aN Systems is the global leader in GaN power semiconductors with the largest portfolio of transistors that uniquely address the needs of today's energy-intensive industries including data centers, automotive, renewable energy, industrial, and consumer electronics. GaN Systems' award-winning power transistors are the building blocks of change for the design of a new generation of smaller, lower cost, and more efficient power systems that these markets now demand, and that are not possible with legacy silicon-based approaches. GaN Systems is dedicated to transforming transistor performance and delivering the innovation possibilities that come from unprecedented levels of energy efficiency.  This will enable companies to not only create wholly new kinds of products that impact their fiscal bottom-line, but also revolutionize their industries, and in the process, change the world's relationship with energy and its impact on climate change and delivering on the social values import to global citizens.

Products

Microchip delivers the next generation in digital power conversion with scalable solutions that solve problems in a wide range of applications.  Its power solutions range from microcontrollers performing supervision and sequencing for the most basic level of intelligent power control/integration, to the most advanced digital control topologies with digital control engines that integrate ADCs, digital control algorithms, and PWM generators to close the loop with firmware. Offering includes solutions for:

• Digital Control of Analog Regulators
• DEPA Controllers
• Core Independent Peripheral (CIP) Hybrid Power Controllers
• Full Digital Power using Microchip's dsPIC® Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) for the highest available performance in applications with stringent efficiency requirements, including AC-DC or DC-DC converters and power inverters

High-Performance Analog/Mixed-signal ICs for Space

Microchip also offers a family of ICs through its Microsemi subsidiary that combine high-precision, ultra-fast regulation and high efficiency in a radiation-tolerant package.  Products include: 

• Space System Managers including position sensing and motor controllers and telemetry controllers 
• 8-Channel Source Drivers
• 8-Pair Diode Arrays
• Voltage Regulators and PWM

Power Discretes and Modules

GaN Systems has a wide breadth of innovative design tools, evaluation kits, and reference designs that make GaN easy to incorporate into power designs and expedite go-to-market system releases. Additionally, GaN Systems' Design Center has application notes, papers and presentations, and an online circuit simulation tool that allows designers to compare application conditions by implementing specific operating values.

Newer design tools include:

• Low current 3.5 A, 8A, and 11A device evaluation kit with EZDriveTM circuit, which eliminates the need for a discrete driver. The kit provides a low-cost solution that offers more design flexibility, reduces the number of components, and is easy to implement.

• 1.2kW and 3kW Bridgeless Totem Pole PFC reference designs. The designs implement 650 V E-HEMTs featuring an EMI filter and surge protection that can be utilized in applications such as data center power supplies to increase efficiency, reduce systems size, and reduce system BOM cost. The evaluation boards can also start up to full load condition.
  

• GaN Systems' 50 W, 100 W, and 300 W power amplifiers, small size, low cost, and high-efficiency evaluation boards are designed to support, simplify, and speed up the innovation of wireless power transfer systems. These kits combine GaN Systems power transistors with high frequency GaN E-HEMT drivers from pSemi and are designed to be consistent with AirFuel™ standards. It is targeted for lower power applications in industrial and consumer markets for items such as power tools, IoT devices, handheld terminals, medical devices and household robots.

MARKETS

Automotive
Two technology trends are playing a dominant role in the evolution of this transportation industry: electrification and autonomous driving. EVs are expected to grow to 125 million vehicles in 2035 and 500 million in 2040. In order to avoid electricity production and distribution from becoming the new villain of the transportation pollution (CO2) story, technology is needed that enables greater energy conversion efficiency in the vehicle and at the charging station.

GaN enables the design of smaller, more efficient (50% power loss reduction), and lower cost (20% less) power systems.

Data Centers
Eight million data centers around the world are needed to manage the 2.5 quintillion bytes of data that are created each day from individual and business uses. As much as 40% of their operating costs comes from the energy needed to power and cool their racks of servers. Increasing energy efficiency and addressing issues around power density has become an increasing priority for data center operators.

In the average data center, approximately 30% of power is wasted as it travels through the multiple power conversions necessary to go from the electrical grid to the micro-processors of an individual server. Along this route, significant energy efficiency and power density can be gained in three areas: UPS (universal power supply) from the outside grid into the data center, server rack power supply, and individual server power supplies.

Renewable Energy
The growth of power-reliant industries and the world's need to address climate change and pollution are transforming the demand for renewables from a secondary to a 24/7 constant source of power. More than 25% of global electricity generation is expected to come from renewable sources by 2020. Barriers to growth for the industry have come the lack of scalable and affordable technology solutions for the efficient conversion and storage of the power. Utility companies are no longer the sole providers of power, as reflected in the expected 17x growth in residential energy storage systems between now and 2023.

In comparison to Silicon transistor-based systems, the use of GaN technology provides a 50% efficiency gain (reduction in power loss) in the bi-directional power flow between the storage systems, the grid, and the location of use. This efficiency increase not only enables the design of smaller (30-50% smaller) and lower cost (10% lower) systems with greater power-density, but also provides opportunity for power provider revenue increases.

Industrial
Industrial markets as diverse as manufacturers, warehouse operators, agriculture, and mining facilities are searching for new levels of energy efficiency and the ability to overcome past design barriers relating to the size, cost, performance, and precision of their hardware. For the hundreds of millions of motors and motor drives, as well as the robots and robotics needed in their increasingly intelligent and automated industrial spaces – significant hardware innovation is an essential element of an ongoing global evolution.

Overall, industry accounts for 40-50% of global energy use.  But the more than 300M motors and drives that are incorporated today into robotic arms, conveyor belts, fabrication machines – are energy inefficient, wasting up to 30% of their power. The use of GaN technology in motor drive design delivers smaller (50% smaller), more energy efficient (30% increase),  lower cost (25% lower system cost) products.

GaN technology elevates the performance and utility of consumer electronics devices by increasing the energy efficiency, reducing size (5x smaller) and system cost of adapters, while also providing the opportunity to incorporate new features such as wireless charging at increased power levels (50x higher).

Provided by Jim Witham, CEO, GaN Systems

 
DK Electronics (previously EPCOS) develops, manufactures and markets electronic components and systems under the product brands of TDK and EPCOS, focusing on fast-growing leading-edge technology markets, which include automotive electronics, industrial electronics and consumer electronics as well as information and communications technology. Thanks to the 22,900 employees at some 20 design and production locations and an extensive sales network, the company is globally positioned – beyond the provision of standard products – to work closely with customers and create the right solutions for them.

The diverse range of TDK Electronics portfolio includes capacitors, ferrites and inductors, piezo and protection devices, as well as sensors.

Electronic components and systems are found today in almost every item of electrical equipment, where they are essential for guaranteeing perfect functionality. They perform key functions in cars and trucks, industrial machine tools and in electric railways, wind farms and photovoltaic plants, as well as in washing machines, LED lamps, smartphones, notebooks and televisions. In all these applications TDK Electronics solutions ensure the supply of power, protect electronic circuits and ensure their fault-free operation.

Capacitors are used in all fields of sensing, control and power electronics. They store electric charges and they filter currents and voltages. The portfolio includes aluminum electrolytic, aluminum polymer and film capacitors, whose main applications are in power supplies and converters. Power capacitors ensure a stable supply of power in electric trains, for example. In addition, power capacitors are the key components for the transmission of high-voltage direct current, which enables energy to be transmitted over long distances with minimal loss.

Inductors fulfill two basic functions of electronics, often simultaneously: the filtering of currents and the storage of electromagnetic energy. Ferrites, in turn, constitute the core of inductances and they bundle electromagnetic fields for the transmission of electrical signals and power. Inductors are used, among other things, in switch-mode power supplies for information and communications applications, as well as in automotive, industrial and entertainment electronics.

TDK Electronics also manufactures components that ensure electromagnetic compatibility and, consequently, the fault-free operation of all types of electronic equipment.

Piezo and protection devices protect electronic circuits against voltage spikes and current surges. The portfolio includes surge arresters and switching spark gaps, thermistors, varistors and a comprehensive array of multilayer components that include piezo-actuators, as well as CeraDiode® varistors, the extremely thin CeraPad® substrate with integrated ESD protection, and CeraLink™ capacitors. These components are essential, above all, in vehicles, industrial equipment and household appliances, but also in power engineering, and smartphones, tablets and wearables. Among the latest product highlights are PowerHap™ piezo actuators with haptic feedback, CeraPlas™ for the generation of cold plasma, and CeraCharge™, the world's first rechargeable solid-state SMD battery.

Sensors and sensor systems include temperature sensors, which, for example, are used in vehicles in systems for reducing emissions. Such components are also used in household appliances and industrial plants. To these must be added the pressure sensors and transmitters that are required primarily for the monitoring and diagnosis of pneumatic and hydraulic systems and for the control of valve and filter systems. One further field of application is medical technology, such as the machines for measuring blood pressure or for artificial respiration. Rounding out the portfolio of sensors is the Tronics product spectrum, which consists primarily of inertial sensors that, among other things, are able to sense acceleration and rotation.

More about our TDK Group Technologies, please visit: https://www.tdk.com/corp/en/about_tdk/our_ideas/index.htm

Provided by TDK Electronics

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