The Kynix Blog

TDK Corporation presents the LCap, a new film capacitor from EPCOS for motor applications. LCap combines an AC capacitor with a choke coil in a single case, cutting costs and halving assembly times. Savings also result from the fact that only two leads are now required instead of four as before. The choke coil is molded into the capacitor case, leading to further benefits such as reduced sensitivity to external influences as well as higher long-term stability compared to discrete solutions. LCap is available with capacitances from 3 µF to 50 µF and inductances from 5 µH to 100 µH and is designed for rated voltages from 250 V AC to 450 V AC. Other values can be implemented on a customer-specific basis.Typical applications of the combined components of the B32350 series are TRIAC drives for AC induction motors of the kind used in washing machines and tumble dryers. These circuits have two TRIACs, one of which is driven at a time so that the motor rotates in a specific direction. The capacitor of the LCap is used to generate a second phase. Its inductor protects the TRIACs in the event that they are incorrectly driven simultaneously and thus cause a short circuit.Main applications Generation of a second phase and protection of TRIACs in the control circuit of induction motors, e.g. in household appliancesMain features and benefits Capacitance values from 3 to 50 µFInduction values from 5 to 100 µHCompact construction and thus reduced space requirementReduced costs thanks to halving of assembly time and the number connection leads from four to twoHigh long-term stabilityMaintenance-freeCustomer-specific types availableReference：KY36-F17724102900KY36-MKP1841410254KY36-MKT1817347014W 

At this week's IEEE IEDM conference, world-leading research and innovation hub for nano-electronics and digital technology, imec, reported for the first time the CMOS integration of vertically stacked gate-all-around (GAA) silicon nanowire MOSFETs. Key in the integration scheme is a dual-work-function metal gate enabling matched threshold voltages for the n- and p-type devices. Also, the impact of the new architecture on intrinsic ESD performance was studied, and an ESD protection diode is proposed. These breakthrough results advance the development of GAA nanowire MOSFETs, which promise to succeed FinFETs in future technology nodes. GAA nanowire transistors are promising candidates to succeed FinFETs in 7nm and beyond technology nodes. They offer optimal electrostatic control, thereby enabling ultimate CMOS device scaling. In a horizontal configuration, they are a natural extension of today's mainstream FinFET technology. In this configuration, the drive current per footprint can be maximized by vertically stacking multiple horizontal nanowires. Earlier this year, imec scientists demonstrated GAA FETs based on vertically stacked 8nm diameter Si nanowires. These devices showed excellent electrostatic control, but were fabricated for n- and p-FETs separately.Imec now reports on the CMOS integration of vertically stacked GAA Si nanowire MOSFETs, with matched threshold voltages for n- and p-type devices. Key in the integration scheme is the implementation of dual-work-function metal gates to set the threshold voltages of the n- and p-FETs independently. In this process step, p-type work function metal (PWFM) is deposited in the gate trenches of all devices, followed by selectively etching the PWFM down to the HfO2 from the n-FETs and subsequent deposition of the n-type work function metal. The observation of matched threshold voltages (VT,SAT = 0.35V) for nMOS and pMOS devices validates the dual-work-function metal integration scheme.The impact of this new device architecture on the intrinsic ESD performance was investigated as well. Two different ESD protection diodes have been proposed, i.e. a gate-structure defined diode (gated diode) and a shallow-trench isolation defined diode (STI diode). The STI diode was the better ESD protection device, showing an excellent ratio of failure current (It2) over parasitic capacitance (C). Measurements and TCAD simulations also prove that the ESD performance in GAA nanowire based diodes is maintained in comparison to bulk FinFET diodes."GAA nanowire transistors enable ultimate CMOS device scaling, with low degree of added complexity compared to alternative scaling scenarios," stated Dan Mocuta, Director Logic Device and Integration at imec. The proposed integration scheme for Si GAA CMOS technology and the results on ESD protection are important achievements towards realizing these 7nm and beyond technology nodes. Future work will focus, among others, on further optimizing individual process steps, for example through the co-optimization of the junction and nanowire formation."Ref:KY56-2SA1987KY56-KSC5024RTUKY56-MJL4302A          

Warm hints: The word in this article is about 1000 and the  reading time is about 6 minutes.SummaryResearchers from Purdue University showed a range of concepts and technologies about semiconductor industry at international IEDM 2016 Conference in Dec. 2016. Looking forward to the future of semiconductor,which concepts included innovations to extend the performance of today's silicon-based transistors,along with entirely new types of nanoelectronic devices to complement and potentially replace conventional technology in future computers. This is a device is made from the semiconductor germaniumIssueIn the conference,researchers said,"For the past 50 years, ever more electronic devices envelop us in our day-to-day life, and electronic-device innovation has been a major economic factor in the U.S. and world economy," said Gerhard Klimeck, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of Purdue's Network for Computational Nanotechnology in the university's Discovery Park. "These advancements were enabled by making the basic transistors in computer chips ever smaller. Today the critical dimensions in these devices are just some 60 atoms thick, and further device size reductions will certainly stop at small atomic dimensions." New technologies will be needed for industry to keep pace with Moore's law, an observation that the number of transistors on a computer chip doubles about every two years, resulting in rapid progress in computers and telecommunications. It is becoming increasingly difficult to continue shrinking electronic devices made of conventional silicon-based semiconductors, called complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, said Muhammad Ashraful Alam, Purdue University's Jai N. Gupta Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "As transistors are becoming smaller they are facing a number of challenges in terms of increasing their performance and ensuring their reliability," he said. Purdue researchers presented five papers proposing innovative designs to extend CMOS technology and new devices to potentially replace or augment conventional transistors during the annual International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM 2016) Dec. 5-7 in San Francisco. The conference showcases the latest developments in electronic device technology. Purdue researchers are in the  laboratoryIntegrated circuits, or chips, now contain around 2 billion transistors. The more devices that are packed onto a chip, the greater the heating, with today's chips generating around 100 watts per square centimeter, comparable to that of a nuclear reactor. "As a result, self-heating has become a fundamental concern that hinders performance and can damage transistors, and we are making advances to address it," Alam said. Two of the IEDM conference papers detail research to suppress self-heating and enhance the performance of conventional CMOS chips. The remaining papers deal with new devices for future computer technologies that require lower power to operate, meaning they would not self-heat as significantly. "We are not only working to extend the state-of-art of traditional technology, but also to develop next-generation transistor technologies," Alam said. Transistors are electronic switches that turn on and off to allow computations using the binary code of ones and zeros. A critical component in transistors, called the gate, controls this switching. As progressively smaller transistors are designed, however, this control becomes increasingly difficult because electrons leak around the ultra-small gate. One of the conference papers focuses on a potential solution to this leakage: creating transistors that are surrounded by the gate, instead of the customary flat design. Unfortunately, enveloping the transistor with a gate causes increased heating, which hinders reliability and can damage the device. The researchers used a technique called submicron thermo-reflectance imaging to pinpoint locations of excessive heating. Another paper details a potential approach to suppress this self-heating, modeling how to more effectively dissipate heat by changing how the transistor connects to the complex circuitry in the chip.The three remaining papers propose next-generation devices: networks of nanomagnets, extremely thin layers of a material called black phosphorous and "tunnel" field effect transistors, or FETs. Such technologies would operate at far lower voltages than existing electronics, generating less heat. "You want to use as low a voltage as possible because that reduces power dissipation and if you can reduce power dissipation the battery of your cell phone will last longer, you can do more computing with a smaller amount of power and you will be able to cram more functional elements into a given area," Klimeck said. The tunnel FETS could potentially reduce power consumption by more than 40 times. "Reducing power consumption by a factor of 40 would be a huge development," Klimeck said. Another conference paper details research to develop devices made of black phosphorous, which might one day replace silicon as a semiconductor in transistors. Findings showed the devices can pass large amounts of current with ultra-low resistance while demonstrating good switching performance, said Peide Ye, the Richard J. and Mary Jo Schwartz Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "We have demonstrated the highest performance of this kind of 2-D device," Ye said.Peide Ye,the Richard J. and Mary Jo Schwartz Professor of Electrical and Computer EngineeringDevices made from the material also could bring new types of optical and chemical sensors. The devices were created using a technique called chemical vapor deposition in research performed at Purdue's Birck Nanotechnology Center. Future research will include efforts to create smaller black phosphorous devices, Ye said. A fifth paper details how networks of nanomagnets could serve as the building blocks of future computers. Findings show the networks mimic Ising networks - named after German physicist Ernst Ising - which harness mathematics to solve complex probabilistic problems. The nanomagnet networks might be used to draw from huge databases to perform demanding jobs in areas ranging from business and finance, to health care and scientific research. The conventional approach to performing big data computations is through new software running on CMOS devices. However, nanomagnet networks represent a different approach: developing an entirely new type of hardware for the feat, said Zhihong Chen, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.The nanomagnet arrays are potential building blocks for probabilistic computer hardware has been proved. Researchers are still in unremitting efforts to creat new semiconductor technologies.  Article Provided by Purdue UniversityArticle edited by kynix

With the development of science and technology, electronic products are changing with each passing day. Also, electronic assembly technology is facing challenges. Following the development of electronic technology, people work harder to make innovations in electronic assembly technology.  And in this context, a flexible circuit board invented used which made of the thin-and-flexible polymer film. It can complete the application of surface mounting technology and bend without affecting the normal circuit operation.  Clear Flexible Printed Circuit Catalog I. Brief IntroductionII. Five Main Materials for Flexible Circuit Board2.1 Insulating Firm2.2 Bonding Sheet2.3 Copper Foil2.4 Overburden2.5 Reinforcement PlateFAQ I. Brief Introduction Today's flexible electrons are all made of SMT technology, so they are thin and exquisite with insulation thickness of fewer than 25 μm. It can be bent arbitrarily and rolled into a cylinder. And it makes full use of three-dimensional volume. It breaks the stereotype of the traditional area of use and creates the ability to make full use of the shape of the volume, which can significantly enhance the effective density of use in the length of the conductor currently routinely used per unit area, forming a high-density assembly. In recent years, flexible circuit technology has been applied in various fields, such as radio communication, computer, and automobile electronic equipment. Unlike in the past, flexible circuits have been used as substitutes for rigid cables, and they have been used as substitutes for rigid circuits and printed circuit boards (PCB) in applications where thin or three-dimensional circuits are required. In order to meet the requirements of rigid and flexible applications, it is combined flexible circuit technology in the rigid circuit board, making flexible circuit board used widely. The functions of the flexible circuit board can be divided into four categories, including the lead line, printed circuit, connector, and IntegraTIon of FuncTIon, which covers the computer, Computer peripheral auxiliary system, civil electrical appliances and cars, and other areas. For different applications, the material of the flexible circuit board should select carefully. And the followings are some rules of the five main materials of the flexible circuit board.  II. Five Main Materials for Flexible Circuit Board 2.1 Insulating FirmThe insulating film is flexible and can be used as the insulation carrier of the circuit board to form the basic layer of the circuit. When selecting the flexible dielectric film, the heat resistance, overlay, thickness, mechanical properties and electrical properties of the material should be tested.  Insulation film is usually available on the market, the most common is polyimide and polyester materials. Of all the flexible circuit manufacturers in the United States, nearly 80% use polyimide film as the material for flexible circuits, and about 20% use polyester film. Because polyimide material is nonflammable, stable geometry, high anti-tear, and able to withstand high temperature during welding. 2.2 Bonding Sheet It is made up of two insulating films coated with adhesive, the ability is gluing the film to the foil, and the film to the film in the flexible circuit, In order to provide mechanical support and eliminate stress during insertion of components and connectors. It also can provide protection and electrical insulation. Different types of adhesive sheets can be used for different film substrates, such as polyester bonding sheets and polyimide bonding sheets are different, for example, the polyimide substrate has epoxy resin and acrylic acid. 2.3 Copper FoilCopper foil is a conductor layer that is coated on the insulating substrate and then selectively etched to form a conductive line. The vast majority of this copper foil is rolled copper foil or electrolytic copper foil. The ductility and bending resistance of the rolled copper foil is better than that of the electrolytic copper foil.  The elongation of the rolled copper foil is 20%~45% and the electrolytic copper foil is 4%~40%. The commonly used thickness of copper foil is 35um (1oz), also they have 18um (O.5oz), 70um (2oz), or even 105um (30z). According to different applications, we have to choose different forms of copper foil.  If only to replace wires and connectors, and to reduce manufacturing time and cost, the best choice is electrolytic copper foil. The electrolytic copper foil will increase the weight of copper to level the load capacity of the current, thus obtaining the suitable width of the copper sheet. 2.4 OverburdenThe brand, Novaclad, created by Sheldahl, applies the vacuum metal spraying technology which is a patent. It is a technology that applying a thin layer of pure copper to the surface of a polyimide film, then electroplating into a specific thickness to form the substrate of Novaclad. The base material is used in Novaflex, a flexible circuit without adhesive. After all the circuits have been made, a layer of Novaflex insulation is applied. The Novaflex is designed to work under harsh conditions, and Novaflex without adhesive provides better flexibility, chemical resistance, high-temperature properties, and maximum heat dissipation properties. 2.5 Reinforcement PlateThe reinforced plate to the local position of the flexible plate plays the role of super supporting and strengthening the flexible film substrate, which is convenient for the connection, fixation, or other functions of the PCB. According to different needs, the reinforcement board materials commonly use polyester, polyimide sheet, epoxy fiberglass cloth plate, phenolic-aldehyde paper board, steel plate, aluminum plate, etc.  FAQ 1.What is a flexible circuit board?A flexible printed circuit board features a combination of several printed circuits as well as components that are positioned on a flexible substrate. These circuit boards are also known as flex circuit boards, flex PCBs, flex circuits, or flexible printed circuits. 2. What is flex circuit used for?Flex circuits are often used as connectors in various applications where flexibility, space savings, or production constraints limit the serviceability of rigid circuit boards or hand wiring. A common application of flex circuits is in computer keyboards; most keyboards use flex circuits for the switch matrix. 3. What are flexible circuit boards made of?Flexible circuits are thin, light-weight electrical circuits that conform to small spaces and contoured shapes. They consist of conductive strips of metal, usually copper, encapsulated with an insulating dielectric material made of polyimide or a solder mask. 4. Where are flexible PCBS used?a. Automobiles.b. Consumer electronics including smartphones, SLR cameras and camcorders,c. Medical systems and devices such as heart monitors, pacemakers and the bionic knee.d. Motion systems.e. GPS systems.f. Aerospace and avionics systems. 5. When was the first flex printed circuit made?From early applications during World War II to the present, growth and proliferation for flex circuits and flexible printed circuit boards continues exponentially. A flexible circuit in its purest form is a vast array of conductors bonded to a thin dielectric film. 6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of flexible circuit boards?The advantages of the flexible circuit board are mainly high assembly density, which can save the connection of redundant cables, in addition, it has good bendability, high flexibility, small size, simple structure, and convenient installation.Disadvantages of flexible circuit boards: 1. High initial cost 2. Difficult to change and repair 3. Size limited 4. Improper operation and easy damage, etc. 7. What do flexible circuit boards and rigid circuit boards mean?a.  Flexible circuit boards are used more in digital products. The difference between it and the rigid circuit board is that the substrate of the circuit board is different. As the name implies, the board can be bent and softer.b. "Multilayer board" and "double-sided board" mainly refer to the number of sides of wiring on the circuit board. Above 2 layers are multi-layer boards.From the perspective of the process flow, the multilayer board needs to be processed by the inner layer map, and the outer layer can be processed after being pressed. The processing flow of the outer layer is basically the same as the processing flow of the double-sided board. 8. What is the temperature resistance of fpc flexible circuit boards?FPC flexible circuit board can withstand high temperature of 280 degrees, about 1 hour. However, the recommended temperature for normal use is not less than -20 and not higher than 80. 9. With flexible circuit boards, why pcb hard printed circuit boards are still not eliminated?For PCBs that need to use plug-in components, only rigid boards can be used, which is what you call rigid boards; for many PCBs with stress requirements, only rigid boards can be used. The cost of flexible boards is currently much higher than rigid boards, more than doubled. And the straight-through rate of rigid boards is higher than that of flexible boards 10.Classification of flexible circuit boards?According to the combination of base material and copper foil, flexible circuit boards can be divided into two types: flexible boards with glue and flexible boards without glue. Among them, the price of the glueless flexible board is much higher than that of the glued flexible board, but its flexibility, the bonding force of the copper foil and the substrate, and the flatness of the pad are also better than the glued flexible board. You May Also LikeSwitching Power Supply Tutorial: 4V～16VWhat is A MCU’s internal Structure: Single Chip Micro-ComputerPCB Wring Tutorial: A/D converterMonitoring Technology in Communication Power Supply: Application GuideDIY CommunityDIY Flxible Printed CircuitsMake Flexible Circuit Boards Using A 3D Printer

It's a summer night in 2025, and suddenly a power cut strikes. Naturally, you expect your ceiling fan to keep spinning, but instead, it slows to a halt. When you check your power backup system, you find the inverter body is excessively hot to the touch. Worse yet, the battery itself feels dangerously warm. This overheating issue is a common challenge in modern households with increasing energy demands. However, there is no need to panic; with the right maintenance strategies, you can resolve this heating problem and extend your system's lifespan.Here are some professional solutions for the inverter battery overheating problem:1. Monitor the maximum load capacity:Overloading is a primary cause of battery overheating. If your power draw exceeds the inverter's rated capacity, internal resistance spikes, generating excess heat. Read your instruction manual to note the optimum load capacity. In 2025, many "Smart Inverters" feature LCD displays or mobile apps that show real-time load percentage—use these tools to ensure your connected devices never exceed the maximum limit.2. Inspect your connections for resistance:Faulty wiring is a silent fire hazard. Loose connections between the inverter, the mains, and the battery terminals create electrical resistance, which manifests as heat. You must check these connections frequently. Ensure nuts and bolts are tightened securely and that current is flowing without obstruction to prevent unnecessary thermal buildup.3. Optimize charging cycles (Avoid Deep Discharge):Older advice suggested fully discharging batteries, but for modern Lead-Acid and Tubular batteries, frequent deep discharging significantly shortens their lifespan and increases heat during recharge. Instead, aim for shallow cycles. Ensure your battery is fully recharged after use. If you anticipate a long period of inactivity, reliable charging habits prevent the hardening of electrolytes (sulfation), which is a leading cause of overheating.4. Eliminate corrosion on battery terminals:Carbon buildup and rust on battery terminals act as insulators, forcing the system to work harder and generate heat. regularly inspect your terminals for white or greenish deposits. Clean any corrosion using a solution of hot water and baking soda with an old toothbrush. Once clean and dry, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to the terminals to seal them against future oxidation.5. Maintain electrolyte levels with distilled water:For Flooded Lead-Acid or Tubular batteries, electrolyte loss is natural over time. Low water levels expose the lead plates, causing rapid overheating and permanent damage. Check the water level indicators once a month. Top up *only* with distilled water to the specified mark. Note: Never use tap water, as impurities will damage the cells. If you use Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF) or Lithium batteries, this step does not apply.6. Ensure proper ventilation:Placement is critical. Batteries emit heat during charging and discharging. If they are stored in a closed cabinet or a room with poor airflow, that heat accumulates. The ideal operating temperature for most inverter batteries is around 25°C (77°F). Ensure there is at least 6 inches of clearance around the unit for air circulation to dissipate heat effectively.Leading manufacturers like Microtek have updated their technology for [Current Year] to include smart thermal management and high-efficiency designs. investing in these modern, sustainable power sources can provide a pocket-friendly solution that minimizes maintenance faults. 

A simple and efficient PWM lamp dimmer using timer IC NE555 is discussed in this article. Yesterdays linear regulator based dimmers can only attain a maximum efficiency  of 50% and are far inferior when compared to the PWM based dimmers which can hit well over 90% efficiency. Since less amount of power is wasted as heat, the switching elements of PWM dimmers require a smaller heat sink and this saves a lot of size and weight. In simple words, the most outstanding features of the PWM based lamp dimmers are high efficiency and low physical size. The circuit diagram of a 12V PWM lamp dimmer is shown below. As you can see, NE555 timer IC which is wired as an astable multivibrator operating at 2.8KHz forms the heart of this circuit. Resistors R1,R2, POT R3 and capacitor C1 are the timing components. Duty cycle of the IC’s output can be adjusted using the POT R3. higher the duty cycle means higher the lamp brightness and lower the duty cycle means lower the lamp brightness. Diode D1 by-passes the lower half of the POT R3 during the charging cycle of the astable multivibrator. This is done in order to keep the output frequency constant irrespective of the duty cycle. Transistors Q1 and Q2 forms a darlington driver stage for the 12V lamp. Resistor R4 limits the base current of transistor Q1.Understanding the variable duty cycle astable multivibrator.As I have said earlier, the variable duty cycle astable multi vibrator based on NE555 forms the foundation of this circuit and a good knowledge on it is essential for designing projects like this. For the ease of explanation the timing side of the astable multivibrator is redrawn in the figure below.Upper and lower halves of the POT R3 are denoted as Rx and Ry respectively. Consider the output of the astable multivibrator to be high at the starting instant. Now the capacitor C1 charges through the path R1, Rx, and R2. The lower half of POT R3 ie; Ry is out of the scene because the diode D1 by-passes it. When the voltage across the capacitor reaches 2/3 Vcc, the internal upper comparator flips its output which makes the internal flip flop to toggle its output. As a result the output of the astable multivibrator goes low. In simple words, the output of the astable multivibrator remains high until the charge across C1 becomes equal to 2/3 Vcc and here it is according to the equation Ton =0.67(R1+Rx+R2)C1.Since the internal flip flop is set now, the capacitor starts discharging through the path R2,Ry into the discharge pin. When the voltage across the capacitor C1 becomes 1/3 Vcc, the lower comparator flips its output and this in turn makes the internal flip flop to toggle its output again. This makes the output of the astable multivibrator high. To be simple, the output of the astable multivibrator remains low until the voltage across the capacitor C1 becomes 1/3 Vcc and it is according to the equation Toff = 0.67(R2+Ry)C1. Have a look at the internal block diagram of NE555 timer shown below for better understanding.How does the frequency remain constant irrespective of the position of POT3 knob?.What ever may be the position of  POT3 knob, the total resistance across it remains the same (50K here). If anything decreases in the upper side (Rx) the same amount will be increased in the lower (Ry) and the same thing gets applied to the higher(Ton) and lower(Toff) time periods. The derivation shown below will help you to grasp the matter easily.With reference to Fig 2, we have:Ton = 0.67(R1+Rx+R2)C1Toff= 0.67(R2+Ry)C1Total time period of the output waveform “T” is according to the equation :T = Ton + ToffThere fore, T = 0.67(R1+Rx+R2+R2+Ry)C1                        T= 0.67(R1+2R2+Rx+Ry)C1We know that Rx+Ry = R3There fore T = 0.67(R1+2R2+R3)C1Therefore frequency F = 1/(0.67(R1+2R2+R3)C1) From the above equation its is clear that the frequency depends only on the value of the components C1, R1, R2  and the over all value of R3 and it has nothing to do with the position of R3 knob.  Ref:KY32-NE555KY32-NE555.NE555DR.NE555P