Browse Topic: Semiconductor devices
To solve a problem that ignition anomaly can’t be detected in time, based on the thermal equilibrium equation, the space heat flow, heater heating, propellant combustion, and thermal radiation to cryogenic space are considered to build an accurate ignition temperature method for the 10 N thruster by using on-orbit true temperature. Further, considering the error of measuring the thermistor, an envelope model for the 10 N thruster ignition temperature is established. Based on the above, a detection method for the 10 N thruster ignition anomaly of on-orbit satellites is proposed. The accuracy of the method is relatively high, and the absolute error is less than 3 degrees Celsius. An anomaly can be quickly detected when the 10N thruster ignition temperature deviates from the normal trend by 3–5 degrees celsius. The method is applied to a DFH-3 satellite, and the maximum difference of 10 N thruster ignition temperature between the theoretical values calculated by the proposed method and the measured values is only 2.72 degrees celsius. It has been proven that the prediction accuracy of the proposed method is high. It plays an important role in discovering the 10N thruster ignition anomaly in time and ensuring the success of satellite orbit or attitude control.
The increased functionality of today’s medical devices is astounding. Optical devices, for example, analyze chemicals, toxins, and biologic specimens. Semiconductor devices sense, analyze, and communicate. Microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices utilize inertial methods to detect motion, direct light, and move components over short distances. Radiofrequency (RF) devices communicate wirelessly to other devices directly and remotely over the Internet. Handheld acoustic devices scan the body and build a virtual 3D model that shows conditions in the body. The innovation currently happening in the medical device industry is staggering, limited only by imagination and finding technical methods to implement the vision.
With continued progress towards aircraft electrification, power electronic devices and converter topologies have become increasingly critical to successful designs and to OEM competitiveness. This work treats both but focuses on the former, semiconductor devices in both actuation and propulsion applications. A comparative examination of silicon and silicon carbide is provided within the scope of energy loss mechanisms, EMI/EMC impacts at the system level, as well as non-technical considerations
Unsteady pressure fluctuations in launch vehicles can induce aerodynamic instabilities, potentially resulting in vibration, structural fatigue, and even catastrophic failure. These risks undermine structural integrity and jeopardize payload delivery, threatening mission success and crew safety. Therefore, precise measurements of unsteady pressure are vital for understanding dynamic pressure distribution and flow behaviour caused by phenomena like shock waves, vortices, boundary layer interactions, and flow separation. While ground-based wind tunnel tests have conventionally provided these insights, this paper presents an on-board system designed for real-time unsteady pressure data acquisition. The system addresses the challenge of accurately resolving high-frequency pressure variations over very high base pressure values. It can be integrated into re-entry vehicles and stage recovery experiments, providing confidence in acquiring data for complex geometrical shapes. Moreover, the capability to store and process data as per requirement during flight enhances its utility in practical scenarios. The system incorporates an 8-channel Sigma-Delta Analog to Digital Converter (Σ-Δ ADC) with necessary signal conditioning. A reprogrammable Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) handles data acquisition, ADC configuration and required processing for telemetry-based transfer and storage. Post-processing involves a Cascaded Integrator-Comb (CIC) compensation filter to enhance the overall frequency response within the intended bandwidth. This approach promises invaluable insights into launch vehicle dynamics and unsteady flow phenomena, with the system offering an accuracy of about 0.1% of full scale input range and supporting bandwidths up to 8 kHz.
A multi-institutional project led by a Penn State researcher is focused on developing an all-in-one semiconductor device that can both store data and perform computations. The project recently received $2 million in funding over three years as part of the new National Science Foundation Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) program, a $45.6 million investment to advance semiconductor technologies and manufacturing through 24 research and education projects across the United States.
Traditionally, heterodyne architectures have been the preferred choice for radio frequency (RF) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) receiver architectures, excelling in noise performance, dynamic range, frequency coverage, selectivity, and reduction of EMI. However, recent advancements in high sample rate analog to digital converters (ADCs) and embedded signal processing have prompted a reassessment of both architectures. A thorough examination of the components in the channel design is essential to minimize distortion into the differential ports of the ADC, guaranteeing optimal signal integrity and dynamic bandwidth for the system. This article will overview the design approach as well as when to use a particular component type depending on performance and signal requirements.
The ability to control light using a semiconductor device could allow low-power, relatively inexpensive sources like LEDs or flashlight bulbs to replace more powerful laser beams in new technologies such as holograms, remote sensing, self-driving cars, and high-speed communication.
Semiconductor makers invest significant resources in the development and manufacture of their devices, including packaging and assembly techniques that accommodate their material, mechanical, electrical, reliability, and footprint specifications. They must meet very tight time-to-market windows as cost-effectively as possible.
This SAE Recommended Practice provides supporting information for the emission and immunity measurement procedures defined in the SAE J1752 series of documents.
ABSTRACT Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices offer several advantages to power converter design when compared with silicon (Si). An increase in power density can be achieved with SiC thanks to the reduced conduction and switching losses and to the ability to withstand higher temperatures [1]. The main system level benefits of using SiC devices on mobile hybrid power systems include large reductions in the size, weight, and cooling of the power conditioning. In this paper, the authors describe the Wide-bandgap-enabled Advanced Versatile Energy System (WAVES) with a focus on the design and testing of a SiC prototype of a WAVES power inverter. The prototype is a 10 kW three-phase AC/DC inverter that is air-cooled, IP-67 rated, bi-directional, operates down to a power factor of 0.4, and designed to have overload capability up to 350% for up to 250µs of nominal rating. Because the inverter is bidirectional, it may be used as an AC input to DC output battery charger or as a DC input to AC output AC voltage supply meeting military power quality standards. Citation: S. Lentijo, P. Stone, J. Porter, and C. Peterson, “SiC Power Converters for Military Mobile Hybrid Power Systems”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 10-12, 2021.
“Think production!” Perhaps that advice should be posted on the wall of every design office, R&D lab and advanced technology center in the auto industry. Although obeying that warning is clearly not cost-effective in some instances, others are ostensibly perfect to take their place in volume manufacture. An example is 3D printing (aka additive manufacturing, or AM), but despite a broadening scope that now embraces rapid prototyping and tooling by entire houses, it could do better in series production of auto components, particularly in the new world of EVs. Prof. Peter Wilson of the U.K.'s newly established Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) at the University of Bath, noted the growing adoption of high-speed SiC (silicon carbide) and other wide-band-gap semiconductor devices demonstrates the benefits that 3D printing could have in the production of EV inverters. “SiC devices offer so much opportunity to improve inverter performance,” Wilson said. “But system designers are often unable to take full advantage of their potential because their ideas cannot be manufactured using conventional techniques.”
ABSTRACT Silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices have demonstrated promise in increasing power density by offering reduced continuous and switching losses compared to traditional silicon (Si) semiconductors. SiC can also withstand higher temperatures than Si devices. This presents an opportunity to achieve higher power density for vehicle inverters by using SiC. In this work, we describe the design and testing of a prototype SiC three-phase inverter that can achieve higher temperatures and power density than any off-the-shelf offerings, while fitting in a package roughly the size of a shoebox. This will enable future ground vehicle platforms to deliver greater power without needing to increase space claim or vehicle-level cooling compared to traditional Si inverters, enabling greater capabilities for a given platform to support future Warfighter capabilities (such as directed energy weapons, silent mobility, high power radar/communications/jamming on-the-move, and vehicle to grid power). Prior work completed with silicon based switching devices did not package into the combat platform without displacing other equipment or soldiers. Using the SiC space-claim, additional displacement is not required. Therefore, the development of SiC technology into a package for high temperature and high power electronics is critical to enabling the future of electrified vehicles. Citation: A. Soles, M. Adams, “Silicon Carbide High Temperature and High Power Density Inverter Design”, In Proceedings of the Ground Vehicle Systems Engineering and Technology Symposium (GVSETS), NDIA, Novi, MI, Aug. 13-15, 2019.
This document establishes the requirements for screening, qualification, and lot acceptance testing of Plastic Encapsulated Discrete Semiconductors (PEDS) for use in space application environments. The scope of this document is intended for standard silicon based technology only, but the process and methodology described within can be adopted for other technologies such as Silicon Carbide, Gallium Nitride, and Gallium Arsenide. However, when non-silicon based technology parts are being used, the device characterization shall be modified, and it is recommended to use available industry standards based upon published research/testing reports for those technology to address applicable physics of failure.
This standard documents and establishes common industry practices, and screening and qualification testing, of plastic encapsulated discrete semiconductors (PEDs) for use in military and avionics application environments.
Silicon is a naturally occurring material commonly used as a semiconductor in electronic devices; however, researchers have exhausted the potential of devices with semiconductors made of silicon only. These devices are limited by silicon’s carrier mobility — the speed at which a charge moves through the material — and indirect bandgap, which limits its ability to release and absorb light.
This SAE Recommended Practice identifies graphic symbols used in electrical circuit diagrams. The symbols aid troubleshooting electrical systems.
The solid state power controller (SSPC) is one of the most important power electronic components of the aircraft electrical power distribution (EPS) systems. This paper presents an architecture of the DC SSPC and provides the mitigation techniques for transient voltage overshoot during its turn-off. The high source side inductance carries breaking current (9xnominal current) just before turnoff and induces large voltage transient across the semiconductor devices. Therefore, the stored inductive energy needs to be dissipated in order to prevent semiconductor switches from over-voltage/thermal breakdown. Three different transient voltage suppression (TVS) devices to reduce voltage stress across switches are included in the paper for detail study. The comprehensive comparison of the TVS devices is presented. In addition, the thermal impact of the TVS devices on the semiconductor switches is also analyzed. Later, the transient simulation model of the SSPC is built in LT-Spice and the effectiveness of the proposed protection mechanisms is verified.
This document establishes common industry practices and recommended screening, qualification, and lot acceptance testing of Plastic Encapsulated Microcircuits (PEMs) for use in space application environments.
RF Power Amplifiers Go Wide and High The increasing demand for higher data rates in telecommunications and higher resolution in industrial systems is pushing the frequency of operation higher for the electronics that support them. Many of these systems operate over a wide frequency spectrum, and further increased bandwidth requirements are a common request for new designs. Across many of these systems there is a push to use one signal chain for all frequency bands. Advancements in semiconductor technology have led to breakthroughs in capability for high-power and wideband amplifiers. An area that was once dominated by traveling wave tubes has begun to cede ground to semiconductor devices, thanks to the gallium nitride (GaN) revolution that is sweeping the industry and enabling MMICs that generate >1 W of power over many decades of bandwidth. As shorter-gate-length gallium arsenide (GaAs) and GaN transistors become available - coupled with improved circuit design techniques - new devices are becoming available that can perform comfortably to millimeter-wave frequencies, opening new applications that were hard to contemplate a decade ago.
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