Best way to place/mount temperature sensors to optimize thermal conductivity an App note from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) The Si70xx temperature sensors work by measuring the Vbe of an on chip transistor at two currents in a precise ratio to measure temperature. The resulting voltage is digitized, calibrated and linearized such that after conversion […]
Tag Archives: Silicon Labs
App note: Bluetooth direction finding fundamentals
Fundamentals and theory on direction finding using Bluetooth, a user guide from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) Bluetooth Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Angle of Departure (AoD) are new technologies that establish a standardized framework for indoor positioning. With these technologies, the fundamental problem of positioning comes down to solving the arrival and departure angles […]
App note: 8-bit MCU printed circuit board design notes
Helpful app note from Silicon Labs for designing PCB for MCUs. Link here (PDF) The methods presented in this application note should be taken as suggestions which provide a good starting point in the design and layout of a PCB. It should be noted that one design rule does not necessarily fit all designs. It […]
App note: Secure Key Storage
App note from Silicon Labs on their EFR32 device secure features Key encryption. Link here (PDF) Secure Key Storage is a feature in Secure Vault-enabled Series 2 devices that allows for the protection of cryptographic keys by key wrapping. User keys are encrypted by the device’s root key for non-volatile storage for later usage. This […]
App note: Using the Si72xx hall-effect magnetic position sensors
App note from Silicon Labs on their hall-effect Si72xx magnetic sensor to sense position, count revolution and security system seal tamper sensing. Link here (PDF) These devices all measure magnetic field in the axis perpendicular to the package. All of these parts share the attributes of low power, high sensitivity, and low noise. The simplest […]
App note: Driving electronic paper displays (E-paper)
Silicon Labs’ app note on driving E-paper with their EFM32 micro. Link here (PDF) Electronic Paper Displays (EPDs) are types of displays that are reflective and bistable. Reflective in this case means that they rely solely on ambient light and does not use a backlight. Bistable is the property of retaining an image even when […]
App note: Designing with an inverted-F 2.4 GHz PCB antenna
PCB design guide for an inverted-F 2.4 GHz antenna from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) One of the main reasons to use a PCB antenna is to reduce cost. Since the antennas are printed directly on the board, they are generally considered to be free. On boards with room to spare, this will be true. […]
App note: Oscillator design considerations
Interesting app note from Silicon Labs about oscillators used on their wireless SoC series 2 devices, oscillator basics included. Link here (PDF) An oscillator is an electronic circuit which generates a repetitive, or periodic, time-varying signal. In the context of Wireless SoC Series 2 devices, this oscillator signal is used to clock execution of instructions […]
App note: Safety considerations for Silicon Labs series capacitor isolators
Great in-depth about electronic isolators from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) Isolators are widely used in automotive, telecom, industrial, and medical applications to provide protection for people and/or equipment from high voltage hazards. The robustness of the isolator’s insulation, or “isolation barrier”, over the operating life of the equipment is key to ensuring safety against […]
App note: Human interface device tutorial
Silicon Lab’s basics of USB Human interface device (HID) and how this class communicate to PCs. Link here (PDF) The Human Interface Device (HID) class specification allows designers to create USB-based devices and applications without the need for custom driver development.
App note: Silicon Labs’ TS3004 VS. the CMOS 555 – Determining lowest supply current for battery-powered applications
Good read on this app note from Silicon Labs comparing their low power but obsolete timer. Link here (PDF) The 555 timer is the workhorse of ICs, with close to a billion of them manufactured every year. Introduced in 1972, the 555 is still in widespread use because of its ease of use, reasonable price, […]
App note: Single-cell regulated Q-pump draws low quiescent current
Q-pump an alternative to inductor charge pump boost regulator for low power and sleepy microcontroller from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) In the switch-mode power supply world, capacitor-based charge pumps (or Q-pumps) generally aren’t useful for heavy lifting, but work well in niche micropower applications where space is at a premium. They work best in […]
App note: Hand soldering tutorial for fine pitch QFP devices
No SMD tools removal and soldering of QFP packages tutorial from Silicon labs. Link here (PDF) This document is intended to help designers create their initial prototype systems using Silicon Lab’s TQFP and LQFP devices where surface mount assembly equipment is not readily available. This application note assumes that the reader has at least basic […]
App note: Replacing traditional optocouplers with Si87xx digital isolators
Digital isolator from Silicon Labs app note shows pin compatible plus high performance replacment of incumbent optoisolators, link here (PDF) Opto-couplers are a decades-old technology widely used for signal isolation, typically providing safety isolation, signal level shifting, and ground loop mitigation. They are commonly used in a wide range of end applications, including data communication […]
App note: Introduction to gapped clocks and PLLs
App note from Silicon Labs on the introduction of gapped clocks, how they can be used in network timing, and their impact upon phase locked loop (PLL) technology. Link here (PDF) Gapped clocks are periodic clock signals of a single clock frequency that have clock pulses removed from their stream. Well-formed gapped clocks do not […]
App note: A simple alternative to analog isolation amplifiers
A linear isolation amplifier from Silicon Labs app note. Link here (PDF) Analog circuits sometimes require linear (analog) signal isolation for safety, signal level shifting, and/or ground loop elimination. Linear signal isolation is typically difficult to implement, costly, and often exhibits mediocre performance. While the design community thirsts for a flexible and inexpensive linear isolator […]
App note: Using 8-Bit MCUs in 5 volt systems
Integrating a low voltage 3V MCU EFM8 from Silicon Labs to 5 volt sytem. Link here (PDF) When using a 3 V device in a 5 V system, the user must consider: • A 3 V power supply must be provided. • A 5 V device driving a 3 V input. • A 3 V […]
App note: High-speed lithium-ion battery charger
C8051F300 implementation of Li-Ion battery charger from Silicon Labs. Link here (PDF) Driven by the need for untethered mobility and ease of use, many systems rely on rechargeable batteries as their primary power source. The battery charger is typically implemented using a fixedfunction IC to control the charging current/voltage profile. The C8051F300 family provides a […]
App note: Sub-1 V current sensing with the TS1001, A 0.8 V, 0.6 µA OP-AMP
Another TS1001 op-amp application from Silicon Labs on sensing nano currents. Link here (PDF) Current-sense amplifiers can monitor battery or solar cell currents, and are useful to estimate power capacity and remaining life. However, if the battery or solar source is a single cell, it’s difficult to find a low voltage solution that works below […]
App note: A microwatt charge pump boosts 1 V to 1.8 V at 90% efficiency, providing “Always On” standby power for microcontrollers
Interesting app note from Silicon Labs on high efficiency charge pump utilizing their nanopower TS1001 op amp. 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 […]