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THE PUBLICATION FOR DESIGN ENGINEERS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 AN MMG PUBLISHING TITLE
O M E T O
W E L C R E !
E F U T U
T H A R E, S OF T WARE,
N D
A NA L
T ES T
OG,
UIDE!
W A
HARD L , DESIGN G
DIGIT
E
A
Y O U R
ENA B
LET D
+ ALSO FEATURED ON PAGE 30 - Unleashing the
full potential of today’s processors with in-package optical I/O
2212090_TRUST_DENA_US.indd 1 12/5/22 3:22 PM
38
CONTENTS
16
PRINTED ELECTRONICS EDITORS WORD
The future of electronics
is flexible Welcome to the future!
I graduated from high school in England
in the summer of 1975. That was the year
we had two weeks of glorious sunshine
24
without a cloud in the sky (people in
MICROCONTROLLERS the UK talk about it to this day).
MCX delivers the next
generation of MCU capability My friends and I had a few short weeks before
heading off to university. A group of us hung out in
a local park, lying on a grassy bank basking in the
sun talking about what the future might hold.
34
One of the things we discussed was the year 2000, which
was still a quarter of a century in our future. Now, it’s but a
MACHINE VISION distant blur in the rearview mirror of my life. In fact, it just
Designing a vision struck me that we are almost a quarter of the way through the
sensor for a world in motion 21st century already! I’m too young for all this excitement.
Recently, a student asked me how engineers would be
designing electronic products in the future. When I started
my first job in 1980, we captured our designs as hand-drawn
38
schematics using pencil and paper. So, as far as I’m concerned,
CIRCUIT BOARDS we are already in the future with respect to the amazing tools
From design to finished PCB and technologies designers now have at their fingertips.
On the other hand, things continue to evolve. We are
currently seeing the early deployment of artificial intelligence
(AI) capabilities in design and verification tools for both
software and hardware. Also, augmented reality (AR) is
beginning to make its presence felt. Are you thrilled or
Contact terrified by these technologies? Either way, as always,
you can rely on everyone here at DENA to keep you
EDITORIAL CIRCULATION informed as to the latest and greatest developments.
Max Maxfield
Managing Editor: Clive ‘Max’ Maxfield Circulation Account Manager: Liz Poole
max@designing-electronics.com liz.poole@designing-electronics.com
ADVERTISING PUBLISHER
Sales Executive: Will Leary Mark Leary
william.leary@designing-electronics.com mark.leary@designing-electronics.com CLIVE ‘MAX’ MAXFIELD
Director of Operations: Denise Pattenden Editor, DENA
DESIGN denise.pattenden@designing-electronics.com
Production & Design Manager: Josh Hilton
josh.hilton@designing-electronics.com
Junior Creative Artworker: Tom Claydon-Smith
tom.claydon-smith@designing-electronics.com Issue 5, Vol.2 No.01 / Published 6 times per year
by MMG Publishing Limited / MMG PUBLISHING
US Ltd, Normandale Lake Center, 8400 Normandale
Articles appearing in this magazine do not necessarily express the views of the Editor or the publishers. Every effort is made Lake Boulevard, Suite 920, Bloomington MN 55437
to ensure the accuracy of information published. No legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from / Tel: 866.364.0951 / Fax: 952.378.2770 Printed
articles / information contained and published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a by: Cummings / DENA is printed on sustainably sourced paper stock ISSN 2834-7358 © 2022
retrieval system or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the publishers. MMG Publishing Ltd
January/February 2023 03
3:22 PM
NEWS
TOP STORY
TOP STORY
Bosch launches
cost-effective motion sensor
T
iny MEMS motion sensors are all around us. They
make consumer products easier to use and improve
how our smartphones and other gadgets interact
with us. These sensors are precise, compact and
power-efficient, however, until now, they have been overly
complex for basic applications. To address this issue, Bosch
Sensortec has launched the BMI323, an affordable Inertial
Measurement Unit (IMU) with excellent performance and
integrated features enabling a shorter development time.
The BMI323 is a general-purpose, low-power IMU that combines The BMI323’s combination of simplicity, low price, and high
precise acceleration and angular rate (gyroscopic) measurement performance will open up new applications for IMUs, including
with intelligent integrated features that are triggered by motion. The consumer products, such as toys, gaming controllers, remote controls,
6-axis BMI323 has a self-calibrating 16-bit triaxial gyroscope, a wearables, fitness trackers, smartwatches, tablets, and laptops.
16-bit triaxial accelerometer, and a 16-bit digital temperature sensor
housed in a miniature 2.5 x 3.0 x 0.83mm3 (14-pin) LGA package. www.bosch-sensortec.com
can be calibrated to report air flow
MINI-DATA-BOX can be specified in two rate with near-zero pressure drop.
shapes: Square and Edge (rectangular),
either with or without flanges for Now, Flusso has launched the FLS122
screws and cable ties, enabling fast flow sensor evaluation kit to help
mounting to walls, ceilings, rails and engineers quickly evaluate its new air
masts. Each enclosure offers plenty velocity sensor’s performance and
of flat surfaces for interfaces. The lids capabilities within their own applications.
have distinctive beveled corners—a The new evaluation kit, which combines
‘diamond cut’ design which reduces an FLS122 velocity sensing module
weight and further enhances the with plug and play hardware and a PC
housings’ stylish, modern aesthetics. GUI, allows users to easily connect
everything together with their laptop
www.okwenclosures.com to assess the sensor’s performance.
OKW introduces smart www.flussoltd.com
MINI-DATA-BOX Flusso launches
OKW has extended its wide range FLS122 sensor Kandou delivers next-
of sensor enclosures with the launch evaluation kit generation USB4 retimer
of tough, elegant new MINI-DATA- Flusso’s FLS122 was
BOX intended for miniaturized go- launched in May 2022
anywhere electronic devices. Its as the world’s smallest
different versions, sizes, colors and air velocity sensor and
optional flanges offer 32 possible supports bidirectional
permutations—all available as standard. flow sensing for real-
time air speed and
The innovative and compact MINI-DATA- temperature measurement.
BOX is ideal for applications including It has a footprint of just 3.5 mm
IoT/IIoT, automation, security and x 3.5 mm, an air speed range of
surveillance technology, environmental 0 to 20 metres per second with
monitoring, measurement and control, measurement accuracy better than Kandou has begun volume
smart logistics, peripherals, interfaces 5 per cent, and a temperature range production of the next generation
and ICT. Its small size also makes it from -40 °C to +85 °C. The FLS122 in the Matterhorn family of USB-C
suitable for wearable electronics. measures air velocity directly and multiprotocol retimers solutions for
04 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com
OUR SERVICE FOR CUSTOM DESIGNS DESIGN WITH TRANSFORMER SPECIALISTS Our engineers are able to develop a transformer as unique as your application. When you lay out your board for DC/DC or AC/DC power converters, you’ll have a transformer expert at your side every step of the way. www.we-online.com #wurthelektronik
NEWS
USB4, adding support for DisplayPort MLX90822 provides an analog output mobility and industrial applications
2.0 functionality to target mobile, voltage. These factory calibrated devices such as autonomous navigation of
tablet and desktop PC applications. measure pressure spans from 1 to 4 bar. robots in logistics environments.
Matterhorn KB8010 extends the The MEMS, sensing element of the The M30 Reference Design Platform
feature set of earlier Matterhorn MLX90824 and MLX90822, consists comprises Lumotive’s LM10 LCM beam
retimers and reinforces Kandou’s of a micro-machined diaphragm that is steering chip and Gpixel’s GTOF0503
USB4 innovative leadership in high- bonded around a cavity that has been sensor. Unlike traditional flash illumination
speed, energy-efficient chip-to-chip etched into a silicon substrate. This solutions, lidar sensors based on LCM
link solutions to improve the way the cavity contains a reference vacuum. The electronic beam steering have numerous
world connects and communicates. diaphragm reacts to any change in the advantages, including superior outdoor
ambient absolute pressure. An accuracy range performance compared with flash
By adding support for DisplayPort of +/-0.5 %FS (full scale) is maintained illumination, software-defined scan
2.0 functionality to KB8010, Kandou over the course of the sensor’s working modes for increased and application-
is meeting the industry’s demand for lifespan. This accuracy is not impacted specific performance (range, field of
increased bandwidth and higher data by the sensor integration thanks to the view, frame rate, resolution) only where
rates. The DisplayPort 2.0 standard PCB-less packaging. Very accurate and it matter, reduced multipath effects
pushes 77.4 gigabits per second of stable pressure measurements allow resulting in better point cloud quality,
data, which means DP2.0 handles optimal engine management to guarantee optimization of illumination across the
16K resolution with HDR at 60Hz or fuel savings and emission reductions. field of view in high ambient light levels
a 10K resolution with HDR at 80Hz. and for varying levels of reflectivity,
In addition to support for DP2.0, The MLX90824 and MLX90822 have and significantly improved interference
KB8010 supports the optional USB4 been developed as a Safety Element mitigation from other sensors.
low-power (CLx) states, USB3.2 out of Context (SEooC) in accordance
Gen 2x2 (20Gbps), supports 1.8V IO with ISO 26262. It supports ASIL B The first version of the M30 Reference
logic and doubles the number of I2C system integration for the MLX90824 Design Platform is currently being
device addresses, enabling system and ASIL A for the MLX90822. evaluated by a number of leading
designers to reduce components on the lidar systems developers, ToF camera
motherboard and decrease system cost. www.melexis.com makers, and industrial OEMs. The
next generation of the platform with
www.kandou.com Lumotive and Gpixel enhanced performance and optimized
for volume manufacturing is expected
announce lidar
Melexis unveils sensor platform
to be available by mid-2023.
the most accurate Lumotive, the developer of Light Control www.lumotive.com
automotive pressure Metasurface (LCM) beam steering chips www.gpixel.com
sensor ever made enabling the next generation of lidar
sensors, and Gpixel, a leading provider of
high-end CMOS image sensor solutions,
has announced the availability of the
M30 Reference Design Platform to speed
the adoption of next generation 3D
lidar sensors for
Melexis has launched a new series of
PCB-less pressure sensor ICs intended
for use in automotive engine management
that deliver the highest degree of
accuracy over lifetime. The MLX90824
determines the absolute pressure, then
delivers a digital output signal using
the SENT protocol. By comparison, the
06 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com
DENA_
DENA_K-Blog_CCAF_EV_1-23p.indd 1 12/2/22 12:48 PM
ASSET TRACKING
Increasing
visibility into
assets with the IoT Marc Pégulu, VP of IoT
and GM, Semtech
The need for accurate, low power technology, that to medical equipment to know high, the need for accurate,
cost-effective, and leverages geolocation-based where and when different cost-effective, and long-
long-lasting tracking IoT solutions for smooth devices are in use or to lasting tracking solutions is
solutions is strong and accurate monitoring, no wheelchairs, so no patient ever strong, and long range and
matter where the asset is needs to wait for help because low power IoT technology is
In today’s constantly evolving located. How does this work? personnel don’t have line of emerging as a front runner.
supply chain landscape, Rather than relying only sight into where they are.
there are many complexities, on GNSS, these solutions www.semtech.com
one of the most pressing combine Wi-Fi and GNSS, With expanded connectivity
of which is asset tracking. scanning to obtain the latitude via satellite, the monitoring
Research shows that nearly and longitude of devices of assets in remote or “According to Juniper
70% of companies don’t for accurate location data. dangerous environments Research, there will be
have complete visibility into Added to that is a connection such as deep in the forest or
their supply chains. And it’s directly to the cloud, ensuring on top of mountain becomes a 27% increase in the
not just the supply chain that continuous coverage is much easier and safer too. number of businesses
where tracking valuable obtained at nearly all times. This could be the case when
assets is critical. From tracking animals for their own
using asset
monitoring cattle on a ranch Another layer for even more protection, for example. tracking between
to equipment at a construction advanced and accurate
site, asset tracking enables location tracking is multi- Finally, with the holiday
now and 2025”
a plethora of use cases. band connectivity on a season quickly approaching,
single device. By extending buyers will soon be flooding
Building the right asset coverage to new bands, be it malls and stores to get the
tracking solution satellite communications or perfect gift for their family and
Many asset tracking solutions sub-GHz, IoT deployments friends. Location-based asset
rely solely on device Global are better able to reach tracking aids in inventory
Navigation Satellite System remote areas where it would management, to ensure
(GNSS) hardware to calculate normally be impractical and products leave the warehouse
locations. While these too expensive to send workers and wind up on store shelves.
solutions are capable of to collect sensor data. Upon arrival, with sensors
providing accurate real-time placed on priority or higher-
outdoor location information, Enabling new use cases priced items, store managers
it’s not the optimal choice for More precise asset tracking can breathe a little easier
most applications. With so solutions opens the door to knowing they are protected
many assets also residing new and emerging use cases should someone try to remove
indoors or traveling between that could lead to significant those items from the store.
indoor to outdoor locations cost and efficiency savings
along their journey, many of for businesses and industries. The path forward
these solutions don’t work According to Proximity According to Juniper
because they aren’t capable of Directory, the combination Research, there will be a
providing location information of people and asset tracking 27% increase in the number
in these environments. could save hospitals hundreds of businesses using asset
of thousands of dollars a year tracking between now and
The emerging alternative with an immediate ROI of 2025, reaching 114 million
is built on long range and 275%. Tracking could extend by 2025. With the stakes so
8 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com
Since 1980 0
www.ibselectronics.com
@ibselectronics sci
AUTOMOTIVE
Boosting efficiency
in automotive
heat pumps transport it where needed. still several years from mass
Is free source energy Internal combustion engine adoption. One innovation
the secret to tripling (ICE) vehicles do not need from Mahle is a high-voltage
electric vehicle (EV) heat pumps due to the PTC heater, offering improved
passenger heating waste heat available from safety, lower cost, smaller
system efficiency? the ~70% of fuel energy packaging envelope, and
lost in converting chemical- higher efficiency through
EVs have historically to-thermal-to-mechanical intelligent electronics that
implemented positive energy to drive the car. constantly monitor and adjust
temperature coefficient (PTC) the PTC element resistance to
heaters to raise the cabin There are two critical optimize temperature delivery. Gabe Osorio, Director in
temperature in heating mode. advantages the heat pump The improved efficiency of TBU Marketing, TTI
These devices generate heat offers over a traditional system the Mahle unit can increase
by printing conductive ink onto with a PTC heater. First, it is driving range by 20% when and range at all operating
polymer-based substrates. bi-directional, able to manage combined with a heat pump conditions. As a result, once
Its material properties allow both heating and cooling cabin and operates down to -40oC. they roll out systems with
the PTC heater to regulate climate efficiently. Second, parallel heat pumps and
the temperature without scavenging ambient heat Sanhua produces an EXV for battery/electronics cooling
passively needing external enables up to three units of fluorinated R-134a HFC and loops, OEMs will likely begin
controls. As a result of output energy for one unit R-1234yf HFO refrigerant work to fully-integrated the
thermal self-regulation, PTC of input energy, diverting systems that embeds the two circuits. This approach
heaters deliver an efficiency more of the battery’s power control board and integrates will require innovation in
of around 100%, comparable toward vehicle propulsion the onboard diagnostics while (at least) sensors, control
to that of an electric heater. vs. cabin climate, thereby operating between -40oC valves, heat exchangers, and
extending the driving range. and 120oC. This combination sealing technology to manage
While this current state is a delivers precision flow control, the complexity. However,
marked improvement over Heat pump trends boosting COP by more than with the energy around
traditional fixed-resistance and innovations 10% while maximizing the EVs and the opportunity
heaters that use coils and In addition to the components heat exchangers’ effectiveness for market leadership
wires for heat generation, required for basic vapor- with precision superheat at stake, it’s certainly a
diverting electric energy to compression refrigeration control. In addition, this problem worth solving.
heat the cabin is parasitic (compressor, condenser, improved accuracy can reduce
to the cold-weather driving expansion valve, evaporator), excessive heat exchanger www.tti.com
range, a critical hurdle for automotive heat pump sizing to account for flow
manufacturers. As a result, the systems have additional variability, reducing system
industry searched for solutions electronics that enable the cost while decreasing mass
to improve this limitation and technology. These are the to extend the driving range.
landed on a solution initially PTC heater and electric
developed for stationary expansion valve (EXV). Takeaways and future
heating: the heat pump. development
PTC heaters are still needed EVs are compelling the
Heat pumps and EVs to kickstart heating at industry to look at thermal
Heat pumps take heat from extremely cold temperatures management holistically, using
ambient air (outside the in heat pump systems. They all available heat sources
vehicle or waste heat from are also the current standard, and demands to optimize
the battery or drivetrain) and as heat pump vehicles are the system for performance
10 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com1887
Emile Berliner receives the patent for the gramophone.
James Blyth builds the first electricity generating wind turbine.
Herman Hollerith receives a U.S. patent for his punch-card calculator.
Sager opens its first location in Boston, Massachusetts.
All great things begin with a single step – or in Sager’s case a single storefront.
Recognized as the first distributor in the industry, Sager opened for business one hundred thirty-five years ago in
downtown Boston, Massachusetts, servicing the growing interest in radio technology.
Under the vision and leadership of Joe Sager, the company established a thriving business that put the needs of its
customers first. Since then Sager has grown into a North American distributor of interconnect, power, thermal and
electromechanical products and a provider of custom design and
manufacturing solutions.
And after 135 years, Sager still operates just as Joe envisioned – based on a
commitment to exceeding expectations and keeping the customer at the
center of its business philosophy.
Sager Electronics, a TTI Inc., Berkshire Hathaway Company
www.sager.com | 1.800.724.8370MACHINE VISION C
Hand-tuning your R
ISP may degrade
P
D
your CV performance the accuracy of the vision
H
m
o
Algolux Atlas models is actually being
maximizes image negatively impacted by the
quality and computer hand-tuning of the ISP.
vision results
ISPs are designed based
We are surrounded by on our understanding of the
cameras and displays, from human eye and limitations of
those in our pockets to display devices, essentially
security cameras to our cars, removing information from the
and we’ve enjoyed the benefit rich RAW sensor data. But
of amazing improvements CV models are not limited like
in image quality with each the human eye, with dynamic Algolux Atlas enables automated workflows that
new generation of these range being one good optimize ISP parameters in days to maximize
systems. Those benefits come example. Based on the CV image quality and computer vision results
from ongoing innovations model’s architecture, training,
in camera sensors, display and function (e.g., object to automatically optimize Atlas first pushes the
technologies, and the image detection, segmentation, depth sophisticated ISPs to optimization dataset through
signal processing (ISP) sensing, etc.), each model maximize vision results in their the ISP vendor’s bit-accurate
pipelines that take the RAW expects certain image quality vision systems in a matter of model integrated with Atlas.
sensor data and convert it to characteristics that result in days. It can also be used by Atlas directs the processed
something pleasing to view. optimal vision results. The only those teams to significantly images to your target pre-
way to achieve this is through reduce the time and effort trained computer vision
ISP parameters are objective optimization of the of tuning camera systems model(s), and results are
traditionally hand-tuned by ISP parameters to maximize for visual image quality, so evaluated against the CV’s
expert imaging teams over the vision model accuracy the teams can focus on the KPIs. Atlas then determines
many months to produce metrics (KPIs) rather than final subjective fine-tuning. a new parameter set
visually good images, manually tuning for the “best” and repeats the process,
something done for every subjective image quality. The process starts with intelligently searching the
new lens and sensor your team capturing and rugged ISP parameter
configuration. Of course, these This multi-object ISP hyper- annotating a small dataset space to find an optimal set
subjectively good results are parameter optimization of RAW images from that maximizes the KPIs.
determined by the imaging problem has been very difficult the lens/sensor module
team, the product owner, to solve. The ISP parameter being used for the vision This process can be
and—ultimately—everyone space is massive and highly system representing the applied to any vision
who looks at the images or non-convex (e.g., having a application (e.g., object system and has been
video being displayed. great many local minima) classes, illumination, etc.). proven in many customer
with which stochastic and This can typically be done engagements, resulting in
But what about computer other solvers struggle. Algolux
LE
using a couple of hundred significant improvement
vision (CV), such as in the has cracked this problem images for the optimization in computer vision
systems that can prevent a with a cloud-based tool and dataset and a few thousand performance vs. hand-
car crash, identify people, workflow called the Atlas for the validation dataset. If tuned ISPs. Learn more
or enable your phone to put Camera Optimization Suite. visual image quality is being from this case study and by
a mustache filter on your optimized (or both CV and connecting with Algolux.
face? These CV models use Atlas enables camera imaging image quality), then RAW lab
the same ISP output, but and perception design teams chart captures are required. www.algolux.com
R
12 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com CCommitted to excellence
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Call +1 734-892-4656 or visit rutronik.com today! Email: pm_north_america@rutronik.comCOMPONENTS
An update on stacked
ceramic capacitors for
defense applications They are manufactured using equivalent PME device, Moving from a lead-less
MIL-PRF-32535 for precious metal electrode which has huge implications to a lead-frame assembly
discrete MLCCs has (PME) MLCCs, which for defense applications. conveniently packages an
led to the discussion employ a combination of array of MLCCs into a smaller
of stacked ceramic palladium, silver, and/or The development and footprint to conserve PCB
capacitors based on platinum as the bulk of the acceptance of MIL-PRF-32535 surface area, but there are
BME technology electrode system. This has was made possible largely other benefits that may not be
been used for decades and by the help of a few key readily apparent. For example,
has established a strong suppliers in this field, and it’s MLCCs can potentially
Stacked ceramic capacitors reputation for PME devices. interesting to note that new be prone to cracking from
are multiple discrete multi-layer slash sheets are coming out mechanical strain caused
ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) More recently, however, MIL- for low inductance versions by PCB flexure, high shock
terminated onto a common PRF-32535 was released, of these discrete MLCCs that and vibration environments,
lead-frame for through-hole or and this features base metal can keep up with the high- and thermal coefficient of
SMT operations. They capture electrode (BME) technology, speed decoupling demands of expansion (TCE) mismatch
many of the inherent benefits predominantly nickel. It’s powerful FPGAs, for example. from assembly, rework,
of MLCC technology, like a intuitive to focus on the temperature cycling tests, or
low-loss material set, low ESR cost efficiency of BME over The MIL-PRF-32535 for even operating conditions,
(equivalent series resistance), PME devices, but there are discrete MLCCs has led to to name but a few. Although
and higher reliability. other ramifications in the the discussion of stacked there are numerous sources
manufacturing process that ceramic capacitors based of strain, their lead-frames
Typical applications like switch are not immediately apparent, on BME technology. These provides relief to stacked
mode power supplies need but are helpful for designers, would be similar to devices ceramic capacitors.
larger capacitance values component engineers, and created under the existing
and current capabilities. program managers in the M49470 standard, but In summary, stacked ceramic
Stacked MLCCs compete with defense sector to consider. with higher capacitance capacitors based on BME
discrete electrolytic capacitor densities, following closely technology are a great fit
technology in terms of MLCCs must be sintered to with the progression of high for applications with tough
capacitance range but have an create the monolithic block performance SiC and GaN mechanical, thermal, and
advantage in terms of voltage of dielectric and electrode HEMTs for commercial, electrical design constraints.
and temperature capability, layers. The temperature automotive, and high-
which naturally increases their profile for firing BME devices reliability applications. www.kyocera-avx.com
reliability, thereby making is significantly different to
this a preferred technology PME devices. PME processes
for defense applications are more concerned about
Discrete MLCC (left) compared to
despite its higher price point evaporating the PME materials
stacked ceramic capacitor (right)
compared to electrolytics. than are BME processes.
Because of this, there is more
The Military Performance flexibility for ceramic engineers
(MIL-PRF) standard for creating BME devices to
stacked ceramic capacitors develop a dielectric material
is MIL-PRF-49470. Suppliers that can be sintered at higher
can build to this specification temperatures that will realize
and provide their devices a much larger capacitance
for predominantly defense value in the finished MLCC
and aerospace applications. that is smaller than an
14 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.comPOWERING
TOP PRIORITY
MISSIONS
Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors
for Defense Applications
KYOCERA AVX has been approved by the Defense
Logistics Agency (DLA) for their MIL PRF 32535 BME
X7R MLCC technology. Using cutting-edge technology,
KYOCERA AVX offers MIL PRF 32535 approved
capacitors from 0402 to 2220 case sizes with
capacitance ranging from 2.2nF to 22μF and voltage
ranging from 16–100 volts. In addition, KYOCERA AVX's
MIL PRF 32535 meets the designer's needs by boosting
the CV range compared to the standard surface mount
military ranges along with reducing the gap between
commercial and military spec product ranges while
meeting the military reliability levels.
ǐǐǐDŽǒLjƼƾNjƺƺǏǑƼLjdžPRINTED ELECTRONICS
The future of
electronics
is flexible traditional semiconductor Until recently, innovating in
With NOVA you can components, bridging the gap flexible hybrid electronics has
print electronics between what we can do with been a very elusive pursuit,
on everything traditional electronics and what encumbered by barriers like
we wish we could do. Imagine time-consuming processes,
the possibilities if stretchable, an incohesive value chain,
The electronics industry is flexible, biocompatible extremely expensive
going through a paradigm electronics could be printed equipment, inadequate
shift. For the past 60+ years, onto almost anything. technological solutions, and
electronic design has been a general lack of knowledge
centered around subtractive Advancements in both around materials compatibility.
technology, with limited materials and technology Basically, it’s been the Wild
materials options—primarily are making it possible West of electronics design.
FR4 or Kapton substrates— to print conductive ink
with copper for connecting directly onto substrates like In October 2022, Voltera
together the powerful silicon thermoplastic polyurethane, launched NOVA, the world’s
components that have been the Kapton, glass, paper, first benchtop printer for soft,
driving force behind electronics carbon fiber, biodegradable stretchable, flexible, and
advancement. Electronics materials, curved surfaces— conformable electronics.
products are smaller, faster, almost anything you can NOVA extrudes conductive
lighter, and exponentially conceive. Researchers paste materials (also
more powerful nowadays, but are already experimenting called screen-printable Matt Ewertowski, Product
they are still limited by their with smart garments inks) using Voltera’s Smart Manager at Voltera
form factors—innovation has that can go through the Dispenser to print circuits
been limited by materials. washing machine, medical on almost any surface, This enables high-resolution
sensors that interface including surfaces with up printing, but the traces are
The emerging field of flexible organically with human to a 30-degree curvature. thin and delicate, resulting
hybrid electronics (FHE) is skin, and electronics in lower conductivity and
changing the way we think printed directly onto the The only option for mass- lower durability. While inkjet
about electronics design. It has curvature of a rocket. producing flexible hybrid technology is perfectly suited
the potential to transform the electronics utilizes screen to some uses, like diabetes
way we interact and interface Working with flexible printing technology, so test strips, it’s not ideal for
with devices in our daily lives. and stretchable inks and prototyping on NOVA, which more robust applications.
The promise of FHE is the materials opens the door uses screen-printable inks, is You can’t use thick materials
ability to create traditional to functionality that was the easiest method for scaling with inkjet printers, it just
electronics but in new form not previously possible to the production stage. clogs up the whole system.
factors. From devices that with traditional electronics.
move, stretch, and bend Stretchable ink can function Compared to inkjet inks, When developing NOVA,
with the user, to electronics as a strain sensor, for example, screen-printable inks are Voltera conducted extensive
that can be embedded into a functional property that more viscous and yield market research and beta
injection molded parts. can be applied to medical higher conductivity. They testing. User feedback was
prosthetics, remote-controlled are more durable, too. thoughtfully integrated into
FHE is a combination devices, robotic skin, aircraft, Inkjet technology uses the design of the printer and
of printed elements with automotive design, and more. low-viscosity, water-like inks. Continue on page 18 >
16 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.comDiscrete Solutions for your
Design Challenges
The design support you require
Since 1974, Central Semiconductor has been the go-to manufacturer for customers around the world who want innovative
and reliable discrete semiconductors. Satisfying engineers’ most demanding design requirements for the latest
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Central Semiconductor Corp. • 145 Adams Ave. • Hauppauge NY 11788 • USA • www.centralsemi.com • +1 631.435.1110PRINTED ELECTRONICS
modules, acknowledging allows the team to make study analyzes various and when you want to scale
many of the challenges faced leaps in progress, achieving properties of the electrodes up production, because screen
by innovators in the field. extreme performance printed with a customized printing isn’t compatible
thresholds like sub-10- inkjet printer, compared with watery inkjet inks.
When you’re working on micron printing precision. to electrodes printed with
novel ideas, there’s a lot of NOVA’s Smart Dispenser. Andrew Bambach, Production
trial and error involved. Being “Working with NOVA has been These kinds of electrode Manager at ACI Materials, is a
able to prototype and iterate fascinating,” said Alex Kashkin, sensors can be applied to a key player in the effort to make
at your desk allows you to Graduate Researcher, patient’s skin as a temporary flexible hybrid electronics into
experiment at your own pace Velásquez Group at MIT. tattoo, interfacing organically a more accessible industry.
and avoid outsourcing-related “We’ve been able to construct with the human body. As Andrew notes, “I’ve printed
delays. Rapid iteration can devices that we would not frequently with NOVA and use
lead to strides in engineering be able to do conventionally “I think where this sort of it to develop characterization
innovation and speed up without expending enormous technology will shine is in techniques for further product
your time to market. Keeping time and resources. It’s just applications that were not development for us. NOVA is
your work in-house has the a remarkable improvement possible before. You shouldn’t very different from any other
added advantage of protecting in our work, both in terms of fight or try to compete product. The user interface
your intellectual property. surface mapping and optical with silicon chips or PCBs. is very friendly. It’s the type
alignment. And it’s greatly You should try to make of machine that I would feel
The benefits of rapid iteration enabled us to construct new something that’s impossible comfortable handing off to
are being optimized by the devices, and be able to do so with those technologies,” technicians, knowing that
Massachusetts Institute of much quicker than we have said Professor Grau. they’re going to be able to run
Technology (MIT). There, before in order to reach the the right recipes and figure out
the Velásquez Group is iteration cycles we need.” Sometimes the equipment and how to use it relatively easily.”
using NOVA to print carbon materials that are accessible
nanotube field emitters, At York University’s Electronics to researchers and product The future of electronics
sensors, and other space Additive Manufacturing developers during ideation is flexible, and with
componentry for satellites. Lab, under the supervision and iteration are incompatible the right tools at your
Because the group has a of Professor Gerd Grau, with the technologies and fingertips, the possibilities
NOVA in their lab, they have Yoland El-Hajj et al. recently materials necessary for mass are almost limitless.
been able to cycle through conducted a study on printed production. If you’ve hacked
thousands of prototypes biomedical electrodes using a solution to iterate with an www.voltera.io
within the span of a few silver flexible conductive inkjet printer, you’ll have to go
months. Rapid iteration inks and tattoo paper. The back to the drawing board if
18 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.comFEATURE LIST MARCH/APRIL
Artificial Intelligence
Frequency Management
EMS / Security / Quantum
Computing / IOT / Power /
Robotics / Embedded Software
Communications / Sensors
Medical Electronics
Want to feature in
the next issue?
Contact us:
william.leary@designing-electronics.com
Editorial Deadline: 02/07/2023
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THE PUBLICATIO
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January/February 2023 19DISPLAYS
USB-C meets monitors specification. The Display right next to the SoC within
Monitors that support SoC (system-on-chip) the monitor. This is fine in
USB-C have found an supports this method of some form factors, but it
important niche in the dividing the flows between is a significant limitation in
display ecosystem the monitors. This daisy others. Numerous monitors
chain mode of operation have put their interfaces
is a capability that other in creative places for
The USB-C connector has video interfaces such as their user’s convenience.
made inroads for its use HDMI do not support, and In this situation, a USB4
as a good interface for it is a powerful reason to retimer device can be put
monitors. This trend started consider buying and using close to the connector.
with the introductions of a monitor that contains a The retimer will clean up
the USB-C connector, USB-C connector, given the signal from the SoC.
USB Power Delivery, the that a single connector can
USB 3.2 interface speed, power a laptop and drive The future looks bright
and the DisplayPort Alt two or more large monitors. for monitors that support
Mode. This combination USB-C. They have found
allowed USB-C to act as DisplayPort 2.1 introduced an important niche in the
a universal connector with the ability to have all four display ecosystem that
enough power delivery pairs within each USB-C is likely to expand over
to drive a laptop and connector operate in a time. And USB4 retimer
sufficient speed to drive a single direction, which is technology from Kandou
display. The lure of having what displays need. This is available to support
just one connection to allows up to 4 x 20 Gb/s these USB-C monitor
support a laptop with a or 80 Gb/s of bandwidth deployments if required.
Brian Holden, Vice President
monitor proved irresistible to be utilized over a single
of Standards, Kandou
to some consumers. connector. This allows www.kandou.com
even higher resolution
Multiple monitor suppliers setups to be supported.
including Acer, Apple,
ASUS, BenQ, Corsair, USB4 rate signals can only
Dell, HP, Gigabyte, LG, be driven about two to three
MSI, Razer, and Sony inches from the SoC across
have delivered monitors a conventional loss printed
that support USB-C. A circuit board (PCB) to the
chunk of the more recent connector without violating
monitors support USB-C the USB4 specification
power delivery, many with for the outgoing signal.
enough power to supply a This limits the placement
laptop. Until recently, these of that USB4 interface to
monitors have supported
USB 3.2 and nearly
all support the USB-C
DisplayPort Alt Mode.
A few recent 5K monitors
have come out that support
5K daisy chain operation.
To sustain this, these
monitors have two USB4-
enabled USB-C ports that
support the DisplayPort
Multi-Stream Transport
20 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.com
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Silicon Carbide Pushes
Power Electronics to Center Stage
Wide bandgap semiconductor materials like GaN and silicon carbide have emerged as the top solution
to many of the power management challenges facing segments of the electronics industry
Power electronics engineers “The transmission and photovoltaic and growing sources climbing, pushing aside
are amongst the hottest stars distribution of power across need for more efficient power fossil fuels, the electronics
of today’s OEM design world. great distances are two management and new safety industry has responded with
common uses [of power features in the automotive innovative solutions based
Thanks, in large part, to wide semiconductors],” said analysts industry have increased on newer and more resilient
bandgap semiconductor at Straits Research, in a report. the adoption of power semiconductor materials,
materials that are finally offering “These high-performance semiconductors in the IT & according to industry analysts.
innovative solutions to some components can handle consumer electronics industry,
of the knottiest power design several gigawatts of electrical automotive, power distribution, “Power electronics play a key
and management challenges current, voltage, and frequency. and rail transportation role in shifting electrical energy
engineers have struggled to Silicon Carbide is used for sectors,” said Allied Market patterns to renewable energy
overcome over the last decades. high-power applications Research analysts, in a with higher energy efficiency,”
because of the wide bandgap recent report. “Increasing said Markets and Markets, in
Of course, conventional silicon offered. The increase in R&D demand for compact products a report.“At present, several
still rules the semiconductor activities that target enhanced has enabled companies to countries are shifting from
world, accounting for material capabilities is adopt collaboration strategy electricity generation using
the largest share of the expected to provide a strong to offer industry-specific fossil fuels like coal and gas
industry’s 2021 revenue impetus for market growth.” products. Market players have to renewable energy sources
of $555.9 billion. Silicon focused on innovation in new and a simultaneous decline
remains King of the chip As semiconductor adoption has technologies such as silicon for non-renewable ones.”
market and this is unlikely spread across most segments carbide-based devices to
to change anytime soon. of the economy, the amount expand their market presence.” The result is the emergence
of energy required to power of a new power electronic
SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET WATCH
But not in any market where electronic devices has exploded. Factors that have pushed design environment. Energy
a more efficient and resilient The new economic opportunities wide bandgap semiconductor systems used in electronic
power management system need massive amounts of materials to the fore of power devices nowadays must help
is required. For automotive, energy, however, while society designs have proliferated OEMs achieve their desire
aviation, medical, military, is trying to move away from as designers try to reduce for faster, smaller, and more
and industrial applications, fossil fuels and exploiting non- system footprint or meet efficient devices. The larger
electronic companies are traditional power sources such stringent demands for society, in turn, wants to reduce
turning to alternate materials as solar, according to observers. cleaner energy systems. With the harmful effects of global
from the wide bandgap group, demand for cleaner and more warming and has identified
especially gallium nitride, (GaN) Design for environment environmentally friendly energy fossil fuels as energy sources
and silicon carbide, (SiC). In this environment,
manufacturers, governments,
Forecasters estimate the and communities are seeking
global power semiconductor cleaner, more efficient, and North America Europe Asia Pacific
South America Middle East and Africa
market will increase by resilient power management
2030 to $50 billion, up from systems. Semiconductors are
$40 billion, at the beginning key to the achievement of the
of the decade. Driving the long-term objectives of all the
growth will be demand for parties involved and SiC is
wide bandgap semiconductor increasingly the first option for
materials, which are seeing many designers, analysts said.
surging use in electricity
2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
generation and management “Increasing use of non-
as well as in storage and conventional energy sources Silicon Carbide market
C C
various market segments. such as tidal, solar and
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You design. We deliver. The Newest Products for Your Newest Designs® MY
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that must be eliminated race to overcome production, companies, although billions of year, WolfSpeed, for example,
to attain this objective. yield and supply challenges. dollars are now being poured opened what it termed the
Manufacturers who want to into the segment to beef up world’s largest 200mm SiC fab
Engineers are offering wide reduce power consumption production, secure raw materials in Marcy, New York. Company
bandgap semiconductor in SoCs, CPUs and GPUs, and ensure adequate supply executives said the new fabs
materials as the perfect agents increasingly favor SiC to meet surging demand. will increase the supply of SiC
for achieving objectives shared and GaN nowadays. to customers by improving
by electronic OEMs and Manufacturers have responded wafer quality and yield.
society, according to industry “Companies use wide bandgap to the recent automotive IC
executives and analysts. semiconductor materials to shortages with plans to expand Later in the year, WolfSpeed
accommodate the increased current production facilities in said BorgWarner had agreed
“Nowadays, wide bandgap- power and frequencies involved Europe and North America. to invest $500 million in the
based solutions are rapidly in new power designs for electric chipmaker to secure supplies.
gaining importance,” said vehicles, optoelectronics, and Semiconductor materials The investment would
Infineon Technologies in a report other applications that present supplier Coherent, formerly guarantee BorgWarner up
discussing the company’s plans severe operating conditions,” II-VI, plans to invest about $1 to $650 million in annual SiC
for the power market.“Silicon said Market and Market billion in SiC over the next 10 capacity, the companies said.
carbide and gallium nitride analysts.“The players operating years in response to rising
complement and expand the in the power electronics industry customer demand, according “Silicon carbide-based
possibilities of silicon and can are focusing on integrating to company executives. power electronics play an
offer cost benefit advantages multiple functionalities in a increasingly important role
for various use cases. Several single chip, which results “Our customers are accelerating for our customers as our
applications have reached or in a complex design.” their plans to intersect the electric business continues
surpassed their tipping points, anticipated tidal wave of to accelerate,” said Frédéric
and market researchers are While SiC has emerged as demand for SiC power Lissalde, president and
predicting very dynamic growth. a favored material for power electronics in electric vehicles CEO of BorgWarner, in a
We have a clear strategy for devices nowadays, it is not a that we expect will come right statement announcing the
capturing this growth and the new discovery. In fact, it has behind the current adoption agreement. “We believe this
value associated with it.” been in use for more than one cycle in industrial, renewable agreement helps ensure that
hundred years although its energy, datacenters, and more,” BorgWarner will have a reliable
Silicon vs. Silicon-Carbide history in the semiconductor said Sohail Khan, head of new supply of high-quality silicon
SEMICONDUCTOR MARKET WATCH
The design engineering area is more recent. The initial Ventures & wide-bandgap carbide devices, which are
community is today actively use, because of its resilience, electronics technologies at significant to the company’s
playing up the numerous was as an abrasive. Coherent, in a statement inverter growth plans.”
advantages wide bandgap announcing plans by the
semiconductor materials The use of SiC in the electronics company to expand its factory Adds Gregg Lowe, president,
like silicon carbide has market was complicated by in Easton, Pennsylvania. and CEO of WolfSpeed:
over regular silicon. production and integration “BorgWarner has been
challenges. Companies like In September, Infineon opened a strong partner with
SiC is especially useful for STMicroelectronics, Infineon and its latest power electronics fab WolfSpeed for many years,
complex devices where factors WolfSpeed have been working in Villach, Austria. Construction and we are pleased to secure
such as size, weight, stability, on SiC for many years, trying on the fab started in 2019 and the investment from them
extreme temperature, high to overcome issues related to is expected to boost sales by which will be used to support
voltage, shock, and resistance production yield and adaptability $2 billion when operational. our capacity expansion
are considered critical. Due for various applications. The fab will produce parts for efforts and ensure we have
to its resilience – hard and OEMs serving the EV, data a steady supply of products
strong – SiC is favored for Many of those challenges center, solar and wind energy for their customers. This
systems used in automotive, remain today. markets, the company said. agreement, combined with our
aerospace and defense, most recent announcement
industrial and renewable energy. SiC is tough to produce but the Infineon followed up in November of a multi-billion-dollar
supply chain supporting it is with plans to construct another materials expansion in
It is in power consumption, also not as well developed as 300mm power semiconductor North Carolina, confirms
though, that SiC has gained for regular silicon. Investments manufacturing facility in Dresden. the industry transition from
prominence over the last in the market has also Other manufacturers are silicon to silicon carbide
C
several years as manufacturers been limited to a handful of making similar moves. Last is well underway.”
M
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Authorized distributor
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ns®
MY
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CMY
KMICROCONTROLLERS
MCX delivers the
next generation
of MCU capability product designs so that, in only with local intelligence. amassed over many years of
Low power, low cost, addition to reporting report That means not having using these devices. These
high performance, their status and receive to rely on large quantities considerations drove the
wireless connectivity? commands remotely, they of data being relayed to specification of not just the
MCX has a family form part of a larger system the cloud, especially if the MCX series of MCUs, but also
for that! of systems in which multiple embedded devices have the software and supply-chain
devices on the internet of access only to unreliable or infrastructure around them.
The adoption of 32-bit things (IoT) collaborate low-bandwidth connections.
microcontrollers (MCUs) in a to enable sophisticated Privacy concerns have also In designing the MCX
market previously dominated applications. That not only emerged in recent years, hardware, NXP set out to
by 8- and 16-bit devices has drives demand for integrated providing another reason build a series of devices that
surged over the past two wireless communications for performing ML functions can handle the huge range
decades. The market size of capability, but also for a locally to avoid potentially of demands that now feature
32-bit MCUs surpassed that of security framework that sensitive data being in the 32-bit MCU space. As
either 8- or 16-bit products a ensures devices cannot be transmitted over the internet. its starting point, NXP took
decade ago, and sales of 32- compromised by remote An on-chip secure subsystem the powerful but efficient
bit devices continue to grow attacks or by malicious users. provides the necessary Cortex-M33 core. Around
strongly compared to those protection for a secure boot, this core are peripherals that
lower-performance devices. Built-in performance is preventing malicious code are tuned for each target
The reasons are clear: there also crucial. The arrival of from hijacking the system. application and market
are many applications that call commercially successful space. The products range
for the increases in memory artificial intelligence (AI) and Although they need more from low-power devices
capacity and processing machine learning (ML) in the features and performance, in the MCX L series and
speed that 32bit architectures server space is now driving when migrating to a new low-cost MCUs in the MCX
such as the Arm® Cortex® the evolution of the same platform, longstanding A series, up to the advanced
-M family continue to deliver. technologies at the edge. users of MCUs such as features of the MCX N series
Consumers and industrial those from NXP’s large LPC with as much as 4MB of
Connectivity has become users alike want the rapid and Kinetis families do not onboard flash and 1MB of
a key element of many response that is possible want to lose the experience SRAM. Another example of
this internal differentiation
lies in the security features
that each family offers.
Designed for high-
performance embedded
systems, the MCX N Series
features the EdgeLock(R)
Secure Subsystem that
provides a root-of-trust
implementation in silicon.
The hardware includes
cryptographic acceleration
engines protected against
side-channel attacks
that are increasingly
being used against MCU
24 January/February 2023 • designing-electronics.comYou can also read
