Semiconductors

Grid

Silicon nitrade ceramics help heat dissipation

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan is working with NGK Insulators to standardise evaluation methods for measuring thermal diffusivity of thin substrates, writes Nick Flaherty.

Web exclusive

NXP unveils industry-first ultra-wideband wireless BMS

NXP Semiconductors’ Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless battery management system (BMS) simplifies EV assembly, enables higher energy density, and decouples mechanical and electrical development for faster time to market.

Web exclusive

SiliconAuto adopts PAVE360 to speed semiconductor development

SiliconAuto has adopted Siemens Digital Industries Software’s PAVE360 software to help it reduce the development time of its range of semiconductors for the automotive industry. SiliconAuto’s goal is to provide a virtual reference development environment for its forthcoming advanced driver assistance system prior to silicon hardware availability.

Deep Insight

Power Semiconductors

Nick Flaherty discovers how the world of power semiconductor devices is shifting away from silicon Power semiconductors are used across many areas of e-mobility, with different technologies suitable for each part of a vehicle, depending on the voltage and current requirements, while emerging tech is allowing smaller systems to be implemented.

Grid

Smart switch protects 800V battery packs

Kyocera AVX has developed a smart semiconductor switch for EV battery pack designs, writes Nick Flaherty. The switch supports voltage levels up to 930 V for 800 V battery packs and is able to withstand short current events up to several thousand amps. Using a scalable design, the switch can be adapted to different power classes up to 640 kW continuous performance and provides both a safety cutoff and also support for higher charging rates.

Grid

Cheaper, more efficient MOSFETs

iDEAL Semiconductor has developed a technology that can improve the efficiency and cut the cost of power MOSFETs for e-mobility applications (writes Nick Flaherty). The SuperQ process technology can also be applied to SiC MOSFETs and GaN transistors in the future, said Mark Granahan, CEO and founder of iDeal Semiconductor.

Grid

GaN switch for 400 V powertrains

Power Integrations has developed a 900 V flyback switching chip with a gallium nitride transistor for more efficient 400 V powertrain designs (writes Nick Flaherty). The InnoSwitch3-AQ uses the company’s proprietary PowiGaN transistor to...

Grid

SiC films could outstrip diamond

Researchers in Japan have shown that the thermal conductivity of thin films of cubic 3C-silicon carbide can be higher than diamond. The team, led by Associate Professor Jianbo Liang and Professor Naoteru Shigekawa at the Osaka Metropolitan University

Show Report

Battery Show Europe 2021

Peter Donaldson reports with highlights of this show, at which ways of containing thermal runaway were at the fore If there was one theme that shone out from conversations at the Battery Show

New Products

G-Pulse and Silicon Mobility collaborate on high-power multiphase DC-DC converter

G-Pulse and Silicon Mobility have announced that they are designing a high-power multiphase interleaving bidirectional DC-DC converter platform for EVs including those using fuel cells, batteries, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric. It is based on Silicon Mobility’s OLEA control technology, and draws on G-Pulse’s engineering expertise in automotive systems.
ONLINE PARTNERS