Another app note from Richtek introducing solutions for reducing the input voltage spike on power switches. Link here The power switch is a low voltage, single N-Channel MOSFET high-side power switch, optimized for self-powered and bus- powered Universal Serial Bus (USB) applications. In worse operating condition, an input voltage spike may over the chip’s maximum […]
Category Archives: app notes
App note: Analyzing VIN overstress in power ICs
Investigative app note from Richtek about the component failure point caused by EOS. Link here (PDF) Failures in power ICs are often the result of Electrical Over Stress (EOS) on the IC input supply pin. This report explains the structure of power IC input ESD protection and how ESD cells can become damaged due to […]
App note: DC/DC converter testing with fast load transient
Another app note from Richtek, this time about transient load testing on power converters and how you can make a simple and low cost fast transient tool. Link here (PDF) Load transient testing is a quick way to check power converter behavior on several aspects: It will show the converter regulation speed and can highlight […]
App note: RT2875 3A automotive buck converter
An application note from Richtek on buck converter used in automotive application. Link here (PDF) Automotive environment can be quite harsh and designing electronics that need to work reliable in this environment takes special care, and often requires automotive qualified parts. When designing voltage regulators that need to step down an intermediate voltage from the […]
App note: Designing applications with Lithium-Ion batteries
More Li-ion battery applications from Richtek. Link here (PDF) Lithium-Ion batteries have several advantages when compared with other battery types: They are light weight, and energy density of lithium-ion is typically twice that of the standard nickel-cadmium. Li-Ion batteries have no memory effect, and the self-discharge is 6 ~ 8 times less compared to nickel-cadmium. […]
App note: Switching battery chargers
App note from Richtek about several aspects of switching chargers for single cell Li-Ion batteries. Link here (PDF) Longer battery life and shorter charging times are some of the challenges in battery management in modern hand-held applications like Smart-Phones, Tablet PCs, POS and other portable equipment. Devices with powerful processors are more power hungry and […]
App note: AC ripple current calculations solid tantalum capacitors
Application note from Vishay on power and voltage limitations of solid tantalum capacitors for both low and high frequency applications. Link here (PDF) Solid tantalum capacitors are preferred for filtering applications in small power supplies and DC/DC converters in a broad range of military, industrial and commercial systems including computers, telecommunications, instruments and controls and […]
App note: Electrolytic capacitor lifetime estimation
Lifetime estimation methods for elcap app note from Jianghai. Link here (PDF) Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors (“alu-elcaps”, “elcaps”) are essential for the function of many electronic devices. Ever increasing for enhanced efficiency, the expanding utilization of renewable energy and the continuous growth of electronic content in automotive applications have driven the usage of these components. In […]
App note: Replacing mechanical potentiometers with digital potentiometers
Another application note from Analog Devices this time about the superiority of digital over mechanical potentionmenters. Link here (PDF) Potentiometers have been widely used since the early days of electronic circuits, providing a simple way to calibrate a system, adjusting offset voltage or gain in an amplifier, tuning filters, controlling screen brightness, among other uses. […]
App note: Precision signal conditioning for high resolution industrial applications
App note from Analog Devices on robust precision signal conditioning. Link here (PDF) Industrial measurement and control systems often need to interface to sensors while operating in noisy environments. Because sensors typically generate very small electrical signals, extracting their output from the noise can be challenging. Applying signal conditioning techniques, such as amplification and filtering, […]
App note: Modern thermocouples and a high-resolution DeltaSigma ADC enable high-precision temperature measurement
Old app note from Maxim Integrated about high-precision temperature measurement. Link here (PDF) Many industrial and medical applications require temperature measurements with accuracies of ±1°C or better, performed with reasonable cost over a wide range of temperatures (-270°C to +1750°C), and often with low power consumption. Properly selected, standardized, modern thermocouples paired with high-resolution ADC […]
App note: Sterilization methods and their impact on medical devices containing electronics
App note from Maxim Integrated on electronic devices sterilization. Link here (PDF) Although there is considerable literature about sterilization methods and equipment, there is very little written about the impact of sterilization on electronics. This article compares popular sterilization methods and discusses their suitability for objects containing electronics.
App note: High-side smart-FETs with analog current sense
Smart-FETs application from ON Semiconductors. Link here (PDF) This application note describes the structure and design philosophy of ON Semiconductor High Side Smart−FETs, and serves as a guide to understand the operation of the device in specific applications. The scope of this document is limited to Smart−FETs with analog current sense output.
App note: Current Sense Amplifiers, FAQs
FAQs answered by ON Semiconductor’s application support team on the topic of current sense amplifiers. Link here (PDF)
App note: Introduction to the silicon photomultiplier (SiPM)
App note from ON Semiconductors about SiPM sensors, explaining the working principle and primary performance parameters. Link here (PDF) The Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) is a sensor that addresses the challenge of sensing, timing and quantifying low-light signals down to the single-photon level. Traditionally the province of the Photomultiplier Tube (PMT), the Silicon Photomultiplier now offers […]
App note: USB audio bridge example with STM32F0 MCUs
App note from STMicroelectronics using their STM32F0 microcontrollers to playback audio stream from USB. Link here (PDF) This application note describes a method and an example of synchronizing audio playback or audio recording with an upstream or downstream USB audio host, ensuring flawless audio listening or recording using only internal MCU resources. Focusing on specific […]
App note: USB Type-C protection and filtering
STMicroelectronics’ solution for simplifying USB Type-C protection and filtering using transient voltage suppressors, common mode filtering and proper board layout. Link here (PDF) The USB interface has been present on the market for nearly 2 decades and thanks to that, nowadays it is quite obvious for everybody to connect electronic devices in this manner. However, […]
App note: How to select the right thyristor (SCR) for your application
SCR fundamentals discussed in this app note from STMicroelectronics. Link here (PDF) This document provides some guidelines about how to select the right thyristor, also referred to as “SCR”, according to the different applications. Some very specific cases could require a higher level of expertise to ensure reliable and efficient operation.
App note: How to maintain USB signal integrity when adding ESD protection
Introducing the eye diagram method in this app note from ON Semiconductors in determining signal integrity of USB lines. Link here (PDF) The Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become a popular feature of PCs, cell phones and other electronic devices. USB makes data transfer between electronic devices faster and easier. USB 2.0 transfers data at […]
App note: Low-side self-protected MOSFET
Integrated fault protected MOSFET app note from ON Semiconductors. Link here (PDF) The ever increasing density and complexity of automotive and industrial control electronics requires integration of components, wherever possible, so as to conserve space, reduce cost, and improve reliability. Integration of protection features with power switches continues to drive new product development. The often […]