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Understanding and Applying the Hall Effect

Understanding and Applying the Hall Effect

Learn about the Hall effect and how it enables accurate, isolated current measurements.


Understanding Inductor Designs for Converters

Understanding Inductor Designs for Converters

A handy technical article demonstrating filter inductor design for boost converters, design of the coupled inductor for a two-output forward converter, and the design of flyback transformer in continuous conduction mode.


Beyond the DMM: Components and Circuits for Measuring Current and Voltage

Beyond the DMM: Components and Circuits for Measuring Current and Voltage

Learn about devices and techniques used for in-circuit monitoring of currents and voltages.


Voltage and Current Dividers: What They Are and What They Do

Voltage and Current Dividers: What They Are and What They Do

This article describes what voltage and current dividers are and how they can be used.


Five Places to Find Part Info Online

Five Places to Find Part Info Online

These online sources not only help you find part data quickly, but can also help you determine availability and manage bills of materials.


Understanding Noise and PSRR in LDOs

Understanding Noise and PSRR in LDOs

The effect of noise and Power Supply Rejection Ratio (PSRR) in Low-dropout (LDO) regulators.


Microchip’s Reveal Features both Configurable Analog Output and a 2-Wire Digital Bus

Microchip’s Reveal Features both Configurable Analog Output and a 2-Wire Digital Bus

The world's first high-side current/power sensor to feature both a configurable analog output and a 2-wire digital bus.


News Jun 14, 2015 by Jennifer A. Diffley
Remote Viewing: Communicating with an Arduino via Infrared Light

Remote Viewing: Communicating with an Arduino via Infrared Light

An infrared (IR) light sensor allows the use of an Arduino to receive and decode signals from a TV remote control.


Projects Jun 14, 2015 by Tim Youngblood
The Basics of Power Semiconductor Devices: Structures, Symbols, and Operations

The Basics of Power Semiconductor Devices: Structures, Symbols, and Operations

Learn about various power electronic devices which act as solid-state switches in the circuits, meaning they act as a switch without any mechanical movement.


Converter Evaluation and Design

Converter Evaluation and Design

List of common converters and calculations of switch stresses/utilization are presented in this article. Converter design with the aid of computer spreadsheet is also shown here. A short list of converters is provided based on the basic topologies and circuit manipulations of the converters discussed on other technical articles.


How to Use Simple Converter Circuits

How to Use Simple Converter Circuits

Different circuit connections are explored here. For instance, an inversion of source and load converts the buck converter into a boost converter, the cascade connection of the converters leads to the formation of the buck-boost, and the Cuk converter from the basic buck and boost converters.


Discontinuous Conduction Mode of Simple Converters

Discontinuous Conduction Mode of Simple Converters

Discussed here are the discontinuous conduction mode, mode boundary, and conversion ratio of simple converters.


How to Use Relays to Control High-Voltage Circuits with an Arduino

How to Use Relays to Control High-Voltage Circuits with an Arduino

To control high-voltage or high-power circuits with an Arduino, you have to isolate them from the Arduino with a relay. Here's how!


How To Use Arduino’s Analog and Digital Input/Output (I/O)

How To Use Arduino’s Analog and Digital Input/Output (I/O)

The Arduino can input and output analog signals as well as digital signals.


Projects Jun 10, 2015 by Tim Youngblood
Concepts and Variables with State-Space and Canonical Models

Concepts and Variables with State-Space and Canonical Models

An analysis of the concepts and variables associated with state-space, canonical and system transfer function representations of the common converters. In direct circuit linearization averaging technique, dynamic behavior of the circuit cannot be studied at the resonant frequency as the switching frequency component of the output for the resonant converter is different from the local average value frequency. Thus, the integral expression of the average value needs to be extended using the Fourier series; and the derivative expression with respect to a particular frequency is required for the dynamic analysis.


Opposites Attract: A Review of Basic Magnetic Theories

Opposites Attract: A Review of Basic Magnetic Theories

Electric machineries are based on the basic principles of electromechanical conversion, which use either the electrostatic or the electromagnetic principle. This technical article deals with the magnetic circuit theory for the conversion of one form of energy to another.


Basic Inductor Design

Basic Inductor Design

Inductor design characteristics are defined in terms of various parameters. Inductor winding is made of a conductor material which may be a single round wire or a unique multi-stranded conductor known as Litz wire. Litz wire has the main advantage of reduced skin effect. Inductor design characteristics are defined in terms of various parameters which are discussed in this technical article.


Analysis of Four DC-DC Converters in Equilibrium

Analysis of Four DC-DC Converters in Equilibrium

This technical article deals with the analysis of the four fundamental DC-DC converters (or choppers) in equilibrium. The four basic DC-DC converters considered for analysis are the following: Buck Converter, Boost Converter, Buck-Boost Converter and Ćuk Converter.


Skin and Proximity Effects of AC Current

Skin and Proximity Effects of AC Current

When an AC current flows through a conductor, outer filament of that conductor carries more current as compared to the filament closer to its center. This results in higher resistance to AC than to DC and is know as skin effect. Proximity effect, the alternating flux in a conductor is caused by the current of the other nearby conductor.


Switching Losses: Effects on Semiconductors

Switching Losses: Effects on Semiconductors

We review switching losses involving diode recovery charge, transistor switching with clamped inductive load, device capacitance and leakage, package, and stray inductances, and the efficiency versus switching frequency curve.