App note: HT45F3630 power tool speed control switch application example

All in one motor control MCU HT45F3630 from Holtek. Link here (PDF) Aimed at the motor speed control product application area, HOLTEK has developed the HT45F3630, which is commonly used in electric drills, electric screwdrivers, lawn mowers and other similar product applications. This MCU provides a group of PWM high voltage and large current output […]

App note: How to measure thermal resistance of LED emitters and LED arrays

Another white paper from Lumileds about LED thermal resistance. Link here (PDF) Thermal performance is the most critical factor of a well-designed LED lighting system. A lighting system with proper thermal design has higher efficacy, meaning more light can be extracted using less energy, and better long term reliability.

App note: Flash for “Selfies”

Effective front facing camera flash discussed in this white paper from Lumileds. Link here (PDF) Smartphones are ubiquitous in everybody’s daily lives, a trend that shows no sign of slowing. A key component of the smartphone is the camera, which has gained market share over Digital Still Cameras due to its convenience. As the demand […]

App note: DAC ICs: How many bits is enough?

A very old application notes from Analog Devices that tells about Nyquist Theorem, sampling rate and quantization used on DACs. Link here (PDF) At the heart of every digital audio playback system lies the single-most critical component for high-fidelity audio: the digital-to-analog converter (DAC). These converters handle the delicate task of translating the 16-bit binary […]

App note: Influence of control loop by an output filter

Application note from Würth Elektronik about the effect of filters that are added to the output of switching regulators. Link here The output voltage of switching regulators has a voltage ripple that can disturb with electrical power supplied circuits and lead to electromagnetic disturbances. Thus output filters are often used for noise suppression, which may […]

App note: Ceramic multilayer capacitors in HF SMPS applications

Development and improvement of ceramic multilayer capacitors in high frequency power supply filtering, a technical note from AVX. Link here (PDF) There has been an explosion of interest in the use of ceramic capacitors for high frequency power conversion applications. This interest is compounded with new designs striving for higher frequencies, smaller sizes and greater […]

App note: Output filter caps for mission critical applications

A great guide from AVX on output capacitor types and their specific uses based on ESR, ESL and temperature properties. Link here (PDF) This document discusses the effect of capacitors on output power quality. It evaluates and provides a comparison of different capacitor technologies, their high reliability qualification availability from COTS+ to space level, and […]

App note: Application of leaded resistors in energy meters

App note from Vishay about energy meter circuits and the use of leaded resistors on them. Link here (PDF) An electric meter or energy meter is a device that measures the amount of electrical energy supplied to a residence or business. It is also known as (k)Wh meter. The main unit of measurement in the […]

App note: Overcurrent protection with Thin Film resistors technology

A technical note about Thin Film fuses from Vishay. Link here (PDF) Thin film technology is an established technology for high-grade passive components, which has been proved and refined over decades. Its advantages in terms of accuracy, repeatability and stability are appreciated in mass production for billions of thin film resistors every year. Chip fuses […]

App note: Interfacing to analog switches: Driving the control input of an analog switch with 1.8 V or lower − Is it safe?

ON Semiconductor’s analog switches let you drive with an input control voltage lower than Vcc. Link here (PDF) Analog switches are everywhere today. Due to their small size and low current consumption, they are popular in portable devices where they are effective in a variety of subsystems including audio and data communications, port connections, and […]

App note: Consideration of self-pollution reduction for electronic systems

App note from ON Semiconductors discussing how locally generated EMI affects its own system and how to prevent it. Link here (PDF) This application note will address the problem of Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) self pollution in which one part of an electrical systems such as cell phones and consumer electrical products emit radiation that […]

App note: Active capacitor discharge circuit considerations for FPGAs

Power down sequencing and discharging on FPGAs app note from Diodes Incorporated. Link here (PDF) FPGA’s need the different power rails to be powered up and down in a defined sequence. For power down, each sequenced rail needs to be fully off before the next rail is turned off. With large high speed and high […]

App note: Power supply rejection for low-jitter clocks

Method of rejecting noises from power supply, an app note from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) Hardware designers are routinely challenged to increase functional density while shrinking the overall PCB footprint of each new design. One significant challenge is minimizing clock jitter through careful board design while meeting the design’s functional and space requirements. Since […]

App note: Nonvolatile STANDBY/ON Switch

Power status recovery in this application note from Maxim Integrated. Link here (PDF) Using an electronically programmable voltage reference (DS4305) as a single-bit nonvolatile memory cell, this circuit remembers the state of a STANDBY/ON switch that changes state with no operator present.

App note: Single-pushbutton ON/OFF power control

With the help of an MAX6816 debouncer from Maxim Integrated to form a single push button power switch. Link here (PDF) This application note presents a single-pushbutton power-control circuit. The design consists of an ON/OFF control circuit comprised of a push button, debouncer, and flip-flop. This circuit toggles the power output voltage by controlling an […]

App note: Automotive reverse battery protection diode

Super Barrier Rectifier™ (SBR) from Diodes Incorporated offers good power efficiency compared to normal PN junction diode and design simplicity compared to MOSFETs reverse protection. Link here (PDF) This application note compares the performance of Diodes Inc. Super Barrier Rectifier™ (SBR) as an automotive reverse battery protection diode with other solutions. An overview of the […]

App note: A closer look at LVDS technology

A general overview of Low Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) from Diodes incorporated. Link here (PDF) With the increase in demand for high throughputs, current technologies are becoming less efficient. Data transmission devices like RS-422, RS-485, SCSI and other devices are limited in data rate and power dissipation. With LVDS, data rate has increased tremendously to […]

App note: iCoupler® Isolation in CAN bus applications

Application note from Analog Devices on CAN bus system isolation. Link here (PDF) The intention of this application note is to give the user a brief overview of the CAN bus protocol, focusing on the system physical layer, as well as an understanding of why isolation is so important to the system. This application note […]

App note: Safety considerations and layout recommendations for digital isolators

Application note from Silicon Labs about end user safety against high voltage shock that are designed together with digital isolators. Link here (PDF) This application note details the creepage and clearance requirements of an isolator type component, such as a digital isolator, used to provide protection from electric shock. It also details layout recommendations to […]

App note: Understanding undervoltage lockout in display power devices

Texas Instrument’s application note about how undervoltage lockout (UVLO) protect devices from undefined behavior. Link here (PDF) Many integrated circuits include an undervoltage lockout (UVLO) function to disable the device at low supply voltages. Below the minimum supply voltage the function and performance of a device may be undefined, making it impossible to predict system […]