The challenge of improving analog/digital accuracy by preventing amplifier saturation in systems supplied with only a single logic-level power rail has been receiving a lot of activity and design creativity recently. Voltage inverters generating negative rails for keeping RRIO amplifier output circuitry “live” at zero have received most of the attention. But frequent and ingenious contributor Christopher Paul points out that precision rail-to-rail analog signals need similar extension of the positive side for exactly the same reason. He presents several interesting and innovative circuits to ..read more

A new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer aims to open the technology to a larger pool of scientists by making it cheaper, lighter, and easier to use without needing an experienced operator. Its control software—designed to be intuitive with several automated features—makes the set-up straightforward and doesn’t require an expert in EPR spectroscopy to obtain results. EPR or electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, while quite similar to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, examines the nature of unpaired electrons instead of nuclei such as protons. It’s commonly u ..read more

Automotive ethernet is increasingly utilized for in-vehicle electronics to transmit high speed serial data between interconnected devices and components. Due to the relatively fast data rates, and the complexity and variation of the networked devices, signal integrity issues can often arise. This article outlines several real-world challenges and provides insight into how to identify and debug automotive ethernet physical layer signal integrity problems using an oscilloscope. The following is a case study of automotive ethernet debugging performed at Inspectron, a company that designs and man ..read more

RF signals historically are measured using spectrum analyzers, at least that was before oscilloscopes offered sufficient bandwidth for those measurements. With oscilloscope bandwidths over 100 GHz, RF measurements are no longer the exclusive domain of the spectrum analyzer; this is especially true for pulsed RF measurements, where the time domain measurements of an oscilloscope have several advantages. This article will focus on the time measurements of pulsed RF signals. Many devices use pulsed RF signals. The obvious ones are echo-ranging systems like radar. Additionally, nuclear magnetic r ..read more

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), once a territory of highly specialized designs, are steadily gaining prominence in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), and Microchip’s acquisition of Neuronix AI Labs once more asserts this technology premise. The Chandler, Arizona-based semiconductor outfit, long known for highly strategic acquisitions, has announced to acquire Neuronix, a supplier of neural network sparsity optimization technology that enables a reduction in power, size, and calculations for tasks such as image classification, object detection and semantic segmentation. The deal ..read more

As regular readers already know, “for parts only” discount-priced eBay postings suggestive of devices that are (for one reason or another) no longer functional, are often fruitful teardown candidates as supplements to products that have died on me personally. So, when I recently saw a no-longer-working Godox V1 camera flash, which sells new for $259.99, listed on eBay for $66, I jumped on the deal. For teardown purposes, yes. But also, for reuse of its still-functional accessories elsewhere. And, as it turns out, to solve a mystery, too. I’d long wanted to get inside the V1 for a look around ..read more

Microchip’s AVR DU 8-bit MCUs integrate a USB 2.0 full-speed interface that supports power delivery up to 15 W, enabling USB-C charging at up to 3 A at 5 V. According to the manufacturer, this capability, not commonly found in other USB microcontrollers in this class, allows embedded designers to implement USB functionality across a wide range of systems. In addition to higher power delivery than previous devices, AVR DU microcontrollers also feature improved code protection. To defend against malicious attacks, the devices employ Microchip’s Program and Debug Interface Disable (PDID) functi ..read more

RA0 microcontrollers from Renesas are low-cost devices that offer low power consumption and a feature set optimized for cost-sensitive applications. The MCUs can be used in such applications as consumer electronics, system control for small appliances, building automation, and industrial control systems. Based on an Arm Cortex-M23 core, the 32-bit MCUs consume 84.3 µA/MHz in active mode, dropping to just 0.82 mA in sleep mode. A software standby mode cuts current consumption even further, allowing the device to sip just 0.2 µA. These features, coupled with a high-speed on-chip oscillator for ..read more

The first entry in Teledyne’s 650-V power module family, the TDGM650LS60 integrates a 650-V, 60-A GaN transistor and isolated driver in a single package. The module, which is now available off-the-shelf, acts as a load switch or solid-state switch. Fast switching time and the absence of moving parts make the TDGM650LS60 useful for high-reliability applications in the space, avionics, and military sectors. The TDGM650LS60 tolerates up to 100 krads of total ionizing does (TID) radiation and operates over a temperature range of -55°C to +125°C. It’s enhancement-mode GaN transistor has a minimum ..read more

A Bluetooth LE 5.4 module, the HCM511S from Quectel, leverages the power of an Arm Cortex-M33 core, along with 352 or 512 kbytes of flash memory. The module, which also provides 32 kbytes of RAM, brings efficient performance to compact connected devices such as digital keys, portable medical devices, and battery-operated motion sensors. According to Quectel, the Bluetooth module’s transmit power of +6 dBm achieves long-distance transmission, allowing low-power devices to connect cost effectively. Optional support for Bluetooth mesh nodes increases network scalability and allows greater devic ..read more