vehicle security, optimizing fleet management, and providing peace of mind to vehicle owners. With various types available to suit different needs and preferences, investing in a car tracker can be a proactive step towards safeguarding your valuable assets on the road.

The post Understanding Car Trackers: Types, Working Mechanism, and Benefits appeared first on ELE Times.

Author: Ajay Kumar Lohany, Delivery Sr. Director- Aero & Rail, Cyient

With projections indicating a doubling of air passenger numbers to 8.2 million by 2037, the advancement of all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsion for powering Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is evolving into a billion-dollar industry. Recent assessments by Rolls Royce suggest that approximately 15,000 Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles will be indispensable across 30 major cities by 2035 solely to meet the demand for intracity travel. By 2030, top players in the passenger Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) sector could boast larger fleets and significantly more daily flights than the world’s biggest airlines. These flights, averaging just 18 minutes each, will typically carry fewer passengers (ranging from one to six, plus a pilot).

Source: Cirium; investor presentations; US Bureau of Transportation Statistics; McKinsey analysis

The increasing urbanization, expanding population, aging infrastructure, and the surge in e-commerce and logistics underscore the need for a contemporary, safe, and cost-effective transportation solution for both people and goods. Urban Air Mobility (UAM) presents a seamless, reliable, and swift mode of transportation, addressing present and future urban challenges. With the capacity to transform intra and inter-city transportation, UAM offers a quicker and more effective alternative to conventional ground-based transportation methods. The adoption of Urban Air Mobility hinges on five primary factors:

• Growing demand for alternate modes of transportation in urban mobility
• Need for convenient, efficient and last-mile delivery
• Zero emission and noise-free mandates
• Advancement in technologies (Energy storage, Autonomous, Connected, Power Electronics)
• Security

Despite the growing Urban Air Mobility (UAM) sector, it faces significant challenges that need addressing for future growth and success. These challenges range from developing reliable electric propulsion systems to achieving autonomous flight capabilities and establishing necessary infrastructure like vertiports and charging stations. Overcoming these hurdles is vital for unlocking UAM’s transformative potential in urban transportation.

AI Integration for UAM Enhancement

Utilizing AI for predictive maintenance enables analysis of sensor data and onboard sources to forecast maintenance needs, reducing downtime and increasing aircraft availability. AI-enabled maintenance inspections allow for rapid issue identification through image analysis of eVTOLs and UAVs, minimizing errors and oversights. AI aids in making better decisions for aircraft maintenance support by thoroughly analyzing various considerations, likely leading to improved outcomes. Additionally, robotic systems equipped with AI algorithms can autonomously repair or replace minor parts, enhancing safety for maintenance teams. Moreover, AI facilitates better diagnostics and targeted troubleshooting, expediting issue identification and repair suggestions. Ultimately, proactive maintenance, data integration, and improved safety are promised by AI in UAM, ensuring aircraft are maintained effectively from takeoff to landing.

AI in Intelligent Cabin Management (ICMS)

The Intelligent Cabin Management System (ICMS), utilized in aviation and rail industries, undergoes continuous advancements fueled by emerging technologies. Enhanced facial recognition algorithms, driven by artificial intelligence (AI), significantly improve efficiencies and reliability in user authentication, behavior analysis, safety, threat detection, and object tracking. Moreover, ICMS prioritizes monitoring passengers’ vital signs onboard for health safety.

This solution ensures cabin operations with a focus on passenger safety, security, and health, suitable for various passenger cabins in aircraft and rail, and particularly ideal for UAM applications. It facilitates cabin entry by authorized crew and passengers, guides seating arrangements, enforces luggage placement regulations, ensures compliance with air travel advisories, monitors passenger behavior for preemptive intervention, identifies permitted and potentially threatening objects, flags left luggage, and detects vital health parameters for real-time monitoring and control.

AI in UAM Maintenance

AI-driven predictive maintenance involves analyzing sensor data and onboard sources to anticipate UAM maintenance needs, aiding in proactive scheduling and minimizing downtime. Similarly, AI-based inspections utilize image analysis to swiftly identify potential issues during regular checks, enhancing accuracy and reducing errors. Additionally, AI supports maintenance decision-making by analyzing various factors like repair costs and part availability, providing informed recommendations. Future advancements may see autonomous maintenance systems, powered by AI, performing routine tasks such as inspections and minor repairs, improving efficiency and safety. Furthermore, AI assists technicians in diagnostics and troubleshooting by analyzing data and historical records to pinpoint issues and suggest appropriate solutions, streamlining maintenance processes and ensuring UAM operational reliability.

Conclusion

The integration of AI into UAM maintenance offers numerous benefits that significantly enhance the efficiency, safety, and reliability of UAM operations. Through proactive maintenance enabled by AI’s predictive capabilities, maintenance teams can anticipate and address potential failures before they occur, reducing unplanned downtime and enhancing operational reliability. Furthermore, AI-supported maintenance increases aircraft availability, ensuring vehicles are consistently safe and reliable, thus contributing to higher customer satisfaction and overall operational performance.

Moreover, AI-driven maintenance optimization leads to cost reduction by accurately predicting maintenance needs and minimizing unnecessary inspections and component replacements, thereby reducing labor and material costs. Additionally, AI’s continuous monitoring of UAM vehicle conditions enhances safety by detecting anomalies or safety risks in real-time, preventing accidents and ensuring timely maintenance. Overall, the application of AI in UAM maintenance represents a transformative step towards a more efficient, safe, and reliable urban air transportation system.

The post Emerging solutions in all-electric air mobility service appeared first on ELE Times.

Authored by: Mr. Aveen Padmaprabha, Head of Industrial Quality Solutions, Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd.

 

Mr. Aveen Padmaprabha, Head of Industrial Quality Solutions, Carl Zeiss India (Bangalore) Pvt. Ltd.

The aerospace industry in India is one of the fastest-growing sectors with an increasingly strong domestic manufacturing base. To gain further competitive advantage, the implementation of new technologies such as additive manufacturing has been gaining importance in the recent past. While this method leads to cost reduction of building low-volume parts, as well as enables the industry to challenge the limits of efficiency through extremely accurate and complex design executions, the quality challenges faced by these new manufacturing processes should also be thoroughly addressed. High-precision metrology solutions are not only an opportunity to optimize the manufacturing process but also offer valuable insight into material sciences and ensure the quality of the output.

Additive Manufacturing as an Opportunity in Aerospace

Air travel, a preferred mode of transportation, relies on aircraft parts meeting stringent quality standards. For instance, before a supplier commences production, up to 1500 inspection features of a turbine blade must be verified, adhering to tight tolerance ranges at every production step. Beyond this challenge, another is the vital maintenance and repair operations (MRO) which often involves replacing high-complexity, quality-intensive low-volume or single parts. Traditional manufacturing processes for MROs prove both time and cost-intensive, unable to meet the demanded complexity and accuracy efficiently. Consequently, additive manufacturing, specifically 3D printing, is increasingly integrated into the aerospace production chain in India, positioning the industry as a pioneer in additive manufacturing innovation. However, the adoption of this technology brings its own challenges, which our experience suggests can be effectively addressed through high-quality metrology solutions.

Hitting the Brake: The Process and Challenges of Additive Manufacturing

Powder is the building block of additively manufactured parts. The particles are small, typically ranging from a few micrometers to tens of microns in diameter. Their size distribution and shape influence spread ability and hence possible defects might occur during the process. The defect density is among other aspects and also a factor for the recycling and aging of the powder. A uniformly distributed powder bed is the essential basis for a stable and reliable additive manufacturing process. Improper powder quality, powder rheology and the process parameters might cause voids to form in the final structure. The additive manufacturing process, unlike traditional manufacturing methods, requires powders to be melted layer by layer during the build. Melt temperatures and process parameters greatly affect the crystallography and, as a consequence, part properties. After printing, the part is still attached to the build plate. It is then heat-treated for stress relief and removed from the build plate with a band saw or wire EDM. Some parts are then heat treated again for microstructure changes. These processes possibly influence the characteristics and accuracy of the part, impacting the quality and safety. Post which, Dimensional accuracy and surface finish are critical to ensure proper assembly and consistent matching across multiple parts. Even though additive manufacturing is an immense opportunity since it enables an unprecedented control over material microstructures. Analyzing and understanding these structures is key for an efficient and optimized process that ensures the demanded quality and safety.

Precision at all Altitudes: Overcoming the Challenges

Utilizing cutting-edge measurement and inspection equipment is crucial for meeting aerospace parts’ sophisticated requirements. Our metrology solutions support and can be implemented throughout the manufacturing process, enabling immediate corrective actions, ensuring high-quality output, and promoting sustainable resourcing. We employ Light or Electron Microscopes and CT for continuous powder characterization, identifying sources of quality issues in the powder bed during or after printing. Defective parts can be detected and fixed during the build, avoiding downstream costs and increasing yield. Optical 3D-scanners, Coordinate Measuring Machines, and high-resolution CT validate accuracy, inspect finished parts, and analyze internal structures, contributing to defining optimal settings for future processes. The comprehensive data analysis across the process chain, facilitated by metrology devices equipped with IoT and PiWeb software by ZEISS, ensures correlation and supports an efficient and optimized process. Investing in high-quality metrology and research equipment is indispensable for ensuring safety and quality in the aerospace industry, particularly as ‘Make in India’ propels the sector’s growth, with additive manufacturing playing a vital role in material science and process optimization.

ZEISS, as a key global provider, plays a pivotal role with its Blue Line process, contributing to the industry’s success through precise metrology and quality solutions. Moreover, the company’s commitment to excellence extends beyond mere provision, as it actively engages in collaborative ventures. The company’s globally unique application lab not only facilitates joint customer projects and scientific studies but also serves as a dynamic hub for hands-on demonstrations. This collaborative approach fosters a rich environment for learning and knowledge distribution, ensuring that the aerospace industry benefits not only from cutting-edge technology but also from shared insights and collective expertise.

In my opinion, the aerospace industry in India stands at the forefront of innovation and technological advancements, embracing additive manufacturing as a crucial element in its production chain. By leveraging cutting-edge measurement and inspection equipment throughout the entire manufacturing process, the industry can achieve immediate corrective actions, increase yield, and streamline resource utilization. With continued investments in high-quality metrology and research equipment, the aerospace sector can ensure the safety and quality of its intricate and complex components, further solidifying its position as a leader in technological innovation.

The post Precision at all Altitudes for Aerospace: Addressing the Challenges of Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace Production appeared first on ELE Times.

Learn the basics of how vector network analyzer (VNA) calibration techniques correct measurement errors.

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Remember that clunky thermostat you used to wrestle with, blindly adjusting the temperature in hopes of comfort? Well, thanks to the magic of the Internet of Things (IoT) and custom software, creating a smarter, more responsive home is no longer science fiction. But it’s not just about thermostats. There are also coffee makers that anticipate your morning routine, lights that adapt to your mood, and appliances that communicate with each other, all bringing convenience and efficiency. That, my friend, is the power of integrating IoT with custom software, and Relevant Software development company has the recipe to help you orchestrate it.

From Scattered Devices to a Connected Ecosystem: The Magic of Integration

Think of your home as an orchestra. Each device – the lights, the thermostat, the smart speaker – is an instrument with its own song. But without a conductor, the music is chaotic and disjointed. That’s where custom software steps in, acting as the conductor, harmonizing these individual devices into a seamless symphony of smart living.

Bridging the Language Gap: Custom Software as the Interpreter

Each IoT device speaks its own language, a complex code of ones and zeros. But your phone, tablet, and voice assistant need to understand them all. Custom software acts as the interpreter, translating these diverse languages into a unified tongue that your smart home ecosystem can comprehend. It’s like having a personal translator for all your devices, ensuring they communicate smoothly and respond to your commands flawlessly.

Beyond Automation: Tailored Experiences for Your Unique Lifestyle

Automation is great, but true smart living goes beyond just setting schedules. One of the roles of custom software here is to help you personalize your IoT experience. Imagine lights that adjust to your circadian rhythm, a coffee maker that learns your preferred strength, or a thermostat that anticipates your arrival home. Through applications that learn about your habits, needs, and preferences, it’s possible to create a truly personal smart home.

Enhancing Customer Experiences

Retail is another arena where IoT and custom software blend to offer extraordinary experiences. Imagine walking into a store that knows your preferences or an online shopping platform that offers personalized recommendations based on your IoT-enabled devices at home. The more data smart devices collect, the more aligned the customer experience will be with user preferences.

Unlocking the Full Potential: Security, Efficiency, and Beyond

Obviously, IoT integration with custom software brings convenience. Yet, the benefits of this blend are far more diverse and impactful both for businesses and consumers:

• Work smarter and save money. Custom software looks at the data from IoT devices to make everything run smoother, fix things before they break, and use resources wisely. This means you can do more with less and save money, too.

• Beyond the walls. Your smart home can easily interact with external services, order groceries based on your fridge inventory, or adjust your thermostat based on weather forecasts.

• Smart decisions with data. Custom software processes huge piles of data from IoT devices to give businesses smart tips for making better choices and coming up with new ideas.

• Competitive advantage. Businesses leveraging IoT with custom software can offer differentiated products and services, setting themselves apart in the market with cutting-edge offerings.

Your Smart Future Starts Today

Integrating IoT with custom software is about creating a smarter, more personalized, and ultimately more fulfilling living experience. It’s like having technology that fits perfectly into our daily lives, making everything easier and more suited to what we like. We’re right on the edge of this amazing future, and it’s filled with endless opportunities. Whether it’s making businesses run smoother, turning boring tasks into fun ones, or keeping our online selves safe, mixing IoT with custom software is the magic key.

The post Integrating IoT with Custom Software for Smart Solutions appeared first on Electronics Lovers ~ Technology We Love.

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Два роки повномасштабної війни, десять — від початку російської агресії medialab сб, 02/24/2024 - 15:50

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Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. has unveiled a groundbreaking line of five new half-bridge IGBT power modules, housed in the newly redesigned INT-A-PAK package. These modules, namely the VS-GT100TS065S, VS-GT150TS065S, VS-GT200TS065S, VS-GT100TS065N, and VS-GT200TS065N, are built on Vishay’s cutting-edge Trench IGBT technology. They offer designers a choice between two technologies — low VCE(ON) or low Eoff — to mitigate conduction or switching losses in high-current inverter stages for transportation, energy, and industry applications.

These half-bridge devices are a fusion of Trench IGBTs and Gen IV FRED Pt anti-parallel diodes, featuring soft reverse recovery characteristics. The modules’ INT-A-PAK package now boasts a new gate pin orientation, ensuring compatibility with the 34 mm industry-standard package and facilitating mechanical drop-in replacements.

The modules find applications in various fields, including power supply inverters for railway equipment, energy generation, distribution, storage systems, welding equipment, motor drives, and robotics. Specifically designed for reducing conduction losses in output stages for TIG welding machines, these devices offer a collector-to-emitter voltage of ≤ 1.07 V at +125 °C and rated current. For high-frequency power applications, the other variants boast low switching losses, with Eoff down to 1.0 mJ at +125 °C and rated current.

Key features of the VS-GT100TS065S include:

• VCES: 650 V
• Continuous Collector Current (IC DC), TC = 80 °C: 185A
• VCE(on) at 100 A, 25 °C: 1.05 V
• Chip Level VCE(on) at 100 A, 25 °C: 0.98 V
• Speed: DC to 1 kHz
• Package: INT-A-PAK
• Circuit Configuration: Half-bridge

These modules offer a 650 V collector-to-emitter voltage, continuous collector current ranging from 100 A to 200 A, and low junction-to-case thermal resistance. UL-approved file E78996 can be directly mounted to heatsinks and provide low EMI to diminish snubbing requirements.

Introducing these advanced half-bridge IGBT power modules marks a significant advancement in the field, promising enhanced efficiency and performance across various industrial sectors.

The post Vishay Intertechnology Launches Innovative Half-Bridge IGBT Power Modules appeared first on ELE Times.

Другі роковини великої війни medialab сб, 02/24/2024 - 09:09

AMD engineers presented their latest innovation this week at ISSCC, showing the world how they realized the Zen 4c CPU core.

It’s not the finish product. I used copper pours instead of wide traces for my power supplies. For the screen shot I deleted the GND. Done in KiCad 7. submitted by /u/Nadran_Erbam [link] [comments]

We kick off our ISSCC coverage with MediaTek's neural visual-enhancement engine, a device that bests competitors with its energy and area efficiency—making it an appealing up-and-comer for smart devices.

The first joule thief i made. submitted by /u/Athosworld [link] [comments]

No luck on turning this hfsstc without ociloscope. Have been working on it for 6 months submitted by /u/ElectroBalls69 [link] [comments]

A prototype MCU test chip with a 10.8 Mbit magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) memory cell array—fabricated on a 22-nm embedded MRAM process—claims to accomplish a random read access frequency of over 200 MHz and a write throughput of 10.4 MB/s at a maximum junction temperature of 125°C.

Renesas, which developed circuit technologies for this embedded spin-transfer torque MRAM (STT-MRAM) test chip, presented details about it on February 20 at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference 2024 (ISSCC 2024) held on 18-22 February in San Francisco. The Japanese chipmaker has designed this embedded MRAM macro to bolster read access and write throughput for high-performance MCUs.

Figure 1 The MCU test chip incorporates a 10.8-Mbit embedded MRAM memory cell array. Source: Renesas

Microcontrollers in endpoint devices are expected to deliver higher performance than ever, especially in Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Here, the CPU clock frequencies of high-performance MCUs are in the hundreds of MHz, and to achieve greater performance, read speeds of embedded non-volatile memory need to be increased to minimize the gap between them and CPU clock frequencies.

However, MRAM has a smaller read margin than the flash memory used in conventional MCUs, which makes high-speed read operation more difficult. At the same time, MRAM is faster than flash memory for write performance because it requires no erase operation before performing write operations. That’s why shortening write times is desirable not only for everyday use but also for cost reduction of writing test patterns in test processes and writing control codes by end-product manufacturers.

Renesas has developed circuit technologies for an embedded STT-MRAM test chip with fast read and write operations to address this design conundrum.

Faster read and write

First, take MRAM reading, which is generally performed by a differential amplifier or sense amplifier to determine which of the memory cell current or reference current is larger. But because the difference in memory cell currents between the 0 and 1 states—read window—is smaller for MRAM than for flash memory, the reference current must be precisely positioned in the center of the read window for faster reading.

So, Renesas introduces two mechanisms to achieve faster read speed. First, it aligns the reference current in the center of the window according to the actual current distribution of the memory cells for each chip measured during the test process. Second, it reduces the offset of the sense amplifier.

Another challenge that Renesas engineers have overcome relates to conventional configurations, where large parasitic capacitance in the circuits is used to control the voltage of the bitline, so it doesn’t rise too high during read operations. While it slows the reading process, Renesas has introduced a Cascode connection scheme to reduce parasitic capacitance and speed up reading. That allows design engineers to realize the random read operation at more than 200 MHz frequencies.

Next, for write operation, it’s worth mentioning that Renesas announced in December 2021 that it has improved write throughput by applying write voltage simultaneously to all bits in a write unit using a relatively low write voltage generated from the external voltage (I/O power) of the MCU through a step-down circuit. Then, it used a higher write voltage only for the remaining few bits that could not be written.

Figure 2 In late 2021, Renesas announced an increase in the write speed of an STT-MRAM test chip manufactured on a 16-nm node.

Now, while power supply conditions used in test processes and by end-product manufacturers are stable, Renesas has relaxed the lower voltage limit of the external voltage. As a result, by setting the higher step-down voltage from the external voltage to be applied to all bits in the first phase, write throughput can be improved 1.8-fold. A faster write speed will contribute to more efficient code writing in endpoint devices.

Test chip evaluation

The prototype MCU test chip combines the above two enhancements to offer a 10.8 Mbit MRAM memory cell array fabricated using a 22-nm embedded process. The evaluation of the prototype chip validated that it achieved a random read access frequency of over 200 MHz and a write throughput of 10.4 MB/s.

The MCU test chip also contains 0.3 Mbit of one-time programmable (OTP) memory that uses MRAM cell breakdown to prevent falsification of data. That makes it capable of storing security information. However, writing to OTP requires a higher voltage than writing to MRAM, which makes it more difficult to perform writing in the field, where power supply voltages are often less stable. Here, Renesas suppressed parasitic resistance within the memory cell array, which in turn, makes writing in the field possible.

Renesas has vowed to further increase the capacity, speed, and power efficiency of MRAM.

Related Content

• The promise of MRAM
• MRAM debut cues memory transition
• Spin Partners with Arm, Applied in MRAM Manufacturing
• Fast, high-capacity, and endurant MRAM for space applications
• MRAM and ReRAM expected to displace incumbent memory technologies

The post An MCU test chip embeds 10.8 Mbit STT-MRAM memory appeared first on EDN.