Reed switches operation app note from Hermetic Switch Inc. (HSI). Link here (PDF) A reed switch is activated by a magnetic !eld. It’s important to realize that there are numerous possibilities for a switch’s orientation within a given magnetic field. The length of the magnet and the length of the reed switch both affect the […]
Category Archives: app notes
App note: Reed switch basics
Application note from Hermetic Switch Inc. (HSI) on simple reed switches. Link here (PDF) A reed switch consists of two or three metal reed contacts (blades) that are hermetically sealed inside a glass tube containing an inert atmosphere. Reed switches come in various sizes, magnetic sensitivities, high power capabilities, high voltage capability, contact configurations, and […]
App note: Design guidelines for ATtiny43U
Here’s a design guidelines for ATtiny43U from Atmel, app note here (PDF!): The integrated boost converter of ATtiny43U provides the microcontroller and peripherals with a fixed supply voltage, generated from an external supply of lower voltage. The boost converter is a switching type, step-up regulator that requires some external components to be complete. This includes an external inductor, […]
App note: Mixed signal microcontroller
A mixed signal microcontroller application note (PDF!) from Texas Instruments: The Texas Instruments MSP430 family of ultra-low-power microcontrollers consists of several devices featuring different sets of peripherals targeted for various applications. The architecture, combined with five low-power modes, is optimized to achieve extended battery life in portable measurement applications. The device features a powerful 16-bit RISC CPU, 16-bit […]
App note: Design considerations for mixed-signal, How to design a PCB layout
Another application note from e2v, this time about PCB design involving mixed-signal (Analog and Digital) components. Link here (PDF) This application note aims at providing you with some recommendations to achieve improved performance. The initial assumptions are the following: • Proper grounding and routing of all signals is essential to ensure accurate signal conversion • […]
App note: Dithering in analog-to-digital conversion
e2V’s application note about dithering, adding noise to improve the dynamic range of ADCs. Link here (PDF) High-speed ADCs today offer higher dynamic performances and every effort is made to push these state-of-the art performance through design improvements and also through innovative solutions at the system level. For applications where the performance of the high-speed […]
App note: Power MOSFET in high-side operating modes, possible failure modes, and failure signatures
App note from Vishay on high-side MOSFET failures investigation leads to one of the following modes of operation: (a) High-impedance gate drive (b) Electro-static discharge (ESD) exposure (c) Electrical over-stressed (EOS) operation More on it here (PDF) Power MOSFET failures in high-side applications can often be attributed to a high-impedance gate drive creating a virtual […]
App note: Power MOSFET Basics: Understanding the Turn-On Process
More to know about MOSFET gate threshold voltages, an application note from Vishay. Link here (PDF) The question of how to turn on a MOSFET might sound trivial, since ease of switching is a major advantage of field-effect transistors. Unlike bipolar junction transistors, these are majority carrier devices. One does not have to worry about […]
App note: High speed data line protection
Bridge diode works as transient voltage clamp to protect data lines. Here’s Vishay’s app note, link here (PDF) Local Area Network (LAN) data lines require protection against direct and induced transient over voltages on the lines. Protecting these lines and the associated network is not a trivial task. The power range is somewhere between static […]
App note: Temperature dependency of zener voltage
Vishay’s application note on zener diode voltage stability. Link here (PDF) The Zener voltage (VZ) of a Zener or avalanche diode depends on the diode’s junction temperature. Any current running through the p/n junction barrier generates the electrical power of: P = IZ * VZ. This electrical power is equivalent to the thermal power applied […]
App note: Low Value Power Metal Strip Resistors – Intelligent Li-ion rechargeable battery
App note from Vishay about tight tolerances that sense resistor requires for accurate and efficient Li-ion battery chargers. Link here (PDF) Intelligent Li-ion rechargeable batteries utilize current sensing resistors with ultra low ohm, low TCR, tight tolerance, high withstanding surge current and low thermal EMF.
App note: Grid resistors: Determining nominal resistance
App note from Vishay on selecting grid resistors base on their application as resistors vary over continuous duty. Link here (PDF) Nearly all resistor materials change resistance as temperature increases. Depending on the material, this change can range from a few percent to 50 % and higher at 100 % duty on the resistor (100 […]
App note: A microwatt charge pump boosts 1 V to 1.8 V at 90% efficiency, providing “Always On” standby power for microcontrollers
Silicon Labs’ app note featuring low power boost for microcontrollers. Link here (PDF) Boosting the output voltage of common alkaline button-cells to at least 1.8 V needed by microcontrollers provides an “always on” standby power source sufficient for low-power oscillator interrupt/sleep state operation. Two ultralow power op amps are used in a charge pump configuration […]
App note: How to generate a negative voltage using buck converters?
An app note from Alpha and Omega Semiconductor on using their AOZ1016 buck regulator to generate negative voltage. Link here (PDF) The negative voltage source is widely used in various applications such as computing systems, LCD panels, audio amplifiers, etc. Using the additional secondary winding of a transformer is the widely used approach to generate […]
App note: Latency in factory automation
An app note (PDF!) from Texas Instruments on importance of latency in factory automation: Latency is a critical parameter in Ethernet networks developed for Factory Automation applications. Latency is not a defined value for Ethernet as specified by the IEEE 802.3 standard. Nor is Ethernet inherently synchronous or repeatable. This disconnect between the inherent characteristics of Ethernet and the needs […]
App note: Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) Topologies (part I)
Here is an app note (PDF!) from Microchip describing the basics of different SMPS topologies: The industry drive toward smaller, lighter and more efficient electronics has led to the development of the Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS). There are several topologies commonly used to implement SMPS. This application note, which is the first of a […]
App note: Ceramic Varistors TNR™
A technical note on varistors by Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation. Link here (PDF) A varistor has the volt-ampere characteristics in which current suddenly starts to flow through the device at a certain voltage. Varistors are used to protect semiconductor devices in electronic and electric circuits from overvoltage. They are inserted in parallel with a circuit to […]
App note: Conductive polymer aluminum solid capacitors
Presenting the polymer capacitor by Nippon Chemi-Con Corporation. Link here (PDF) Conductive polymer aluminum solid capacitors, which will be abbreviated to “polymer capacitors” in the following, have been recently extending in their applications. The polymer capacitors as well as conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitors are featured by large capacitance and excellent bias characteristics which multilayer ceramic […]
App note: Start-up test using electronic load
An app note from Alpha and Omega Semiconductor on importance of start-up power behavior to diagnose and prevent unwanted inrush current. Link here (PDF) Electronic loads, such as Chroma 6310 series, can be configured as constant current (CC) mode, constant voltage (CV) mode and constant resistance (CR) mode. In CC mode, the load will sink […]
App note: Buck converter control cookbook
An Alpha and Omega Semiconductor app note for their AOZ101X buck controller using peak current mode control. Link here (PDF) A Buck converter consists of the power stage and feedback control circuit. The power stage includes power switch and output filter. It converts a higher input voltage to a lower output voltage. The feedback control […]