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Class AB vs. Class D: Understanding the Trade-Offs for Piezo Driver Design

Class AB vs. Class D: Understanding the Trade-Offs for Piezo Driver Design

In this article, we explore when to choose a Class AB or Class D output stage for your piezo amplifier design. We'll also examine the Class D stage's power supply requirements.


Design and Performance of the Class D Output Stage for Piezo Drivers

Design and Performance of the Class D Output Stage for Piezo Drivers

In this article, we explore the operation of a Class D stage with a capacitive load and how it can be used in piezo amplifier design.


Evaluating the Class AB Output Stage for Piezo Driver Design

Evaluating the Class AB Output Stage for Piezo Driver Design

We examine the basic requirements of piezoelectric amplifiers and how Class AB operation can meet them.


Constructing a Solar-Powered Snake Robot

Constructing a Solar-Powered Snake Robot

Learn how to create a batteryless crawling robot using basic electronic components and a 3D-printed chassis.


Understanding the Exclusive-OR Phase Detector

Understanding the Exclusive-OR Phase Detector

This article explores the operation of the simplest digital phase detector: the exclusive-OR (XOR) gate.


Foundations for PLL Nonlinear Analysis: Modeling the Phase Detector and VCO

Foundations for PLL Nonlinear Analysis: Modeling the Phase Detector and VCO

The phase-locked loop (PLL) is widely used in contemporary analog and digital communication systems. In this article, we develop a nonlinear model for the analog PLL by analyzing its key components.


Understanding How Laminated Cores Reduce Eddy Current Loss

Understanding How Laminated Cores Reduce Eddy Current Loss

Eddy currents are a major loss mechanism in transformer cores. This article provides both in-depth and simplified explanations of how core laminations work to mitigate the effects of eddy currents.


Hysteresis Loss: Estimation, Modeling, and the Steinmetz Equation

Hysteresis Loss: Estimation, Modeling, and the Steinmetz Equation

The hysteresis effect is one of the main sources of loss in ferromagnetic materials. In this article, we learn to calculate the hysteresis loss of a magnetic core and work through some example problems.


Switching Losses in Bipolar Junction Transistors

Switching Losses in Bipolar Junction Transistors

With the help of SPICE simulations, we examine two types of power dissipation that occur when BJTs are used as switches.


Analyzing a Negative Voltage Charge Pump in LTspice—Source and Load Resistance

Analyzing a Negative Voltage Charge Pump in LTspice—Source and Load Resistance

Learn about using LTspice simulations to provide important insight into the performance of a switched-capacitor voltage-inverting power supply.


Can Voltage Be Negative? Understanding Negative Voltage

Can Voltage Be Negative? Understanding Negative Voltage

In addition to explaining the nature of a negative voltage, this article briefly discusses how negative voltages are generated and why they are useful in circuit design.


Multiphase DC-DC Converter Pros and Cons

Multiphase DC-DC Converter Pros and Cons

This article will help you decide when to consider a multiphase approach to step-down, switch-mode voltage regulation.


Introduction to Multiphase DC-DC Converters

Introduction to Multiphase DC-DC Converters

This article explores step-down switching power supplies that divide output current among multiple regulation subcircuits operating in parallel.


An Introduction to Current Sources

An Introduction to Current Sources

Current sources are less familiar than voltage sources like batteries and AC wall power. Current sources usually are buried, unseen, inside electronic circuitry. Learn what they are and how they are designed.


H-bridge DC Motor Control Using Complementary PWM, Shoot-through, and Dead-time

H-bridge DC Motor Control Using Complementary PWM, Shoot-through, and Dead-time

Learn about the role of non-overlapping or complementary pulse width modulation (PMW) in DC motor control using an h-bridge circuit, taking into consideration PWM shoot-through and dead-time PWM.


TinyML In Action—Creating a Voice Controlled Robotic Subsystem

TinyML In Action—Creating a Voice Controlled Robotic Subsystem

We’ll be walking you through creating a robotic subsystem with a voice-activated motor leveraging machine learning (ML) and an Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense.


Projects Jul 03, 2022 by Jake Hertz
The Fundamentals of a Charge Pump Circuit

The Fundamentals of a Charge Pump Circuit

Dive further into switched capacitor circuits by learning about charge pump circuits, what they are, how they work, their pros and cons, and their applications.


Pulse-width Modulation (PWM) Timers in Microcontrollers

Pulse-width Modulation (PWM) Timers in Microcontrollers

This article is the second of a series on microcontroller timers. This article describes a more complex timer called the PWM or pulse-width modulation timer.


Introduction to Adaptive Front Lighting Systems (AFS)

Introduction to Adaptive Front Lighting Systems (AFS)

Learn more about the design considerations that go into developing adaptive automotive lighting solutions.


Understanding the Temperature Coefficient of a Voltage Reference

Understanding the Temperature Coefficient of a Voltage Reference

How does temperature affect the output of a voltage reference? What is a temperature coefficient specification?