Considering the complexities of routing and signal integrity, it’s more and more common to see multilayer printed circuit board (PCB) designs where radio frequencies (RF) or digital traces cross on different layers of the stack. However, depending on the number of crossovers needed, the cost and complexity of this solution can outweigh the potential design benefits. For example, at high frequencies, multilayer designs are uniquely expensive to build; when laying out a ‘tile’ phased array, there’s very little space for components because of the λ/2 pitch of the array.
Streamlining PCB Design with Crossovers for High-Frequency Applications
Looking Closer at Smoothing Capacitors in Electric Vehicles
In power electronics, rectification is the conversion of alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC). After the AC signal enters a rectifier circuit consisting of power diodes, the resulting raw rectified waveform yields a series of half sine waves with significant ripple. In order to minimize the pulsating DC voltage, a smoothing capacitor is placed in parallel with the load across the rectifier output. As the rectifier voltage rises, the capacitor charges and stores energy like a reservoir. Then when the rectifier voltage falls, the capacitor discharges, greatly reducing the ripple voltage.
Topics: Capacitor, Automotive, Electric Vehicles
Supercapacitors in Action: Enhancing Backup Power and Load Management
Supercapacitors, also known as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), store energy electrostatically rather than via chemical reactions like traditional batteries. Their unique characteristics make them ideal for applications requiring short bursts of power and/or durability over time.
One of the fundamental roles of capacitors is charging and discharging energy predictably. Many electronics applications leverage capacitors to store energy and release it in a controlled pulse of current or voltage. Here, we’ll revisit how pulses are produced in a basic RLC circuit featuring a capacitor (C), inductor (L) and resistor (R).
The Roles of Couplers, Combiners, and Dividers in Radar Power Amplifiers
At the most basic level, high-power amplifiers (HPAs) take signals from the waveform generator and increase the signal level to a higher power as shown in Figure 1. Depending on the system, the increase could take the signal from hundreds of watts to many megawatts. This is an essential step for many radar systems to boost the strength of a signal and improve range, resolution, and overall performance.
Supercapacitors vs. Batteries: A Comparison in Energy Storage Solutions
Supercapacitors feature unique characteristics that set them apart from traditional batteries in energy storage applications. Unlike batteries, which store energy through chemical reactions, supercapacitors store energy electrostatically, enabling rapid charge/discharge cycles. In certain applications, this gives them a significant advantage in terms of power density, lifespan, efficiency, operating temperature range and sustainability.
Topics: Capacitor
Enhancing Radar Performance: The Role of Gain Equalizers in RF Receivers
Low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) in radio frequency (RF) receivers are designed to amplify low-amplitude signals (i.e., less than -100 dBm) from an antenna without decreasing their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In radar applications, a strong SNR increases the likelihood of detecting a target, so LNAs play an important functional role (Figure 1). Effective targeting requires both high resolution and high accuracy. A strong SNR translates to high accuracy.
Understanding the Impact of ESR on Ceramic Capacitor Selection
In an ideal world, capacitors could be designed in a way where they would exhibit no resistance. However, this is physically impossible to achieve as there will always be some type of internal resistance in a capacitor that appears in series with the capacitance of the device. Known as equivalent series resistance (ESR), the level of this resistance will vary across capacitors depending on a variety of factors including the dielectric materials used, frequency of the application, leakage, and quality and reliability of the capacitor. The two graphs in Figure 1 show an example of how ESR can change as frequency increases across various capacitances on two different classes of ceramic dielectrics.
Topics: Capacitor, High Reliability
Defibrillators are designed to deliver electric current to the heart, in the form of a controlled shock to the myocardium, to treat arrhythmias and restore the heartbeat back to normal. Capacitors play an important role in the function of these life-saving devices. Here, we’ll cover the basic components of a defibrillator circuit and explore the role of capacitor selection in defibrillator system design.
Combat Electrical Arcing in Circuits with Suppressor/Snubber Network Devices for Relays
Electrical arcing can cause any number of issues in a circuit that lead to unreliable operation. Without effective snubbing, arcing is associated with early failures in relays, switch contacts and solid-state components (e.g., SCRs and TRIACs).
Topics: Military and Aerospace