RF directional couplers shrink in size, not performance: part 2
This essential measurement accessory for microwaves has morphed from waveguides down to tiny surface-mount components. Part 1 looks at the need for and the basic principles of directional couplers....
View ArticleFAQ on the bias tee
A conceptually simple passive component is used to combine or split DC and RF signals; however, its implementation has many subtleties. The RF world, operating at hundreds of megahertz and into the...
View ArticleTech-transfer flip: enabling deep-physics research
Historically, technical innovations and advances began in a more rarified environment of academic research or military projects, then filtered down and expanded to the mass markets as their...
View ArticleLong-wire dipole antennas: still viable after more than a century
The long-wire dipole antenna is effective for low-frequency systems. Adding LC traps makes a single-band dipole antenna into a multiband unit. The historically significant long-wire dipole antenna may...
View ArticleDoes quality really matter anymore?
Many products now fail after just a few years, and we seem to be OK with that. I have been thinking about a simple question: what has been the trend in consumer product quality over the past few years...
View ArticleGate drivers — the critical link in power-device performance: part 1
Effective MOSFET/IGBT-device switching depends on the gate driver and its power supply. From power supplies and motor drives to charging stations and myriad other applications, switching power...
View ArticleGate drivers — the critical link in power-device performance: part 2
Thus far, we have examined the general issue of power devices and their characteristics. This part goes into the details of the power-device gate driver. Gate-drive details To drive current into the...
View ArticleGate drivers — the critical link in power-device performance: part 3
This section will discuss some of the many subtleties of the gate driver and its power source. Other gate-driver converter considerations Gate-driver dc-dc converters have other unique issues. Among...
View ArticleBus bars are simple in principle, complicated in practice: part 1
Bus bars appear to be simple and low glamour in comparison to many other active and even passive components, and in some ways, they are. However, they are also sophisticated structures that require an...
View ArticleWhat would you ask an analog-centric job interviewee?
I’ve always found that interviewing someone for an entry-level, analog-focused position to be a challenge. It’s hard to know what is sensible to ask him or her at that point in the candidate’s career....
View ArticleBusbars are simple in principle, complicated in practice: part 2
These substantial conductors serve a vital role and must meet many conflicting constraints. This part explores additional bus-bar considerations. Part 1 can be found here. Laminated bus bars While some...
View ArticleBus bars are simple in principle, complicated in practice: part 3
Not every design needs large bus bars; some only need smaller, localized ones or PC board-mounted bus bars. This part looks at these situations, as well as testing of high-current/voltage bus bars. The...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 1
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. Quantum computing in various forms is a hot topic these days for many reasons. It offers the...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 2
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. Part 1 provided an introduction to the needs of quantum computing and the operating concept of...
View ArticleSub-1 K cooling for quantum computing: part 3
New techniques and refinements of older ones are needed to reach <1 K for quantum-computing cooling. The final part of this series looks at absorption refrigeration, an alternative to dilution...
View ArticleWhat is intersymbol interference and why should I care about it?
Real-world digital signals and their channels are characterized by complex equations that lead to improved link performance. When engineers think or talk about digital signals, there’s often the sense...
View ArticleDo cars, or their drivers, still need steering wheels?
The steering wheel has been with us for over 100 years, but perhaps its time is finally coming to an end. The automobile steering wheel has been an integral part of the car since the early 1900s and...
View ArticleWhy would you use a zero-ohm resistor?
If you had never heard it before, the term “zero-ohm resistor” might seem at best like an oxymoron or, at worst, some sort of joke to play on a new or naïve circuit designer. After all, designers are...
View ArticleMIL-STD-1553B alive and well: part 1
For engineers who are not involved in military/aerospace designs or similar systems requiring extreme reliability, ruggedness, and redundancy, the MIL-STD-1553B connectivity standard may be an unknown...
View ArticleCan we celebrate engineers actually solving problems?
Engineering success requires more than the flash of a brilliant solution; it takes analysis and persistence. It seems that the “celebretization” of almost everything is increasing, and at a faster...
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