Electronics Weekly – Intersil Plastic ICs, Maxim CAN Transceivers & More

Intersil Radiation-Tolerant Plastic ICs

(Image courtesy of Intersil.)

Intersil has announced the first three members of its family of radiation-tolerant plastic-package ICs designed to support the emerging field of small satellites that will provide solutions such as high-speed Internet connections to hundreds of millions of users in communities, governments, and businesses worldwide. Fleets of hundreds of small satellites will create mega-constellation networks to deliver broadband Internet links from low Earth orbit (LEO) to every corner of the globe, including rural areas without wireless connectivity access.

Intersil's rad-tolerant plastic parts include the ISL71026M 3.3V controller area network (CAN) transceiver, ISL71444M 40V quad precision rail-to-rail input and output (RRIO) op amp, and the ISL71001M 6A point-of-load voltage regulator. These ICs deliver rad-tolerance performance at a lower cost point versus radiation assurance tested Class V (space level) products. All three ISL71xxxM devices go through characterization testing, which includes total ionizing doze up to 30krads for single event effects.

For more information, visit Intersil’s website.

Maxim CAN Transceiver

(Image courtesy of Maxim.)

Maxim has introduced the MAX14883E Control Area Network (CAN). The MAX14883E, with selectable polarity and high-speed CAN transceiver, is designed for industrial network applications to reduce installation errors and ensure robust communications. It features a polarity selection input (POL) to swap the CANH and CANL I/Os and allow for software correction of cross-wired field cables.

In addition, the MAX14883E provides ±60V of fault protection, high ±22kV ESD protection (HBM), and ±25V of common mode range on the CANH and CANL lines to ensure effective communications. The transceiver operates at the maximum CAN high-speed data rate (up to 1Mbps on small networks) from a single 5V supply and includes a logic-level supply input for interfacing with 1.8V to 5V logic. The MAX14883E is available in an 8-pin SOIC package and operates over the -40 C to +125 C temperature range.

Additional technical specifications are available on Maxim’s website.

Microchip Precision Power and Energy Monitoring Chip

(Image courtesy of Microchip Technology.)

Microchip Technology has released the PAC1934, a precision power and energy monitoring chip. The chip works in conjunction with a Microchip software driver that is compatible with the Energy Estimation Engine (E3) built into the Windows 10 operating system to provide 99 percent accuracy on all Windows 10 devices that have batteries. Combining the PAC1934 and Windows 10 driver with Microsoft’s E3 service can improve the measurement of battery usage from different software applications by up to 29 percent, according to Microchip.

The PAC1934 is designed to measure voltage rails as low as 0V and as high as 32V. It is this ability that allows the chip to accurately measure power usage from simple Core Processing Unit (CPU) tasks all the way up to software running on devices that connect through a USB Type-C connector. The PAC1934 is a four-channel device with 16-bit power measurement and a 17 minute plus accumulation register, making it ideal for determining power consumption and energy usage without the need for voltage or current range adjustments.

Information concerning pricing and availability can be found on Microchip’s website.

Microsemi SAASM Server

(Image courtesy of Microsemi.)

Microsemi has announced its SyncServer S650 SAASM server incorporating a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) to provide a secure, accurate and flexible time and frequency platform for synchronizing mission-critical electronics systems and instrumentation applications in the defense market, such as satellite communications and defense operational infrastructure.

Microsemi's S650 SAASM, designed for use by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and other government agencies, as well as their approved suppliers, received the GPS Directorate Security Approval to incorporate a military-grade, GPS SAASM receiver module. This enables U.S. armed forces to deploy features of Microsemi's commercial SyncServer S650 in a military-grade configuration. In addition, the integrated SAASM module adheres to industry standards allowing for a migration path to GPS Military Code (M-Code) support.

For more information, visit Microsemi’s website.

Pasternack Relay Controlled Programmable Attenuators

(Image courtesy of Pasternack.)

Pasternack has released a series of relay controlled programmable attenuators. Typical applications include signal conditioning and level control, matching impedances of sources and loads and measuring the gain or loss of two-port devices.

The six models of relay controlled programmable attenuators cover frequency bands from DC to 2000 MHz with attenuation levels ranging from 0 to 127 dB. Depending on the model, attenuator designs have 6 to 8 relay bits with attenuation steps ranging from 0.25 dB to 64 dB for precise tuning capability. Typical performance includes low insertion loss ranging from 0.8 to 3.5 dB, attenuation accuracy of +/- 0.5 dB and input power up to 1-watt CW.

These attenuator assemblies are RoHS compliant and available in rugged nickel-plated brass packages with either female SMA or F-type connectors. Each relay bit has a designated RFI pin with a DC bias of +12 Vdc and 15 to 30 mA depending on the model. All models are export-rated as EAR99 and have an operational temperature range of -20 C to +85 C.

For more information, visit Pasternack’s website.

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