What’s New in Electronics Mar/Apr 2013

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Mar/Apr 2013

on the cover 4 The legacy of Henry Sutton 6 Tin whisker mystery solved

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short circuits

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InGaAs - keeping Moore’s Law alive

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Test and measure techniques Contact the editor If you have any queries regarding our privacy policy please email privacy@westwick-farrow.com.au

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keeping pace with technology 29 Flash testing of PCBs during the initial production stages 32 The Grumpy Page 34

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MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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on the cover

Speeding up precompliance measurements The R&S ESRP EMI test receiver from Rohde & Schwarz can be used by developers in the early stages of design to detect and eliminate EMC problems in components and instruments.

With the R&S ESRP, products can move very quickly and directly into industrial production.

Rohde & Schwarz designed the R&S ESRP for diagnostic and precompliance measurements in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 7 GHz. It is not only an extremely fast EMI test receiver with standard-compliant bandwidths and detectors but a full-featured spectrum analyser as well.

Suitable for product development and product certification The R&S ESRP is an EMI test receiver for precompliance measurements during product development and for the preparation of the final product certification. Thanks to its optional time domain scan it can perform preview measurements by magnitudes faster than classical receivers in stepped scan mode. With IF analysis and spectrogram function it provides unique diagnosis tools.

The R&S ESRP offers two methods for measuring disturbance signals: the fast, FFT-based time domain scan and the traditional - but slower - stepped frequency scan. Both methods comply with the CISPR 16-1-1 standard for EMC measurements. In the time domain scan mode, the R&S ESRP measures conducted disturbances in the CISPR band B with quasi-peak weighting faster, by many orders of magnitude, than conventional EMI test receivers using the traditional method.

Detect and eliminate EMC problems The R&S ESRP allows manufacturers of modules, boards, instruments and systems to detect and eliminate EMC problems early in development. The receiver measures conducted and radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI). The preselection option protects the frontend against overloading and delivers reproducible measurement results. No other precompliance measuring instrument on the market offers this advantage. As a result, certification in EMC test labs no longer results in unpleasant surprises.

The fast time domain scan mode significantly reduces measurement times. This makes the R&S ESRP suitable for testing DUTs with functionspecific short operating times in the automotive and lighting industries, such as starters and window lifters or fluorescent lamps in the warm-up phase. In addition, the R&S ESRP is a full-featured spectrum analyser

4 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

that offers many other useful functions that allow users to better identify disturbances.

The spectrogram function displays and records the analysed spectrum versus time.

The field-tested IF analysis function displays the spectrum around disturbance signals.

The R&S ESRP is operated by a touchscreen and has clearly structured measurement modes. Users can switch between modes by simply pressing a button and easily configure complex measurements and automated test sequences right from the touchscreen. The R&S ESRP can remotely control simple automatic tests with the help of the R&S ES SCAN EMI software, which reliably records, evaluates and documents data.

The R&S EMC32 application software for automated test routines, including report generation, can be used to integrate the receiver into large-scale EMC systems with additional components such as mast, turntable and absorbing clamp/slideway systems and for the remote control of these components. The R&S ESRP can even be operated in environments without any AC supply because it also runs on DC power, making it suitable for mobile use in vehicles or battery operation during open area testing.

Rohde & Schwarz (Australia) Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T124

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The legacy of Henry Sutton Mike Smyth, specialist technical writer

Henry Sutton is not a name that immediately springs to mind as possibly the greatest Australian inventor of the and Mike late-nineteenth Smyth, specialist technical writer early-twentieth centuries.

In fact, Henry Sutton could well stand among the world’s greatest inventors because he was involved in electricity, carbon filament electric light bulbs, telephones, radio, television, aeronautics, automobile engineering, colour printing and hydraulics.

So why is this largely self-taught man not more widely known?

Perhaps part of the answer is the isolation of Australia at that time, so that his name was known only to a few associates. He also disliked patenting his devices, which could have made him more widely known, because he thought that anything he invented should freely and easily benefit mankind with no ties and restrictions imposed by patents. And he did not want personal material gain.

Later he travelled to England and France to deliver technical papers and became more widely known, especially when he was invited to join various learned societies.

When he was just 14, he invented a continuous current dynamo with a practical ring armature. Although Italian Antonio Pacinotti had invented a similar device in 1860, Sutton’s invention was taken up by Belgian Zenobe Gramme and became a standard after 1881. Gramme showed the French Academy of Sciences his own improved version of the Sutton machine, and when in 1873 it was found the device was reversible and could be used as a motor as well as a generator, it was enough to provide the impetus for the fast development of the worldwide electric motor industry.

He developed more than 20 different telephones shortly after Graham Bell had patented his own invention of the telephone in 1876 and installed a complete phone network between the family’s music warehouse and shop in Ballarat, prompting Bell to visit the company to see the installation. Sixteen of Sutton’s instruments were later patented by others.

He broke new ground when he became lecturer in applied electricity and magnetism at the Ballarat School of Mines. His appointment was the first in this field and not only was he entrusted with teaching a senior class, he was also allowed to install a telephone system around the school. His teaching quickly revealed a shortage of, and a delay in getting, scientific instruments from England so he organised an Austral6 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

ian production facility for instruments which gave birth to Victoria’s scientific instrument industry.

At about this time he invented a vacuum pump that he used in his lectures. The pump made possible the development of the electric light bulb which relied on a vacuum for its efficiency, and so successful was the machine that it was adopted by Swan Edison Co in England to manufacture bulbs.

In 1885, using a system he devised and called the Telephane, he transmitted pictures of the Melbourne Cup race to Ballarat and the experiment was said to work ‘quite well’.

But because there was no radio, the weak link in his system was the telegraph wire itself that was incapable of providing sufficient bandwidth to handle vision signals to give a true picture.

This venture preceded the ‘official’ inventor of television, John Logie Baird, by many years.

Baird was not born until 1888.

Crude as it may have been, he sent details of the Telephane to R J L Ellery, government astronomer of Victoria “so the invention could be in the hands of someone capable of stating his claims of being the first in this direction”.

A few years later, Sutton went to England and France where he demonstrated the Telephane to scientists and published a paper giving the details of the system; but he did not patent it, allowing Baird to use Sutton’s thoughts on the synchronisation of transmitter and receiver in his own invention 43 years later. Henry Sutton had an inauspicious start www.electronicsonline.net.au

©iStockphoto.com/Iaroslav Danylchenko

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to life, being born in a tent on the Ballarat goldfields in 1856. He was the only one of the six children who did not immediately go into the later successful family music business that became an institution in Melbourne and Ballarat until 1956. Henry was the studious one of the family, although all the children were taught by their mother until about the age of 11. But his interest in science had already started and before 14 he had read all the science books in the Ballarat Mechanics Institute.

This early interest in matters scientific led him to study the flight patterns of insects that later blossomed into one of his earliest inventions - a clockwork flying machine known as an Orthicopter, which could fly in a circle. One of its earliest admirers was Lawrence Hargrave, who went on to become Australia’s flight pioneer.

His interest in radio was stimulated after meeting Nikola Tesla in London, who was there to give a series of lectures on wireless energy. This reinforced work he was already involved with in sending pictures by radio.

He became involved in the family business in 1908 and moved to Malvern in Melbourne where he erected a radio tower “which was about twice the size of the house and had 700 m of steel cable and he held the world’s record for the longest radio transmission during that time”, according to Lorrayne Branch, a descendant of Sutton, who is writing a biography of her relative with likely publication this year. A year later he was granted the country’s second experimental radio licence, allowing him to transmit up to 400 km.

In 1910 he was credited with inventing the world’s first portable radio transmitter that had a range of about 460 m. He then became involved with top-secret work on long-range radio technology with the Australian Navy.

A few years later, he was a member of the team that demonstrated sending radio www.electronicsonline.net.au

signals between Queenscliff and Devonport - an exercise in which a Marconi representative wanted to convince the federal government to buy Marconi wireless telegraphy equipment.

As a result of this experiment, the Australian Government decided to build a radio system around the country, and from 1906 to 1912 Sutton worked for the government on perfecting the system.

According to his biographer, Sutton’s experiments in transmitting images by wireless led him into a new concept of radio which is still a mystery but one his biographer is hoping to solve. He had talks with the Defence Department about this new technology but he was falling foul of the Post Master General, who wanted to prosecute him for breaking the law by broadcasting from his Malvern home without a licence. The argument raged on for two years until the authorities were finally convinced that Sutton was working secretly for the government.

Walter Jenvy, Victoria’s chief electrical engineer, is reported to have sent Australia’s first radio signals to the escort ship of HMS Ophiry on which the Duke and Duchess of York were travelling to open the first federal parliament in 1901. The message “Hearty greetings of welcome from Queenscliff ” was received on board prompting the reply “Thanks, but where’s Queenscliff?”

Outside radio and electricity, Sutton was active in motoring, being a prime mover in the formation of the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria.

He designed and built the Sutton Autocar that could travel at 30 km/h and may have been the first front-wheel drive car in the world. Two prototypes were built and the intention was to manufacture them in Australia with the Austral Otis Co but cheaper imported vehicles put an end to the venture and neither of the two has survived.

Another car he designed and built is now restored and privately owned and was displayed at the White House Museum in Tasmania in 2009.

Experiments with air-cooled engines running on low-grade fuel led to him designing and building engines and carburettors. He designed and built and, with his son, raced motorcycles and experimented with three-wheelers.

In collaboration with the Austral Otis Lift Co, he helped build Australia’s first hydraulic lift that was installed in the family’s shop in Ballarat and became a novelty attraction for shoppers. In spite of often working until 2 am and beyond, he found time to marry at the age of 25 and had three sons. After his wife died he married again and had another two sons. Sutton died at the early age of 56 in 1912, leaving a legacy that is only now just Henry Sutton (University of Ballarat) being recognised.

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Digital oscilloscope software

Miniature SMT test point A miniature SMT test point featuring symmetrical flat-wire design to efficiently and safely test PCBs has been added to the Keystone Electronics test point selection.

This latest ‘mini-pad’ version enables high-strength, test point-to-PCB bonding, with a minimal footprint. This low-profile entry accepts a variety of gripping probes to replace wire-wrap posts and turret terminals. As such, it is suitable for testing circuitry of high-density PCB packages.

It is manufactured from phosphor bronze and silver plate, which can accommodate the use of both lead-free solder and traditional reflow processing. Packaging is on tape and reel with Catalog No. 5019 on 1000-piece reels; Catalog No. 5029 on 5000-piece reels. All are compatible with most vacuum and mechanical pick-andplace assembly systems.

Developers of microcontrollers, audio components and audio equipment can use a software option for the R&S RTO digital oscilloscope to thoroughly analyse all audio interfaces.

I2S, LJ, RJ and TDM are serial buses that implement unidirectional point-to-point connections. They carry digital audio data between ICs and are often used to connect analog-to-digital converters and digital-to-analog converters to digital signal processors (DSP) for audio processing.

The option for the RTO high-performance oscilloscope addresses the complex requirements in the development of electrical components equipped with audio interfaces.

An extensive selection of protocol-specific trigger conditions provides the user with a high degree of flexibility when trying to detect specific data contents. The oscilloscope’s hardware-implemented triggers ensure high acquisition rates for fast measurements. Explanatory graphics and links to related settings simplify configuration.

For ease of use when evaluating the test data, protocol details in the decoded bus signals are colour-coded and protocol data is summarised. A track function displays the decoded audio signal as an analog waveform. These features are designed to allow users to quickly and easily find design problems that cause clipping, glitches and other anomalies.

Rohde & Schwarz (Australia) Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S687

NPA Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S785

Soldering station The WES51D, available from element14, is an economical soldering station designed to meet the demands of continuous production soldering, rework and repair of through hole and SMT boards, ground planes and multilayer boards.

The soldering station comes complete with power unit, soldering pencil and iron stand. Some of the features of the WES51D Weller station include: wireless temperature lockout; heater and sensor design that allows for quick heat-up and recovery; tip temperature offset capability and temperature lockout come as standard; auto shut-off feature to extend tip, iron and station life; ESD safe to protect sensitive components; weight of power unit: 1.78 kg; temperature accuracy ±5°C; 230 V (input); 24 V (output); and slim, comfortable pencil, with ETA tip, reduces operator fatigue. element14 Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S522

Power MOSFETs NXP Semiconductors’ NextPower Live family of linear mode Power MOSFETs is designed specifically for use in hot-swap environments. The family offers both good linear mode performance and a low RDS(on) value.

Much of the infrastructure that runs our 24/7 online world - from cloud computing and mobile telephony to ATMs and traffic management - is made up of rack-based systems that are permanently live (switched on). As such, the boards and components that drive these systems must be able to be hot-swapped to allow for upgrades and maintenance without ever needing to power down the equipment. NXP NextPower Live MOSFETs are designed to deliver optimum performance within such systems.

The NextPower Live portfolio incorporates 30 V devices for applications such as blade servers operating on a 12 VDC supply and 100 V devices for telecommunications applications operating on a nominal 48 VDC supply.

Both voltage ranges come in D2PAK and LFPAK56 (Power-SO8 compatible) packages.

NXP is also developing NextPower Live MOSFETs for a range of other linear mode-related applications such as power-over-ethernet (PoE).

NXP Semiconductors (Australia & New Zealand) Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S784

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newproducts

Single-chip radar solutions Infineon Technologies has introduced its first single-chip radar solutions for applications in industrial and commercial sensing. Based on a SiGe process technology and operating in the 24 GHz ISM band (24.0 to 24.25 GHz), the product family claims to feature the highest integration radar system-on-chip transceivers in the market and a companion receive-only chip, which collectively provide system designers with the flexibility to achieve cost and performance targets in a diverse range of applications.

The three devices in the family are the BGT24MTR11 (single transmit and single receive channel), BGT24MTR12 (single transmit and two receive channels) and BGTMR2 (twin receiver). Moving from one single receiver to two or more receive channels allows implementation of systems that detect objects more precisely and at wider angles.

The range of potential motion sensing applications for the device family includes level monitoring in storage tanks (solids and liquids), lighting control, security systems, intelligent door openers and collision avoidance on industrial vehicles.

Fastron Technologies Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S729

USB 3.0 connectors Mill-Max has expanded its USB family to include four USB 3.0 connectors. USB 3.0, SuperSpeed USB, claims to provide a 10x faster data transfer rate over Hi-Speed USB with a 5 Gbps signalling rate.

SuperSpeed USB is a Sync-N-Go technology that minimises user wait time and provides optimised power efficiency. Mill-Max is offering both standard size and micro USB 3.0 connectors. USB 3.0 is fully backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

The standard style is available in Type A and Type B configurations for through-hole and SMT mounting. The connectors are fully shielded, have plug retention tabs and kinked locating legs for secure PCB retention.

Micro USB 3.0 connectors can offer more options when smaller solutions are necessary as they are smaller and lighter than existing USB connectors for portable and handheld devices.

Walcom Pty Ltd

Fibre-optic connector The Fischer Connectors push-pull FibreOptic interconnecting solution is designed for good optical performance in extreme environments. The interconnecting technology offers the quality and stability needed for an optical link combined with robustness, easy mating and cleaning.

With two (FO2) or four (FO4) optical channels, the fibre solution is quick and easy to clean thanks to a removable monoblock mate adapter and the unmated connectors can be rinsed freely under water or in an ultrasound bath. The connector will perform well in harsh and extreme environments.

It has a high ingress protection of IP68 (2 m/24 h) when mated and IP67 in unmated conditions. In addition, its optical performance is insensitive to mechanical strain on the connector. The spring optical contacts employed allow for filtering out any stress applied to the connector housings while keeping the typical advantage of a push-pull solution - quick, safe and easy locking.

The connector is suitable for a range of fields including transport and mobility, telecom, energy, defence and security, broadcast, construction and infrastructure and medical devices.

Key specifications include: IP68 (2 m/24 h) mated and IP67 (1 m/ 30 min) unmated ingress protection; extreme environment FibreOptic solution (Norm IEC 61753-1 Cat. E); multichannel (2 and 4), SM and MM optical fibres, UPC and APC polishing; push-pull mating plugs and receptacles; optional gas tight panel receptacles (IP68 or <10-6 mbar l/s); and removable monoblock mate adapter.

Soanar Limited Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S379

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S590

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©iStockphoto.com/Radu Sebastian

design research

Tin whisker mystery solved Tin whiskers are little-known culprits of electronic destruction - tiny killers that leave no evidence the human eye can detect. These microscopic, hair-like fibres of metal grow out of the tin used as solder and coating on many electronic circuits.

The presence of these whiskers can cause short-circuits and are one of the reasons some electronic devices inexplicably stop working. The whiskers act as bridges to conduct electricity to closely spaced parts, a problem expected to become more prevalent as devices are becoming smaller and smaller.

The whisker phenomena have been known within scientific circles since the 1940s, but just how these tin whiskers form and grow was largely a mystery. Now, Yong Sun, a mechanical engineering doctoral student at the University of South Carolina’s College of Engineering and Computing, has solved part of the puzzle.

He used a process called digital image correlation to track the deformation of the surfaces and was able to prove the growth of whiskers is caused by high-strain gradient built up inside the device.

The importance of Sun’s work goes well beyond extending the operating life of consumer electronics. NASA has verified multiple commercial satellite failures it attributes to tin whiskers. Missile systems, nuclear power stations and heart pacemakers have also fallen victim to tin whiskers over the past several decades and they are also considered a suspect in reported brake failures in Toyota vehicles.

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While manufacturers had been able to control some whiskers by mixing small amounts of lead into tin solder, the 2006 European Union ban on lead in most electronic equipment had ignited a debate among scientists about whether whiskers would remain a perpetual problem. Some observers even predict that it’s only a matter of time before miniature devices built after the ban start failing en masse.

Xiaodong Li, a professor in USC’s Department of Mechanical Engineering who served as an adviser on the research, said Yong’s work will likely prompt manufacturers to design lead-free products that diffuse stress.

“This (research) is a very big deal.

As we move toward nanoscale devices, this is a problem that needs to be solved,” Li said.

Sun’s findings have been published in the Scripta Materialia, a materials science journal.

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newproducts Wireless electrical and temperature measurement system The Fluke CNX Wireless System includes a set of test tools that wirelessly connect multiple measurement modules and send simultaneous readings to a master device up to 20 m away. The customisable toolset lets users choose various measurement modules based on their specific troubleshooting scenario.

At the core of the system is a CAT III 1000 V/CAT IV 600 V multimeter with a screen that displays its readings. along with live readings from up to three other measurement modules. For more complex troubleshooting, users can view live measurements from up to 10 modules simultaneously on a computer equipped with the CNX PC Adapter.

The modules, which include AC Voltage, AC Current Clamp, iFlex AC Current Clamp and K-Type Temperature units, can take live measurements or log up to 65,000 sets of data. Logged data can be saved to a computer in .csv format.

The system lets users place modules in hazardous or awkward places and then watch the readings from a safe distance. For example, technicians can de-energise a panel, connect voltage or current modules to all three phases and close and re-energise the panel. The measurements can then be read outside the arc flash zone.

By leveraging the most common electrical test tool, the multimeter, the Fluke CNX system lets technicians extend their existing capabilities and skills, helping them meet market demand for more complex three-phase work without retraining on more complex test tools.

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S492

Rugged tablet computer Unlike consumer products or tablets that have been given an exterior shell to make them ‘rugged’, the Trimble Yuma 2 is built rugged from the inside out, with IP65 protection from dust and water plus militarygrade MIL-STD-810G certification for temperature, altitude, humidity extremes, vibration and shock.

The product uses the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional operating system and 4 GB of DDR3 DRAM. Connectivity is via Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi b/g/n and optional dual-mode GSM 3/4G. A dual-core 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor provides for high-performance 2D/3D graphics.

The device features two USB host ports and HDMI output.

It has an 8 h standard battery or 16 h with extended battery. There are three user-programmable function buttons and a five-way directional keypad.

The computer’s built-in, certified Trusted Processing Module (TPM) allows security programming for WiFi and direct connect authentication.

A Kensington security port is standard.

A dual technology display system has been created specifically to enhance the sunlight readability of the product. A full-colour, 7″ screen resides under a tough Gorilla Glass panel. There is multi-orientation response to the built-in accelerometer.

Other features include: a multitouch capacitive touch screen; a 5 MP camera for photos and videos with geo and time stamps; and a 2 m accurate GPS receiver.

Step Global Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S735

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Wireless connectivity for automotive infotainment The Texas Instruments WiLink 8Q family of wireless automotive connectivity solutions, with multiradio technology, features in-car multimedia streaming video in parallel with Bluetooth hands-free calling and advanced audio distribution profile (A2DP) stereo sound.

Additionally, with near field communications (NFC) for easy Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairing, WiLink 8Q solutions enable an easy connection between a smartphone or tablet and the automobile, providing a seamless user experience.

The 8Q family is designed for Wi-Fi Certified Miracast operation. With an integrated power amplifier (PA) and complete software re-use across all family members, the 8Q solutions provide a full range of products for wireless automotive infotainment including: comboconnectivity system-on-chips (SoCs) with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support; more integrated combo-connectivity SoCs with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy and NFC; super-combo SoCs with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, NFC and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) support.

The WiLink 8Q family works with a variety of infotainment processors and is a companion device for TI’s automotive OMAP processors, DRA65x Jacinto 5 and the DRA74x processor, named Jacinto 6. Additionally, TI has a software offering for WiLink 8Q connectivity solutions that supports key automotive operating systems such as QNX, Linux and Android.

Texas Instruments Australia Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S710

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newproducts

Coaxial resonator oscillator Automotive-grade rectifiers, diodes Vishay Intertechnology has introduced 19 automotive-grade Fred Pt and Hexfred hyperfast and ultrafast rectifiers and soft recovery diodes in DPAK, TO220, D²PAK, TO-262, TO-247 and modified TO-247 packages. Combining fast and soft recovery characteristics with low forward voltage drop and low leakage current, the devices reduce switching losses and EMI/RFI in high-frequency full hybrid and mild hybrid vehicle systems and HID lighting.

The AEC-Q101-qualified devices in the DPAK provide reverse voltages of 200 and 600 V, and include 6 and 8 A Fred Pt rectifiers and a 4 A Hexfred diode.

Components in the TO-220, D²PAK, TO-262, TO-247 and modified TO-247 packages offer reverse voltages of 600 and 1200 V and include 15 to 60 A Fred Pt devices and Hexfred diodes.

Braemac Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S659

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Crystek’s CVCO55CXT-6525-6525 Coaxial Resonator Oscillator (CRO) is a coaxialbased VCO with an internal proprietary frequency doubler.

The CVCO55CXT family’s frequency doubling, 2X fundamental technology provides low phase noise and low harmonics, achieving low current consumption.

The -6525 operates at 6525 MHz with a tuning voltage range of 0.3 to 4.7 VDC. This coaxial VCO features a typical phase noise of -100 dBc/Hz @ 10 KHz offset and has good linearity. The -6525 CRO exhibits an output power of 0.0 dBm typ into a 50 Ω load with a supply of +8.0 VDC and a current consumption of 35 mA (max).

Wireless Components Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S563

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newproducts Horizontal common-mode choke Schurter has expanded its DKFS range of SMD chokes with a horizontal version. With it, the use of high-performance, compact chokes is possible in low-profile assemblies.

Modern electronic circuits require components with the highest performance in ever smaller profiles - the horizontal DKFS chokes are suited for this purpose.

Compared to vertical models, they have higher inductance with the same rated current. Thanks to SMD leads, they can be assembled using the same re-flow soldering process as other components.

Possible application areas include switch-mode power supplies, DC and stepping motor drives and frequency converters.

With a rated voltage of 250 VAC, the commonmode chokes are designed for temperatures of -40 to +125°C. They will also continue to be available in vertical models as well as in the horizontal design.

The DKFS series meets the requirements of IEC/ EN60938 and is UL1283 approved.

Other features include: rated current 400 mA to 4 A; inductivity 0.7 to 39 mH; SMD leads; and attenuation of common-mode interference.

SCHURTER (S) PTE LTD Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S764

Immunity tester The IMU3000 immunity tester provides easy navigation using a touch panel and rotary knob. An ethernet interface enables control, communication and report generation using the TEMA 3000 software with custom report generator. Modular architecture enables on-site upgrades.

Users can choose from any combination of ESD, EFT, CWG, Ringwave, 10/700 Âľs, AC/DC dips, interrupts and variations, common mode and both AC and impulse magnetic fields.

Surge voltages up to 8 kV combine with EFT up to 6 kV to make the IMU3000 a suitable choice for manufacturers and test labs wishing to cover all international standards.

Test & Measurement Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S970

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MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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© iStockphoto.com/setixela

3D CAD model selection tool

© iStockphoto.com/pearleye

Producing AC voltages by manipulating magnetic fields

Scientists are putting a new spin on their approach to generating electrical current by harnessing a recently identified electromotive force known as spinmotive force, which is related to the field of spintronics that addresses such challenges as improving data storage in computers.

A novel application of spintronics is the highly efficient and direct conversion of magnetic energy to electric voltage by using magnetic nanostructures and manipulating the dynamics of magnetisation. According to a report published in the American Institute of Physics’ (AIP) journal Applied Physics Letters, this conversion could be the foundation for future development of spin-based power electronics, a field the authors call ‘power spintronics’.

Their newly published results of an experimental model suggest that a power spintronicsbased device may one day be a promising approach to obtaining alternating current (AC) voltages from direct current (DC) magnetic fields. The researchers demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of a device that generates a voltage based on manipulating an effective magnetic field within a nanowire that arises from width modulation. Technically such a field is not a true magnetic field, but it can be viewed as such.

The team tested a one-dimensional model. It showed that DC magnetic field characteristics such as magnitude, and design parameters such as wire width, can be used to control, or ‘tune’, the frequency and amplitude of AC current. Importantly, their results showed that a variable frequency ranging from megahertz to gigahertz can be achieved. Control and range in tuning ability are highly desirable management features in generating current. The team’s results suggest that applying their spintronics approach may one day meet a variety of commercial energy demands due to control and scalability.

RS Components (RS) has launched a dedicated 3D-CAD microsite which gives users faster, easier access to its extensive library of more than 30,000 3D CAD models from over 40 manufacturers, downloadable free of charge from its website.

The extra functionality provided via the 3D CAD microsite enables users to search for the 3D CAD models by product category and by manufacturer, and incorporates a model viewer function, making it easier and quicker for engineers to locate, view and download the appropriate model required for their design from a vast selection of components, including connectors, relays, switches and semiconductors. The new-look page also integrates the existing 3D CAD tutorial video, 3D CAD FAQs and 3D CAD file format features.

The launch of the enhanced 3D CAD model search functionality on the RS Components website also marks a major milestone in the company’s 3D CAD model program, with more than 250,000 downloads recorded since the program was introduced two years ago.

“The huge numbers of 3D CAD models downloaded from the RS Components website are a firm indication that engineers are increasingly making use of our free online tools to help accelerate the design process,” said Mark Cundle, Head of Technical Marketing, RS Components. “The new 3D CAD microsite ensures an even faster, smoother experience when searching for these tools.”

Access to the comprehensive 3D CAD model library from RS Components is also available via the ModelSource component library on DesignSpark, the RS Components online community for engineers.

App store for Raspberry Pi Raspberry Pi, that low-cost, credit-card-sized computer that is exciting the programming and development world, has opened a store that offers total beginners an easier way to find everything they need to get going, in one place and for free. The Pi Store will make it easier for developers of all ages to share their games, applications, tools and tutorials with the rest of the community.

The store runs as an X application under Raspbian and allows users to download content, and to upload their own content for moderation and release. At launch, there are 23 free titles in the store, ranging from utilities like LibreOffice and Asterisk to classic games like Freeciv and OpenTTD and Raspberry Pi exclusive Iridium Rising.

One of the people behind Raspberry Pi, Eben Upton, said in his blog: “We hope that the Pi Store will provide young people with a way to share their creations with a wider audience, and maybe make a little pocket money along the way. Anybody can submit their own project for moderation and release.

“You can submit binaries, raw Python code, images, audio or video; and soon you’ll be able to submit Scratch content too. We’re hoping to see everything, from hobbyist content to full-blown commercial software.”

18 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

Partnership KAG and maxon motors Kählig Antriebstechnik GmbH has appointed maxon motor Australia as its distributor for Australia and New Zealand.

KAG of Hannover has over 40 years’ experience manufacturing brushed and brushless DC motors. KAG manufactures a range of standard motors, gears and accessories in a versatile modular system with the aid of an online product configurator.

The company also produces customised solutions for industrial automation, building automation and specialist applications such as pump drives for axle cooling systems, oil pump motors for hybrid cars, wheelchair loading systems, conveyor systems and a range of motors for doors, turnstiles and blinds. www.electronicsonline.net.au

Power transfer from wheels to power an electric car

©iStockphoto.com/pagadesign

Conventional battery-based electric vehicles (EV) are not popular with drivers because of drawbacks including: • short cruising range; • long time to recharge; and • high cost.

Now, assuming that these drawbacks stem from the need to store large batteries onboard cars, then there are strong demands for alternatives means of powering electric cars. In a novel approach, Takashi Ohira at Toyohashi University of Technology and colleagues are developing an innovative method for powering EVs that drastically reduces the number of batteries. The approach exploits the steel belt usually embedded in rubber tires. The steel belt collects power excited from a pair of electrodes buried beneath the road surface. And, since the steel belt is electrically insulated by the rubber tread, the researchers used a displacement current at high frequency to penetrate from underground to the steel belt.

The researchers constructed a 1/32 scale EV to prove their concept for the electric car. The car moved successfully with a power penetration efficiency exceeding 75% at 52 MHz. This is the world-first demonstration of electric power transfer via the car wheel to the vehicle.

“If the scheme is applied into practice, we believe it would enable a tremendous extension of the EV cruising range,” says Ohira.

Benchmarks presented by the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmark Consortium (EEMBC) last year show that the Renesas Electronics RX600 series of microcontrollers (MCU) together with the IAR Embedded Workbench development tool suite provides faster performing code than ever before, achieving a score of 3.12 CoreMarks/MHz on the industry-standard EEMBC CoreMark benchmark.

The CoreMark benchmarks were run on an RX62N MCU. Based on Renesas’s RX core, the RX62N MCU is part of the wider RX600 series, which includes devices from 32 KB up to 2 MB of onboard flash and numerous variants, featuring a comprehensive set of on-chip communications and control functions.

The scores were achieved using the latest version of the IAR Embedded Workbench, V2.4.1 for RX, which was recently released and adds a 256 KB licensing option.

IAR Embedded Workbench is a full set of development tools for building and debugging embedded applications. It includes a project manager, editor, compiler, assembler, linker, debugger and library tools in a user-friendly integrated development environment. The V2.4.1 full tool suite reduces costs for small footprint applications and brings new features for all Renesas MCUs. www.electronicsonline.net.au

A new material for environmentally friendlier electronics ©iStockphoto.com/Shunyu Fan

IAR Systems adds new features for Renesas’s RX developers

The electronics industry has a remarkable impact on the environment, yet research is devising new solutions to reduce it. Among these, a new compound with an unutterable name, the diisopropylammonium bromide (DIPAB), a new ferroelectric material created by an international team of researchers that include Massimo Capone and Gianluca Giovannetti of Istituto Officina dei Materiali at CNR and of the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste (SISSA), whose research has been just published in Science magazine.

“A ferroelectric material has properties analogous to those of a magnet in electricity, a system in which the electric dipoles tend to ‘line up’” explains Capone. Materials with such characteristics are key in the production of electronic devices, from ordinary computers to solar cells. The materials that are usually employed, like barium or titanium oxides, have a very strong impact on the environment and, besides, require complex equipment for their production.

“This is not the case of the organic compound we have elaborated and studied, that can be processed very easily from aqueous solution and has a low impact on the environment,” comments Giovannetti. And not only is it environmentally friendlier, it is also cheaper.

By improving its response at the processing stage, the use of such material may spread to the field of electronic devices. The theoretical study carried out by Giovannetti and Capone aims at identifying new materials with even better characteristics and to finetune their processing. “The process currently employed still shows some small errors, that is, exhibits a percentage of processed molecules that differs from what is expected,” points out Capone. "By improving such aspect, DIPAB may be employed in the future in the production, for instance, of computer memory.”

DIPAB is defined as a molecular crystal. What does that mean? “Basically it is a lattice in which at each point, instead of a single atom, as observed in normal crystals, an entire molecule is found,” explains Capone. “This is a crucial aspect, as such molecules feature ‘tails’ that can orient themselves much more easily than what occurs with ions in atomic crystals, thus favouring polarisation.”

Capone believes that the DIPAB processing is only a starting point, and that molecular compounds may replace oxides in several other fields of application, including devices based on superconductors.

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

19

newproducts Ultralow-power automotive microcontroller Power meters The WT300 series digital power meters are the fifth generation of Yokogawa’s compact digital power meters: instruments that play a key part in ensuring optimum standards of energy efficiency and conservation by measuring the power consumption of electrical equipment.

Key features of the instruments include a basic accuracy of 0.1% of reading, accuracy over the entire measurement range (from 1 to 130% ), a wide measurement range from standby power levels of a few mA up to the 40 A currents used in induction cookers, and flexibility to enable users to target different technical and commercial applications. The WT300 series meters can be integrated into laboratory test benches or automated test set-ups on production lines. USB and GPIB or RS232 is fitted as standard and ethernet is available as an option.

Yokogawa Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S964

Mixed-signal MCUs STMicroelectronics’ STM32 F3 Series of MCUs combines the 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 core with a DSP, FPU instructions and advanced analog peripherals. The series combines a Cortex-M4 core with fast 12-bit 5 MSPS and precise 16-bit sigma-delta ADCs, programmable gain amplifiers (4 gains, 1% accuracy), fast 50 ns comparators and time control units running at 144 MHz. The devices are optimised for efficient handling and processing of mixed signals in circuits such as threephase motor controllers, biometrics and industrial sensor outputs or audio filters, allowing designers to tackle mixed-signal control applications.

The devices help simplify design, cut power consumption and reduce PCB size in consumer, medical, portable fitness, system monitoring and metering applications.

Mouser Electronics Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S307

The Renesas Electronics RH850/F1x Series of 32-bit microcontrollers (MCUs) for automotive body applications with on-chip flash memory employs a 40 nm process.

The on-chip flash memory capacity is from 256 KB up to 8 MB and dual-core versions are also planned for the RH850/F1H Group.

The RH850/F1x Series uses the same architecture CPU core and common peripheral functions and has software compatibility within the same group. It also uses the 40 nm process and metal oxide nitride oxide silicon structure to provide flash memory with lower power consumption (0.5 mA/ MHz for RH850/F1L) and higher reliability.

Renesas improved automotive network functions and added a data encryption function for the RH850/F1x Series. These features will help users build electronic body control units combining energy efficiency, high performance and improved safety.

Key features of the RH850/F1x Series MCUs are: a wide array of products for scalability; the CPU core of G3 was designed to achieve lower power consumption and is capable of operating at 80 MHz; it delivers performance of more than 2 DMIPS/MHz while maintaining a low current consumption of 0.5 mA/MHz; it is available in a 48-pin QFP package that is more compact than the earlier Renesas products. This MCU enables users to achieve high-performance system control with a 32-bit CPU core even in units with limited mounting space. It is suitable for applications such as air-conditioner control or LED headlight control.

Renesas Technology Singapore Pte Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/R830

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20 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

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www.electronicsonline.net.au

newproducts Power management module for smartphones and tablets TDK Corporation has released a series of highly integrated, multichannel power management modules for smartphones and tablets. Based on TDK’s SESUB technology (semiconductor embedded in substrate), the IC embedded power management module features high efficiency and a 5-channels step-down converter power supply with an output of up to 2.6 A. Aimed at reducing lead times and development costs for manufacturers of smartphones and tablets, the product features a power supply management IC chip that is embedded directly into the substrate. In combination with newly developed surface-mounted capacitors and power inductors, this results in a space-saving footprint that is up to 60% smaller than discrete solutions. The highly integrated module offers advanced multichannel power management capabilities in a single miniature package with dimensions of 11.0 x 11.0 x 1.6 mm.

The major features of the power management module are its high-efficiency step-down converter power supply in a 5-channel configuration with a maximum output of 2.6 A, and its low-noise, low-loss voltage regulator power supply for up to 23 channels. A highly efficient lithium-ion secondary battery charging circuit is also included. Due to the fact that the IC is completely embedded in the miniature three-dimensional SESUB structure, the module features good thermal attributes compared with solutions with discrete packaged ICs. The module also offers improved EMC performance due to the self-shielding effect of its design.

The series is designed to meet the emerging needs for miniaturised multifunctional power management modules able to provide all of the functions in a smartphone with the right amount of power, thus contributing to longer battery life.

Thin film thermoelectric handbook Laird Technologies, a designer and manufacturer of customised, performance-critical components for wireless systems and other advanced electronics applications, has published its Thin Film Thermoelectric Handbook. The handbook was authored by the company’s thermal management subject matter experts.

The handbook focuses on thin film thermoelectric modules (TFMs) and provides in-depth insight into the advantages of TFMs over traditional bulk technology, as well as the basic structure and function of TFMs, system level considerations required for device selection and thermal management design. The handbook is a comprehensive tutorial that helps educate readers on the proper design and installation of thin film modules and helps to avoid common errors that can reduce operational life or limit output performance attributes of a module.

Designed for engineers with novice to intermediate thermoelectric experience, the handbook also covers Laird Technologies’ eTEC product line, design considerations, proper handling and assembly procedures, temperature sensing and mechanical integrity of the technology.

Lastek Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S455

TDK Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S975

www.electronicsonline.net.au

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts One-phase DIN-rail power supply The Puls CPS20-series power supply requires only 65 mm space on the DIN rail and delivers 24 V, 20 A or 48 V, 10 A. The power is available over a wide temperature range from -25 to +60째C. Additionally, there are power reserves of 20% included, which may even be used continuously at temperatures up to +45째C. For short-term peak loads with a maximum length of 15 ms, the units can deliver four times the nominal output current. This also helps to trip fuses on faulty output branches.

All units of the series are equipped with the HiccupPlus overload behaviour, a balanced power management, which in normal operation mode provides generous power reserves but effectively protects connected equipment and cables against damage in the event of failure.

Other features of these units include: 94% full-load efficiency, good partial-load efficiencies and low no-load losses, active PFC, high immunity to transients and power surges, low electromagnetic emission, electronic inrush current limitation, DC-OK signal for remote monitoring and a provision for equal current sharing when units are used in parallel. The robust mechanical design also allows use in harsh environments, where the unit is exposed to high shock and vibration loads. An optimised thermal design achieves a lifetime expectancy of over 60 000 h (calculated at full load and 40째C ambient temperature) and high MTBF figures.

Control Logic Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T013

Digitiser and jitter analysis toolkit National Instruments has announced the NI PXIe-5162 digitiser and updates to the LabVIEW Jitter Analysis Toolkit. The digitiser, with 10 bits of vertical resolution and a 5 GS/s sample rate, provides high-speed measurements at four times the vertical resolution of a traditional 8-bit oscilloscope.

With 1.5 GHz of bandwidth and four channels in a single slot, the digitiser is suitable for high-channel-count digitiser systems in manufacturing test, research and device characterisation. Pairing the four-channel digitiser with the PXI platform, engineers can build an oscilloscope with up to 68 channels in a single chassis with tight synchronisation.

Using the high-speed, high-channel and high-resolution digitiser with the jitter analysis toolkit helps engineers accelerate their measurement systems using the processing power of modern PCs instead of the legacy embedded processors on box oscilloscopes.

National Instruments Australia Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S858

Prep tool for LMR-300 low loss coaxial cables The Times Microwave Systems CST-300 all-in-one combination prep tool is suitable for use with LMR-300 low loss coaxial cables.

Features include: combination feature allows preparation of LMR-300 cables for either straight or rightangle crimp connector attachment; suitable for use with all LMR-300 connectors; provides consistently sharp cut of dielectric for best VSWR performance; lanyard attachment included; rugged, lightweight construction.

Rojone Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S541

22 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

www.electronicsonline.net.au

newproducts Screw-down connectors

Oscilloscope software Agilent Technologies has two test applications that leverage the high bandwidth and low jitter performance of the Infiniium 86100D DCA-X oscilloscope.

Agilent N1012A compliance test software is an automated application for the Optical Internetworking Forum’s Common Electrical Interface (OIF CEI) 3.0 Implementation Agreement. The Agilent N1019A userdefined application, on the other hand, enables engineers to rapidly develop their own automated test applications.

Both software packages are designed to help developers save time and money.

The N1012A software performs a wide range of oscilloscope-based and network analyser-based tests for the OIF CEI 3.0 Implementation Agreement. The software also provides 5 to 28 Gbps physical-layer transmitter measurements for engineers designing to the requirements of OIF CEI 3.0, including the 28G-VSR (very short reach) interface.

Product developers can use debug mode to rapidly troubleshoot their designs.

The N1019A user-defined application expands the capability of the existing N5467A user-defined application for Agilent’s real-time oscilloscopes to include the 86100D DCA-X. Users can create their own tests, automated test groups, test limits with descriptions, measurement configurations and customised reports.

The applications for the 86100D DCA-X oscilloscope provide design and validation engineers with a fast and easy way to verify physical-layer transmitter compliance to the appropriate standards.

Samtec’s line of Tiger Eye interconnect solutions has been expanded to include screw-down options for both board-toboard and cable-to-board systems on 0.050″ (1.27 mm) and 2.00 mm (0.0787″) pitch. These connector systems feature rugged beryllium copper contacts for high reliability and high mating cycles. Whether used in board stacking or cable applications, the screw-down feature assures that connectors can only become unmated when intentionally de-mated by the user.

A number of additional features are offered with the Tiger Eye systems, including metal latches, friction latches, shrouding, polarisation and keying. Cable systems can be supplied as components or completed assemblies with either PVC or teflon jacketed cable.

Board-to-board connectors are available in a number of stack heights as well as right-angle designs.

Samtec ANZ Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T034

Agilent Technologies Aust Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S692

www.electronicsonline.net.au

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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silicon alternative

InGaAs - keeping Moore’s

Moore’s Law - the prediction by Intel founder Gordon Moore that the number of transistors on microchips will double every two years - has been under threat as the speed of operation of nanometre-scale silicon transistors is being limited by the amount of current that can be produced by the devices.

To keep Moore’s Law alive, researchers have, for some time, been investigating alternatives to silicon, which could potentially produce a larger current even when operating at these smaller scales. One such material is the compound indium gallium arsenide, which is already used in fibre-optic communication and radar technologies and is known to have extremely good electrical properties. But despite recent advances in treating the material to allow it to be formed into a transistor in a similar way to silicon, nobody has yet been able to produce devices small enough to be packed in ever-greater numbers into tomorrow’s microchips.

MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratories has “We have shown that you can now built the smallest transistor ever from silicon’s make extremely small indium main rival, indium gallium arsenide.

The compound transistor performs well despite being gallium arsenide MOSFETs with just 22 nm long. This makes it a promising candidate excellent logic characteristics, to eventually replace silicon in computing devices, says which promises to take Moore’s co-developer Jesús del Alamo, the Donner Professor of Science in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering Law beyond the reach of silicon” and Computer Science (EECS), who built the transistor with EECS graduate student Jianqian Lin and Dimitri Antoniadis, the Ray and Maria Stata Professor of Electrical Engineering.

Now del Alamo, Antoniadis and Lin have shown it is possible to build a nanometre-sized metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) - the type most commonly used in logic applications such as microprocessors - using the material. “We have shown that you can make extremely small indium gallium arsenide MOSFETs with excellent logic characteristics, 24 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

which promises to take Moore’s Law beyond the reach of silicon,” del Alamo says.

Transistors consist of three electrodes: the gate, the source and the drain, with the gate controlling the flow of electrons between the other two. Since space in these tiny transistors is so tight, the three electrodes must be placed in extremely close proximity to each other, a level of precision that would be impossible for even sophisticated tools to achieve. Instead, the team allows the gate to ‘self-align’ itself between the other two electrodes.

The researchers first grow a thin layer of the material using molecular beam epitaxy, a process widely used in the semiconductor industry in which evaporated atoms of indium, gallium and arsenic react with each other within a vacuum to form a single-crystal compound.

The team then deposits a layer of molybdenum as the source and drain contact metal. They then ‘draw’ an extremely fine pattern onto this substrate using a focused beam of electrons (electron beam lithography). Unwanted areas of material are then etched away and the gate oxide is deposited onto the tiny gap. Finally, www.electronicsonline.net.au

Well Connected

silicon alternative

Law alive

Wide range of Cable Assemblies including:

A cross-section transmission electron micrograph of the fabricated transistor. The central inverted V is the gate.

The two molybdenum contacts on either side are the source and drain of the transistor. The channel is the indium gallium arsenide light colour layer under the source, drain and gate. Image courtesy of the researchers.

©iStockphoto.com/ Miha Peroša

• FFCs and FPCs

evaporated molybdenum is fired at the surface, where it forms the gate, tightly squeezed between the two other electrodes, del Alamo says.

“Through a combination of etching and deposition, we can get the gate nestled [between the electrodes] with tiny gaps around it,” he says.

Although many of the techniques applied by the team are already used in silicon fabrication, they have only rarely been used to make compound semiconductor transistors. This is partly because in applications such as fibre-optic communication, space is less of an issue.

“But when you are talking about integrating billions of tiny transistors onto a chip, then we need to completely reformulate the fabrication technology of compound semiconductor transistors to look much more like that of silicon transistors,” del Alamo says.

The team’s next step will be to work on further improving the electrical performance - and hence the speed - of the transistor by eliminating unwanted resistance within the device. Once they have achieved this, they will attempt to further shrink the device, with the ultimate aim of reducing the size of their transistor to below 10 nm in gate length.

Matthias Passlack, of Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC, says del Alamo’s work has been a milestone in semiconductor research. “He and his team have experimentally proven that indium arsenide channels outperform silicon at small-device dimensions,” he says. “This pioneering work has stimulated and facilitated the development of CMOS-compatible, III-V-based-technology research and development worldwide.” www.electronicsonline.net.au

• Custom-Made such as Moulded RS232 Data Communications • Automotives • Waterproof & RF Cable Assemblies • Locally made Cable Assemblies for prototyping 3 Small Volumes 3 Quick Turnaround • UL Approved and RoHS Compliant Cable Assemblies Semiconductor IC’s Resistors Capacitors Potentiometers Crystals

Oscillators Filters LED’s & LCD’s Relays Sensors

Switches Connectors Fasteners Enclosures GPS Modules

Ampec Technologies Pty Ltd Sydney: Web: E-mail:

(02) 8741-5000 www.ampec.com.au sales@ampec.com.au

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts

Network security feature The MiMOMax Security (M-SEC) is an optional feature that enhances the critical communications network security by providing stateful packet inspection (SPI) - a software-based firewall that is programmed to distinguish legitimate packets for different types of connections. It only allows access to data packets that match a known active connection. Unlike stateless firewall that has no memory of previous packets, stateful firewall holds significant attributes of each connection. Therefore, it is highly secure against ‘spoofing attacks’ while offering network administrators ‘finer-grained control of network traffic’.

Furthermore, the anti-lockout feature prevents the administrator from configuring firewall rules in a way that will lock him/her out of the web interface. With a predetermined set of rules, the M-SEC optional security feature assists the network user in securely managing the web-administered devices.

MiMOMax Wireless Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/T037

Power meters The SmartClass Fiber OLP-87 FTTH PON Meter and OLP-82 Power Meter are optical handhelds that combine power measurements with pass/ fail fibre inspection into a single portable device.

This combination drives user workflow and behaviour, encourages best practices and improves overall quality of work with integrated certification. Additionally, it reduces the number of tools and peripherals required to be carried into the field and correctly enables installation, commissioning or troubleshooting of fibre in the network.

AFC Group Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S562

Standardcompliant measurement of electric and magnetic fields The Narda Industrial Field Meters NIM-511 and NIM-513 measure radiation emitted by equipment that uses industrial frequencies.

The devices make standard-compliant measurements of electric and magnetic field strength to determine the degree of exposure to electromagnetic radiation and demonstrate adherence to human safety regulations.

The NIM-511 and NIM-513 are handheld measuring systems consisting of a basic unit and a measuring probe equipped with electric and magnetic field sensors. They provide a solution for the task of checking the compliance of industrial plant with regulations and limit values for electromagnetic radiation.

The NIM-511 sensors cover a frequency range from 300 kHz to 100 MHz and are balanced during calibration at the 13.56 MHz ISM frequency often used in semiconductor manufacturing, for example.

The NIM-513 sensors cover the range 10 to 42 MHz and are balanced during calibration at the 27.12 MHz ISM frequency - the frequency most often used for heat welding equipment and induction ovens.

The devices are compact and weigh 600 g. Since the probes measure the electric and magnetic fields at the same time, there is no need to switch probes, saving time when making measurements.

They provide automatic measurement range selection, auto-zeroing, clear operating mode display and a digital result readout.

Narda Safety Test Solutions GmbH Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S483

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26 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

www.electronicsonline.net.au

ARM module starter kit The Qseven Starter Kit provides developers with a package to rapidly prototype embedded systems for ARM designs.

With their compact size and low power, Qseven embedded computer modules based on ARM architectures are a solution for most low-power or ultramobile embedded PC applications.

The kit’s centrepiece is the conga-QMX6 Qseven module, based on the Freescale i.MX6 ARM Cortex A9 processor. The module has a 3D-capable, highend HD graphics interface with low power consumption. The integrated graphics core is designed for multimedia applications featuring a video processing unit (VPU), 2D and 3D graphics (GPU2D/3D), four shaders with up to 200 MT/s (million triangles/s) plus dual stream with 1080p/720p.

The available graphics interfaces include HDMI v1.4 and 18-/24bit dual channel LVDS with a resolution of up to 1920 x 1200 (WUXGA).

The starter kit also includes the flexible Qseven evaluation carrier board conga-QEVAL and a matching 12 V power adapter.

The conga-QEVAL is easy to integrate and offers multiple interfaces including five USB ports, a gigabit ethernet port, HDMI, 18/24-bit LVDS and a PCI Express socket. For the connection of mass storage devices 1x SATA and SD card are integrated on the baseboard. The Qseven module itself provides a microSD socket and as an optional extra, 8 GB of soldered solid state drive (eMMC) for robust applications.

The included microSD card features a boot loader with preinstalled Ubuntu Linux so that the system can be started immediately. Alternatively, Android or Windows Embedded Compact 7 will be available in the near future.

With the comprehensive congatec Qseven Starter Kit, the evaluation process of the design-in phase is accelerated, enabling faster time-to-market. The board support packages for Windows Embedded and Linux are provided and supported in close cooperation with congatec’s software partner Adeneo.

newproducts Hipot testers The Vitrek V7X hipot testers and ground bond testers are designed for safety tests in accordance with IEC, TUV, CSA and UL regulations.

Two models in the range include insulation resistance measurement between 20 and 5000 VDC, and all models feature resistance measurement to 60 kΩ with a resolution to 0.001 Ω. The testers are designed for both AC and DC hipot testing to 5000 V, and there is one tester, the Vitrek V70, suitable for 5000 VAC testing only.

The series can directly control up to four highvoltage scanners for ATE systems, and all Vitrek safety testers are provided with USB 2.0, RS232 and digital I/O interfaces as well as a safety interlock. The colour touch screen on the series provides good visualisation of test results and control.

There are six models featuring AC and DC hipot testing to 5 kV, leakage current measurement to v100 nA, and insulation resistance to 450 GΩ and ground bond testing to 30 A rms.

Westek Electronics Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S922

congatec Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S542

www.electronicsonline.net.au

MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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newproducts Access-control keypad The Storm AXS StrikeMaster access-control keypad is a selfcontained system constructed to withstand hard use and abuse in exposed, unsupervised, public locations. When authorised personnel enter a unique personal identification number (PIN) into the keypad, it triggers an electrically operated strike or lock. This permits access through a normally locked door or barrier. Up to 50 individual PINs can be programmed into the keypad.

Codes can be programmed either to open the door for a preset time, allowing just one person to enter, or to hold the door in an unlocked condition until the code is re-entered. In this way, the code can be used as a traditional key. Each code can be changed or cancelled at any time, thus withdrawing an individual’s access to a secured area.

The keypad can also be used to give a discreet warning of attack or kidnap. If any programmed PIN is prefixed by two special digits, a silent warning is transmitted. The attacker is kept unaware that a warning has been sent as the door or barrier appears to operate normally.

The product also includes an electronic sensor that detects any attempt to remove or tamper with the keypad. This sensor can also be connected to a magnetic switch attached to the door. If an intruder forces the door open without first entering a correct code, the sensor will trigger the keypad’s integrated alarm circuit. The keypad can be quickly and easily installed to prevent unauthorised access to schools, offices, private buildings or restricted areas. It is both weather- and vandal-resistant.

Fieldbus couplers

Backplane Systems Technology Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S859

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S800

Advantech now provides a complete range of APAX products with the APAX-5071 Profinet Coupler, APAX-5070 Modbus Coupler and APAX5072 EtherNet/IP Coupler.

Depending on their application, APAX I/O modules can act as remote stations which can be used in different locations for data acquisition and control tasks.

The series features an integrated two-port ethernet switch that supports a flexible topology connection. For example, the I/O nodes can be connected in a line (bus) topology, instead of a traditional star topology, therefore reducing the effort required for wiring and saving installation costs.

Advantech Australia Pty Ltd

Faraday offers a range of: RFI / EMI / EMC Power RF Filters EMC Antennas – Dipoles to Horns Amplifiers – RF & Microwave (DC – 4000W) and RF Modules Shielded Enclosure – Anechoic Chambers – Antenna Measurement Systems Absorber – EMC Test Boxes – MIL-STD Test Equipment RF Shielding – Magnetic Shielding – MRI Shielding

(03) 9729 5000

sales@faradayshielding.com.au

disclaimer notice All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them.

28 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

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test & measure

Test and measure techniques keeping pace with technology Mike Smyth, specialist technical writer

Advanced software and more sophisticated wireless systems are at the heart of new techniques that are needed for testing some of today’s complex electronics equipment. The increasing integration of RF, microwave and high-speed digital technologies used in many systems, particularly mobile devices, is giving huge challenges to those who test and measure.

Mobile devices today need powerful processing capabilities, reliable wireless connectivity and long battery life. These needs are driving new developments in four major areas - faster chipsets, buses and memory; multiple radios that use multiple standards; new antenna techniques; and low-power operation.

For developers of equipment, isolated design and test tools are necessary but insufficient.

The ability to transform a product idea into an actual product requires solutions that support specific needs. And the foundation of this is software and instrumentation working together in harmony.

To meet present and future needs, software must go beyond design and simulation to address areas such as signal generation, signal analysis and EMI behaviour.

But to get to this level requires connection between software and a variety of instruments.

For example, signal creation benefits from links to arbitrary waveform generators capable of www.electronicsonline.net.au

producing wide bandwidths and high resolution simultaneously and links to vector signal generators with I/Q modulation capabilities.

Signal characterisation requires spectrum or signal analysers that offer analysis bandwidths of up to 160 MHz today and even wider in the future.

The IEEE 802.11ac standard supports RF bandwidths up to 160 MHz, MIMO (multiple in, mul“To meet present and future needs, tiple output) antenna techniques and high-density software must go beyond design 256 QAM modulation.

Software tools must enable engineers to view and simulation to address areas and troubleshoot all 802 modulation formats.

To thoroughly test receivers and transceivers with such as signal generation, signal reliable signals, USGs and ANGs need to support analysis and EMI behaviour.” these bandwidths, formats and techniques.

For real-world testing of transmitters, tools such as signal analysers and vector signal analysers, software must provide the necessary demodulation capabilities plus essential measurements of signal quality.

In producing mobile devices, key issues are reducing capital expense and the costs of testing. At the same time, three key needs must be satisfied - support for multiple radio formats, fast testing and a reduction in overall test time. ‘One box testers’ (OBTs) using wireless communication test sets are designed to help manufacturers meet these needs. However, MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

29

test & measure

this is becoming increasingly challenging. For example, the list of formats supported by a single device is long and getting longer, for example: LTE, LTE-Advanced, HSPA, W-CDMA/HSPA, cdma2000/1xEV-Do, GSM/EDGE/ EDGE –EVO, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS/GNSS. As the cellular infrastructure evolves, mobile devices will be expected to support a range of new and legacy formats.

“Achieving shorter test times Speeding up test development depends on software that simplifies the creation of increasingly complex test becomes more difficult with plans. In supporting OBTs and other instruments that device complexity.” produce signals for multiple radio formats, software must also support the efficient creation of the standards-based waveforms needed to test receivers and transceivers.

As modulation formats get more complex, the signal-creating software will also need to become more sophisticated to enable a variety of possible signal impairments devices may face in real-world operations.

Achieving shorter test times becomes more difficult with device complexity. Multiple measurements for a single data capture are desirable, and as antenna methods evolve, it is necessary to efficiently automate testing of MIMO devices.

Doing all this and cutting the cost of capital investment depends on reliable measurement equipment. The latest generation of handheld instruments includes operating modes that are flexible enough to meet

the needs of the novice and expert users.

To increase efficiency, this newer generation of instruments can be configured with multiple capabilities in a single unit, such as cable and antenna test, spectrum analysis and vector network analysis.

Other built-in capabilities including a tracking generator, power meter, DC source and GPS reduce the number of items test and measurement technicians need to carry into the field.

These instruments are reflecting the deeper integration of RF, microwave and high-speed digital technologies into a single device that must have outstanding battery life and they are a reflection on the direction in which modern test instrument is moving.

This article is based on a paper called ‘Turning Ideas into Validated Production - Faster’ by Andy Botka of Agilent Technologies in the US.

newproducts PoE switches Belden has launched four PoE switches in the Octopus series of its Hirschmann range in the EMEA region. They are available with a power supply of 24-48 V or 72-110 V. The switches are also claimed to occupy considerably less space than those with an external power supply and are easier to install and maintain. They come in compact die-cast zinc housings measuring 184 x 189 x 70 mm. Two of the switches are unmanaged 10-port devices with industrial protection class IP54. The other two, which satisfy the requirements of industrial protection class IP67, each have nine ports and feature ‘layer 2’ basic software from Hirschmann, which incorporates a variety of management and security functions and fast redundancy methods.

The Octopus PoE switches are designed to operate at temperatures ranging from -40 to +70°C. They also fulfil the EMC and fire prevention requirements of European standards governing use in rail vehicles.

Belden Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S963

DB Spectrum analyser The HP/Agilent E4407B general-purpose spectrum analyser features: frequency range 9 kHz to 26.5 GHz; resolution bandwidth down to 30 Hz; noise level -105 to -136 dBm according to frequency; centre frequency display with a resolution of up to 10 Hz; stores up to 200 traces in internal memory. It is available to rent.

It is used for a wide range of applications from aerospace and defence to manufacturing. Some applications include: site monitoring - verify that the frequency and signal strength of your transmitter is accurate; interference - before a system is installed, use the E4407B analyser to verify that the frequencies are not occupied or if the presence of a very strong signal will interfere with set-up. Other tests include antenna isolation, co-channel interference, adjacent channel power, occupied bandwidth, intermodulation, microwave or satellite antenna alignment, and characterisation of components.

TechRentals Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S985

30 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

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newproducts Infrared chip sets The 1 mm2 infrared chip prototype from Osram Opto Semiconductors has achieved an efficiency of up to 72% at 100 mA using thin-film technology. At 930 mW from an operating current of 1 A, its light output under laboratory conditions is claimed to be 25% higher than that of the chips currently available on the market, which means that future infrared LEDs can be made even more energy-efficient.

The efficiency, known as wall plug efficiency (WPE), indicates the ratio of the radiated power to the electrical input power. It was measured at room temperature at a DC current of up to 1 A. With a wavelength of 850 nm, the chip has been designed specifically for infrared illumination applications. The prototype 1 mm2 infrared chip has a high quantum efficiency that remains around 65% up to 1 A. The 850 nm wavelength of the chip prototype is suitable for infrared illumination, particularly for surveillance tasks and use with CCTV cameras. There are also potential safety applications in the automotive sector, such as pre-crash sensors and illumination sources for night vision systems.

The results of this development work are now being implemented stage by stage. The chip is expected to go into series production by the middle of 2013.

Osram Australia Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S446

Mini power supplies The RAC03-SCR/277 series regulated mini power supplies are designed to fit behind standard wall outlets. With their round and flat shape, the 11 mm thick disks can be mounted behind switchplates or within wall boxes. Thus, DC voltage can be also available from the wall socket.

The 3 W mini power supplies achieve efficiency of up to 78%.

With the wide input voltage range of 85-305 VAC, they can be used worldwide. Output voltages of 3.3, 5, 12 or 24 VDC with currents from 900 to 125 mA are available. With a stand-by power consumption of 40 mW, the mini power supplies are energy saving and consume less than a twelfth of the requirements of the EuP directive. The modules have a 3 kVAC isolated output and operate in ambient temperatures up to +85째C. The RAC03-SCR series are CE marked and UL certified.

RECOM Asia Pte Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S971

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MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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©iStockphoto.com/ Rafał Głębowski

PCB testing

Flash testing of PCBs during the initial production stages PCB manufacturers can take advantage of a fast, reliable and safe solution to meet the growing demand for flash/HIPOT tested (2 kV) unpopulated boards. Electrical safety testing specialist Clare has developed a bespoke system using its HAL104 instrument connected to a test enclosure, which enables the easy flash testing of PCBs during the initial production stages.

The enclosure has a conductive foam base with modular sections to accommodate different sizes of PCBs. It can have either a springmounted probe system or a further section of conductive foam can be added to allow it to work with different types of PCBs. The move follows the increasing trend that all base PCBs must now be flash tested during the manufacturing process to ensure that they have no defects and are compliant with safety standards. This comes from growing demand among global component assemblers that all electronic components should be able to pass a flash test before final build.

Two types of PCB can be tested: those with one “ ... the instrument meets the surface covered in metal and ‘standard’ units with end-of-line electrical safety an insulated side.

Regardless, the track side of the PCB is placed face compliance tests required by the down on the conductive foam, enabling all metallic majority of safety standards.” parts to be in contact with the foam and providing a ‘base bed’ for the remainder of the insulating surface of the board. Once in position, a flash test is then performed across the board, testing for integrity.

Richard Williams, senior applications engineer - Clare, said the HAL-based solution will help to meet the growing requirement for flash-tested PCBs. “Electronics manufacturers want to ensure that component parts are capable of withstanding the voltages that final assembled products will operate to.

“Some manufacturers in the UK and China have already adopted this approach for their PCBs, while others are expected to follow suit.”

The HAL104 from Clare is part of a range of digital instruments which can perform the complete suite of standard electrical safety tests 32 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

and allows full traceability of test results and records via internal data memory storage.

It combines the performance of a multifunction production line safety tester with load and power factor measurement for product energy consumption and ratings assessments.

This versatile all-in-one tester has been specially designed for accurate electrical tests required by modern electronic manufacturing environments. As well as incorporating key functional checks, the instrument meets the end-of-line electrical safety compliance tests required by the majority of safety standards.

The tester has applications in the electronics manufacturing sector - particularly in those production situations where highresolution performance measurements are important such as LED products in lowenergy lighting applications and PV solar panels. As well as load and power functional tests, the tester incorporates AC/DC Hipot, insulation, ground bond testing to 40 A, load testing up to 20 A (5 kVA) with leakage measurements from 100 µA to 20 mA, with 10 µA resolution.

Emona Instruments Pty Ltd Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S452

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newproducts GNSS receiver

As one of the first commercial systems for sintering printed electronics products at manufacturing speeds, Sinteron 5000, available from Warsash Scientific, is capable of meeting the high-speed demands of roll-to-roll and conveyer feed production. The heart of the system is Xenon’s pulsed light technology that delivers high-energy bursts of pulsed light without harming or overheating substrates such as plastic, film, cloth or paper. Pulsed UV sintering is an essential step in the printed and improved electron process for the production of low-cost electronics.

The NV08C-Mini PCI-E is a fully integrated GNSS receiver module optimised for Mini PCI Express (Mini-PCIe) based applications. The device is fully compatible with GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Compass (GNSS), and EGNOS, WAAS, MSAS and GAGAN (SBAS) systems.

The product offers high sensitivity, high-performance acquisition and tracking, NMEA and raw data outputs, plus differential (D-GNSS) and assisted GNSS (A-GNSS) functions. It is designed for use in a wide range of computer-based navigation, positioning and timing equipment enabled with a Mini-PCIe interface, demanding very good GNSS performance.

Suggested applications include mobile computing, invehicle and portable terminals, notebooks, PCs, tablets and handheld computers. Other applications include telematics/fleet management, navigation equipment and precise positioning - GIS, survey, machine control and agriculture.

The product features two RF channels (GPS and GLONASS), three-stage SAW filtration for high noise immunity, several protocol interfaces and a supply voltage source for an active antenna. The fully featured embedded Mini PCI-e GNSS receiver is claimed to be the quickest-tomarket solution for mobile computing applications.

Warsash Scientific Pty Ltd

M2M Connectivity

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S529

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/S666

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MAR/APR 2013 - What's New in Electronics

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the page Mike Smyth, specialist technical writer

I am in the market for a cross between a serious and sophisticated piece of electronic equipment and something that will incorporate a mind-wavereading device to prevent me from feeling I am wasting a third of my life by being forced to watch television advertisements that interest me not in the slightest.

Mad man not loving TV ads

The gadget I have in mind is a filter-cum-player that will cut in as soon as TV commercials/promotions appear and replace their boring repetitiveness and largely mindless chitchat with something more mentally challenging, such as a Tom and Jerry cartoon, a Road Runner chase or a view of a meadow so that I can watch the grass grow.

I accept that we live in a word of advertising and self-promotion and nowhere is it more blatant than on television.

I believe we are badly served by our television stations who mostly treat the viewing public as a gawping captive audience prepared to accept anything at any time.

However my beef is not so much at the programs, although they are at times pitiful, but at the ads. Look at it this way. From an average two-hour long film on commercial television, take out 40 minutes for ads. Twenty minutes an hour or a third of that viewing time is spent having to watch largely irrelevant, “The final straw was the recent and always repetitive, material. Muting the cricket Test match when the sound is some help. Going for a short walk can also ease the frustration. station seemed to be doing us a And then there is the timing of programs. great favour by allowing us to see How many of them finish at the scheduled any of the cricket at all.” time? Hardly any. Again is this a deliberate ploy to ensure that we stay with that station because we have missed the beginning of something else on a rival station? And then, as if to rub salt into the wound, our screens are cluttered up with that wretched station name or number in various strengths and positions. As if we didn’t know what station we are watching. Are we so feeble minded that we have to be constantly told of where we are? My proposed device would also eliminate this.

And if you think you can escape by watching the ABC, think again.

It almost puts the commercial channels to shame with the volume of its own promotions. Between every program there is sometimes up to a three-minute ad session and the clips of programs are so repetitive 34 What's New in Electronics - MAR/APR 2013

that it is an immediate turn-off to watching the complete production. Over the course of 24 hours, enough air time is drivelled away with promotions to run a complete new program.

Equally irritating is the longstanding habit of frequently finishing programs up to four minutes early so that the ads may roll. Then there is a one-minute news break following by another two- to three-minute commercial break. Must we have ads on all the television channels? Let’s face it, it was bad enough when SBS went ‘commercial’!

The final straw was the recent cricket Test match when the station seemed to be doing us a great favour by allowing us to see any of the cricket at all. The indecent haste to get to the advertising was pathetic. Ads between every over, pop-up ads and banners across the screen for one of the sponsors interspersed with inane twitter messages and worthless trivia that added nothing to the game.

Here I need to extend the complexity of my gadget into its mind-reading mode to discern between irrelevant material and material I actually want to see.

Perhaps one answer would be to go back to the old-fashioned licence system where the viewer pays and fewer ads might be necessary.

I want something more technical than the human digit on the mute button especially in this digital age. www.electronicsonline.net.au

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