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 Products Jul 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Click here for the enhanced PDF version of this article Active Components
MEMS switches
TeraVicta's DPDT and SP4T switches operate from dc to 7 GHz. Both switches use the high force disk actuator (HFDA), an enabling technology used across all TeraVicta products. The DPDT is configured as two independent SPDTs, giving engineers the maximum flexibility as to how they use the device in their applications. It can be used to handle differential signals, or for density improvements in multiswitch environments. The SP4T integrates four HFDA switch elements, each of which is independently controlled, so the switch is ideal for signal multiplexing, or for applications like antenna switching where higher integration and low insertion loss are the most critical parameters. The TT2214 DPDT and TT1414 SP4T switches and evaluation boards are available as engineering samples from TeraVicta. Pricing for either is $59.50 each in sample quantities and $32.25 each in 1000-piece quantities; production quantities will be available in the fourth quarter. Evaluation boards are $400. CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Single-chip GNSS receiver
Maxim Integrated Products' MAX2769 is a universal, single-chip global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver for GPS (L1 C/A code and P-code), Galileo, and GLONASS navigation satellite systems. Due to integration of a complete receiver chain, including an LNA, this receiver eliminates the need for an external LNA and achieves a total cascaded noise figure (NF) of 1.4 dB. Designed using low-power SiGe BiCMOS process technology, the MAX2769 offers high performance and integration at a low cost. Incorporated on the chip is a complete receiver chain, including a dual-input LNA and mixer, image-rejected filter, VGA, VCO, fractional-N frequency synthesizer, crystal oscillator, and multibit ADC. Through this high level of integration, the receiver eliminates the need for an external LNA in passive antenna applications, as well as the need for external IF SAW filters. The integrated delta-sigma fractional-N frequency synthesizer enables IF-programming with ±40 Hz accuracy while operating with any reference or crystal frequency that is available in the host system. The integrated ADC outputs one or two quantized bits for I and Q channels or three quantized bits for the I channel. Output data is available at CMOS or at limited-differential logic levels. The MAX2769 is designed to work with most GPS baseband processors. The receiver is packaged in a 5 mm × 5 mm, 28-pin TQFN with an exposed paddle; a tested die version is available. Prices start at $2.95 for 1000 pieces. Capacitive touch sensor arrays
STMicroelectronics S-Touch family of ultralow-power touch-sensor chips are intended for portable applications. The family uses ATLab's impedance change-detection engine, which is capable of detecting changes in capacitance as small as 60 fF. This technology is fully digital and needs no on-chip MCU, memory or firmware to implement touch-responsive control interfaces. The first products in the family are 8-channel and 12-channel devices. The family complements the MCU-based QST series, which enables intelligent touch-sensitive control interfaces for more complex applications. The hardwired finite state machine, at the core of the S-Touch family, is implemented in optimized silicon, which features low power, with sleep-mode current consumption at 1 µA. The sensor lines from the device to the application's touch pads do not need external RC networks. The 8-input device uses a 2.6 mm × 1.8 mm QFN16 package. Samples of the 12-channel STMPE1208 will be available within the first half of 2007, with volume production planned for the second half of 2007. The 8-channel STMPE821 will be sampling in the second half of 2007 and in volume production in the first quarter of 2008. The devices are priced at $1.60 and $1.40, respectively, in quantities of 100,000 pieces. Quad-interface hard drive
Newer Technology's miniStack v3 quad interface-powered hub storage solution provides up to 1.0 TB of storage capacity. The unit provides plug-and-play ease of use with any Mac or PC with an available FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, or eSATA port. With an ergonomically unique rear and side port configuration of one eSATA, two FireWire 800, one FireWire 400, and three USB 2.0 ports, miniStack v3 lets users connect multiple desktop digital accessories like scanners, printers, memory card readers, digital cameras, and iPods simultaneously. It is also an ideal portable external hard drive storage solution. The unit's dimensions are 6.5 in. × 6.5 in. × 1.5 in. It is available in seven pre-configured 7200 RPM solutions, from 160 GB to 1.0 TB, pricing starts at $170. Portable 200 GB hard drives
The Mercury On-The-Go from Other World Computing (OWC) is a 7200 rpm portable, bus-powered 200 GB portable hard drive. The unit is equipped with FireWire 800/400, USB2, and eSATA interfaces. It is a bus-powered, palm-sized, high-performance storage solution. The drive is built on the latest Hitachi 7K200 mechanism with OWC's custom Oxford924 bridge interface. In addition to the 200 GB 7200 rpm drive, OWC offers the Mercury On-The-Go 250 GB 5400 rpm portable hard drive. This unit is available for FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA. All Mercury-On-The-Go models are compatible with Apple OS Versions 8.5 through 9.2.x; Apple OS X 10.0.3 and higher (including OS X 10.4.x); and Microsoft Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP. Both drives are available through OWC and other retailers. The OWC Mercury On-The-Go 200 GB 7200 rpm portable drive is priced at $360, and the Mercury On-The-Go 250 GB 5400 RPM portable drive is $320. Both drives have two FireWire 800/400 ports and one USB 2 port, and ship with FireWire 400/800 cables, USB cable, Prosoft DataRescue III for OS X and NovaStor NovaBackup for Windows. Design Software
3-D EM simulation environment Agilent Technologies' antenna modeling design system (AMDS) is a 3-D, dedicated design, modeling and verification tool for antenna systems and placement. Based on electromagnetic (EM) technology that Agilent acquired in September 2006, AMDS reduces design and quality risks by simulating the entire wireless appliance together with its environment. It assures compliance with regulatory and operator demands such as over-the-air performance and specific absorption rate (SAR). It also analyzes antenna diversity for multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO). The success of wireless appliance antenna designers depends on tools that can address business and design risk management. Agilent's AMDS contains intelligent CAD import capabilities, along with the traditional drawing interface, that make it easier and faster to perform 3-D EM simulations than with traditional simulators. The AMDS full-wave 3-D EM design environment facilitates cross-functional teamwork between antenna and product designers through seamless and efficient exchange of CAD data, eliminating modeling rework for subsequent design iterations. It also guarantees antenna placement performance by taking the entire physical wireless appliance into account. Additionally, it improves end-user product performance by introducing real-world interaction with the human body directly into the EM simulation. Embedded Technology
Legacy CPLD replacements
QP Semiconductor has completed a redesign of the obsolete Atmel ATV2500B family of high-speed complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). The first member is the BQ or quarter power version. Packaging is consistent with the original UV erasable devices: ceramic packages in 44-pin LLCC or JLCC and in a 40-pin DIP. The QPV2500BQs are fabricated on a 0.45 µm CMOS process offering high-speed, low-power consumption, and high-noise immunity. The PLD array uses EPROM technology that allows reprogramability of the array and is more reliable than bipolar fusible link technology. Like the original, the QPV2500B offers a fully connected logic array where each array input is available to every product term. The device also features selectable registers, where each flip-flop can be configured as a T-type or D-type. Other features include buried combinatorial feedback, and a selectable synchronous/asynchronous clock of any of the flip-flops. There are 48 registers created from two flip-flops per macrocell, each with its own clock and reset and sum terms. There is a dedicated input path for each I/O pin, and a dedicated feedback term for each of the 48 registers. Each macrocell's three sum terms may be combined into a single term. The parts are available in either full military or industrial-grade versions. The BQ samples in the third quarter. The company also plans to introduce the remainder of the ATV2500B CPLD family (B, BL, and BQL) later this year. All devices will be QML certified on 5962-91545XX. The QPV2500B family is supported by several programmers. QP Semiconductor recommends the data I/O Unisite programmer. Industrial Automation
Integrated wireless pressure switch
The Meriam/ADALET wireless integrated pressure switch and receiver from AD Products is suited for pressure measurement applications such as tank levels, power generation, process control, flow monitoring and pipelines. The wireless pressure switch is rugged, reliable and accurate. The transmitter, contained in a transparent polycarbonate antenna dome, provides unhindered data transmission for up to 3000 feet. With up to 500 mW of transmission power available, the switch is powerful enough for applications that require constant monitoring. Housed in a powder-coated cast aluminum body, and a protective coating of molded Sanoprene, the switch maintains a NEMA 4x rating to provide superior protection against the elements. The pressure switch can also be customized to fit a specific application. No panel hole punching or retrofitting is required to install the 24 Vdc powered wireless receiver. The only required action is to snap on any industry-standard DIN-rail. With PLC or DCS capabilities, one receiver can be paired with up to 60 switches to provide a cost-effective means of transmitting information. Microwave/Millimeter-Wave Components
Microwave components catalog
Mini-Circuits has announced its 2007 IF/RF microwave signal processing components guide available for free. The 144-page catalog is a comprehensive listing of RF, IF and microwave components, with essential performance specifications for each product. Components include adapters, amplifiers, attenuators, bias tees, test cables, dc blocks, directional couplers, filters, impedance-matching pads, limiters, mixers, modulators/demodulators, multiplexers, phase detectors, phase shifters, power detectors, power combiners/dividers, mechanical and diode switches, synthesizers, terminations, transformers, and voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs). Filter listings, for example, cover all four response types — low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-stop filters — with information on rejection levels, VSWR, and insertion loss. The section on frequency synthesizers covers basic performance specifications for more than 150 models developed at Mini-Circuits from 100 MHz to 4.3 GHz with low phase noise and settling times as low as 25 µs. The catalog presents components in coaxial package, plug-in housings, and surface-mount packages, with details on mechanical outlines, PCB mounting suggestions, and package options. In addition to the extensive component data, the catalog also provides a listing of Mini-Circuits' patents and the product model numbers to which they apply, as well as a complete listing of the national stock number (NSN) guide for Mini-Circuits' component collection. For those who need information beyond what is listed in the catalog, an article highlights the powerful YONI search engine on Mini-Circuits' web site, and how to use YONI to its best advantage. To receive a free copy of the catalog, contact the company or download the catalog from www.minicircuits.com/pages/literature.html. Copper-based BeCu replacements
Laird Technologies' RCC products are copper-based shielding gaskets that offer a beryllium-free EMI shielding solution for use in a wide range of slotted applications. RCC products offer similar performance characteristics to beryllium copper (BeCu) products and will work in 80% of all BeCu applications. RCC material also provide good stress relaxation properties. Prices range from $0.15 to more than $4.80 each. Waveguide broadwall coupler
RLC Electronics offers a standard range of multihole broadwall directional couplers covering the frequencies from 40 GHz to 2.6 GHz in standard waveguide sizes. The electrical characteristics of high directivity (35 dB min) and coupling flatness are achieved by using a precision-machined coupling hole pattern and a precision load in the secondary arm. The Primary VSWR is 1.1:1 (max.), and the secondary VSWR is 1.15:1 (max.). Coupling values are 10 dB, 20 dB, 30 dB, 40 dB and 50 dB (±1 dB). Non-standard configurations or selected electrical parameters are available on request. Low-force EMI gasket
Omega Shielding Products' high-endurance 99-940-WT gasket is engineered for heavy-use EMI shielding and grounding applications. The symmetrical design of the gasket offers low compression resistance and reliable electrical contact between mating and surfaces with gaps ranging from 0.1 in. to 0.06 in. Installation is facilitated with a peel-and-stick instant tac adhesive strip on the underside of the gasket. Additionally, the free end of each gasket finger features a fold-under lip that reduces the surface friction as the gasket is compressed. Omega's 99-940-WT is available with a bright finish and can also be ordered with one of 10 surface and finish plating options. Next-Generation Wireless
Ultralow-power Bluetooth
CSR's ultralow-power (ULP) Bluetooth ICs will sample this year, with silicon available in 2008. Previously known as Wibree, ULP Bluetooth is a complementary Bluetooth technology that can be used to transfer simple data sets between compact devices and can run for up to 10 years on one button-cell battery. Adopted by the Bluetooth special interest group (SIG), ULP Bluetooth creates a new market for Bluetooth connectivity, addressing products such as watches, training shoes, TV remote controls and medical sensors, to enable them to communicate with mobile phones and PCs. Packaging & Interconnects
PTFE-based BGAs
HyperBGA from Endicott Interconnect Technologies is a PTFE-based coreless semiconductor package that enables silicon devices to run at extremely high speeds. The combination of the low-loss, low-dielectric-constant material and stripline cross-sections enables signal speeds surpassing 12 Gbps. The material compliance of the PTFE, combined with the dimensional stability of a copper-invar-copper center plane, enables the package to provide long field life, with none of the BGA wear out, die cracking, delamination or flip-chip bump fatigue of other packages. The package, available as a single-chip module or SiP, offers the longest overall board-level flip-chip BGA life available, and it delivers two to 10 times the flip-chip BGA package reliability of ceramic BGAs. HyperBGA is assembled using standard SMT processes and materials, making columns or land-grid-array sockets unnecessary. It is capable of flip-chip, SMT or CSP component attachments on both sides. HyperBGA provides full stripline structures, and low values for coupled noise, weight and power-distribution inductance. The compliant laminate minimizes die and BGA stress when using large die and large body sizes. The package suits networking, high-end server, telecommunications, aerospace and military, and medical applications. It also suits any application requiring a system-in-package approach. High-flex water-resistant cables
Cicoil's silicone cables are optically transparent and have extreme flexibility, while also delivering exceptional environmental protection, including superior water resistance. Inherent water-repellent characteristics make the cables impervious to immersion, high humidity, fungus, and damp operating environments. Conversely, extremely dry conditions or low humidity will not affect the cable's flexibility or life. In addition, the cables are highly resistant to the corrosive effects of salt spray or seawater exposure, meeting all applicable specifications for shipboard use and marine environments. The unique flat silicone cables are available with wire gauges from 4 AWG to 44 AWG, in virtually any configuration required. The company's proprietary extrusion process allows multiple wires to be placed in a flat cable, precisely controlling the wire spacing, the insulation thickness, and the overall cable shape. Cables are available in continuous lengths (cable-only), or as assemblies, complete with connectors, 100% tested and inspected for your application. Silicone-coated flat cables provide high flexibility, extremely long life, and they can withstand temperature extremes from -65 °C to +260 °C. Existing applications include military fighters and the space shuttle. Cicoil designs and manufactures its cable and cable assemblies in an automated facility in Valencia, Calif. Passive Components
Ultrasmall 2.4 GHz antenna
Antenova's Fusca A10192-L 2.4 GHz antenna is the smallest in the gigaNOVA range of standard antennas. Designed for ease of integration into wireless devices, the antenna is suited for a wide range of embedded short-range wireless applications, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Wibree and ZigBee. The antenna is intended for SMD mounting and requires minimal groundplane. It is available now. Solid tantalum chip capacitors
Vishay Intertechnology's hi-rel COTS T97 series solid tantalum chip capacitors are designed to provide high-reliability screening and surge-current testing options with extremely low ESRs. Featuring dual-anode construction to ensure the low ESR, the capacitors are designed for safety-critical applications such as those found in the military, aerospace, and medical industries. Typical end products include weapons and radar systems, avionics, space-based electronics, and medical instrumentation. The chip capacitors offer designers an array of ratings not found in available MIL specifications, combining the flexibility and convenience of a commercial product with the reliability needed in demanding applications. These conformal-coated capacitors offer high-reliability screening options including Weibull grading, and surge current testing options in accordance with MIL-PRF-55365 in a variety of case sizes. The capacitors, part of the TANTAMOUNT tantalum capacitor family, have a capacitance range of 22 µF to 1500 µF and a voltage range from 4 V to 50 V. They offer ultralow ESR values, which range from 0.015 to 0.17 at +25°C and 100 kHz. Devices in the T97 series operate over a temperature range of -55 °C to +125 °C. Samples and production quantities of the T97 solid tantalum chip capacitors are available. Pricing starts at $1.55. High-frequency surge protectors
NexTek has expanded its E-class series designed for optimizing RF performance at frequencies up to 6 GHz. The series provides bidirectional protection and is also characterized by passing dc without any performance degradation. This family of ultracompact SurgeGuard lightning arrestors is specifically developed to meet the stringent demands of emerging RF applications including ultrawideband, Wi-Fi, WiMAX ground-penetrating radar, surveillance, high-speed communications systems, 5.0 GHz to 6.0 GHz UNII, MMDS, WLL, IMS bands, public safety 4.9 GHz and HiperLAN. The compact SurgeGuard E-class series is based on a gas discharge tube design packaged in two small-geometry form factors designated PTCONFSAF09E and PTCONxONF09E. The miniature PTCONFSAF09E arrestors measure 42 mm × 24 mm, have N-type to SMA-type connectors and can deliver a maximum of 30 W of RF power at a maximum through-current of 5 A. The PTCONxONF09E arrestors measure only 50 mm × 24 mm, have N-type connectors and can deliver a maximum of 30 W of RF power at a maximum through-current of 10 A. All E-class series products include a 90 V gas discharge tube and exhibit a nominal impedance of 50Ω. Additional specifications include excellent lightning transient protection performance, low return loss (VSWR), top-rated materials, superb construction and are designed to be waterproof and dustproof (IP68 standard). The robust SurgeGuard E-class series provides a 10x multiple strike capability at 5 kA and a 20 kA (8 × 20µs) surge capability. The E-class series is available with a variety of connectors including N (female)-N (female); N(f)-N(m); N(f)-SMA(f). The E-class series of lightning arrestors is available starting at $33 each. Ultraflat Schottky detectors
RLC Electronics' miniature ultraflat detectors use a zero-bias Schottky design. The microwave power is coupled directly to the device, reducing package parasitics and transition mismatches. This design results in a very low VSWR (ranging from 1.25:1 to 2.00:1) and a flat, smooth output over a wide bandwidth. Options available include negative or positive output, a choice of three output connectors and operation to 26.5 GHz or 40 GHz. Temperature range is -55 °C to +100 °C. High-frequency inductors
Taiyo Yuden has announced the mass production availability of its AQ105 series of high-frequency inductors for matching-circuit applications in cell phones, notebook PCs and other wireless-enabled computer and communications devices. The series of inductors employ a simulation technique that optimally characterizes the device's structural attributes, leading to increased Q values compared to HK series inductors. At a measuring frequency of 0.8 GHz, for example, the AQ105-2N2 device achieves a typical Q value of 67 vs. 31 for the HK1005-2N2 series device with similar physical and electrical characteristics. At 1.8 GHz, the same AQ series part provides a Q value of 101. Signal Processing
Two-in-one SAW filters
With the two-in-one SAW filter in a 1713 package, EPCOS is setting new standards in integration and miniaturization. The first prototypes of a combined two-in-one filter for the GSM bandwidths of 850 MHz and 900 MHz and feature a surface area of just 1.7 mm × 1.3 mm and an insertion height of only 0.4 mm. Despite this miniaturization, it has also been possible to improve electrical performance. With optimized impedances the VSWR has been lowered, for example. Other combinations for all customary GSM bandwidths are under development. Low-noise delta-sigma ADC
Linear Technology's LTC2450 is a 16-bit delta-sigma that enables performance upgrades to lower-resolution systems. Designers of portable and space-constrained applications typically trade off space with performance, leading to use of microcontrollers with internal ADCs or lower-resolution ADCs with pre-amplifier circuitry. The ADC achieves excellent 16-bit dc performance of 2 LSB integral non-linearity error, 1.4 µV The ADC communicates via a simple 3-wire SPI-compatible interface while measuring a single-ended analog input that may extend from ground to V Packaged in a 2 mm × 2 mm DFN package, the LTC2450 is available in commercial and industrial temperature-grade versions, with pricing beginning at $1.15 each in 1000-piece quantities. Audio DSPs
Texas Instruments' DA7xx Aureus generation of audio DSPs is an audio/video receiver (AVR) implementation approved for Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus. The DA7xx Aureus DSP can accommodate customized audio enhancements, such as virtualization or surround-sound technology for headphones. A single Aureus DSP is capable of full performance decoding (8-channel, 192 kHz/24-bit HD audio) as well as post-processing at the native sample rate without downsampling. The Aureus product line consists of a 32/64-bit floating-point programmable DSP and a comprehensive software solution, enabling multichannel decoding applications. With the DSPs, an optimized software solution of certified, industry-standard decoders and post-processors is provided, producing performance headroom for substantial customization through proprietary audio-processing algorithms. The 32-bit floating-point Aureus DA7xx HD decoder solutions are available in production volume in a 256-ball BGA package and 144-pin TQFP package. Both the devices and software are supported by TI's Code Composer Studio development tools. Power splitters/combiners kit
Mini-Circuits' K1-QCN+ designer's kit includes products that span from 220 MHz to 4500 MHz. These 50 parts feature 0.4 dB typical insertion loss, 32 dB typical isolation, wrap-around terminals for excellent solderability, and ceramic cases of 0.12 in. × 0.6 in. × 0.35 in. Supporting a phase imbalance of 4° to 12°, and an amplitude imbalance from 0.8 to 2.5, maximum input power is 15 W. Test & Measurement
Jitter test system
NoiseCom's J7000 jitter test system is a powerful test instrument to alter serial signal streams through injection of Gaussian noise in a way that reflects real-world signal behavior. To evaluate performance of components and systems, the system is capable of adding precise amounts of white noise to the signal stream that allows the measurement of SNR, carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) and bit-error-rate (BER). The test system is available in different frequency bands ranging from 1 MHz to 5 GHz. A very high crest factor of greater than 18 dB guarantees optimal distribution of random events to evaluate low BER. The J7000 series provides a frequency-dependent output power that ranges from -131 dBm/ -66 dBm to -3 dBm and provides an ultralow distortion signal path. Time & Frequency
GPSDO frequency standard
Jackson Labs' Fury is a 10 MHz global- positioning-system-disciplined oscillator (GPSDO) that requires no calibration, delivers higher stability than typical rubidium clock references, and meets the requirements of a Stratum 1 frequency standard. Fury offers picosecond accuracy per day, has 4.5 W power consumption, a phase-noise floor of -155 dBc/Hz, and has extremely low spurs and jitter. The GPSDO generates a one-pulse-per-second (1PPS) output phase-synchronized to UTC, which can be offset to UTC in 1 ns steps. The Fury device can be controlled by an RS-232 port via industry-standard SCPI commands and provides SNTP network timing via its GPSCon software option. The GPSDO is currently available and priced at $960 for one unit, or $750 for 20 units. Low-power OCXOs
MMD Components' MOFLP line of low-power oven-controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs) feature options for an AT-, SC- or IT-cut crystal designs. The series of OCXOs are ideal for a variety of battery-powered applications and as suitable replacements for the Vectron EX-380/385. The series of OCXOs provide fast warm-up and low power usage, with typical current consumption of 120 mA during startup and under 70 mA in steady-state operation at 25 °C for a 3.3 Vdc unit. Customers can also specify an operating voltage of 5 V, temperature ranges from -40 °C to +85 °C, and frequencies from 1 MHz to 125 MHz. Units are offered in a 14-pin DIP, a gull-wing surface-mount version or an SMD configuration. Prices start at $100 each in quantities of 100 for units with frequencies less than 40 MHz.
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