Analogue and Sensing - Welcome to FTM Board Club · to create a sensor system-on-chip. An example...

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Application Spotlight on:

Analogue and Sensing

Component Focus: Pages 3-9 IDT’s compact clock generator ICs comply with PCIe Gen 4 specification

Design Note: Pages 10-11 How to perform high-side, high-voltage current measurement with a low-voltage precision op amp

Application Spotlight: Pages 11-21 The latest accelerometers from Kionix offer increased measurement range up to ±32g

Board-of-the-Month: Page 21 Intersil’s reference design demonstrates efficiency of switching regulator in low-current application

Technical View: Pages 22-23 The latest generation of low-power, low-cost FPGAs and how MCU users can benefit from them

F T M T E C H N O L O G Y W A T C HN E W S I N B R I E F

F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N

During the 1980s and 1990s, the semiconductor industry’s most exciting advances came in the digital domain, the progress of Moore’s Law helping to continually reduce the cost and increase the performance of computing devices.

Today, consumers are less driven than before by regular PC upgrade cycles, and the semiconductor industry’s attention is now as much on the analogue as on the digital domain. Interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) in particular is leading designers to look at ways to embed more sensor capability into low power- and processor-constrained devices.

Device manufacturers are facilitating this trend by offering greater integration, helping OEM designers achieve more with sensor ICs. This integration can be achieved by providing multiple sensor functions in a single device, or by adding intelligence to the analogue circuitry to create a sensor system-on-chip.

An example of the first kind of integration can be found on page 20, in the MS8607 from TE Connectivity. A combined pressure, temperature and humidity sensor, this device packs a large amount of sensor functionality into a small space. Using such an integrated sensor allows the designer to achieve greater feature density for a given budget, enabling performance optimisation and adding value to the end-product. The ENS210, a relative humidity and temperature sensor from ams featured on page 13, is an example of the same trend.

Components which integrate digital system functionality alongside analogue circuitry can also be found in this issue of FTM. The LIS2DW12 accelerometer from STMicroelectronics, on page18, implements various applications including free-fall detection, portrait/landscape detection, wake-up triggering and single-/double-tap recognition.

Reflective RF switches offer low distortion and low insertion loss

A new family of single-pole, double-throw reflective RF switches from IDT, which operate over a frequency range from 5MHz to 10GHz, offer an outstanding mix of low insertion loss, high isolation, low distortion and high power handling.

The F2972 and F2976, housed in compact 2mm x 2mm packages, are specified for use in either 50Ω or 75Ω systems. This versatility makes them suitable for a wide range of markets and applications, including wireless basestations, DOCSIS 3.1 cable TV systems, drones and consumer products.

Panasonic launches line of hybrid capacitors Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems Europe has released the EEH-ZE (Type V-ZE) series of hybrid aluminium electrolytic capacitors for automotive, telecoms and industrial applications. These devices, which combine the advantages of electrolytic and solid polymer capacitors, offer endurance of 2,000 hours at the maximum operating temperature of 145°C.

The AEC-Q200 qualified devices are available with capacitance values ranging from 33µF to 330µF.

New open-frame AC-DC power supplies housed in compact, board-mount package CUI’s Power Group has added four series of low-power, open-frame AC-DC power supplies to its VOF product family. The 6W VOF-6B, 10W VOF-10B, 15W VOF-15B and 20W VOF-20B products are housed in compact, board-mount packages with industry-standard pin-outs.

They offer isolation of 4kV AC and no-load power consumption of less than 100mW, making them ideal for space-constrained, low-power applications in computing, networking, industrial, consumer and smart home equipment.

The power supplies have a minimum mean time before failure rating of 300,000 hours at 115V AC at an ambient temperature of 25°C, calculated in accordance with the specifications of the MIL HDBK 217F standard.

The digital engine integrated into this 2mm x 2mm device handles the processing of the raw analogue outputs, so the user does not have to implement these applications in a host microcontroller.

In fact, more and more sensors are being provided as simplified, fully programmable digital-output devices with embedded processing capability, backed by extensive online support and development tools. This new generation of devices, such as the AS726x series of multi-channel spectral sensors from ams, on page 16, is making it easier than ever to add new sensing capabilities to electronic products. For system designers, this provides an opportunity to create more valuable, feature-rich end-products without a substantial increase in development effort.

For support, samples and boards for these or any of the other sensors featured in FTM, contact your nearest branch of Future Electronics or e-mail: [email protected]

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170601 For samples or pricing [email protected]

©Copyright 2017 Future Electronics Ltd. All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Applications for product samples, badge boards, demonstration boards, Future Electronics’ boards and other advertised materials from Future Electronics are offered subject to qualification. Images of product packages throughout this publication are for illustration purposes and not necessarily an exact representation of the advertised part.

Greater sensor integration offers new sources of value in end-

product designs

Apply to attend by e-mailing: [email protected] or via the seminars link at the Technical Resources section of the www.FutureElectronics.com website for your region.

SiC (Silicon Carbide) and GaN (Gallium Nitride) wide bandgap semiconductor materials offer superior thermal, switching and power-handling characteristics compared to silicon. With the price of SiC and GaN MOSFETs, diodes and modules falling, they are becoming increasingly attractive for mainstream applications in the industrial, automotive, military and aerospace markets.

By attending the wide bandgap technology seminar, you can learn about:• The effect of choosing SiC or GaN components on system performance, size and cost• Comparing discrete SiC components with hybrid Si-SiC and full SiC modules • Implications for passive component selection and thermal management • How to migrate successfully from superjunction MOSFETs to SiC or GaN MOSFETs• Special considerations in the implementation of gate drivers and auxiliary power supply design

The seminars will take place in eight convenient city locations:

Gothenburg Sweden 19/9/2017Rennes France 4/10/2017Madrid Spain 10/10/2017San Sebastian Spain 11/10/2017Helsinki Finland 22/11/2017Jutland Denmark 29/11/2017Padova Italy 31/1/2017Lyon France Q4 2017 TBC

Meet the experts in wide bandgap power semiconductors

C O M P O N E N T F O C U S

S E E P R E V I O U S I S S U E S O F F T M AT W W W. M Y- F T M . C O M

New STM32 board enables evaluation of LoRaWAN networking for long-range IoT connectivity

STMicroelectronics has released a development board which gives developers a ready-made platform for evaluating the LoRaWAN™ Low-Power wireless Wide-Area Networking (LPWAN) technology.

The B-L072Z-LRWAN1 STM32 LoRa® Discovery kit is based on an open LoRa module from Murata which includes an STM32L072CZ microcontroller and Semtech SX1276 transceiver. The module’s spread-spectrum LoRa modem provides very long range and high interference immunity, and draws very little Transmit and Receive current.

Since the module is open, developers have access to the STM32L072CZ MCU and its peripherals, such as an ADC, a 16-bit timer, and low-power UART, I2C, SPI and Full-Speed USB2.0 interfaces. Designers can use ST’s STM32L0 hardware abstraction layer and

STMICROELECTRONICSembedded software libraries, and can extend the board’s functionality with STM32 Nucleo or Arduino™ expansion boards.

The B-L072Z-LRWAN1 kit includes an on-board debugger, a 64-pin STM32 Nucleo morpho connector and an Arduino-compatible connector. It also comes with access to a free development ecosystem which includes the MDK-ARM integrated development environment, STM32CubeMX configurator and software tools, and ST’s I-CUBE-LRWAN LoRaWAN protocol stack.

The board is LoRaWAN-certified and fully compliant with wireless regulations in the US, EU, Russia, India, and other countries in which the 860-930MHz frequency bands are in use.

ST LoRaWAN board: Users can extend functionality with Nucleo or Arduino boards

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APPLICATIONS• Smart meters• Alarm systems• Tracking devices• Positioning devices• Environmental sensors • Activity sensors

FEATURES• SMA and u.fl RF connectors • 50Ω SMA antenna • ST-LINK/V2-1 debugger/programmer

supporting USB re-enumeration capability • Holder for three AAA-type batteries for

stand-alone operation • Four general-purpose LEDs• 5V power LED• ST-LINK communication LED• Fault LED• User and Reset buttons


170603Amar Abid-Ali BEng., MSc.Vertical Segment Manager (EMEA)Future Connectivity Solutions

Apply now at my-boardclub.comFast-track board request code: FTM76A

Orderable Part Number: B-L072Z-LRWAN1



New Hall-effect ICs offer wide choice of switching sensitivities

Analogue multiplexer/demultiplexer devices provide eight channels

Diodes Inc has introduced the AH336xQ and AH339xQ series of high-voltage, unipolar Hall-effect switch ICs for automotive applications.

The 74HC4851 and 74HCT4851 from Nexperia are eight-channel analogue multiplexers/demultiplexers with three digital Select inputs, an active-low Enable input, eight independent I/Os and a common I/O. They are suitable for a variety of multiplexing, demultiplexing and signal-gating functions.

Qualified to AEC-Q100 Grade 0, the AH336xQ and AH339xQ magnetic switches offer a wide range of operating sensitivities. Intended for position and proximity sensing in automotive applications, these contactless switches may be used in both the cabin and the engine compartment.

The AH336xQ and AH339xQ are activated when a magnetic south pole of sufficient strength is presented perpendicular to the package. They switch on when the magnetic flux density exceeds the defined operating threshold (BOP) and switch off when the flux density falls below the release threshold (BRP). Ten sensitivity options, ranging from a highly sensitive 30G BOP device to a low-sensitivity 275G BOP

The devices feature injection current-effect control, which has great value in automotive applications, since operating voltages higher than the supply voltage are common. Injection current-effect control allows signals at disabled analogue input channels to exceed the supply voltage without affecting the signal of the enabled analogue channel. This eliminates the need for the external diode/resistor networks typically used to keep analogue-channel signals within the supply-voltage range.

DIODES INCORPORATED

NEXPERIA

APPLICATIONS• Seat-buckle fastening detection• Open, close and lock detection in doors

and boot• Position sensing for gear stick, wipers,

mirrors and valves• Sunroof and window control• Steering lock/immobilisation• Air-conditioning compression• Contactless switches

FEATURES• Good RF noise immunity• Supply-voltage range: 3.0V to 28V • Single open-drain output with

over-current limit • Zener diode clamp on Supply and

Output pins• 8kV ESD protection on the human body

model• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 150°C

APPLICATIONS• Automotive systems

FEATURES• Conformance to JEDEC standard 7A• <1mV/mA injection-current cross-coupling • 74HC4851 offers wide supply-voltage

range of 2.0V to 6.0V• Latch-up performance exceeds 100mA

according to JESD 78 Class II level A specification

• 2kV ESD protection on the human body model

version, address the needs of a wide range of automotive applications.

The BOP and BRP thresholds provide a tight operating window with adequate hysteresis for reliable operation, while a low temperature coefficient ensures the stability of the switching points.

A chopper-stabilised design minimises offsets and gives fast power-on and response times, which are important in reducing sensing delays and accuracy errors.

The 74HC4851 and 74HCT4851 are notable for their low on-state resistance across the supply-voltage range. Typical values are:• 400Ω at 2.0V • 215Ω at 3.0V• 120Ω at 3.3V • 76Ω at 4.5V• 59Ω at 6.0V

Diodes magnetic switches: Stable operation over a wide temperature range

74HC4851: Suitable for automotive systems such as window motors

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Dynamic NFC/RFID tag ICs combine long range with high-speed data transfer

New 64Mbit and 128Mbit NOR Flash memories offer security, reliability and performance

STMicroelectronics has launched the ST25DV series of dynamic-tag ICs which have dual NFC/RFID and I2C bus interfaces, to provide for untethered interaction between an external NFC-capable smartphone or an RFID reader, and a host device’s microcontroller or applications processor.

Cypress Semiconductor has introduced new 64Mbit and 128Mbit versions of its FL-L family of 3.0V NOR Flash memories which have a Quad Serial Peripheral Interface (Quad SPI). They add to the existing 256Mbit ICs in the FL-L family.

The ST25DV IC supports data exchange over an extended wireless communication range at a frequency of 13.56MHz. This capability may be used, for instance, for in-the-box programming of electronic equipment at the point of production. Fast Transfer Mode operation, enabled by a large 256byte buffer, also enables software updates in the field via any NFC-enabled mobile device. The ST25DV dynamic tags are compatible with any existing ISO 15693 RFID infrastructure, with no additional investment required.

The ST25DV series complies with the NFC Type 5 and ISO 15693 RFID specifications, providing the strongest features of each. It also features a large EEPROM capacity of up to 64kbits, with multiple 64-bit passwords offering enhanced data-protection capabilities.

These NOR Flash ICs provide very high reliability and security when used in high-performance embedded systems, enabling the storage of mission-critical data even while operating over an extended temperature range. They are ideal for code shadowing to RAM, executing code directly with Execute In Place (XIP), and storing re-programmable data.

The FL-L devices, which consume little power, feature a high Read bandwidth and fast programming times.

STMICROELECTRONICS

CYPRESS SEMICONDUCTOR

The ST25DV is suitable for use in industrial applications, offering high write-cycle endurance of 1 million cycles at 25°C, and 40 years’ data retention.

The 128Mbit S25FL128L and 256Mbit S25FL256L Flash devices support 133MHz Single Data Rate (SDR) and 66MHz Double Data Rate (DDR) operation for bandwidth of 67Mbits/s. The 64Mbit S25FL064L device uses a 54MHz DDR mode to deliver Read bandwidth of 54Mbits/s.

In addition, all the FL-L devices use small, uniform 4kbyte erase sectors, allowing them to store programme code and parametric data in the most effective way. They also provide four security regions of 256bytes each outside the

main Flash array. The memories draw a low

current in stand-by mode, and also provide a deep power-down mode to extend battery run-time in

mobile applications. They are available in

versions rated for various operating-temperature

ranges, including an extended automotive-grade version operating

from -40°C to 125°C.

ST25DV tag ICs: Compatible with any existing ISO 15693 devices

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APPLICATIONS• Smart meters• IoT devices• Professional products• Consumer devices• Industrial equipment• Battery-powered products• Electronic shelf labels

FEATURES• Native NFC NDEF message support • <1µA current in stand-by mode• Supply-voltage range: 1.8V to 5.5V• Energy-harvesting capabilities• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Advanced driver assistance systems

Automotive instrument clusters • Infotainment systems• Industrial control systems• Smart factory equipment• Networking equipment• IoT devices• Video game consoles • Set-top boxes

FEATURES• AEC-Q100 qualified• 0.3ms programme time for 256bytes in

128Mbit and 256Mbit parts• Up to 237kbytes/s erase rate• Command sub-set- and footprint-

compatible with S25FL-A, S25FL1-K, S25FL-P, S25FL-S and S25FS-S families

• 100,000 Programme/erase cycles• 20 years’ data retention





Smart NFC healthcare sensors perform wireless monitoring of patients

100V, 6A Schottky barrier rectifier operates at up to 175°C

NXP Semiconductors has launched two NTAG SmartSensor chips for temperature logging and efficient medication delivery, extending its family of NFC ICs used in healthcare products and in industrial, logistics and consumer applications.

The PMEG100V060ELPD from Nexperia, the discrete power components business which was formerly the standard products division of NXP Semiconductors, is a Schottky barrier rectifier and a member of Nexperia’s Maximum Efficiency General Application (MEGA) family of power devices.

Both the NHS3100 and NHS3152 are compact smart sensors containing an ISO 14443 type A NFC/RFID interface and an ARM® Cortex®-M0+ processor core which can be used to implement custom firmware, or be programmed with off-the-shelf firmware. They also have an I2C interface for communication with a host controller.

The NHS3100 is optimised for temperature monitoring and logging and features the embedded NFC interface alongside an internal temperature sensor and a direct battery connection. The pre-calibrated temperature sensor is accurate to ±0.3°C over the temperature range 0°C to 40°C and to ±0.5°C over the full temperature range of -40°C to 85°C.

NXP SEMICONDUCTORS

NEXPERIA

APPLICATIONS• Temperature measurement• Temperature logging• Therapy adherence• Cold-chain validation• Smart logistics• Smart packaging• Animal tagging

FEATURES• 32kbytes of Flash• 4kbytes of EEPROM• 8kbytes of SRAM• Up to 12 GPIOs• Integrated power-management unit• 50nA power-down current

APPLICATIONS• Low-voltage rectification• Automotive LED lighting• DC-DC converters• Switch-mode power supplies• Reverse-polarity protection• Low-power applications

FEATURES• Clip-bonding technology and heat-sink

give high power capability• 130A non-repetitive peak forward current• 8ns reverse-recovery time• 565mV peak forward recovery voltage

Designers can realise an effective temperature monitoring circuit with just the NHS3100 and very few external components.

The NHS3100 draws very little energy from the battery, thanks to its multiple power-down modes and a selectable core frequency up to a maximum of 8MHz.

NXP’s NHS3152 is for therapy adherence monitoring and logging, which allows the physician to check whether patients maintain a prescribed course of medication.

As well as an embedded NFC interface, the NHS3152 includes a resistive-network sensor interface, the same accurate temperature sensor as the NHS3100, and a direct battery connection. The ICs may be powered either by battery or by harvesting energy from the transmissions of NFC readers.

AEC-Q101 qualified, the PMEG100V060ELPD can be used in a wide range of applications including automotive systems.

It is housed in a CFP15 (SOT1289) surface-mount plastic package with flat leads. It has a footprint of 5.8mm x 4.3mm and is 0.78mm high. Thermal resistance from junction to solder point is 3K/W. The device is rated for a maximum junction temperature of 175°C.

The PMEG100V060ELPD can handle average forward currents of up to 6A, and is able to withstand reverse voltages up to 100V.

A low forward voltage means that the PMEG100V060ELPD can be used in applications requiring low system power consumption.

NXP’s NHS3100 smart sensor: Implements ISO 14443 NFC functionality

PMEG100V060ELPD: Low forward voltage and low power dissipation

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Low-power RF transceiver provides link budget of more than 140dB

Miniature radial-leaded PTC thermistors offer accurate over-temperature sensing

STMicroelectronics’ S2-LP is an ultra-low power RF transceiver intended for RF wireless applications operating at frequencies below 1GHz.

It is suitable for use in the licence-free ISM and Short-Range Devices (SRD) frequency bands at 433MHz, 868MHz and 920MHz, but can also be programmed to operate at other frequencies in the 430-470MHz or 860-940MHz bands. Devices may use the S2-LP to connect to a SIGFOX™ network.

The S2-LP is ideal for use in power-constrained products such as wireless alarm systems: it draws just 7mA when receiving, and 10mA when transmitting at an output power of 10dBm. It also has a very efficient power-management circuit. An integrated switching regulator provides for operation from a 1.8V to 3.6V input at a power-conversion efficiency of 90%, making it suitable for use in battery-powered devices.

The S2-LP supports a variety of signal modulation schemes: Gaussian Frequency

STMICROELECTRONICS

VISHAY

Shift Keying (GFSK), On-Off Keying (OOK) and Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK). The data rate of the device’s RF transmissions is programmable in a range from 300bits/s to 500kbits/s.

The S2-LP can be used in systems with channel spacing of 12.5kHz/25kHz, supporting narrowband operation.

The S2-LP offers an RF link budget of more than 140dB, providing for long-range communication in many applications. It meets the regulatory requirements applicable in territories worldwide, including Europe, Japan, China and the US.

The PTCSL03 thermistors have a compact design, featuring a body diameter of just 4mm and copper-clad steel wire leads. Users may specify the devices with a nominal working temperature of 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C or 150°C.

The robust devices can withstand prolonged over-temperature operation, showing a temperature variance of just ≤1°C after 1,000 hours at 15°C above the nominal working temperature, which is the device’s maximum

rated temperature. The body of the

PTCSL03 thermistors is made of a medium-resistivity doped barium titanate ceramic chip with a high-temperature silicone coating. They are also available as bare pellets on request.

ST S2-LP radio: Supports GFSK, ASK and OOK modulation

Vishay’s PTCSL03 thermistor: Ceramic chip with silicone coating

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APPLICATIONS• IoT devices• Smart metering • Home energy-management systems • Wireless alarm systems • Smart home systems• Building automation equipment• Industrial monitoring and control • Smart lighting systems

FEATURES• -130dBm receiver sensitivity• Excellent receiver selectivity and blocking • Programmable RF output power up to

16dBm • Programmable digital filter at receiver• Battery indicator and low-battery detector • Automatic packet acknowledgment and

retransmission • Antenna diversity algorithm • Flexible packet length with dynamic

payload length • Supports Wireless M-Bus protocol

APPLICATIONS• Industrial equipment• Motor drives• Lighting drivers• Power supplies and converters• Smart fuse boxes

FEATURES• 30V maximum voltage• 5mW/K dissipation factor• 6s thermal time constant• Accurate resistance for ease of circuit

design




The NHS3100 Starter Kit includes an NHS3100 temperature-monitoring demonstration board, an LPC-Link 2 board and a cable. Firmware developed on this starter kit may be re-used in production designs.

Orderable Part Number: NHS3100TEMOADK

Vishay Intertechnology offers a series of miniature radial-leaded Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) thermistors which perform accurate, remote over-temperature sensing in energy-generation, industrial and consumer applications.



Tactile and slide switches for wearable devices offer long cycle life

Compact clock generators exceed jitter requirements of PCIe Gen4

Advances in semiconductor device capabilities, increases in communication speed and bandwidth, and the ready availability of cloud storage are driving explosive growth in the market for wearable devices. By enabling the monitoring, storage and analysis of real-time data, wearables are revolutionising activities such as personal health and fitness, safety and security, productivity and recreation.

IDT offers a comprehensive portfolio of PCI Express® (PCIe) clock generators that provide two, four, six or eight outputs. The 9FG timing family targets power- and space-constrained designs in both consumer and high-performance applications, providing enterprise-level performance while lowering the total cost of ownership.

IDT offers the high-performance 9FG devices in three series: the 9FGU series at 1.5V, 9FGV at 1.8V and the 9FGL at 3.3V. This allows the designer to power their PCIe clock generators from the same power supply as their FPGA or System-on-Chip (SoC).

Clock generators are the gating factor limiting performance and reliability in PCIe-based systems. PCIe is a high-speed serial communication interface offering data rates up to 8Gbits/s. This will increase to 16Gbits/s when PCIe Gen4 devices become available. As with any serial communication interface, the most critical clock parameter is phase jitter.

A PCIe-based system with a lower-performance clock may completely fail to train. More insidiously, the link may train to less than the advertised throughput, or will experience

C&K SWITCHES

IDT

APPLICATIONS• Smart watches• Activity trackers• Medical pendents• Biosensors• Smart glasses• Smart clothing• Action/body-worn cameras

FEATURES• Miniature and ultra-miniature form factors• Ability to withstand harsh operating

conditions and corrosive environments• Operating lifetime up to 1 million cycles• May be customised to specific customer

requirements

APPLICATIONS• Multi-function printers• Servers• Set-top boxes • Solid-state drives• PCIe add-in cards

FEATURES• Standard configurations cover the majority

of application requirements• Factory-programmable versions of the

9FGL enable rapid device optimisations for specific applications

• Output-by-output configuration of 9FGL output impedances allows use in mixed environments

• Family supports both 100Ω and 85Ω environments

• Three built-in spread-spectrum levels: Off, -0.25%, -0.5%

To meet the needs of this emerging market, C&K offers a wide selection of switches which offer features including miniature size, long cycle life, resistance to corrosive liquids such as sweat and body fluids, and the ability to customise haptic features such as sound and feel.

Popular tactile switches used in wearable applications include the following series of product:• KMR • KMS • KSS • KMT0 • KXT3 • PTS525 • PTS530 • PTS540 • PTS645 • PTS810 • PTS820Slide switches for wearable devices include the AYZ and PCM series.

many link errors that require data to be re-sent. In this case, while the system will function, the reduced link bandwidth will degrade performance.

The risk of performance degradation is reduced by use of the 9FG family of clock generators. Every device in the family far exceeds the published PCIe specifications at each performance node – PCIe Gen 1, Gen 2 and Gen 3 – and the 9FGL devices also conform to the requirements of the forthcoming PCIe Gen4 specification. These IDT clock generators are also suitable for Gigabit Ethernet and similar applications needing phase jitter of less than 3psrms over a frequency span between 12kHz and 20MHz.

IDT offers the PCIe clock generators with integrated terminations to allow direct connection of the outputs to the transmission

C&K switches: Low profiles for use in wearable devices

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Robust FPC-to-board connector has very low profile

Hybrid capacitors combine best features of polymer and electrolytic capacitors

Hirose’s BM29 series provides robust, high-power and space-saving connections for applications in which space is limited, as in many portable and consumer devices.

Panasonic Automotive and Industrial Systems Europe offers a family of hybrid capacitors which combines the best characteristics of conductive polymer capacitors and aluminium electrolytic capacitors.

The BM29 range of connectors consists of plugs and receptacles to provide a power and signal connection between a Flat Printed Circuit (FPC) and a board.

The compact design of the BM29 has a low stack height of 0.6mm, a depth of 1.5mm and a width of 3.16mm. This makes the low-profile BM29 one of the smallest hybrid FPC-to-board connectors in the world. The connector is a hybrid design which includes signal contacts rated at 0.3A and power contacts rated at 3A.

The ZA, ZC, ZK and ZE hybrid capacitors feature low Equivalent Series Resistance (ESR), a typical characteristic of polymer capacitors. They also have very low leakage current, an attractive feature that is commonly found in aluminium electrolytic capacitors.

HIROSE

PANASONIC

Although the dimensions are compact, performance is not compromised, and the connectors are able to offer highly reliable mechanical connection. This is due to the provision of unique two-point contacts and an effective mating length of 0.1mm.

Guide ribs are incorporated into the housing body to provide a self-alignment range of 0.3mm in the x direction and 0.24mm in the y direction. This design also gives a smoother mating operation.

Available with voltage ratings ranging from 25V to 80V, the Panasonic hybrids offer excellent endurance at high operating temperatures, and are available in a variety of case sizes and capacitance ratings.

The latest hybrid ZE series devices have a maximum temperature rating of 145°C, rivalling pure electrolytic capacitors for high-temperature performance while maintaining low ESR values.

In sensing applications, the transient response and ripple-voltage performance are enhanced by the hybrid devices’ low impedance. In fact, the ripple-current ratings of the hybrid capacitors are superior to those of electrolytic capacitors that have equivalent capacitance and voltage values.

BM29 connectors: Guide ribs provide for smooth mating operation

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APPLICATIONS• Point-of-sale equipment• Medical devices• Wearable devices• Small sensors• IoT modules • Portable devices

FEATURES• Two signal and two power contacts• 0.35mm contact pitch• 30V voltage rating• Ten mating cycles

APPLICATIONS• Automotive systems• Industrial equipment• Switch-mode power supplies• DC-DC converters

FEATURES• Stable performance over temperature

and frequency• Vibration-proof product available on

request• ±20% capacitance tolerance• Leakage current (ZC series): ≤0.01CV or 3µA

• AEC-Q200 qualified



Request a sample: [email protected]

Master Part Number

Operating Voltage

Number of Outputs

9FGL0241BKILF 3.3V 2

9FGL0441BKILF 3.3V 4

9FGU0241AKILF 1.5V 2

9FGU0441AKILF 1.5V 4

9FGV0241AKILF 1.8V 2

9FGV0441AKILF 1.8V 4

Series Name ZA ZC ZK ZE

Temperature range -55°C to 105°C -55°C to 125°C -55°C to 125°C -55°C to 145°C

Voltage ratings 25V to 80V 25V to 80V 25V to 35V 25V to 63V

Capacitance range 10µF to 330µF 10µF to 330µF 33µF to 470µF 33µF to 330µF

Endurance 10,000h at 105°C 4,000h at 125°C 4,000h at 125°C 2,000h at 145°C4,000h at 135°C

Ripple current at 100kHz and the maximum rated temperature

0.75 to 2.5Arms 0.5-2.0Arms 0.66-2.8Arms Up to 2.0Arms

ESR As low as 20mΩ

The robust housing incorporates a metal guide to prevent any damage due to incorrect mating. Metal locks which increase the retention force are provided to prevent any unintended unmating due to drop impacts.

line, thus saving a valuable amount of board space. The devices also provide a copy of the reference clock, saving a crystal in the design.

All IDT’s PCIe clock generators support the PCIe Common Clock architecture with or without spread spectrum. In addition, the 3.3V 9FGL parts support the Separate Reference no Spread (SRnS) and Separate Reference Independent Spread (SRIS) clock architectures.

170616 For more information [email protected]

How to make a high-voltage, high-side current sensor with a low-voltage precision op amp

On first consideration, a classic 5V, low-voltage operational amplifier might seem completely inappropriate for this kind of measurement. In fact, with the use of just a few external components it is possible for low-voltage amplifiers to sense a current accurately without any common-mode voltage limitation at all.

Example application: a motor-control systemThe operation of this circuit may be illustrated through an example application, measuring via a shunt resistor the current of an industrial motor operating from a 150V power supply, as shown in Figure 1. In order to precisely measure the full range of currents, even down to very low values, a 5V precision op amp is to be used.

But will the 150V supply voltage burn up the op amp? Not if the V1 voltage is used to generate the positive power supply, VCC_H, for the first op amp, OP_A in Figure 1. This is possible because Z1, a BZT52C4V7S Zener diode from Diodes which has a 4.7V breakdown voltage, provides the negative power supply, VCC_L, for OP_A. This produces a 4.7V supply for OP_A, the difference between VCC_L at 145.3V and VCC_H at 150V.

The resistance, Rz, is used to bias the Zener diode with around 5mA, and to provide a return path for the op amp’s bias current of around 40µA.

The sensor voltage, VSENSE, is determined by the current flowing through the shunt resistor, RSENSE; it is amplified by the R1, R2, R3 and R4 resistors.

A p-MOSFET sources an accurate output current proportional to the current flowing into the shunt resistor. With the R4 resistor, it generates an output voltage, Vo, with respect to ground which is proportional to the high-side current. This output voltage from the first stage of amplification can be given by the equation:

STMICROELECTRONICS

D E S I G N N O T E

F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N10

Dedicated current-sense amplifiers which can handle high common-mode voltages are the designer’s common choice when implementing a high-side current-sensing circuit. But dedicated devices have some limitations: in particular, they are unsuitable for use in applications in which the common-mode voltage exceeds 70V. So what is the best way to precisely measure a current in this circumstance?

D E S I G N N O T E

Fig. 2: Total error assuming 1% resistance mismatch with ±1% shunt resistor accuracy

Fig. 1: Typical application circuit of a current sensor for an industrial motor

Fig. 3: Total error assuming 0.1% resistance mismatch with ±1% shunt resistor accuracy

The second op amp, OP_B, is required to buffer the output voltage. A resistor, R5, may be added in order to protect the integrated ESD diode of OP_B against any high current that might flow to the Input pins at start-up.

The maximum current drawn by the motor is 100A. So with a 100µΩ shunt resistor, the maximum sensor voltage is 10mV. The maximum output voltage is dependent on the sensor voltage, and the resulting output current across R4. As this voltage is to be digitised inside a microcontroller, this output voltage must not exceed 3.3V.

In order for this circuit to work properly, the values of the components must be carefully calculated. The main consideration is the requirement for a low gate-source voltage to the MOSFET, ensuring that the output of OP_A is not saturated.

This calls for a low drain-source current through the MOSFET: to achieve this, R4 needs a high resistance value. And in order to avoid any saturation of the output of the op amp, the gain relative to the op amp, OP_A, given by the ratio R2/R1 should not be too high.

Inevitably this results in some compromise over the choice of the various components’ values, which must be calculated with this equation:

Where: V

GS MAX = gate-source voltage needed to allow a current into the transistor of ID_MAX = (VO_MAX)/R4

VZENER = VCC_H – VCC_L

The basic operation of the current-sensing circuit is clear from the above. The accuracy of its current measurements is limited mainly by the mismatch of the resistances as well as by the offset of the amplifiers, and the design therefore needs to take these error sources into account.

Impact of the mismatch of the resistancesThe first equation above calculates the output voltage on the assumption that the resistances used are perfectly matched. Unfortunately, in practice they will not be, as all resistors show some variance from their nominal value.

The error in the gain attributable to the mismatch of the resistances is given by the following formula:

Where: ea = the precision of any of the resistanceseRSHUNT = the accuracy of the shunt resistor

From this equation, it is clear that the resistance R2 has a bigger impact on the error than the other resistances. Therefore its value should be as low as possible: 10kΩ. Note also that the sum of R1 and R3 should be high and unbalanced in order to achieve the required gain. Ideally R1 should be low to keep noise to a minimum.

Effect of input-offset voltageAnother error must be taken into consideration: the input-offset voltage. This application uses the TSZ121, a chopper amplifier, because it features a very low input-offset voltage: 8µV over the full temperature range of -40°C to 125°C. Input-offset error has a marked effect on measurement accuracy, especially when a very small current has to be measured.

The transfer function may be used to compensate for the input-offset voltage, expressed as follows:

Where: VIO1 = the input offset of the first op amp (OP_A)VIO2 = the input offset of the second op amp (OP1_ B).

As the TSZ121 has an extremely low input-offset voltage, VIO2 can in practice be ignored.

Total errorTo estimate the total error of the output, the designer must add the mismatch of the resistances and the offset of the op amps. Then the output voltage can be calculated with this equation:

The graphs in Figures 2 and 3 show the maximum error expected over the operating-temperature range, with reference to the accuracy of the shunt resistor.


5V CMOS op amp offers very high accuracy and almost zero temperature drift

STMicroelectronics’ TSZ182 is a dual operational amplifier which features a very low input-offset voltage and almost no temperature drift.

The offset voltage is a maximum 25µV at 25°C, and just 35µV over the full operating-temperature range of -40°C to 125°C. Offset voltage drift is a tiny 0.1µV/°C.

The TSZ182, which has a 3MHz gain-bandwidth product, offers an excellent ratio of speed to power consumption, and draws just 1mA at 5V.

STMICROELECTRONICSInput bias current is also very low: 300pA maximum over the full operating-temperature range.

These features make the TSZ182 ideal for sensor interfaces that require high accuracy and high bandwidth.

11

APPLICATIONS• Signal conditioning • Automotive current measurement • Automotive sensor signal conditioning • Medical instrumentation

FEATURES• Rail-to-rail input and output • 0.6µVpp voltage noise• 500ns settling time• Supply-voltage range: 2.2V to 5.5V • 4kV ESD protection on the human body

model


A P P L I C A T I O N S P O T L I G H T

By Nicolas Aupetit, STMicroelectronics

ConclusionDedicated amplifiers are commonly used to implement high-side current measurement. But in applications in which the common-mode voltage is higher than 70V, the measurement should be done with a conventional 5V op amp.

This Design Note shows that high-side current sensing can be implemented using the TSZ121 precision amplifier combined with a Zener diode, which enables it to operate in the 5V power-supply range, and with a level-shift transistor.

Errors due to the resistances and amplifiers may be compensated for by applying the equations shown in this note. The use of ±0.1% precision resistors is advisable in order to ensure the accuracy of the current measurements.



RTD temperature sensors feature a stable platinum resistor

Compact reed sensor offers various contact options

The PTF family from TE Connectivity (TE) is a series of Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) which feature a stable platinum resistor in thin-film technology as their sensing element.

The 59022 Firecracker from Littelfuse is a cylindrical reed sensor available with a choice of Normally Open (NO), Normally Closed (NC) or Change-Over (CO) contacts.

The operating-characteristic curve of these RTDs conforms to the specifications of the DIN EN 60751 standard. The platinum resistive material in the sensing element ensures the stability of the device’s performance over time and temperature.

A magnetically-operated proximity sensor with hermetically-sealed contacts, the 59022 operates through non-ferrous materials such as wood, plastic or aluminium. Its magnetic principle of operation makes it well suited to use in moist or contaminated environments.

Compact, this reed sensor is 25.4mm long and has a diameter of 5.8mm: it fits into small, confined spaces and is easy to install. It is also ideal for battery-powered applications as the contacts draw no current when in the non-activated state.

The 59022 series is available with a range of sensitivity and cable-length options. It functions best with the Littelfuse 57022 actuator.

TE CONNECTIVITY

LITTELFUSE

The PTF sensors consist of a structured platinum film on a ceramic substrate, passivated by a glass coating. The connection wires are protected with glass on the welding area.

The connection wires are either gold-coated nickel wire or silver wire. Gold-coated nickel wire is preferred for welding applications which need to be able to withstand a higher temperature, although they can also be soldered. Silver wires are preferred for solder applications at lower temperatures.

Benefitting from a small outline and low mass, the PTF RTDs have a low time constant; and are therefore suitable for use in control systems which require fast and precise feedback.

PTF temperature detectors: May be used in welding applications at temperatures up to 600°C TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks

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APPLICATIONS• Medical equipment • Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning • White goods • Automotive • Industrial applications • Sensing element for plug-in probes

FEATURES• 3,850ppm/K thermal coefficient of

resistance • 600°C maximum operating temperature• Resistance tolerances: ±0.24%, ±0.12%,

±0.06% or ±0.04% • ±0.43°C temperature tolerance at 25°C

APPLICATIONS• Position and limit sensing • Security equipment • Level sensing • Linear actuators

FEATURES• Reed contacts last for millions of operating

cycles under microcontroller logic-level loads

• Customer-defined sensitivity options • Custom cable length and connector

options available• 0.2Ω maximum contact resistance



A N A L O G U E A N D S E N S I N G


Accurate relative humidity and temperature sensor IC ideal for space- and power-constrained designs

Rugged NTC thermistor provides surface temperature measurement at up to 150°C

The ENS210 from ams is a single-die sensor IC providing extremely accurate, pre-calibrated measurements of relative humidity and ambient temperature.

The NTCALUG01A is a series of Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) thermistors from Vishay Intertechnology which offers easy mounting using a ring tongue terminal which may be screwed to the surface of the object to be measured.

The ENS210 provides a digital temperature output in Kelvin, accurate to a maximum ±0.2°C over the range 0°C to 70°C. It also provides relative humidity measurements as a digital output accurate to a maximum ±3.5%. Shipped to customers as a calibrated unit, the sensor requires no trimming on the production line. It provides its digital outputs over an I2C interface, eliminating the need for signal processing by the host device’s applications processor or microcontroller.

Housed in a moulded plastic surface-mount package measuring just 2mm x 2mm x 0.75mm, the ENS210 is small enough to be accommodated in mobile and wearable devices, such as fitness monitoring wristbands.

Drawing just 40nA in stand-by mode and 7.1µA in active measurement mode (sampling at 1Hz), the ENS210 drains very little energy from the battery in portable applications.

The insulated sensor body is mounted inside the barrel of the ring tongue terminal, and it has two stranded, insulated copper leads which provide 600Vrms of insulation in accordance with the NEMA HP-3 type E specification.

The thermistor is therefore suitable for a wide range of surface sensing applications, especially when good electrical insulation and a good thermal contact with the chassis are required.

The sensor body is epoxy-coated and attached to the metal ring lug via a middle buffer layer.

AMS

VISHAY

It operates from a wide input-voltage range of 1.71V to 3.6V, which means that systems with a dual 1.8V/3.3V power supply need no additional level-shifting voltage regulator at the point of load.

In home and building automation systems, the ENS210’s readings of relative humidity and temperature may be used in combination with the ams CCS811 or CCS801 gas sensor for accurate assessment of the quality of the indoor environment. The ENS210 may also be combined with smart LED lighting solutions from ams, such as the AS7225 Smart Lighting Director, as part of an IoT sensor hub.

The lug is made of tinned copper. The insulated leads are stranded AWG 24 wire with PTFE insulation, and have a diameter of 1.12mm.

The NTCALUG01A thermistors are available with resistance values at 25°C that range from 4.7kΩ to 100kΩ, and with a tolerance of this resistance value between ±1% and ±5%. The operating-temperature range is -40°C to 150°C, and the dissipation factor is 23mW/K.

NTCALUG01A: Ring terminal provides good thermal interface for surface sensing

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APPLICATIONS• Mobile and wearable devices• Thermostats • Air-conditioning systems and air purifiers• Home appliances such as: • Refrigerators • Clothes dryers • Microwave ovens • Kitchen air extractors • Industrial and medical environmental

monitoring systems • Paediatric incubators• Weather stations

FEATURES• 4s response time for relative humidity

measurements• 1s response time for temperature

measurements• Excellent long-term stability • Optional sensor fusion software

APPLICATIONS• Automotive inlet air-temperature control• Transmission oil-temperature control• Engine-temperature control• Automotive air-conditioning systems• Airbags • Frost sensors• Domestic appliances• Industrial process control• Fire alarms• Heating and ventilation equipment

FEATURES• 7.5s thermal constant time• AEC-Q200 grade 1 qualified • UL recognised• 1,500V AC minimum dielectric

withstanding voltage between terminals and lug

• 100MΩ minimum insulation resistance between terminals and lug at 500V DC



Part Number

Switching Power (W)

Switching Voltage (V DC)

Switching Current (A DC)

Switching Voltage (V AC)

Switching Current (A AC)

Breakdown Voltage (V DC)

Magnetic Sensitivity (AT)

Nominal Activate Distance (mm) Switch Type

59022-1-S 10 200 0.5 140 0.35 250 12 to 18 9.6 A:SPST-NO

59022-1-T 10 200 0.5 140 0.35 250 17 to 23 7 A:SPST-NO

59022-1-U 10 200 0.5 140 0.35 250 22 to 28 5 A:SPST-NO

59022-3-S 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 15 to 20 9.3 C: SPDT-CO

59022-3-T 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 20 to 25 7.5 C: SPDT-CO

59022-3-U 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 25 to 30 6.5 C: SPDT-CO

59022-4-S 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 15 to 20 9.3 B:SPST-NC

59022-4-T 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 20 to 25 7.5 B:SPST-NC

59022-4-U 5 175 0.25 120 0.18 200 25 to 30 6.5 B:SPST-NC



Accelerometers offer extended measurement range for use in sports and industrial applications

Upgraded tri-axis accelerometer offers low trigger threshold of 3.9mg

The KX222 and KX224 from Kionix, a ROHM Group company, are accelerometers which offer user-configurable full-scale measurement ranges of ±8g, ±16g and ±32g.

The KXTJ3 from Kionix, part of the ROHM group, is a new and improved version of the company’s family of tri-axis MEMS accelerometers. Housed in a 2mm x 2mm x 0.9mm, 12-pin LGA package, it is pin-compatible with the earlier KXTJ2 series, and thus provides an easy upgrade path for users of the older device.

These latest accelerometers from Kionix have a sense element fabricated using proprietary plasma micromachining process technology. Acceleration sensing is based on the principle of a differential capacitance arising from acceleration-induced motion of the sense element. Kionix uses common-mode cancellation to decrease errors from process variation, temperature and environmental stress.

The KX22x devices can measure higher rates of acceleration than the accelerometers commonly used in smartphones and tablets for orientation detection and other functions. The Kionix parts are intended to serve industrial and sports applications which require this extended measurement range, and also the higher bandwidth and sampling rates up to 25.6kHz available from the KX222 and KX224.

In the new KXTJ3, the maximum full-scale measurement range has been extended to ±16g. The measurement range is user-configurable to ±2g, ±4g, ±8g or ±16g. In addition, the wake-up and interrupt circuitry has been refined, now providing a configurable threshold with a minimum value of 3.9mg.

The KXTJ3’s improved sensor element offers lower noise performance, rated at 150µg/√Hz. The accelerometer is also notable for its stable performance over temperature: its zero-g offset is ±25mg, and the temperature variation of the offset is just 0.2mg/°C.

ROHM SEMICONDUCTOR

ROHM SEMICONDUCTOR

While many accelerometers have mechanical resonances of 1-2kHz, the Kionix sensors offer higher bandwidths with mechanical resonances up to 6kHz. In addition, the mechanical MEMS structures in the KX222 and KX224 are built for shock resistance and resilience, withstanding shocks of up to 10,000g.

The KX222 and KX224 are housed in an LGA plastic package with a 0.9mm profile. The KX222’s footprint is 2mm x 2mm, and the KX224’s is 3mm x 3mm.

Applications requiring high sensitivity can be catered for by the KXTJ3, which can measure at a resolution up to 1,024 counts/g in 14-bit or 12-bit mode. It is also suitable for battery-powered and power-constrained applications, drawing just 0.9µA in stand-by mode, and 10µA in low-power mode.

Kionix KX224: Up to 25.6kHz bandwidth

KXTJ3: Improved sensor element for lower noise

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APPLICATIONS• Industrial equipment • Sports devices

FEATURES• Integrated orientation, tap/double tap,

activity-detection and free-fall algorithms• Range of user-configurable output data

rates: 0.781Hz to 25.6kHz• 16-bit resolution• Supply-voltage range: 1.71V to 3.6V • User-selectable low-power and high-

resolution modes• I2C and serial peripheral interfaces • Factory-programmed offset and sensitivity• Self-test function

APPLICATIONS• Consumer electronics devices• Medical equipment• Industrial equipment

FEATURES• Supply-voltage range: 1.71V to 3.6V • User-configurable output data rates from

0.781Hz to 1,600Hz• Highly configurable interrupt control• Embedded low-pass filter• Self-test function• I2C interface






Orderable Part Numbers: EVAL-KX222-1054, EVAL-KX224-1053

Orderable Part Number: EVAL-KXTJ3-1057

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XYZ colour sensor provides integrated platform for consumer and industrial colour analysis devices

Compact PIR sensors offer wide choice of lenses and detection characteristics

ams has introduced an integrated colour-point sensor IC which provides dramatically improved accuracy and stability compared to conventional RGB colour sensors while cutting bill-of-materials and production costs for manufacturers of handheld colour analysis instruments.

Panasonic’s PaPIR family of Pyroelectric Infrared (PIR) sensors are complete systems for human motion detection, including lenses.

The new AS7261 JENCOLOR® XYZ sensor is a complete platform for colour sensing, which eases design-in and simplifies production processes for manufacturers of professional or consumer colorimeters and colour analysers. Capabilities include:• CCT and full-colour sensor which

provides direct XYZ colour co-ordinates consistent with the CIE 1931 2° Standard Observer framework. It also maps the XYZ co-ordinates to the x, y (Y) of the two-dimensional colour gamut and scales them to the CIE 1976 u’v’ co-ordinate system

• multi-channel filter set integrated at the silicon wafer level, providing Dark, Clear and Near-Infrared channels as well as the XYZ colour-sensing channels

• calibrated CCT and duv, plus x y, u’v’ and direct sensor-count outputs accessible via I2C or UART interfaces

The digital output of the PaPIR products, provided as TTL and LVTTL signals, may be directly connected to a microcontroller, making it easy to integrate the sensors into circuit designs and allowing the fastest possible development time.

The modular PaPIR product portfolio includes more than 70 sensor variants, giving designers a solution for almost every known application, including both wired and battery-powered systems.

The PaPIR family of sensors is notable for its small dimensions – with sizes down to 0.6mm x 0.6mm – combined with small optics. At the same time, the PaPIR products offer excellent detection capabilities.

AMS

PANASONIC

• programmable LED driver for electronic shutter control and synchronisation

• aperture with integrated lensing built into the device’s 4.5mm x 4.7mm LGA package, providing a ±20.5° field of view for high sensing accuracy

• selectable register-based I2C or UART interface with simple text-based command set enabling a host microcontroller or processor to configure operation of the device

The measurements of white light made by the AS7261 are typically accurate to ±0.002 du’v’ on the CIE 1976 scale. This high performance is comparable to that of discrete or chip-scale colour sensors costing many times more, and is maintained thanks to the durable and stable silicon filter set integrated onto the sensor die.

The multi-spectral sensing range of products from ams also includes:• the AS7262, a cost-effective six-channel

multi-spectral sensor which operates at visible wavelengths from approximately 430nm to 670nm. It features an integrated LED driver with programmable current for electronic shutter applications.

• the AS7263, a digital six-channel spectrometer for spectral identification in the near IR light wavelengths. AS7263 has six independent optical filters for near IR wavelengths from approximately 600nm to 870nm. The AS7263 also has an integrated LED driver.

An improved signal-to-noise ratio ensures very reliable operation.

Products in the PaPIR family include: • EKMB series – highly sensitive, and very low

current of 1µA, 2µA or 6µA in stand-by mode • EKMC series – low-cost product, also

available in a lensless variant• AMN series – special lenses for narrow field

of view

Panasonic PIR sensors: Standard digital output to host MCU

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APPLICATIONS• Paint or fabric colour matching• Fluid colour analysis• Display management• Light metering • Portable spectrometry and colour analysis

FEATURES (AS7261)• 3.3V supply voltage• 5mA maximum operating current• 16-bit ADC• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 85°C

APPLICATIONS• Office automation • Home appliances• Signage• Vending machines• Security equipment• IoT devices• Thermostats• Lighting controls

FEATURES• Excellent resistance to radiation noise• High sensitivity• Ferroelectric sensing element• Compact lens designs





High-performance MEMS microphone features fully differential output

STMicroelectronics’ MP23AB01DH is a compact, low-power MEMS microphone which offers excellent acoustic performance, including low noise and high sensitivity.

It consists of a capacitive sensing element and an IC interface. The sensing element, capable of detecting acoustic waves, is manufactured using a special silicon micromachining process dedicated to the production of audio sensors.

This advanced production technology helps the MP23AB01DH to achieve outstanding acoustic performance. Sensitivity is 38dB with an acoustic overload point of 135dB and a minimum 65dB signal-to-noise ratio.

The MP23AB01DH also has a fully differential output which has the effect of minimising common-mode noise.

The MP23AB01DH is guaranteed to operate over an extended temperature range from -40°C to 85°C.

STMICROELECTRONICS

ST’s MP23AB01DH: 38db acoustic sensitivity

17

APPLICATIONS• Consumer devices • Industrial applications

FEATURES• Single 2.7V supply voltage • Omnidirectional sensitivity • -100dB power-supply rejection• High bandwidth • High RF immunity



The STEVAL-MKI139V4 board contains four MP23AB01DH analogue MEMS microphones. The coupon design allows easy evaluation of the microphones. Single PCBs hosting each microphone may be easily detached.

Orderable Part Number: STEVAL-MKI139V4


It is housed in an LGA package with a metal cap, and the acoustic opening in the bottom. The package measures 3.4mm x 2.5mm x 1.0mm.


Orderable Part Number: AS7261 DEMO KIT



Improved technology gives force sensor industry-best measurement stability

Three-axis accelerometer includes internal motion-detection engine

The FC22 from TE Connectivity (TE), a medium-compression force sensor, creates an opportunity for OEMs to develop products for new markets which would previously have been unavailable because of cost and performance constraints.

The LIS2DW12 from STMicroelectronics is an ultra low-power and high-performance three-axis linear accelerometer used to detect motion and acceleration.

The FC22 incorporates proprietary microfused technology: this uses micromachined silicon piezo-resistive strain gauges fused with high-temperature glass to a high-performance stainless-steel substrate. This microfused technology has enabled TE to eliminate the age-sensitive organic epoxies that are used in traditional load cells. As a result, the FC22 is able to offer excellent long-term span and zero stability.

The FC22 is supplied with a normalised zero and span to facilitate interchangeability, and implements compensation for changes in zero and span over temperature.

The FC22 measures direct force and is therefore not subject to the lead-die fatigue

TE CONNECTIVITY

STMICROELECTRONICS

failure common in competing designs that use a pressure capsule embedded within a silicone gel-filled cavity.

Operating at very low strain values, the FC22 with microfused technology provides an unlimited cycle life expectancy and superior resolution. The device is available with a choice of four full-scale ranges: 0-10lbf, 0-25lbf, 0-50lbf or 0-100lbf.

The LIS2DW12 has user-selectable full scales of ±2g, ±4g, ±8g or ±16g, and is capable of measuring acceleration at output data rates from 1.6Hz to 1.6kHz.

The LIS2DW12 has an integrated 32-level First-In, First-Out (FIFO) buffer allowing the user to store data in order to limit the requirement for intervention by a host processor. An embedded self-test capability enables the user to check the functioning of the sensor in the

final application.The LIS2DW12 has a

dedicated internal engine which can perform motion- and acceleration-detection functions including free-fall, wake-up, single- or double-tap recognition, activity/inactivity detection, portrait/landscape detection and 6D/4D orientation.

The LIS2DW12 is available in a small thin plastic LGA package measuring 2mm x 2mm x 0.7mm. It is guaranteed to operate over an extended temperature range from -40°C to 85°C.

FC22: Measures direct force

18

APPLICATIONS• Medical infusion pumps• Robotics • Variable force control• Load and compression sensing• Exercise machines• Pumps• Contact sensing• Weighing machines• Household appliances

FEATURES• Small size• Low noise• High reliability• Low deflection• Low off-centre errors• Fast response time• Reverse-polarity protected

APPLICATIONS• Gesture recognition • Display orientation• Hearing aids• Portable healthcare devices• Wireless sensor nodes

FEATURES• Supply-voltage range: 1.62V to 3.6V • 50nA current in power-down mode• <1µA current in active low-power mode • 1.3mgrms noise in low-power mode • I2C/SPI interface • 16-bit data output • Embedded temperature sensor • Survives 10,000g shock




TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks



Sensor development board for pressure, temperature and humidity measurement

Weather Shield for Arduino or Genuino motherboard

Weather Shield for Raspberry Pi

Sensor boards for Grove System platform

The MEAS PICtail® Plus for Microchip Explorer 16 from TE Connectivity (TE) is a simple way to interface with TE’s board-mountable sensors. The board features a PIC24FJ128GA010 microcontroller from Microchip.

The board features the following TE sensors:

HTU21D – a digital humidity sensor with temperature output. Setting new standards for size and intelligence, the HTU21D is embedded in a DFN package with a small 3mm x 3mm footprint. It provides calibrated, linearised signals in a digital I2C format.

MS5637 – a compact micro-altimeter. Highly precise, the MS5637 can measure altitude at sea level to a resolution of 13cm. The sensor module provides digital 24-bit pressure and temperature values, and offers various operating modes which allow the user to optimise for conversion speed or current consumption.

TSYS01 – a digital temperature sensor IC which draws a maximum operating current of 12.5µA from a supply voltage ranging from 2.2V to 3.6V. It provides temperature measurements which are accurate to ±1°C via an I2C or serial peripheral interface.

MS8607 – a combined pressure, humidity and temperature sensor. High pressure resolution combined with high linearity make the MS8607 ideal for environmental monitoring and altimeter functions in mobile devices, as well as pressure/humidity/temperature applications such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, and weather stations.

The MEAS Weather Shield provides the necessary hardware to interface five environmental sensors from TE to any system that uses Arduino or Genuino motherboard-compatible expansion ports configurable for I2C communication.

The Weather Shield features these TE sensors:

• HTU21D digital relative humidity sensor• MS5637 digital barometric pressure sensor • TSYS01 temperature sensor• MS8607 digital relative humidity and pressure sensor• TSD305-1C55 digital thermopile sensor

The performance characteristics of the board include a 0-100% relative humidity measurement range, 300-1,200mbar pressure measurement range, temperature measurements accurate to a maximum of ±0.5°C with the TSYS01, and contactless temperature measurements from 0°C to 100°C using the TSD305-1C55.

The MEAS Pi Weather Shield provides the necessary hardware to interface environmental sensors from TE to any system that uses Raspberry Pi-compatible expansion ports configurable for I2C communication.

Sensors on the Weather Shield for Raspberry Pi include the HTU21D sensor,

a self-contained humidity and temperature sensor which is fully calibrated during manufacturing. The sensor can operate from 1.5V to 3.6V, has selectable resolution, low-battery detection, and checksum capability.

The shield also features:• MS5637 pressure and temperature sensor • TSYS01 temperature sensor • TSD305-1C55 contactless temperature measurement system (thermopile)

TE supplies sensor boards that are compatible with the Grove System, for developers who prefer this platform for embedded designs.

Grove System-compatible boards are available for: • HTU21D relative humidity and temperature sensor

• MS5637 digital barometric pressure and temperature sensor• MS8607 digital pressure, relative humidity and temperature sensor• TSYS01 digital temperature sensor• KMA36 universal magnetic encoder for precise rotational position

measurement• TSYS02D digital temperature sensor

TE CONNECTIVITY

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MEAS, TE Connectivity and TE connectivity (logo) are trademarks

To apply for these free boards go to: www.my-boardclub.com/ftmTerms and conditions apply. Visit www.my-boardclub.com/about_us for details


Photodetector with improved sensitivity to visible light offers fast response times

Development boards for sensor applications

Vishay’s VEMD5080X01 is a high-speed photodiode which has enhanced sensitivity to visible light.

A compact, surface-mount device with a low profile of 0.9mm, it has a sensing area of 7.5mm2, and can detect visible and near-infrared radiation with a wavelength ranging from 350nm to 1,100nm. Its relative spectral sensitivity peaks at 950nm.

Providing a fast response to incident light, its rise and fall times are just 100ns. The photodiode’s low capacitance allows for fast sampling rates and precise signal detection, while its sensitivity to green light has been increased by 30% compared to previous generations of the product.

VISHAYThis makes the VEMD5080X01 ideal for optical heart-rate monitoring in wearable devices when used in combination with Vishay’s VLMTG1400 green LED. Because of its broad spectral sensitivity, it is also able to provide pulse oximetry measurements when used with Vishay’s VSMD66694 dual-colour LED.

Vishay’s VEMD5080X01 PIN diode for wearables

21

APPLICATIONS• Particle and dust sensors• Smoke detectors• Automotive sensors• Optical heart-rate monitoring

FEATURES• ±65° angle of half sensitivity• Operating-temperature range:

-40°C to 110°C• AEC-Q101 qualified


Flower Power reference design demonstrates efficiency of switching regulator in low-current application

Intersil has developed a ‘Flower Power’ reference design which demonstrates the capabilities of its ISL85005 high-efficiency synchronous buck regulator, as well as other Intersil analogue and sensing products.

The reference design board is intended to be a fun office adornment. A press of the button on the back powers up the board: the flower will then play one of five classic ‘Summer of Love’ songs and create an eye-catching pattern by driving the colour LEDs mounted on the petals of the flower-shaped board. The board comes with a suction-cup hanger which can be used to hang the board on a window or any smooth surface.

At the heart of the Flower Power reference design is Intersil’s 5A ISL85005, a switching regulator with an input-voltage range of 4.5V to 18V: this is ideal for use with the board’s two CR2032 batteries which, in series, produce a nominal output voltage of 6V.

While the ISL85005 is capable of delivering up to 5A of output current, this design draws less than 50mA when playing a song. This low-current application shows off the

Future Electronics’ Board Club: supporting innovative electronics design

Europe’s electronics industry thrives on the application of innovation and creativity, and an essential innovator’s tool in design projects is the development board. The Board Club website is a Future Electronics resource for users of development boards. Here, and only here, Board Club members can gain access to exclusive free development boards and development board offers.If you would like to register for membership, please visit: www.my-boardclub.com/register.php

INTERSIL



Orderable Part Number: ISLAT-FLOWER1Z

Orderable Part Numbers: DPP101G000 – Grove MS5637DPP201G000 – Grove TSYS01DPP202G000 – Grove TSYS02DDPP301G000 – Grove HTU21DDPP401G000 – Grove KMA36DPP901G000 – Grove MS8607

DPP902S000 – Arduino Weather ShieldDPP903M000 – PICtail® Weather BoardDPP904R000 – Raspberry Pi Weather Shield

FEATURES• ISL29102 low-power ambient light-to-

voltage non-linear converter• ISL21080 300nA NanoPower voltage

reference• ISL28915 NanoPower push/pull output

comparator• Microchip ATmega328P-AU 8-bit AVR®

RISC microcontroller• Abracon ASPI-0630LR power inductor,

offering low DC resistance and high saturation current

• Murata PKLCS1212E4001-R1 surface-mount piezoelectric sounder


Diode Emulation Mode (DEM) feature of the ISL85005, which greatly improves efficiency at light loads. The board is able to play more than 1,000 song-play cycles before the batteries are fully discharged.

The device converts the 6V battery input to a 3.3V output, providing a power rail for the rest of the active components on the board.

The PCB is shaped like a five-petal flower and comes in two colours, purple and yellow. It has five RGB LEDs on the front and an Intersil ambient light sensor to control the LED brightness.

Small, low-power and low-cost FPGAs: a valid alternative to the MCU in embedded designs?

The microcontroller is the default choice of core component in almost every portable or low-power embedded design today. Microcontrollers are cheap, small, use little power, and are familiar and easy to work with. Given these attributes, it is hardly surprising that they are so popular.

By Pawel Makyla, Central Applications Engineer, Future Electronics (EMEA) and Wafy Butty, FPGA Specialist, Future Electronics (Central Europe)

But developments in the technology of FPGAs are prompting a rethink by some embedded designers. A new generation of FPGAs is emerging which can meet the low-power requirements of portable and battery-powered designs, and which fit into tight Bill-of-Materials (BoM) cost budgets. This article describes the most important attributes of this new strain of FPGA, and the types of applications to which it is best suited.

New territory for FPGAsThe new generation of low-cost and low-power FPGAs is typified by the iCE40 UltraLite series from Lattice Semiconductor. Featuring a static power rating of just 35µA, the iCE40 UltraLite’s power consumption is comfortably low enough for mobile applications – indeed, it was the first FPGA to be used in a mobile phone design. In its smallest, chip-scale package option, it measures just 1.4mm x 1.4mm x 0.45mm. This device has sufficient die area to provide either 640 or 1,248 Look-Up Tables (LUTs), 56kbits of RAM, three 24mA constant-current sinks and a 100mA+400mA current sink.

These specifications are in marked contrast to those of conventional FPGAs. Traditionally, FPGA manufacturers have sought to provide their users with a premium product, offering high performance and a rich feature set for which customers in markets such as telecoms and networking equipment or defence and aerospace have been prepared to pay a high unit price. In the past, this meant that each new process step in the wafer fabrication roadmap was used to cram more gates and more features into a given die area in order to defend and extend the high end of the FPGA market.

The development of devices such as the iCE40 series represents the opposite approach: here, FPGA manufacturers are using advances in silicon fabrication to reduce die area and power consumption, while deliberately reducing gate count and the feature set in order to be able to produce a device with a tiny footprint, a low unit cost and power consumption low enough even for a mobile phone’s power system.

This is not a strategy to undercut the price of high-end FPGAs: rather, this new type of FPGA is aimed at extending the reach of these programmable devices into new applications in which they were never previously used, and this includes applications that today use an MCU.

So on what basis might an MCU user now consider using an FPGA instead, or as an addition?

Favouring parallel operationTo describe the two types of device in broad terms, MCUs perform sequential processing (running one task at a time) while FPGAs can run multiple processes in parallel (running more than one task at a time) – in other words, FPGAs are ‘concurrent’ devices.

An MCU, therefore, is ideal for control applications characterised by a high degree of dependency, so that decisions are determined in the core by the prior state of some input device, such as a sensor or keypad.

By contrast, FPGAs support the simultaneous operation of multiple, independent functions, which may be implemented in parallel in separate portions of the device’s ‘sea of gates’. This bias towards parallel operation might be put to good use, for example, in wearable fitness or health-monitoring devices, as shown in Figure 1. A fitness wristband will contain multiple sensors and user-interface devices including:• biometric sensors such as a heart-rate sensor, a sweat sensor, and a

blood oxygen sensor• environmental sensors, such as an ultra-violet radiation sensor• motion sensors• system sensors – a temperature sensor and current sensor• a microphone• touch-sensing buttons• a sounder or speaker

In this application, which uses an FPGA as a sensor hub, sensor readings for the most part have no dependency: the device is not expected to do anything in response to a measurement taken by a step counter, for instance: it just has to count steps while, in parallel, counting heartbeats, measuring the concentration of pollutant particles in the air and so on.

In a device such as a fitness wristband, the mode of operation of an MCU is dramatically different from that of an FPGA. In an MCU, the whole device must wake up in order to execute any action, such as receiving data from a sensor and logging it in memory. This means that a power-hungry crystal must also be woken up – and a crystal typically requires around 10ms to settle, an interval in which the MCU itself is also drawing power but is unable to do anything useful. This wake-up/wait/act/shut-down cycle occurs every time the device has to log a step or a heartbeat or a measurement of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the air.

Fig. 1: The LG Lifeband Touch wearable activity tracker. This type of device requires multiple sensor interfaces – an application requirement for which a small FPGA can be ideal. (Photo credit: LG under Creative Commons licence)

T E C H N I C A L V I E W

F O L L O W U S N O W – S E A R C H F T M B O A R D C L U B O N22

READ THIS ARTICLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT:

• The contrasting modes of operation of a microcontroller and an FPGA

• Why FPGAs are particularly suitable for modern products that have multiple sensors and user input devices

• The tools and resources available to first-time FPGA users to help them implement a design easily and quickly

T E C H N I C A L V I E W

S E E P R E V I O U S I S S U E S O F F T M AT W W W. M Y- F T M . C O M 23

By contrast, the wearable application can easily be partitioned in an FPGA, with each sensor interfacing to its own dedicated set of logic gates. Now, an input from the optical heart rate sensor only needs to wake up the small portion of the FPGA that handles heart rate measurement, while the rest of the device can remain in power-down mode. The same applies for each of the other many sensor interfaces in a fitness wristband. As a result, average power consumption may be markedly lower in the FPGA implementation than in the MCU implementation.

There is also a potential BoM cost implication of choosing an MCU for this application. Most of the time, instructions will need to be handled at intervals, and so the instruction throughput is relatively low. But every good engineer, of course, predicts and allows for the worst-case scenario. What if the MCU has to handle multiple actions almost simultaneously, with no perceptible lag?

This might call for a high-performance core which, most of the time, will be considerably over-specified, but is required to be available for the few occasions on which multiple instructions have to be executed extremely fast. Again, the FPGA’s naturally parallel mode of operation will easily handle the simultaneous implementation of multiple actions, and so there is no need for the same over-specification of the FPGA’s performance. Equally, one or more FPGAs may be used for sensor interfacing functions, handling the inputs from sensors such as accelerometers for step counting and allowing the power-hungry MCU or applications processor to stay in power-down most of the time, as shown in Figure 2.

All of these potential advantages of an FPGA come in addition to the most obvious one: the device’s programmability, which enables the designer to reconfigure the chip’s functions at will without affecting the board design. An FPGA can therefore operate as a flexible design platform, from which multiple product variants can quickly be developed from the same basic hardware design, giving the user a potential time-to-market advantage when introducing new product variants compared to the user of a fixed-function MCU.

FPGA implementation for MCU usersThe case for a re-examination of the normal architecture of small embedded systems, then, and for consideration of the potential benefits of using FPGAs, is growing stronger with the proliferation of sensors and connections.

But users of MCUs have remained users of MCUs in part because the development tool-chain and ecosystem are familiar to them and well understood. How difficult is it for an MCU user to integrate an FPGA into a new design? In fact, FPGA providers offer a comprehensive ecosystem of tools, boards and IP to accelerate the system-development process.

The new FPGA user does not have to start with a blank screen: FPGA manufacturers and third-party software/firmware providers offer a huge range of Intellectual Property (IP) which may be integrated into a design. For example the Open Cores website (opencores.org) provides many IP packages which may be implemented by most FPGAs on the market today.

The IP elements available to FPGA users include a wide menu of individual functional blocks of many kinds – for instance, for Lattice FPGAs, Helion Technologies (www.heliontech.com) provides security IP such as a fast hash core, DES and triple-DES cores, and an AES core.

The IP offer extends all the way up to comprehensive reference designs: for the iCE40 FPGAs, Lattice provides reference designs for: • barcode emulation• infra-red remote controller• pedometer• sensor interfacing• RGB LED control• USB Type-C Cable Detect and Power Delivery

Language support and IP provision are backed by the FPGA manufacturers’ own integrated development environments, which offer facilities for managing debugging, power analysis and other useful functions. So while the FPGA’s hardware description language, Verilog or VHDL, might be unfamiliar to MCU users, the amount of hardware configuration required is kept to a minimum by the availability of off-the-shelf software resources.

Putting an MCU inside an FPGAAn FPGA, then, may operate as an alternative to an MCU. It may, equally, include an MCU. A developer can do this by describing the functional blocks of an MCU in hardware description language. Alternatively, they can implement the desired MCU code in the form of soft-core IP from a third-party provider.

This can be useful, for instance, for a product in production, the processor of which has reached End-Of-Life (EOL) status. Emulating the MCU in an FPGA enables production to continue. A second use case is size reduction: by absorbing into an FPGA functions currently implemented in multiple discrete components interfaced to an MCU, the designer can minimise production and BoM costs and simplify the board layout.

FPGAs also offer a marked advantage over MCUs in terms of board layout. FPGAs offer various logic interfaces, such as LVTTL, LVCMOS and LVDS, of varying voltages and even drive strengths. The pins in the FPGA are also swappable: the PCB designer can run the signals into the chip in almost any order that is convenient.

There are, then, many ways in which an FPGA provides a better way to implement a circuit that would previously have used an MCU. And by

providing a flexible means to handle multiple streams of activity in parallel, a small, low-power FPGA provides an inherently suitable framework for the implementation of today’s ever more sensor-rich embedded designs.

Fig. 2: A small, low-cost FPGA may be used as a companion to an MCU or applications processor, as in this pedometer reference design from Lattice Semiconductor. (Image credit: Lattice Semiconductor)



Orderable Part Number: iCE40UL1K-B-EVN

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