The Kynix Blog

A molecule that transports oxygen in blood could be key to developing the next generation of batteries, and in a way that's environmentally friendly.Lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) batteries have emerged in recent years as a possible successor to lithium-ion batteries—the industry standard for consumer electronics—due to their potential for holding a charge for a very long time. Electronic devices would go for weeks without charging, for instance; electric cars could travel four to five times longer than the current standard.But before this could happen, researchers need to make the Li-O2 batteries efficient enough for commercial application and prevent the formation of lithium peroxide, a solid precipitate that covers the surface of the batteries' oxygen electrodes. One obstacle is finding a catalyst that efficiently facilitates a process known as oxygen evolution reaction, in which lithium oxide products decompose back into lithium ions and oxygen gas.The Yale lab of Andre Taylor, associate professor of chemical and environmental engineering, has identified a molecule known as heme that could function as a better catalyst. The researchers demonstrated that the heme molecule improved the Li-O2 cell function by lowering the amount of energy required to improve the battery's charge/discharge cycle times.The results appear Oct. 19 in Nature Communications. The lead author is Won-Hee Ryu, a former postdoctoral researcher in Taylor's lab, who is now an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering at Sookmyung Women's University in South Korea.The heme is a molecule that makes up one of the two parts of a hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of animals. Used in an Li-O2 battery, Ryu explained, the molecule would dissolve into the battery's electrolytes and act as what's known as a redox mediator, which lowers the energy barrier required for the electrochemical reaction to take place."When you breathe in air, the heme molecule absorbs oxygen from the air to your lungs and when you exhale, it transports carbon dioxide back out," Taylor said. "So it has a good binding with oxygen, and we saw this as a way to enhance these promising lithium-air batteries."The researchers added that their discovery could help reduce the amount of animal waste disposal."We're using a biomolecule that traditionally is just wasted," said Taylor. "In the animal products industry, they have to figure out some way to dispose of the blood. Here, we can take the heme molecules from these waste products and use it for renewable energy storage."By using recyclable biowaste as a catalyst material, the technology is both effective and could be preferential in developing green energy applications.Reference:ML-621S/ZTNMS412FE-FL26EMS518SE-FL35E 

NTT Electronics (NEL), a leading supplier of coherent Digital Signal Processor (DSP) solutions to system and module manufacturers worldwide, announced shipment of industry's first 20nm 100G Long-haul/Metro coherent DSP to customers. Substantial reductions in size and power consumption of the new Low Power DSP (LP-DSP) enhance scalability and flexibility of cost-effective 100-Gbps long-haul and metropolitan networks.The new 100G LP-DSP product NLD0640 has three-chip functions successfully integrated into a single chip consuming 70% less power and footprint as compared to the previous generation 40nm DSP product NLD0629, which additionally required OTN Framer and transmitter MUX chips to achieve the same functionality. This is an important milestone for the industry made possible by NEL's ongoing collaboration with Broadcom Corporation (NASDAQ: BRCM). The new chip leverages Broadcom's industry leading 20nm signal-processing-enhanced mixed-signal technology and integrates the DSP core of the widely deployed NLD0629.The new LP-DSP provides full coverage of operation modes; the lowest power 80km ZR mode, the power-managed metro mode for distances up to 1200km, and the full function long-haul mode for reaches over-2000km. The LP-DSP with less than 20W power dissipation enables smaller size second generation coherent 100G modules, including a family of C Form-factor Pluggable (CFP) and CFP2 analog coherent optics (ACO) modules."We are strongly committed to pioneering innovation in the coherent DSP market through our robust partnership with Broadcom." said Haruhiko Ichino, NEL Executive Vice President and General Manager of Broadband System & Device Business Group. "Our novel LP-DSP has already been shipped to over ten customers, who are designing their product families. We look forward to deployment of our product in early 2015 thereby providing value to the end customers by maximizing the number of 100G ports per system.""The combination of industry-leading coherent DSP technology and Broadcom's industry leading 20nm signal-processing-enhanced mixed-signal technologies provides a compelling solution for the next generation LH and metro coherent platforms," said Lorenzo Longo, Broadcom Vice President and General Manager of Physical Layer Products (PLP). "We are excited to see our collaboration with NEL enabling economies of scale for mass deployment of 100G in metro and long-haul networks."Reference:CHIPI-X10CHIPCAP-R-50-TUBECHIPCAP-D-50-TUBE

Riedon has today announced a cost-effective power resistor design achieving superior performance in high-frequency applications and high-speed pulse circuits. The various TO-style resistors within Riedon’s PF family are non-inductive and use an advanced power film formed on a heat-conducting alumina substrate that is metalized and soldered to a heat-dissipating copper plate tab.This process offers devices featuring excellent thermal resistance in small-size, thin-profile TO-style packages for high-density applications.Phil Ebbert, Riedon’s VP of Engineering, commented: “All our TO-style thin-film resistors combine superior performance with the full power-dissipation capabilities these packages offer. In addition, the low-inductance design makes these parts ideal for high frequency applications, such as wireless communications, or in systems that need to withstand short-duration, high-energy pulses, for example, medical equipment.”Available with power ratings from a few Watts up to 600 Watts, the resistors come in both through-hole and surface mounting packages. The PF1260 series provides resistances in the range 0.01Ω to 51kΩ, tolerances from ±1%, a temperature coefficient from ±50ppm, and up to 20W dissipation (with a heatsink) in an epoxy-molded TO-126 leaded package. The PF2200 and PF2470 series offer similar specifications but with increased dissipation up to 50W and 140W in leaded TO-220 and TO-247 packages, respectively.Designed for ultimate power dissipation, the PF2270 series handles up to 300W in a screw-terminal TO227 style package, when attached to an appropriate heatsink and subject to temperature derating. The last of the new introductions, the PFS35 series provides a solution for surface mounting, using a TO-263 housing (D-Pak) to provide 35W dissipation when used with a heatsink or 2W with a simple solder pad.Riedon’s full range of TO-style power resistors are available from Kynix.Reference:PF22000T12BKPF22000T12LGPF22000T12BK230PF22000T12LG230 

B&R has selected the Hyperstone S8 Flash Memory Controller for their recently announced X90 mobile automation product line. The X90 family of products are designed for securing mobile control and I/O tasks in demanding environments experienced by industrial and mobile machines.To meet all requirements of their robust applications B&R implemented the Hyperstone S8 Flash Memory Controller, which operates over an extended temperature range and ensures the highest reliability and endurance even under extreme environmental conditions. The S8 Controller enables the use of advanced technology NAND flashes in demanding, rugged applications e.g. in commercial vehicles and outdoor applications. B&R X90 products deliver robustness and durability hence the choice of Hyperstone products.X90 mobile With a comprehensive set of standardised components, the X90 product line offers automation solutions perfect for flexible automation concepts used in mobile and outdoor applications found in agriculture and forestry, construction or municipal vehicles. Extended temperature range, strong vibrations or shocks and influences such as salt, oil and UV light must be handled by the system. Basic features of the X90 family include interfaces for CAN, USB, Ethernet and the real-time POWERLINK bus system. A flexible set up allows the addition of I/O channels and interfaces. The X90 series was introduced at Bauma 2016 in Munich.S8 The Hyperstone S8 Flash Memory Controller and its application and Flash specific firmware offer a platform for industrial high endurance Flash Memory cards or modules which are compatible with SD interface host systems. Together with Hyperstone’s proprietary hyReliability firmware, S8 provides enhanced endurance and data retention management, as well as rigorous fail-safe features, all of which are mandatory for industrial applications. Implemented hardware features and special firmware developments enable the highest data retention and refresh mechanisms, even when storage applications are faced with extreme environmental conditions.Reference:MT16JTF51264AZ-1G6M1SDUS5EB-001GMD2202-D192MT9VDDT6472HY-335 F2 

As humans, we sniff out different scents and aromas using chemical receptors in our noses. In technological gas detection, however, there are a whole host of other methods available. One such method is to use infrared lasers, passing a laser beam through the gas to an adjacent separate detector, which measures the degree of light attenuation it causes.TU Wien’s tiny new sensor now brings together both sides within a single component, making it possible to use the same microscopic structure for both the emission and detection of infrared radiation.“The lasers that we produce are a far cry from ordinary laser pointers ,” explains Rolf Szedlak from the Institute of Solid State Electronics at TU Wien. “We make what are known as quantum cascade lasers. They are made up of a sophisticated layered system of different materials and emit light in the infrared range.”When an electrical voltage is applied to this layered system, electrons pass through the laser. With the right selection of materials and layer thicknesses, the electrons always lose some of their energy when passing from one layer into the next. This energy is released in the form of light, creating an infrared laser beam.“Our quantum cascade lasers are circular, with a diameter of less than half a millimetre,” reports Prof. Gottfried Strasser, head of the Center for Micro- and Nanostructures at TU Wien. “Their geometric properties help to ensure that the laser only emits light at a very specific wavelength.”“This is perfect for chemical analysis of gases, as many gases absorb only very specific amounts of infrared light,” explains Prof. Bernhard Lendl from the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics at TU Wien. Gases can thus be reliably detected using their own individual infrared ‘fingerprint’. Doing so requires a laser with the correct wavelength and a detector that measures the amount of infrared radiation swallowed up by the gas.“Our microscopic structure has the major advantage of being a laser and detector in one,” professes Rolf Szedlak. Two concentric quantum cascade rings are fitted for this purpose, which can both (depending on the operating mode) emit and detect light, even doing so at two slightly different wavelengths.One ring emits the laser light which passes through the gas before being reflected back by a mirror. The second ring then receives the reflected light and measures its strength. The two rings then immediately switch their roles, allowing the next measurement to be carried out.In testing this new form of sensor, the TU Wien research team faced a truly daunting challenge: they had to differentiate isobutene and isobutane – two molecules which, in addition to confusingly similar names, also possess very similar chemical properties. The microscopic sensors passed this test with flying colours, reliably identifying both of the gases.“Combining laser and detector brings many advantages,” says Gottfried Strasser. “It allows for the production of extremely compact sensors, and conceivably, even an entire array – i.e. a cluster of microsensors – housed on a single chip and able to operate on several different wavelengths simultaneously.” The application possibilities are virtually endless, ranging from environmental technology to medicine. 

Astute Electronics has strengthened its new memory division portfolio by signing a UK and Ireland deal for Innodisk’s industrial embedded flash and DRAM storage products and technologies. Innodisk focuses on industries such as aerospace, defence, industrial and cloud storage to name a few, and where a commitment to quality service is vitally important. The company manufactures all its products in a purpose-built memory production facility located in Taiwan.Mick Martin, Memory Division Manager at Astute says; “Innodisk’s product range matches our customer base exactly. Its product design features fixed-BOM control to ensure product quality, longevity and stability, and the use of industrial-grade components means that products can withstand temperatures ranging from -40 to 85°C. Sample parts are available very quickly and typical production lead times are only two weeks. The company is also able to customise devices to suit specific applications.”With over 62 patents, Innodisk is a technical innovator, pioneering Pin 7 VCC technology in the SATA interface which eliminates the need for power cables.This led to the development of the SATADOM form factor which is certified by Intel and widely adopted by industrial and embedded system designers worldwide.Innodisk offers a wide selection of flash memory form factors. Flash products are available in single-level-cell (SLC) and multi-layer cell (MLC) styles and a comprehensive range of DRAM modules are also included.Specifically, InnoRobust devices have a hi-rel feature set specially designed for aerospace and defence applications, while ISO/TS 16949 approval guarantees that that the company can deliver reliable storage and memory solutions for in-vehicle computing system applications.Reference:MT16JTF51264AZ-1G6M1SDUS5EB-001GMD2202-D192MD2202-D192-X