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Primary LogoMAY 2013www.edn.comIssue 5Secondary Stacked LogoTeardown: 1-TbyteWestern DigitalNAS drive Pg 22Why reflectionshappen Pg 20Design Ideas Pg 47Tales from the Cube:Debugging witha LASER Pg 62mouser.com/newThe Source for theNEWEST PRODUCTSMore New ProductsMore New TechnologiesMore Added Every Day

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MAY 2013www.edn.comIssue 5Teardown: 1-TbyteWestern DigitalNAS drive Pg 22Why reflectionshappen Pg 20Design Ideas Pg 47Tales from the Cube:Debugging witha LASER Pg 62SPECIALREPORT: Top25 globaldistributorsAfter page 46ACE AWARDSCELEBRATINGTHEARTOFENGINEERINGPage 36Frequencyresponse: thegold standardPage 24Design formanufacturingand yieldPage 27Softwaresupply chain’ssoft underbellyPage 56

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The Trusted Leaderfor Any MeasurementNI data acquisition products are the most trusted computer-based measurementdevices available, offering superior accuracy and maximum performance.NI CompactDAQ systems feature more than 50 measurement-specific modules andcomplete breadth and depth of I/O. Coupled with the analysis and signal processingcapabilities of NI LabVIEW software, this platform puts the power of graphical systemdesign at your command so you can build any measurement system faster.LabVIEW offers powerfulanalysis functions forsensor and signaldata, simplifi es GUIdevelopment, and helpsyou program the wayyou think–graphically.>> Accelerate your productivity at ni.com/measurements-platform800 453 6202©2012 National Instruments. All rights reserved. LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, ni.com, and NI CompactDAQ are trademarks of National Instruments.Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 08201

contentsMay 2013ACE Awards: Celebratingthe art of engineering36EDNand EE Times again honor thosebehind the technologies and products thatare changing the world of electronics.by EDN staffSpecial report:Top 25 globaldistributorsAfter page 46In addition to the annual ranking,this special report features a lookat how a high-velocity, dizzyinglycomplex supply chain wards offrisk and disruption.Design formanufacturing and yield27Without increasingly sophisticatedsoftware, manufacturing at28 nm has become highly problematicand yields uneconomically low. Whatcan be done to enable this and smallernodes to reach the desired yields?by Brian Bailey,Contributing Technical EditorCOVER IMAGE: TRISH TUNNEY1.2V(NiCd,2500 mAhr)LDESIGNIDEAS1-3+(4×1.3 mH)Q 5L47 Pocket 1-2 Lwhite-LED 2-3 torch is power efficient(1.3 mH) (1.3 mH)100kBC55910k48 Gnat-powered sawtooth oscillator works on low supply voltagesBC5491nF1nF52 Connect a 4×3 matrix 3.3k keyboard + WLED to a microcontroller using two I/O pins10 μF 3V1.5 to 3.3kQ 155 Bender senses shocks1k 10k 510BC547BC547Q 2Q 3BC549Q 4▶ Find out how to submit your own Design Idea: www.edn.com/4394666.82k1 32[ www.edn.com]APRIL MAY 2013 | EDN 5

www.mouser.comThe Newest Products for Your Newest Designs ®GOORE.The widest selectionof the newest products.Primary LogoAuthorized distributor of semiconductorsand electronic components for design engineers.Mouser and Mouser Electronics are registered trademarks of Mouser Electronics, Inc. Other products, logos, and company names mentioned herein, may be trademarks of their respective owners.

contentsMay 2013pulse12 Quantum refrigerator coolsto extreme temps14 Tektronix releasesfirst power analyzer14 IC provides real-timeindoor-location information16 Econais rolls outWi-Fi audio-streamingreference designdepartments & Columns59Dilbert 1416 Microcontrollers with ultralowpower and USB target emergingmobile healthcare, smarthomes, and Internet of Things17 Analog Devices, MathWorksoffer engineering studentslow-cost learning platform19 TI introduces first eightchannelPWM audio processorwith dual asynchronous SRCs62Transformersand InductorsPICO...think small!think...low profilefrom.18" ht.Over 5000 Std.Ultra MiniatureSurface Mount(and Plug-In) ModelsAudio / 400Hz / PulseMultiplex Data Bus /DC-DC ConverterTransformers / Power& EMI InductorsSee Pico’s full Catalog immediatelywww.picoelectronics.com9 EDN online: Join the conversation; Content; Engineering community10 EDN.comment: Our ever-evolving EDN20 Signal Integrity: Why reflections happen22 Teardown: Disposable 1-Tbyte NAS drives: How’d that happen?24 Mechatronics in Design: Frequency response: the gold standard56 Supply Chain: Software supply chain’s soft underbelly; The future ofclean manufacturing in the United States59 Product Roundup: Sensors/Transducers62 Tales from the Cube: Debugging with a LASEREDN® (ISSN# 0012-7515) is published monthly by UBM Tech, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030-3825. Periodicals postage paidat Manhasset, NY, and at additional mailing offices. SUBSCRIPTIONS—Free to qualified subscribers as defined on the subscription card. Ratesfor nonqualified subscriptions, including all issues: US, $150 one year; $250 two years; $300 three years. Except for special issues where pricechanges are indicated, single copies are available for $10 US and $15 foreign. For telephone inquiries regarding subscriptions, call 847-559-7597. Email: edn@omeda.com. CHANGE OF ADDRESS—Notices should be sent promptly to EDN, PO Box 3609, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257.Please provide old mailing label as well as new address. Allow two months for change. NOTICE—Every precaution is taken to ensure accuracyof content; however, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of the information supplied or advertised or for any opinionexpressed herein. POSTMASTER—Send address changes to EDN, PO Box 3609, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. CANADA POST: PublicationsMail Agreement 40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to APC, PO Box 503, RPO West BVR CRE, Rich Hill. ON L4B 4R6.Copyright 2013 by UBM. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Volume 58, Number 5(Printed in USA).[ www.edn.com] !!#" PICO Electronics Inc.143 Sparks Ave, Pelham, NY 10803-1837Call Toll Free: 800-431-1064E Mail: Info@picoelectronics.comFAX: 914-738-8225MILITARY•COTS•INDUSTRIALTRANSFORMERS & INDUCTORS

onlineJOIN THE CONVERSATIONComments, thoughts, and opinions shared by EDN’s communityIn response to “Audiophile heaven,”a post in the HackWire blog at www.edn.com/4412053, jimfordbroadcomcommented:“Wow, another cool project that I wish I hadtime for. Last time I messed with vacuum tubeswas back in the dark ages BK (before kids). Itwas a Paia plate-starved (45V IIRC) 12AX7 preamp that I was attemptingto use as a distortion box for my guitar. When I upped the grid drive, itwent into clipping, and tube clipping sounds just as bad as solid-stateclipping. Something blew up while I was probing around inside the BudBox I had it in, and I never got around to fixing it. I always wanted to adda variable plate bias up to 250V or so but never got around to that, either.Retirement, maybe? Only 15 to 20 more years to go!”In response to reader comments on “Ensure long lifetimes fromelectrolytic capacitors: a case study in LED light bulbs,” posted atwww.edn.com/4411475, Mark Fortunato, the article’s author, said:“It is unfortunate the poor circuitdesign and component selectionhave led to many bad LED light bulbdesigns. People thus believe that thetechnology itself is unreliable. Properdesign, including selection of adequatecomponents, is needed to get thefull capability out of the technology.Unfortunately, negative public perceptionis based on those earlier, bad designs!”EDN invites all of its readers to constructively and creatively commenton our content. You’ll find the opportunity to do so at the bottom of eacharticle and blog post.CONTENTCan’t-miss content on EDN.comTHE PRODUCT THATMADE ME DOWNRIGHTCERTIFIABLEHere’s anonline-onlyTales fromthe Cube storyabout Murphy’slaw as itapplies to oneengineer’sfirst agencycertification.www.edn.com/4412240TESTING A POWER SUPPLYPart one of this three-part seriesdescribes how to properly test adc/dc power supply, and ensurethat it works reliably over variousoperating conditions.www.edn.com/4411146DANIEL VASCONCELLOSENGINEERING COMMUNITYOpportunities to get involved and show your smartsShare and inspireIn this issue of EDN, you’ll read about the 2013 ACE Awards Contributor of the Year, anaward honoring the spirit of Jim Williams and his willingness to share knowledge andinspire others. If you have insight to share and inspire others with, consider contributing aDesign Idea, technical article, blog, or Tales from the Cube story to EDN. We’ll promote itthrough our various newsletters and social media, helping extend the reach of your work.Find out how to contribute to EDN on our About Us page: www.edn.com/aboutus.Jim Williams[ www.edn.com]MAY 2013 | EDN 9

edn.coMMentBy Patrick Mannion, Brand directorOur ever-evolving EDNIt’s probably appropriate that I am writing about the last issue of EDNprint during DESIGN West 2013 here in San Jose, CA, and toward theend of what’s looking to be the best month ever for the relaunched EDNcommunity site. That all three “events” are happening at the same timeis pure coincidence, but their relationship isn’t.Let’s start with the closure of our print operations with the Juneinstallment. For many of you, this news will come as a shock and a disappointment.For others, it’ll be a genuine sense of “losing a dear friend,”coupled with a recognition that the means by which we consume andinteract with the people, information, and technologies required to do ourjobs are changing rapidly. And as with any vital, live organism, adaptingto the environment is a natural part of evolution.For you, the designer, that evolutioncomes in response to blindinglyfast—and accelerating—design cycles.It’s also driven by a more, ahem, “fluid”job environment in which satisfyingyour curiosity and learning new skillshave gone way beyond what you liketo do and turned into absolute necessities.This is especially the case as youtake on new roles and immerse yourselfin areas of design that perhaps youlast touched upon in college. Or maybeyou’re just out of college and are realizing—rightfullyso—that college wasonly the beginning of your education.To get this ongoing education, it’s nolonger enough to simply read an articlein print. A good article will answer alot of questions, but it will also raise justas many as you synthesize the informationand start to apply it in your owncontext. One of the ways to do this isto jump to the online version and askthe author and the other engineerswho read that same piece what to doin your particular circumstances. Thereare many engineers there with lots ofinsights, and they are more than willingto share them. We recently started tofeature their comments as a live streamon EDN.com’s home page, and the feedbackhasn’t stopped: thousands of commentsand questions—all day, every day.That’s good, and from there youcan connect with peers, contributors,and others in your area of interest andshare ideas, debate, and, sure, sometimesargue (politely and with a senseof fun, of course). Feel free to showcaseyour own skills, let people know whoyou are and what you’re about, and keeplearning as you engage with what arethe smartest, most professional, helpful,and darn-well nicest group of peopleyou’re ever likely to “meet.”So what then? It turns out thatforming that connection and gettingthat real-time online interaction andlearning experience compose but afirst step. At DesignCon in Januaryand now DESIGN West here in April,many of our community members eitherplanned to meet or met accidentally,and cemented the connection. Speakersmet with their fans. And there werelots of fans.If you’ve gotten this far, then you’reprobably seeing where I’m going withthis. EDN is part UBM Tech, a groupwithin UBM that is taking the lead onthe full symbiosis of online and events.The goal is to allow you to go online andlearn what you need to, when you needto. (Stay tuned for more on the newEDN School of Real-Time Learning.)You can then stick around to ask andanswer some questions, identify likemindedengineers, form virtual connections,follow people you like, and theneven meet them face to face at yournearest event.How is this working out so far? Prettywell, to be honest. Last night at thespeakers’ party for DESIGN West, I hadthe pleasure of connecting two contributorsto two different UBM Techsites. These individuals realized theyhad much in common and are nowgoing to connect and work togetheron contributions via All ProgrammablePlanet and EDN. A perfect match!As with any vital,live organism,adapting to theenvironment is anatural part ofevolution.I then bumped into instructor BillGatliff, hot off his Android trainingcourse. Bill is a classic engineer: focused,head-down, get the job done, and notime for frivolity. Since he started teachingthe Android course at DESIGN Westand began blogging for Embedded.com,however, Bill’s realized that it’s been amutually beneficial relationship. He’sgained as much as he’s given—probablyeven more so—and is now preparinga series for EDN on the applicationof Android for systems beyond smartphones.You’ll enjoy his work.Bill’s experience sums up what we’reabout: connecting those who do knowwith those who want to know—onlineand face to face—and helping formwhat we hope will be lifelong relationshipsthat will carry you forward notjust to the conclusion of this designcycle, but the next, and the next oneafter that. Dare I say it? Think of us as“EEHarmony.”EDNContact me at patrick.mannion@ubm.com.10 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

aND DirEctorPatrick Mannion1-631-543-0445;patrick.mannion@ubm.comchiEf tEchNical EDitorRich PellConsumer, Components and Packaging1-516-474-9568;rich.pell@ubm.comExEcutivE EDitorSuzanne DeffreeDIY, Automotive1-631-266-3433;suzanne.deffree@ubm.comMaNagiNg EDitor,priNt aND oNliNEAmy NorcrossContributed technical articles1-781-734-8970;amy.norcross@ubm.comSENior tEchNical EDitorSteve TaranovichAnalog, Power, Medical, Design Ideas1-631-413-1834;steve.taranovich@ubm.comSENior EDitorJanine LoveTest & Measurement1-973-864-7238;janine.love@ubm.comaSSociatE EDitorJessica MacNeil1-212-600-3243;jessica.macneil@ubm.comtEchNical EDitorStephen EvanczukSystems Design1-802-549-4644;sevanczuk@gmail.comEDitorCarolyn MathasLEDs, Wireless and Networking, Sensors1-530-873-3755;cmathas@earthlink.netDESigN iDEaScoNtributiNg EDitorGlen Chenieredndesignideas@ubm.comcoluMNiStSHoward Johnson, PhD,Signal ConsultingBonnie Baker,Texas InstrumentsKevin C Craig, PhD,Marquette UniversitycoNtributiNg tEchNical EDitorSDan Strassberg, strassbergedn@att.netBrian Bailey, brian_bailey@acm.orgvicE prESiDENt/DESigN DirEctorGene FedelecrEativE DirEctorDavid Nicastroart DirEctorGiulia Fini-GulottaproDuctioNAdeline Cannone, Production ManagerDiane Malone, Production ArtistEDN EuropEGraham Prophet,Editor, Reed Publishinggprophet@reedbusiness.frEDN AsiAHuang Hua,Operations General Managerhuang.hua@ednasia.comGrace Wu,Associate Publishergrace.wu@ednasia.comVivek Nanda,Executive Editorvnanda@globalsources.comEDN ChiNAHuang Hua,Operations General Managerhuang.hua@ednchina.comGrace Wu,Associate Publishergrace.wu@ednasia.comJeff Lu,Executive Editorjeff.lu@ednchina.comEDN JApANMasaya Ishida, Publishermishida@mx.itmedia.co.jpMakoto Nishisaka, Editormnishisa@mx.itmedia.co.jpubM tEchMaNagEMENt tEaMPaul Miller,Chief Executive OfficerKathy Astromoff,Chief Executive Officer, ElectronicsBrent Pearson,Chief Information OfficerDavid Blaza,Senior Vice PresidentSandra Wallach,Chief Financial OfficerBarbara Couchois,Vice President,Partner Services and OperationsFelicia Hamerman,Vice President, MarketingAmandeep Sandhu,Director of Audience Engagementand AnalyticsCONSISTENT AND RELIABLEELECTRICAL CONTINUITYUneven mating surfaces, floating height requirements,and exposure to extreme vibration all challenge theintegrity of electrical connections. Field proven forperformance and reliability in harsh environments,Mill-Max spring-loaded contacts ensure continuityacross a wide variety of length and stroke configurations,including new low and ultra-low pin profiles.Don’t see what you need? Rapid prototypingand custom designs are our specialty.www.mill-max.com/EDN636Find out more about EDN here: www.edn.com/aboutus.Information about UBM Tech may be found here: tech.ubm.com.Follow usMillMaxMfgLike usMill-Max Mfg. Corp.[ www.edn.com]APRIL 2013 | EDN 11

pulseINNOVatIONS & INNOVatORS10987000615243Quantum refrigerator coolsto extreme tempsAprototype solid-state refrigeratordeveloped by researchers at theNational Institute of Standards andTechnology (NIST) uses quantum physics tocool a much larger object to extremely lowtemperatures. Measuring a few inches in outsidedimensions, its cooling power is said tobe equivalent to that of a window-mountedair-conditioner cooling a building the size ofthe Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.Just like with a normal refrigerator, suitableobjects can be placed in the unit’s coolingzone and later removed and replaced.The refrigerator’s coolingelements comprise 48 tinysandwiches consisting ofa normal metal, a 1-nmthickinsulating layer, anda superconducting metal.When voltage is applied,electrons tunnel from thenormal metal through theinsulator to the superconductor,resulting in a dramaticreduction in temperaturein the normal metaland draining energy fromthe object being cooled.In the demonstration,researchers cooled a blockof copper that was about amillion times heavier thanthe unit’s refrigerating elements.The cooling processtook about 18 hours.This technology mayoffer a compact way tocool advanced sensors tobelow standard cryogenictemperatures—300 milliKelvins—improvingtheir performance in such applications asquantum information systems, telescopecameras, and searches for dark matter anddark energy. Currently such a degree ofcooling requires complex, large, and costlyequipment.For more, see the related paper, “Macroscalerefrigeration by nanoscale electrontransport,” published by Applied PhysicsLetters (http://bit.ly/109G2iJ).—by Rich Pell▷National Institute of Standardsand Technology, www.nist.govtalkback“How does themanufacturer performverification?Surely, its staff mustwork from a documentthat specifiesa sequential checklistprocedure?Deciding that it's‘too much trouble’to put these notesin the data sheetsand user manualsis unconscionable.”—commenter vapats, in responseto Jon titus’s blog post “Why aresome data sheets so unhelpful?”at www.edn.com/4411964. Jointhe conversation and add yourown comment.A prototype solid-staterefrigerator uses quantumphysics in the square chipmounted on the green circuitboard to cool the muchlarger copper platform (inthe middle of the photo) tobelow standard cryogenictemperatures.12 EDN | May 2013 [ www.edn.com]

Baseband & RFMIMO & FadingRohde & Schwarz SMW 200AThe new vector signal generator for wideband communications systemsUnique generator with baseband, signal calculation, fading, MIMO, AWGNand RF generation in a single box. Two paths up to 6 GHz. Full modularity.Convenient touch operation for confident control of the most complex signals.In 3G and 4G scenarios as well as in aerospace & defense applications.❙160 MHz I/Q modulation bandwidth with internal baseband❙All key MIMO modes, including 3x3, 4x4 and 8x2❙All key communications standards❙Comprehensive help for efficient working❙Outstanding modulation and RF characteristics¸SMW 200A. The fine art of signal generation.www.rohde-schwarz.com/ad/smw-mrWatch the video

pulseTektronix releases first power analyzerMarking its entranceinto the power-analyzermarket, Tektronixdebuted the PA4000 poweranalyzer. Based on intellectualproperty (IP) gained from Tek’sagreement with Voltech, thenew power analyzer features aproprietary Spiral Shunt design,which includes dual internalspiral shunts in each modulefor stable measurements frommicroamps to high-currentmotor drives.DILBERT By Scott AdamsBasic voltage and currentaccuracy is specified at0.04%, with crest factors up to10. The PA4000 offers a voltageinput range up to 1000V RMS,2000V peak. Its dual internalcurrent shunts include a 20ARMS shunt for current up to30A RMS, 200A peak. For lowcurrentdevices, each channelalso includes a 1A RMS shunt.The shunts help keep voltageand current phase aligned duringmeasurements. Sensingcurrent accurately is challenging,and the IP in the instrumentas well as high-resolution 14-bitADCs make this possible. Theunit measures up to the 100thharmonic.Available with one to fourinputs, the power analyzeris modular, so it can be configuredin multiple ways. Forinstance, designers workingon single-phase devicesmight order the PA4000 withThe PA4000 power analyzer from Tektronix is equipped with four channels.two modules. Those workingon three-phase devices wouldlikely want all four channels.In terms of analysis, the unit isequipped with USB, LAN, andRS-232 interfaces standard.(GPIB is optional.) PWRVIEWPC software is included. Application-specificbuilt-in automatictest modes include PWMmotor drive mode (which setsfilters and timing for testingpulse-width modulated motordrive outputs), standby currenttest (which configures measurementtiming to perform standbycurrent measurements), electronicballast test (which synchronizesmeasurements forhighly modulated electronic ballastwaveforms), and integratormode (which sets the analyzerfor energy-consumption measurements).In addition, designerscan log their measurementdata to a flash drive using afront-panel USB port. PC softwarefor data download,analysis, andapplication-specifictesting is availableas a free download.For current measurementsabove30A RMS, Tektronixrecommendsthe CT-S, CT-M, orCL series of currenttransducers.Pricing for a onechannelPA4000is $10,500; two-,three-, and four-channel versionsare priced at $13,400,$16,200, and $18,900, respectively.Most features are standard,but there are two options:the GPIB interface and aninternal 15V power supply (forsensors above 30A). The unitcomes with a three-year warranty.The power analyzers areavailable now worldwide.—by Janine Love▷Tektronix, www.tek.comIC ProvIdesreAl-TImeIndoor-loCATIonInformATIonTargeting real-time locationsystems and wireless sensornetworks, BlinkSight’ssingle-chip transceiveremploys ultralow-powerimpulse-radio technologydeveloped by Imec and theHolst Centre to provide real-time3-D location informationthat is accurate towithin 10 cm. The device iscapable of operating overboth the 3.1- to 4.8-GHzand 6- to 10-GHz bandsand can be integrated intotags, wireless sensors,base stations, and mobiledevices.The chip is fabricated instandard 90-nm RF-CMOS,combining digital processingelements and analogradio functionality in asmall form factor. It operatesfrom a single supplyranging from 1.5 to 3.6V,which makes it suitablefor battery-powered applications.An embeddedsoftware-programmable128-bit vector DSP consumesless than 16 picojoules/cycle.The devicealso has a line-of-sightrange of greater than 60mand no-line-of-sight rangeof greater than 20m.—Susan Nordyk▶BlinkSight,www.blinksight.com▶Imec, www.imec.be05.13Blinksight has releasedthe first single-chip “indoorGPs” solution for rTlsand wireless sensor networkapplications.14 EDN | May 2013 [ www.edn.com]

Your work is fast-paced.Now there’s a digital multimeterthat can keep up.Agilent Digital Multimeters. Speed. Accuracy. Confidence.You deserve throughput among thefastest in the industry. That’s whatyou’ll get with the Agilent 34450A5½ Digital Multimeter. It also givesyou more connectivity options fortransferring and analyzing data on aPC. In short, it’s built to anticipateeverything you need to succeed.34450A Digital Multimeter, 5 1 /2 digitsHigh speedNew OLED displayEasy connectivity190 readings/sec throughputReal-time statisticalparametersHistogram analysisSimple pass/fail limitsUSB, serial interface (RS-232)and GPIBAgilent and ourDistributor NetworkRight Instrument.Right Expertise.Delivered Right Now.800-463-9275www.newark.com/agilentLimited-time offer: FREE upgrade to50k memory and GPIB licensing key:www.newark.com/Agilent_DMM© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2013

pulseEconais rolls out Wi-Fi audiostreamingreference designBased on the company’sWiSmart EC32S13Wi-Fi module, Econaisnow offers the WisAudio referencedesign for streamingraw uncompressed (WAV) andcompressed (MP3, FLAC, AAC)audio over Wi-Fi. In addition,DLNA 1.5 support makes itcompatible with DLNA-capablesmartphones, smart TVs, gameconsoles, and PCs.WisAudio performs on-the-fl yaudio decoding, which requiresless bandwidth than the conventionalWAV approach, whileretaining the ability to play WAVaudio. Econais reports that thereference design delivers highsound quality for WAV andFLAC streams, yet consumesminimal power when usingencoded audio. The designis compact and can fi t into aheadset or speaker.The reference design’sonboard EC32S13 modulewith embedded MCUruns the TCP/IP stack, aswell as the authenticationand security protocols. Audiodecoding and processing areperformed by a VLSI VS1053audio codec to natively port WAV, OGG, MP3, AAC,sup-WMA, FLAC, and MIDI formatswith on-the-fly audio decoding.The evaluation board alsoincludes an embedded chipantenna with a range of up to400m in open space. Optionally,an external antenna can bemounted on the board.View a demo video at http://The WisAudio referencedesign from Econais allowsusers to stream raw compressedand uncompressedaudio over Wi-Fi.bit.ly/17KiHca to learn moreabout the WisAudio referencedesign.—by Susan Nordyk▷Econais,www.econais.comMicrocontrollers with ultralow power and USB targetemerging mobile healthcare, smart homes,and the Internet of Things05.13Renesas Electronics has introducedthe first in its RX100 Seriesof ultralow-power, 32-bit microcontrollers.The RX111 Group is producedon an ultralow-power zerowait-stateflash process supportingmarket-leading 32-bit power-consumption/performancelevels aswell as fast wake-up. It has a widerange of standard peripherals andmultiple safety functions, as wellas an integrated USB 2.0 peripheralsupporting host, device, and onthe-go(OTG) functionality.This new device group bringsthe ultralow-power features of theRenesas 8/16-bit RL78 MCU Seriesto the 32-bit RX product lineup,offering a greater range of devicescalability and functionality. TheRX111 devices are designed tosupport a broad range of low-end32-bit embedded applications, includingmobile healthcare, smartmeters, sensors/detectors, and industrialand building automation.The company’s True Low-Powercapability offers designers the lowestpossible power consumptionacross a range of temperatures andvoltages, including all peripheralsand flash memory, while also providingmaximum flexibility with multipleoperational and sleep modes.This setup allows for the lowestpossible power consumption forthe user’s application environment.The new RX111 devices feature32-MHz operating speeds and1.56 Dhrystone MIPS (DMIPS)/MHzthroughput, with power consumptionas low as 64 µA/DMIPS. TheMCUs also achieve 3.08 CoreMark/MHz and 14.9 CoreMark/mA.The new devices support multiplecommunications peripherals, includingUSB 2.0 host/function andbattery charging, OTG, I 2 C, and SPIprotocols. Analog functions includea 12-bit ADC with internal voltagereference, an 8-bit DAC, and a temperaturesensor.The Renesas Starter Kit (RSK)provides sample drivers (mass storageclass, communication class,and HID class), applications ofhigh-speed charging by USB, andvarious middleware alongside theevaluation board and developmentenvironment required for MCUevaluation and first installation.The RX111 Group of MCUs issoftware compatible with theRX600 and RX200 Series, providinggreater flexibility and an easy migrationpath to higher-performanceMCUs. The RX111 MCUs are availablein low pin counts ranging from36 to 64 pins and 16 kbytes to 128kbytes of embedded flash memory.As part of the RX family, the newMCUs also feature a compatibleinstruction set, hardware andsoftware tool set, peripherals, andhardware safety features to complywith several safety standards.Renesas provides a comprehensivedevelopment ecosystemfor the RX series, including anEclipse-based IDE, as well ascompilers, debugger emulators,code generation, and flash programmers.The RX111 devices aresupported by IAR Systems’ EWRXtool chain compiler and IDE. IARSystems will provide the 64-kbytefree version of its EWRX tools tosupport all RX devices, includingthe new RX111 MCUs.Samples of the RX111 devicesare expected to be available inJuly. Mass production is scheduledto begin in September.—by Nick Flaherty▶Renesas Electronics Corp,am.renesas.com16 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

Analog Devices, MathWorks offerengineering students low-cost learning platformAnalog Devices has introduced alow-cost hardware-software solutionfocusing on circuit testing anddesigned for the engineering educationmarket. The solution combines Math-Works’ MATLAB software and AnalogDevices’ Digilent Analog Discovery designkits, enabling students to experimentquickly and easily with advanced technologiesand build, test, and analyze real-world,functional analog design circuits anytime,anywhere, for the price of a textbook.“The combination of MATLAB and theAnalog Devices Digilent design kits providesa very flexible, powerful learningsolution,” says Kathleen Meehan, associateprofessor in the Bradley Departmentof Electrical and Computer Engineeringat Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA). “I don’tneed to maintain a traditional large lab formy engineering students. Instead, studentscomplete experiments after class,where and when they want, with the analogdesign kit and analyze the data and writelab reports with MATLAB.”MATLAB and the Data Acquisition ToolboxSupport Package for Analog Discoveryhardware allow students to acquire signalsdirectly from the Analog Discovery as wellas filter and analyze data. This integrationallows students to develop a deeperunderstanding of the circuits they are buildingand reinforces MATLAB skills they arealready learning in other classes.Each Analog Discovery is the size of adeck of cards and features two oscilloscopes,two waveform generators,two power supplies,and a logic analyzer.The Analog Discoveryis manufacturedby DigilentInc and poweredby AnalogDevices components.The Ana-The Digilent Analog Discovery design kit,developed in conjunction with AnalogDevices, is designed to enable engineeringstudents to quickly and easily experimentwith advanced technologies andbuild and test real-world, functional analogdesign circuits right on their PCs.[ www.edn.com]log Discovery design kit costs $99. Studentscan access MATLAB by purchasinga MATLAB Student Version license orthrough a site license that may be availableWE ENGINEERProgrammable Current SensorsFor The Sustainable FutureEngineering is Our PassionEngineers solve problems. Our engineers recognize the need for a betterway to calibrate a sensor to its mechanical and electrical environment.Melexis builds a portfolio of programmable sensor ICs; enabling fine-tuningwith EEPROM calibration. Programming is done at end-of line production,normalizing assembly, material and environmental variances..Re-Programmable For Truly Sustainable ApplicationsDesign change? No worries. An end-user redesign or material changecan make today’s sensor module obsolete. Melexis Programmable Sensorsmake YOUR products re-programmable for new mechanical, electrical orenvironmental parameters or even a custom version of your product toYOUR customer.■ End-User Programmable - EEPROM calibrationfor mechanical, electrical and temperaturecompensation.■ End-Of-Line Programming - The output pin(s)multiplex as programming pin(s) for calibrationin actual operating environment.■ Support Available - Programming hardware,software and applications support available forall our innovative programmable sensors.See All Our Programmable Sensors At:www.melexis.com/calibrateWe EngineerThe Sustainable Future.from their university.—by Paul Buckley▷Analog Devices, www.analog.com▷MathWorks, www.mathworks.com▷Digilent Inc, www.digilentinc.com

Make an IMPACTA whole new way of doing business is emerging – one where businesses of allsizes can make a difference and have an impact. Business4Better (B4B) Conferenceand Nonprofit Expo will bring together midsized business, large corporations,and nonprofits to truly define mutually beneficial partnerships and the impactthey can have on societal causes.Explore the benefits of business-integrated social responsibility programs andpowerful partnerships. Join leading companies, innovative nonprofits, andindividuals inspired to take action and transform business impact on social change.Check out the lineup of speakers:Neil BushChairmanPoints of LightPremal ShahPresidentKivaChris JarvisCo-Founder & PartnerRealized WorthCarol ConeGlobal Practice ChairEdelman Business +Social PurposeDev PatnaikCEOJump Associates & Author“Wired to Care”Jeff HoffmanPresidentJeff Hoffman & AssociatesBea BoccalandroPresidentVeraWorksChad BolickAssociate Director ofPartnershipsFSGBe a part of B4B. Be a Business4Better.Register now at Business4Better.orgfor Early Bird rates.All registrationproceeds aredonated to B4B’snonprofitpartnersPRODUCING PARTNERS PREMIER UNDERWRITER NONPROFIT PARTNERSCity of AnaheimFreemanVeraworksKnowledge MarketingJive SoftwareB LabPoints of Light InstituteOneOCStanford Social Innovation Review

pulseTI introduces first eight-channelPWM audio processor with dualasynchronous SRCsTexas Instruments has introduced theindustry’s first eight-channel PWMaudio processor with dual asynchronoussample-rate converters (SRCs) integratedon a single chip. The HD-compatibleTAS5548 allows home and pro audiodesigners to seamlessly mix two audiosources, providing design flexibility andcost savings compared with competitivesolutions that require two chips. It acceptssample rates from 8 to 192 kHz and convertsthem to a fixed rate of 96 or 192 kHz,eliminating the need to create, store, andchange coefficients. This simplifies thedesign of digital multichannel products,such as Blu-ray home-theater-in-a-box(HTiB), A/V receivers, mini/micro combos,and soundbars.The TAS5548’s 40-kHz audio bandwidthis compatible with Dolby True HD and DTS-HD. Designers can optimize their productswith rich audio processing capabilities,The HD-compatibleTAS5548 from TI allowshome and pro audio designers to seamlesslymix two audio sources, providingdesign flexibility and cost savings comparedwith competitive solutions thatrequire two chips.such as seven-band parametric equalization,bass and treble tone control, volumeand loudness control, dynamic range compression,and input and output mixing.Two integrated four-channel ASRC coresallow audio system designers to switchsample rates without changing coefficients,while native processing at 96 kHz for eightchanneloutput enables ultralow out-ofbandnoise and jitter suppression. An extramicrophone and I 2 S input combines withthe ASRC’s ability to mix two different sample-ratesources. This feature provides theflexibility to mix a microphone with up toeight karaoke tracks.An integrated smart energy manageralso delivers more efficient operation.The manager can limit the audio system’speak power by interrupting the host processorif the power threshold is reached.For high-end audio systems, a powersupplyvolume control enables energyefficienthigh-power performance.The TAS5548EVM evaluation modulecan be purchased today for a suggestedretail price of $99. This evaluation module isprovided with the easy-to-use ControlConsolegraphical development suite to simplifythe evaluation, configuration, and debug ofaudio products. The ControlConsole’s GUIenables quick evaluation of all TAS5548functions, including DRC, programmableEQ, and energy management.The TAS5548 is available now in a 56-pinTSSOP package for a suggested retailprice of $3.68 in 1,000-unit quantities.—by Nick Flaherty▷Texas Instruments, www.ti.com

SIGNAL INTEGRITYBY howard johnson, phdpredict the size of a reflected signal:Why reflections happenThrow a rubber ball hard against a concrete wall. The ballbounces. You have just experienced a reflection. Reflectionshappen in propagating systems at those points where theconditions of propagation change.The best way to understand reflections is to track themovement of energy. When the ball reaches the wall, itcannot continue on its original course. Neither can the ball simply stop,because the energy associated with its incoming path cannot just disappear;it must go somewhere.Nature solves this problem by dividingthe incoming energy among theavailable outgoing modes of propagation.Those modes include the ball’sretreating along its incoming direction,an acoustic wave (bonk!) generated inthe air, a slight movement of the concretewall, and a residual thermal agitationof both rubber and concrete.The proportions of energy containedin each outgoing mode are determinedby the law of conservation of momentumin combination with the variousproperties, called boundary conditions,of each individual outgoing mode. Thereflecting-ball problem is tricky, becausethe ball can arrive at any incidentangle, it can carry spin, and there areINCOMINGENERGYREFLECTEDENERGYmultiple avenues for energy dissipation.A transmission line supports onlytwo modes of operation: A signal eithergoes straight down the line in one directionor comes back in the other. That’sit. In a typical digital application, noother modes of operation are possible.When a traveling wave encounters aload at the end of a transmission structure,only three entities are involved:the incoming power, the fraction ofthat power that is dissipated in the load,and the remaining power, all of whichreflects back toward the source.The solution to the problem ofallocating power among those threemodes is the highly vaunted “reflectioncoefficient” formula, which is used toCONCRETEWALLFigure 1 The wall converts a portion of the incoming energy into sound, heat,and vibration.SOUND,HEAT,ANDVIBRATIONV= Z –Z R L C.V IZ L+Z CThe reflection formula expresses theratio of reflected voltage to incidentvoltage, as observed at the end of atransmission line, computed as a functionof the load impedance at the end,Z L, and the characteristic impedance ofthe transmission line, Z C.If the end of a transmission structureis left open-circuited, making an infiniteload impedance, that load drawsno current and therefore dissipates zeropower. In that case, 100% of the incidentpower reflects, creating a reflectedsignal just as large as the incident waveform.If you imagine electrical currentas being loosely analogous to physicalvelocity in the rubber-ball example,the concrete wall did the same thing.When struck, the wall hardly moved,absorbing very little energy, and therebyreflecting almost perfectly.If you reduce the endpoint loadimpedance to successively lower values,the load begins to draw more current,dissipating more power and creating aprogressively weaker reflected signal. Inthe physical world, you can test that ideaby throwing your ball at three things: awooden fence, a wall of hay bales, anda wet sheet hanging out to dry. Whenthe mechanical impedance of the wallbest matches the physical properties ofthe ball, the ball reflects least strongly.Electrically, a load impedance thatcompletely absorbs all incoming powercreates zero reflection. That is the idealarrangement for an end terminator.That particular impedance, if you canfind it, is defined as the characteristicimpedance of the transmission structure.There is no other definition. Allformulas for characteristic impedanceare merely approximations of this ultimatemeaning.EDNHoward Johnson, PhD, of Signal Consulting,frequently conducts technical workshopsfor digital engineers at Oxford Universityand other sites worldwide. Visit hisWeb site at www.sigcon.com, or e-mail himat howie03@sigcon.com.20 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

LEDrivIRHigh-Voltage Buck Control ICs forConstant LED Current RegulationLineEMI FilterIRPLLED7 Demo BoardRectifier IC and Switches LEDsICIRS2980 Features• Internal high voltage regulator• Hysteretic current control• High side current sensing• PWM dimming with analog or PWMcontrol input• Free running frequency with maximumlimiting (150kHz)LEDrivIR IRS2980Current (mA)IRPLLED7 Demo BoardLED Current vs Input Voltage39038037036035034033032031060708090100110120130140150160170180Input VoltageLED Current (mA)IRS2980 Benefits• Low component count• Off-line operation• Very simple design• Inherent stability• Inherent short circuit protectionDemo Board Specifications• Input Voltage 70V to 250V (AC)• Output Voltage 0V to 50V (DC)• Regulated Output Current: 350mA• Power Factor > 0.9• Low component countPartNumberPackageVoltageGateDrive CurrentStartupCurrentFrequency• Dimmable 0 to 100%• Non-isolated Buck regulatorIRS2980S SO-8 450V +180 / -260 mA

TEAR DOWNPATRICK MANNION • BRAND DIRECTORDisposable 1-Tbyte NASdrives: How’d that happen?Here’s a tip: Don’t start cleaning the area around your external network-attached storage(NAS) drive when it’s backing up. Odds are that you’re going to smack it. I did,and so a perfectly functioning 1-Tbyte drive, with my whole life stored on it, almostbecame a perfectly functioning doorstop.The NAS drive in question is a 1-Tbyte Western Digital My Book World Edition,which I used for backing up multiple computers and for music streaming using a Sonos audionetwork via the shared router. While the device itself was dead, it was not a problem to recoverthe data from my other external hard drive and back it up to the shiny new 3-Tbyte drive.I realized when holding the drive just how nuts it was that a little over 20 years ago I wasexcited by a 40-Mbyte hard drive, and now here I was holding a 1-Tbyte drive that I justreplaced with a 3-Tbyte drive for a scant $170. How did that happen? And why do we take it somuch for granted? I had to go inside.WANT MORE?+ Read more of the WD NAS-drive Teardownat www.edn.com/4412821.+ Go to www.edn.com/learning/teardownsfor more Teardowns.The main controllerboard enclosurehouses the I/O, power,reset, and controlelectronics.Taking the cover offexposed the plasticlight pipe that wasthe source of thatrather cool, Kit-like(Any Knight Rider fansout there?) up-downlight movement onthe front of the drive.It channeled the lightfrom a bank of sixLEDs housed on themain control board.Oddly, I think it wasthe first time I’duncovered a light pipein situ.The control boarditself was encased inmetal shielding andattached to the harddrive via a right-angleedge connector.The entire drivewas coupled to themain chassis usingfour rubber “shockabsorbing” holders,which I wish had donea better job of, well,absorbing shock.Amphenol 842864SATA003HF 90-degree connecter tomain WD NAS control and interface boardMarvell 88i8846system-controlprocessorEtron TechEM6AA160TSA-5G,256 Mbits of DDRSDRAMSTMicroelectronicsSMOOTH L7251 3.1motor control anddriver ICFour-pin interfaceto hard-drive plattermotor; beats ribboncable, but requirestight, well-definedplacement22 EDN | MAY 2013[ www.edn.com]

Three banks of plastichousings contain two LEDseach, with light guided tothe front of the drive.Battery backupThe LSI TruePHY ET1011C2-CGigabit Ethernet transceiver debutedin 2008. It’s built on 0.13-μmtechnology and is fully compliantwith IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, and802.3ab standards. Its main claim tofame is its use of an oversamplingarchitecture to improve equalization.Power-on button on rear, followeddown the back by USB, Ethernet,reset, and power inThree storage platters (These, and the read heads, have come a longway in the past 20 years. For more on modern storage techniques,including giant magnetoresistance all the way up to spintronics andquantum bits, take a look at this summary: http://bit.ly/Zg7yiW.)Read-head armaturein rest position (Thearmature is driven bythe voice coil actuatoron the left, housedbetween nickel-platedneodymium magnets,the most powerfulpermanent magnetsavailable today.)Coil and neodymiummagnet housing (Coil isheld between an upperand lower magnet witha four-wire interfaceto/from the SMOOTHL7251 to control read/write head position andacquire data.)The Oxford SemiconductorOXE810DSE (now the PLX810,since PLX Tech acquired Oxford)is a Gigabit Ethernet to dual SATAcontroller. It is the main interface IC,with 802.11 support via Mini PCI.It has since been discontinued andreplaced by the NAS 7821. BrianDipert spent some time on the PLXchip in his teardown of an olderWD NAS drive back in 2010 (www.edn.com/4312333). Also shown:1 Gbyte of DDR2 memory (HynixHY5PS1G1631C)Over the years, fundamentalresearch into electromagnets,quantum principles, materials,channel equalization, and motorcontroland -positioning algorithmshas been embodied within thesedrives. It’s more than can even betouched on in a short teardown piece,yet we can take these drives so muchfor granted. As always, I’ll be holdingonto the parts, much like I do a goodbook. So much thought, research, andingenuity have gone into realizingthe product that throwing it out isactually hard to do, though I can onlyhoard so much until my wife gives me“that look.”[ www.edn.com]MAY 2013 | EDN 23

MECHATRONICSIN DESIGNFRESH IDEAS ON INTEGRATINGMECHANICAL SYSTEMS,ELECTRONICS, CONTROL SYSTEMS,AND SOFTWARE IN DESIGNM ASA LR IT ED EF EN SE SP R O CE SS IY SN GSoftwareT E M SA UT O M ODigital ControlSystemsMechanicalCADC ON ST IControlSystemsMechanicalSystemsU MV EE RPAE R O SmechatronicsControlElectronicsElectromechanicsR O D UP ASC TC EM E D IElectronicSystemsM AF AN UC ALC TU RX ER OGI NG RA PH YFrequency response:the gold standardEngineers predict real-world response and identify model parameters.By Kevin C Craig, PhDWhat do engineers “see” when they look at a real systemor conceive a new design? They will look pastthe hardware and visualize the flow of energy, whereit is stored, and where it is dissipated. They will identify thekinetic energy of moving fluids and solid masses; the potentialenergy of compressible fluids, elastic hoses and tanks, anddeformable solids; the energy stored in electric and magneticfields; and the energy lost through friction generating heat.But they will also “see” how the system might respond to realworldinputs by understanding the frequency response of thesystem and the frequency spectrum of the probable inputs.A real system often can be modeled, over some range ofmotion and time duration, as stable, linear, and time invariant.If the input to this system is a sine wave, the steady-stateoutput (after the transients have died out) is also a sine wavewith the same frequency, but with an amplitude and phaseangle that are both frequency dependent. Plots of the inputoutputamplitude ratio versus frequency and the phase angleversus frequency are called Bode plots.If the system being excited were nonlinear or time varying,the output might contain frequencies other than the inputfrequency, and the amplituderatio might be dependent onthe input magnitude. Anyreal-world device or processwill need to function properlyfor only a certain range of frequencies;outside this range,we don’t care what happens.When one has the frequencyresponsecurves for any system and is given a specific sinusoidalinput, it is easy to calculate the sinusoidal output.What is not obvious, but extremely important, is that thefrequency-response curves are really a complete descriptionof the system’s dynamic behavior and allow one to computethe response for any input, not just sine waves.Two hundred years ago, Jean Baptiste Fourier showed thatany periodic waveform that exists in nature can be generatedby adding up sine waves. By picking the amplitudes, frequencies,and phases of these sine waves, one can generate awaveform identical to the desired signal. A periodic function,q i(t), can be represented by an infinite series of terms calleda Fourier series. Figure 1 shows a square wave and a plot ofthe first few terms of the Fourier series. The more terms usedin the series, the better the fit.Using the principle of superposition for linear systems, wecan combine the frequency spectrum of a real-world signalwith the system’s frequency response and calculate the timeresponse. A dynamic signal analyzer is the device used toexperimentally determine a system’s frequency response.Many excellent application notes on its use are available.EDNq i(t)(a)−0.011.5−0.5+0.01Figure 1 A periodic function, q i(t), can be represented by an infiniteseries of terms called a Fourier series; shown are a squarewave (a) and a plot of the first few terms of the Fourier series (b).tAMPLITUDE(b)21.510.50−0.5−1−0.01 −0.006 −0.002 0.002 0.006 0.01−0.008 −0.004 0 0.004 0.008TIME (SEC)24 EDN | MAY 2013[ www.edn.com]

CST STUDIO SUITE 2013Make the Connection…CST STUDIO SUITE 2012Discover what happens…Find the simple way throughcomplex EM systemsComponents don’t exist in electromagnetic isolation. They influence their neighbors’performance. They are affected by the enclosure or structure around them.They are susceptible to outside influences. With System Assembly and Modeling,CST STUDIO SUITE helps optimize component and system performance.Get the big picture of what’s really going on. Ensure your product and componentsperform in the toughest of environments.www.cst.com/pcbChoose CST STUDIO SUITE –Complete Technology for 3D EM.CST – COMPUTER CST of America®, SIMULATION Inc. | To TECHNOLOGY request literature | www.cst.com (508) 665 4400 | info@cst.com| www.cst.com

Ever wished for abetter bench scope?The new ¸RTM: Turn on. Measure.Easy handling, fast and reliable results – exactly what users expectfrom a bench oscilloscope. Rohde & Schwarz opens the door toa new world: Work with two screens on one display. Access allfunctions quickly. Analyze measurement results while others arestill booting up. See signals where others just show noise.That’s the ¸RTM.Trade In Programavailable until June 2013:Save up to 40 % on a new scope now!www.scope-of-the-art.com/ad/trade-inEver wished there was an easier way? Ever wished for morereliable results? Ever wished you could do your job faster?Then take a look.www.scope-of-the-art.com/ad/rtm-video

DESIGN FORMANUFACTURING&YIELDWITHOUT INCREASINGLYSOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE,MANUFACTURING AT 28NM HAS BECOME HIGHLYPROBLEMATIC AND YIELDSUNECONOMICALLY LOW.WHAT CAN BE DONE TOENABLE THIS AND SMALLERNODES TO REACH THEDESIRED YIELDS?BRIAN BAILEY • CONTRIBUTINGTECHNICAL EDITORIMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCKAs designs move to the28-nm and smallernodes, the likelihood ofa design being manufacturedwithout defects trendstoward zero unless a rapidlygrowing set of rules is adhered to. Those rulesare increasing in number and complexity. Theabsence of extreme ultraviolet light sources meansthat double patterning has become essential andnew devices, such as 3-D transistors, are beingadopted. But it does not stop with just manufacturability.Lithographic features affect functionalityand performance in such a way that yield hasalso become a primary concern.Here we examine the problems and the waysin which increasingly sophisticated software canbe used to overcome the limitations of technology.Representatives from five different companiesdiscuss, from their own perspectives, theseissues as well as solutions.WHY HAS ITBECOME SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC?Shrikrishna Mehetre, Director of Engineering,Open-SiliconMajor contributors to yield loss are:• Geometric variations during the manufacturing processmay result in performance variations that can pushthe device out of the allowed 3-Sigma variation, causingparametric yield loss.• Specific patterns on the die may not get manufacturedas desired because of diffractions that happen during thelithography process, causing catastrophic failures on thedies.• Random defects may induce shorts or opens on thewafer, resulting in yield loss.• The wafer goes through chemical mechanical pol-[ www.edn.com]MAY 2013 | EDN 27

ishing (CMP) after every interconnectand dielectric layer is deposited.Metal-density variations result in thethickness variations during the CMPprocess, which can accumulate errorsand alter interconnect parasitics, causingyield loss.Engineers can take precautionsduring the design process that wouldhelp reduce these effects. Logic designerscan add either redundant logic ormemory cells. These can be used torepair faults, which will increase yieldeven though the die is partly defective.There are tools and techniques used inthe diagnosis of failures seen on siliconto ascertain the cause of the failures.This information can be used to correctlayouts to improve the yield.Additional steps are required in thephysical and logic design flow. Logicdesigners can add additional test ordiagnosis logic and implement redundancyfor sensitive circuits, such asmemory bit cells. Physical design engineerscan ensure planarity of metals,litho-friendly design, redundant vias,and wire spreading to reduce failuresAT A GLANCE↘ Identifying a manufacturabledesign within the bounds of performance,reliability, and cost requirementsis becoming ever morechallenging.↘ Logic designers can add additionaltest or diagnosis logic andimplement redundancy for sensitivecircuits.↘ At 20 nm, double-patterningtechnology adds yet anotherdimension to the impact of siliconprintability and connectivity.↘ To derive the underlying rootcauses, you need to apply machinelearning and design statistics.on the die. Parametric yield loss can beaddressed by using additional on-chipvariation guard banding.As the steps are added to the ASICdesign flow for DFM/DFY, cost increases.The additional cost comes fromthe additional time required to plan,execute, and correct for these issues.There are additional EDA tools necessaryto perform logical and physicalchecks for the design. It is importantto see the ROI of such investments fora product. If the cost advantage fromthe increased yield is not significantcompared with the investment doneto achieve better yield, it is not worthspending those additional efforts. If 5%yield improvement can be obtained ona 28-nm design by implementing suchDFM techniques, the investment maybe worthwhile.Another approach that can be consideredis to do partial fixes. Addressingeffects that affect yield the most, suchas memory redundancy, redundant vias,litho-friendly routing, and pattern corrections,may have a greater impactcompared with other DFM solutions.Designers can choose to selectively fixJoin TheconversaTionTo comment on this article, goto www.edn.com/4412868.Compression, SMT, &Thru-Hole PCB MountingLead pitches as low as 0.4mm, up to 125,000 insertions.QuickOn/Off LidCustom Test FixturesFully automated or manually operatedsolutions to test any lead pitch & IC packageQuick TurnLow NREEasy Screw - Lidremoved to show detail.Easy KnobconfigurationMulti-Cavity SocketsSignificantly reduce your socket& labor costs with these multipleIC test and burn-in solutions.EMULATIONTECHNOLOGY, INC1-800-232-7837 www.emulation.com28 eDn | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

the DFM issues that provide the highestgains.The role of packagemodeling in dfm ofelecTronic devicesSiva P Gurrum and ManuPrakuzhy, Design for Manufacturing,Semiconductor Packaging,Texas InstrumentsSemiconductor packaging is evolvingfrom an enabling role to a differentiatorin today’s electronic devices.Identifying a manufacturable designwithin the bounds of performance, reliability,and cost requirements is becomingever more challenging. Advances inpackage modeling are providing meansto predict a multitude of parametersrelated to performance, reliability, andcost.Predictions from package modelingcan be broadly categorized into performanceand reliability. The cost of apackaging solution is typically derivedfrom the design specification and manufacturingprocess flow. Performanceparameters include thermal, such asthermal resistance values, and electrical,such as parasitics. In reliability,predictions typically cover risks andtrends for the identified fail modesin a package family or package lifetimebased on some of the fail modes.Predictions of both performance andreliability require correlations betweenmodel values and physical evaluations(Figure 1).Modeling correlations are typicallyempirical relations between outputparameters resulting from a model andphysical parameters. Examples include:(a) the relationship between a modelevaluation of the fatigue damage insolder joint and the physical numberof temperature cycles to electrical failure,and (b) the relationship betweenelectrical model prediction for the currentdensity profile in a trace and theelectromigration lifetime from physicaltests. In some cases, physical parametersare directly predicted by a model,such as the junction-to-air thermalresistance of the package, or bond wireelectrical parasitics. In these instances,correlations serve as a validation of thechosen approach for derivative designs.For good modeling correlation, it isessential to incorporate the best modelingtools and techniques, accuratePACKAGE DESIGNPERFORMANCERELIABILITYCOSTMODELING TOOLSAND TECHNIQUESSIMULATIONMETHODOLOGYPHYSICALANALYSIS TOOLSCAD TOOLSAND CONVERTERSproperties from material characterization,and the wealth of data fromphysical evaluations. Analysis tools arematuring, with customized tools nowavailable for thermal and electrical,whereas the majority of mechanicaltools are more general purpose, withlonger cycle times. Material characterizationmust include bulk propertiesas well as properties sensitive to thephysical structure and assembly of apackage, such as the interfacial thermalresistance of a die attach materialor the adhesion strength betweeninterfaces. Also important is packagecharacterization to bound manufacturingtolerances on critical parameters.An example is the die attach bondline thickness in a leadframe package,which critically affects delaminationrisk. Physical evaluations needed tocomplete a correlation include thermalresistance measurements, electricaltesting on evaluation boards, andreliability testing according to standardspecifications.Some examples of design for manufacturingin packaging are:• Bond wire pattern to eliminateshorts during mold flow for high wiredensity molded packages• Lead finger design to minimizeMODELING CORRELATIONSTHERMAL, THERMO-MECHANICAL, ELECTRICALMATERIAL/PACKAGECHARACTERIZATIONFUNDAMENTALPROPERTIESSIMPLIFIEDLAB TESTSMANUFACTURABILITYINPUTSPHYSICAL PACKAGEEVALUATIONSTHERMALPERFORMANCEELECTRICALPERFORMANCERELIABILITYTESTINGFigure 1 Building blocks of modeling correlations enable package design formanufacturing.[ www.edn.com]MAY 2013 | EDN 29

warpage and stress concentration nearthe bond wire stitch• Layout of silicon chips on a diepad in a multichip module to minimizedelamination stresses• Thick metal content to reducewafer warpage, which affects handlingin assembly• Metal content balancing in a substrateto reduce warpage, which affectsassembly to PCBsThe role of modeling will grow to influencedesign, materials, and processesused in packaging.DFM at aDvanceD noDesanD its iMpact on DesignFlows: a reality checkManoj Chacko, Product MarketingDirector, Custom IC and Sign Off,Cadence Design SystemsManufacturing improvements via novelmaterials, processes, and new technologiesaren’t keeping up with the marketdemand for ever-shrinking featuredimensions, increasing performance,and low-power requirements. Softwareis now, and will remain, the new keyenabler, as long as there’s a growinggap between design and manufacturing.At 28 nm, the impact of manufacturingvariability on performance, powerconsumption, and yield has become disproportionatelylarger and more complex.Software analysis is critical for effectivelyquantifying and mitigating the impact onboth the physical integrity and parametricperformance of the designs.Physical DFM checks are the finalstep after DRC, especially lithographyprocess check analysis. Litho analysiscan be run on blocks, post routein a design flow, and as the final stepafter DRC. The value of litho checksis clearly evident at the beginning ofa process technology ramp-up. At 28nm, for better predictability of physicaland parametric yield, the lithographycomplexity has moved upstreamto parasitic extraction with changesin the multi orders effects range, andin physical verification in the formof recommended DFM rules or lithoyield detractor patterns in the designrule manuals (Figure 2). At 20 nm,double-patterning technology adds yetanother dimension to the impact ofsilicon printability and connectivity.The increase in design density anduse of third-party IP bring additionalchallenges associated with CMPinducedmetal thickness variation.For example, model-based, ratherthan rule-based, CMP analysis is keyto identifying thickness variations ofthe complete metal stack set. Also, asmore design teams integrate third-partyIP, the metal fill thickness variationsaround the border of the IP are increasing.The IP designer follows the designrules and the density requirements.However, making blocks that are easilyintegrated into different SoC environmentswithout iterations to addressCMP density issues is ineffective.The impact of layout-dependenteffects (LDE) variability on the designis well acknowledged. LDE variabilitycomes primarily from manufacturingchallenges, lithography effects, CMP,and stress, which significantly affectdevice behavior. Varying methods areused to mitigate the LDE issues becauseAALikE This?For more articles like thisone, go to www.edn.com/design/integrated-circuitdesign.of the inability to qualify and quantifyvariability impact at the specifictransistors. LDE cannot be analyzedby considering devices in isolation. Acommon method is to over-margin thetransistors with dummies to minimizethe impact of context problems ondevice performance. Designers needsoftware to help quantify delay andleakage due to LDE, improve theirtraditional methods, and locally optimizethe devices deviating from thespecifications (Figure 3). Timing andpower variability are becoming moresignificant at each new process node,TRADITIONAL STA: A→B 80psDELAY ANALYSIS IGNORING REAL CONTEXT EFFECTSCRITICAL PATH AND TIMING DELAYS WITHOUT CONSIDERING THEIMPACT OF LDE ASSUMES STANDARD NEIGHBORING CONTEXTS.CONTEXT-AWARE STA: A→B ?psDELAY ANALYSIS SHOULD INCLUDE REAL CONTEXT EFFECTSCRITICAL PATH DELAY VARIATION TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LDE IMPACTSHOULD SHOW VARIATION BECAUSE OF REAL CONTEXTS.Figure 2 Lithography complexity has moved upstream to parasitic extraction.BB30 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

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BLUE CONTOUR SHOWS NECKING DUE TOOPPOSITE LINE ENDS FROM LEFT AND RIGHTA KNOWN LITHO HOTSPOTCAN BE IDENTIFIED IN LAYOUTVIA RULES CLASSIFIED AS AYIELD DETRACTOR PATTERNaffecting margins, silicon utilization,silicon failure, and timing closure.Consequently, advanced-nodedesigners must optimize chip manufacturabilityalong with area, speed, andpower. This trend will increase exponentiallyas technology advances to 14 nm.RED MARKER INDICATES A HOTSPOTMANY YIELD DETRACTORPATTERNS CAN BE PUT0282-APEC2014 Ad 7.25x5.125 call for paper.QXD 4/10/13 TOGETHER TO 6:17 CREATE PM Page 1A PATTERN LIBRARYFigure 3 Software helps quantify problems due to LDE and to locally optimize thedevices deviating from the specifications.IdentIfy crItIcal desIgnfeatures usIng dIagnosIsdrIvenyIeld analysIsGeir Eide, Product MarketingManager, Silicon Test SolutionsGroup, Mentor GraphicsDuring the transition to the 28-nmnode, several leading semiconductorcompanies struggled with supply: Theycouldn’t ship enough of their products.Part of the problem was lower-thanexpectedyield. This situation illustrateshow traditional yield learning methodsare running out of steam, largelybecause of the dramatic increase in thenumber and complexity of design-sensitivedefects and longer failure analysiscycle times. These factors have forcedfabless semiconductor companies toarm themselves with new technologies2014March 16–20, 2014Fort Worth Convention CenterFort Worth, TXTHE PREMIER GLOBAL EVENTIN POWER ELECTRONICS TM TMVisit the APEC 2014 web sitefor the latest information!CALL FOR PAPERS!deadline for submission, July 8, 2013, go to web for details:www.apec-conf.orgSPONSORED BY32 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

such as diagnosis-driven yield analysis(DDYA), which can rapidly identify theroot cause of yield loss and effectivelyseparate design- and process-orientedyield loss.Software-based diagnosis of testfailures is an established method forlocalizing defects during failure analysisfor digital semiconductor devices.Diagnosis software determines thedefect type and location for each failingdevice based on the design description,scan test patterns, and tester faildata. Using statistical analysis, diagnosisresults from a number of failing devicescan be used to effectively determine theunderlying root causes.The primary challenge for yield analysisis dealing with the ambiguity in theresults. For example, more than one locationcould explain the defective behavior,and each suspect location often hasmultiple possible root causes associatedwith it. To better derive the underlyingroot causes represented in a populationof failing devices from test data alone,you need to apply machine learning anddesign statistics, such as tested criticalarea for each layer and total number ofgates tested of any given type 1 .Another way to expand the scopeof DDYA is to include data from DFManalysis (Figure 4). One key motivationbehind this approach is to be ableto prove that a defect found in failureanalysis is a systematic critical feature,and then to learn what about that featurerelates to the defect’s rate of occurrence.Without a DDYA methodologythat can automatically incorporateDFM information, you would need ateam of experts and a lot of experimentationto accomplish this. However, byfirst identifying all locations in a designwith a suspected feature through DFManalysis, any diagnosis results (that is,actual silicon defects) that overlap theselocations can easily be identified andanalyzed to determine whether this correlationalso presents causation. A secondmotivation behind this approach isto determine whether a potential designfix could cure the problem. By identifyingdesign locations that contain theplanned fix, a similar correlation can beperformed before actually implementingthe fix, and the failure rates can becombined 2 .Diagnosis-driven yield analysisappears particularly promising for the 20-and 16-nm nodes in spite of the inherentlimitations of immersion lithography.SPICE SImulatIonChallEngES for DfYaPPlICatIonSDr Bruce W McGaughy,Chief Technology Officer andSenior Vice President of Engineering,ProPlus Design SolutionsProcess variations, especially localrandom variations, are making DFY a10:05 AMYour first board isready to test.9:00 AMYour circuit design isdone and you’re readyto make a prototype.11:48 AMWhy not try a differentapproach before youhead to lunch?ProtoMat ® Benchtop PCB Prototyping MachineWhat would your day look like tomorrow if you couldcut yourself free from the board house and producetrue, industrial quality PCBs right at your desk?LPKF’s ProtoMat benchtop prototyping systems arehelping thousands of engineers around the worldtake their development time from days and weeksto minutes and hours. In today’s race to market,it’s like having a time machine.www.lpkfusa.com/pcb1-800-345-LPKFmust-have methodology for sub-65-nmdesign. A DFY methodology comprisesthree critical components: statisticaltransistor model extraction, yield predictionand analysis, and a powerfulstatistical simulation engine. An integratedsolution with all three componentsprovides added efficiency andconsistency.The heart and soul of DFY is thesimulation engine. Until recently, mostsimulators have not been well suited as1:03 PMYour second board isready to test.5:00 PMNice work. You justshaved weeks off yourdevelopment schedule.3:14 PMAfter a few tweaks,you’re ready to makeyour finished board.4:09 PMYour finished board isready to go.“You can’t beat an LPKF systemfor prototyping. We do up tothree iterations of a designwithin a day.”Leonard WeberAgilent[ www.edn.com]

PATTERNSFAILURESSUSPECTED DEFECTTESSENTDIAGNOSISTESSENTYIELDINSIGHTDESIGNDATA MININGDRILL-DOWNCALIBRE DFM /PATTERN MATCHINGDFM RULE VIOLATIONBECOMES A PROPERTYOF THE DIAGNOSISSUSPECTDFM VIOLATIONSDFMRULESORDESIGNPATTERNSFigure 4 DFM analysis meets diagnosis-driven yield analysis in new methodologies and software tools such as these from MentorGraphics.Figure 5 DFY analysis places tremendous computational demands on the simulator.the core engine of a DFY solution. First,it needs to be built from the ground upwith specially designed data structuresand algorithms for statistical analysisand simulation. Second, the simulatorneeds to have tight integration intoa yield-prediction tool with the abilityto massively parallelize simulationson server farms. Third, the simulatorneeds to have full compatibility withfoundry model libraries and consistencywith the extraction process from siliconmeasurement.Given the tremendous computationaldemands of DFY analysis (Figure 5),the simulator needs to have high accuracy,capacity, and performance.Designers have had to choosebetween two types of circuit simulators.Either they can choose high accuracyand good usability available in SPICEsimulators, but sacrifice performanceand capacity, or designers can chooseFastSPICE with high performance andcapacity but with poor accuracy andusability. Neither is suitable as a DFYsimulation engine.34 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

FastSPICE simulators employ aggressivepartitioning, event-driven multirateschemes, transistor table models,hierarchical array reduction, and thelike. All of these techniques are “tuned”for typical circuit types and operatingconditions and, in most cases, requirefurther “tuning” with special optionsby the designer.With yield prediction, designerstrack circuit behavior at the marginsof the design and process space wherebuilt-in tuning may not apply, leadingto accuracy problems. Furthermore,the designer cannot manually tune theoptions for marginal operating conditionsduring statistical simulation.Finally, techniques such as table modelsand hierarchical array reduction willnot work when every transistor in thecircuit has a different variation.The ideal solution would be toextend the capabilities of SPICE tocover the performance and capacityprovided with FastSPICE. ParallelSPICE simulators have taken over someof the space covered by FastSPICEwith 10× or more speedup over traditionalSPICE.Advancement for giga-scale simulatorsis coming from highly optimizeddata structures and core algorithmsbuilt for high-performanceparallelization and capacity. GigascaleSPICE is the principle behindProPlus’s NanoSpice, the simulationengine of its DFY solution builtaround NanoYield, yield predictionand improvement, and BSIMProPlus,statistical model extraction.EDNreferences1 Benware, B, et al, “Determining aFailure Root Cause Distribution From aPopulation of Layout-Aware ScanDiagnosis Results,” IEEE D&T of Computers,Volume 29, Issue 1.2 Schuermyer, C, et al, “IdentifyingSystematic Critical Features Using SiliconDiagnosis Data,” ASMC 2012,http://bit.ly/ZmV2PD.You can reachContributingTechnical EditorBrian Bailey atbrian_bailey@acm.org.[ www.edn.com]

CEAWARDSBY EDN STAFFt’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year, but here we are: Welcome to the EDN/EE TimesAnnual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards, our yearly homage to those who have mostinspired all of us in the engineering community through their engineering prowess, leadership,innovation, and, of course, creativity.By the time you read this, the awards will have been given out with much ceremony at aspecial event during DESIGN West, held April 22 to 25 in San Jose, CA. The winners willhave celebrated, wiped off the confetti, popped their balloons, and, by now, gone quietly backto doing what they do so well: creating the next generation of technological innovations, orinspiring the next generation of engineers. Please allow us one last shout-out to the people whokeep us all up at night, wondering how we ourselves can do better.On the following pages, you’ll read about why Kathryn Kranen, president and CEO of JasperDesign Automation, received the Lifetime Achievement Award; why Steve Hageman is oursecond Jim Williams Memorial Contributor of the Year Award winner; why a certain team atMaxim was named Design Team of the Year; and why TI’s Yogesh Ramadass is Innovator ofthe Year. Those are some of this year’s highlights, so read on to see the products, companies,and executives who stood out in 2012, and join us in congratulating them online at www.edn.com/4412659, where you can add your own thoughts and even possible suggestions for nextyear; it’s coming fast!LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: KATHRYN KRANENBrian Bailey, Contributing Technical EditorThey say that the EDA industry getsno respect, but UBM Tech has justchanged that by awarding an EDAveteran with the 2013 ACE LifetimeAchievement Award. The award is meantto honor the people and companies behindthe technologies and products that arechanging the world of electronics. That isa common theme when you look at pastrecipients, which include Gordon Moore,Wilf Corrigan, and Morris Chang. KathrynKranen has changed the industry not justKathryn Kranen has changed theEDA industry not once but twice.once, but twice over. She has led twostart-ups to success, and in each case shehas transformed an emerging technologyinto a mainstream one. She first succeededin doing that with Verisity Design Inc,an early verification automation company,and quickly grew it from being aninteresting idea to the primary verificationstrategy in use by top semiconductorcompanies. Kranen has done that againat Jasper Design Automation by turningformal verification from a technology thatAWARD IMAGE: TRISH TUNNEY36 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com ]

CELEBRATINGTHEARTOFENGINEERINGEDN AND EE TIMESAGAIN HONORTHOSE BEHIND THETECHNOLOGIESAND PRODUCTSTHAT ARECHANGINGTHE WORLD OFELECTRONICS.[ www.edn.com ]MAY 2013 | EDN 37

ACE AwArds CelebrAting the ART of EnginEERingrequired a PhD to understand into something available tothe masses.There are many adjectives that come to mind when thinkingabout Kranen, but perhaps the ones that most peoplewould think of are focused, determined, and energetic. Shehas never been scared to be a lone voice. While most peoplein the industry would advise entrepreneurs to stay lean andbuild technology rather than a channel, Kranen told me ina recent interview that “to tackle big problems, and get bigrevenue, you have to spend to succeed.” She conceded thatif you aren’t going to win big, you had better not raise toomuch money, but for Kranen, “there are those of us that passionatelywant to conquer something harder.” She will usetechniques scorned by others. She understands both technologyand business issues, and she ensures that the companyand customer are both successful when entering into anagreement. She does not see it as a sale, but as a partnership.You would think that would keep her busy, but Kranenhas almost limitless energy and drive. She has been veryactive in the advancement of women in the industry and wasawarded the Marie R Pistilli Women in EDA AchievementAward in 2005. She is chairman of the board of directors ofthe EDA Consortium (EDAC), an EDA vendor trade groupthat promotes the health of the EDA industry.While others in the industry like to complain about thestate of the business, Kranen has always remained forthrightin her belief that “every company needs to use its assets tocompete the best it can. A company has to figure out how todifferentiate and be relevant.” This is something that she hasmanaged to do consistently. Kranen’s advice for entrepreneurs:“Start-ups must make sure that what they’re doing is relevant,differentiated, and that they have a credible plan for success.”Jim Williams memorial Contributor of the Year: steve hagemanSuzanne Deffree, Executive Editor, CommunityGood Karma. Pay it forward.Passing on the gift. Insert yourfavorite good-will descriptionhere, and it will describe this year’s JimWilliams Memorial Contributor of theYear Award winner, Steve Hageman.Hageman, as can be common, wanderedinto engineering as a child. “It allstarted about the fifth grade for somereason, like a lot of engineers my age,”he says. “Something about the magicof pulling radio waves out of the air. Igot the bug to build radios and startedtrying to find schematics and things tolook at.”That search led him to the locallibrary and its magazine subscriptionto Popular Electronics. “I used to devourthose,” he recalls. “Writing really cameout of that as payback. I thought it wassomething you had to do to pay back allthose fun hours you spent reading aboutother people’s projects.”Armed with a BSEE and EECSfrom Santa Clara University, Hagemanwent on to focus on analog/RF/embedded.His resume includes experienceOther ACe AwArd winners inClude:earned at companies including Agilent,CALEX, Hewlett-Packard, and KeithleyInstruments. He started his own brand,Analog Home, in 2003, and describes iton his LinkedIn profile as “You providethe idea—I provide the Electronic Glueto make your product a reality.”As demonstrated in his popularEDN.com blog, The PracticingInstrumentation Engineer (www.edn.com/4374099) and the commentshe posts across the Web site’svarious content using the screenname “LostInSpace2010,” Hagemanapproaches his work with enthusiasmand an eagerness to share knowledge,much like the award’s namesake, JimWilliams (www.edn.com/4374116).Williams, an engineer’s engineer andanalog great who passed away in June2011, contributed to many electronicspublications, including EDN, willing toteach anyone who wanted to learn. In2012, UBM Tech, EDN’s parent company,renamed the annual ACE contributorof the year award after Williams to honorhis legacy and his willingness to inspire.• Company of the Year: ArM• executive of the Year: haruo Matsuno, President and CeO of Advantest Corp• energy technology Award: stMicroelectronics for its Fd-sOi technologySteve Hageman is humbled and honoredto receive an award named after the lateJim Williams.Says a humble Hageman of winningthe Jim Williams Memorial award:“It’s a huge, huge honor. Jim dideverything in analog. A lot of us hadthe same loves for the same things, likeTektronix oscilloscopes. The first timeyou got a Tektronix oscilloscope—thefirst time you managed to talk theboss into buying you a nice Tektronixoscilloscope—we all still remember.Getting a service manual or goingthrough the old HP journals, I knowJim did those things, too. In fact, I stillhave all those journals and go throughthem periodically, finding interestingthings. Just that love of circuits thatJim had, to a certain extent I have that,too, and I know there are other engineersI work with that have the samelove of those things.”Declining to look at it as “work,”38 EDn | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com ]

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ACE AwArdsHageman seems to get as much out ofthe action of contributing and commentingas a member of the engineeringcommunity as those who read his workand interact with him online do.“It’s a hobby. I get enjoyment out ofit. It also helps me to learn,” he says.“I’m not one of those guys who can justsee something and remember it forever.Thinking about it and writing it downforces you to think about it sequentiallyand get all the steps in. It also helps toingrain it in my mind, so I learn fromthe process of writing, too.”Hageman, now an established engineer,still approaches engineering withthe same curiosity he found as a kid inthe library.“It’s the same thing since fifth grade.I just get interested in something, likea little project. Whether it comes toSomething aboutthe magic ofpulling radiowaveS out of theair. i got the bugto build radioS.fruition or not, I think about the designprocess and what you have to knowand how to put it together. That bringsyou down an alley and then down severalother alleys before you get to theend,” he says. “And somewhere alongthe way, you’ve collected quite a bitof information. It’s like training, constantlytraining. Certainly you haveto keep knowing skills and throwingaway skills.”As to why Hageman has not gottencomfortable, settling in with theextensive knowledge he’s amassed inhis career thus far, and instead continuallyseeks new ways to grow, share, andlearn through various avenues, includingmaking contributions to technicalWeb sites and communities, he sums itup nicely: “You get bored, otherwise.”EDN and UBM Tech congratulate SteveHageman, 2013 Jim Williams MemorialContributor of the Year Award winner.Shown are the Hillsboro, OR, design team, one of three geographically separateddesign groups that together formed a 21-member team—scattered from SiliconValley, to Hillsboro, to Bristol, England—that won Design Team of the Year for realizingthe MAX2173 digital audio broadcast tuner.Design Team of The Year: maxim inTegraTeD’s max2173Patrick Mannion, Brand DirectorThe Tao of Design should state officially somewhere that the smaller andeasier to use an IC, the bigger and more complex the thought and energyare that went into its design. Such was the case with the MAX2173direct-conversion digital audio broadcast (DAB) tuner, and the energy, skill,and design expertise of the 21-member design team that brought it to life.Spread out between Hillsboro, OR; San Jose, CA; and Bristol, England, theMAX2173 design team overcame several tough challenges. Not only were theydeveloping a cutting-edge RF product with demanding sensitivity and blockingperformance requirements, but they also needed to do so while meetingdemanding automotive-grade ESD and temperature standards and managingpower consumption and die size—all while collaborating across multiple regions.To deal with the geographic issue, each of the three design teams developedblocks in the overall design, but for any product to work, each team had toensure that its block fit into the design seamlessly, without any mistakes, whichcould add costly delays requiring redesign and time-consuming tape-out cycles.This demanded constant communication between team members.However, communication didn’t end with the design team. The productiontest team needed to be aware of the production schedule. Inspired by this communicationchallenge, the team leader ensured excellent, open communicationto keep everyone well informed of the specifics of each block and designschedule. The team pulled from their design know-how, available infrastructure,and proper forethought to align with the production test team efficiently. Alongwith strong design protocols, this communication among the team resulted inthe production of high-quality product samples on the first pass.The team delivered samples approximately one year after receiving theproduct definition. The product was ready for production approximately oneyear following the delivery of the first samples.Of course, a relatively small die size had to be achieved in concert with the6×6-mm TQFN package. As many designers are aware, suppliers of automotiveelectronics are under constant pressure to reduce size and power consumption.To overcome this challenge, the team creatively shrunk the baseband filter, a keycomponent in the design, and combined that with excellent layout planning.The resulting device is the first RF-to-bits DAB tuner on the market. Itsimplifies design and reduces design time, allows the DSP to support additionalfeatures, and reduces the cost and count of external components. Theintegrated ADCs reduce footprint, lower power consumption, and reduce cost.Digital filtering eliminates the need for filtering in the DSP while providinga programmable FIR, thereby saving MIPS in DSP and allowing support forother features or services. An integrated DCXO can digitally trim out crystalerror, saving the cost of a TCXO or more expensive crystal. On-chip LDOssave space and reduce cost.40 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com ]

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ACE AwArds CelebrAting the ART of EnginEERingInnovator of the Year: Yogesh ramadassRick Merritt, EE Times Editor at LargeYogesh Ramadass was named Innovator ofthe Year at the 2013 ACE Awards ceremonyfor his pioneering work in energyharvestingcircuits. The Texas Instruments leaddesign engineer helped craft the TPS62736, anultralow-power converter that manages microwattsgenerated from solar, thermoelectric, magnetic,and vibration energy.The device is actually a second-generationdesign that evolved out of graduate work at MITas part of a five-person team assisted by AnanthaChandrakasan, the head of electrical engineeringand computer science there. The groupdeveloped a 0.3V energy-harvesting part thatwas presented in a 2008 paper at the International Solid-StateCircuits Conference (ISSCC) (www.edn.com/4325471). Itultimately saw the light of day as a TI product, the bq25504.The MIT work was funded in part by a grant from the USDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency. DARPA seespotential for energy-harvesting devices to power tiny, self-containedsensor networks that could be dispersed in a battlefield.Others believe energy-harvesting circuits will driveimplantable medical devices, using thebody’s own heat or movement to providepower. In addition, researchers say thetechnology could be suitable for use inbody area networks and RFID and otherwireless terminals.“Energy harvesting is still a relativelynew field,” Ramadass said in a recent articlefor TI’s internal Web site. “It’s excitinggoing from research to productization andcreating a market,” he added.Ramadass is already at work on a nextgenerationenergy-harvesting chip at TI.He also participates in developing highpowerwired and wireless mobile-phone charger systems.The TI engineer has co-authored dozens of technicalpapers, at least 10 of which have been cited dozens of timesin related works. He was a co-recipient of the Jack Kilby beststudent paper award at ISSCC 2009 and the Beatrice Winneraward for editorial excellence at ISSCC 2007. He serves onthe technical program committee for ISSCC and also servedas the chair of the analog, MEMS, mixed-signal, and imag-Yogesh Ramadass is helpingpioneer the young but promisingfield of energy harvesting.ing electronics committee for anothertechnical conference.Ultimate ProdUctsRich Pell, Executive and ChiefTechnical EditorThe 2013 ACE Awards showcase thebest in today’s electronics industry,including the hottest new productsand technologies that have made a differencein the electronics industry in thelast year. Spanning a range of applicationsand technologies, this year’s UltimateProducts reflect that more than ever.Not surprisingly, some are from thealways-hot communications sector,reflecting technologies such as 5G Wi-Fi,Bluetooth sensor iPhone app development,and high-performance networks and servers,as well as emerging communications.Others are focused on the ever-importantpower sector, and in particular automotivebattery management in electric vehicles.Another addresses performance improvementsand design simplification in themedical market. Rounding out the representedapplications are areas as diverse aslightning sensing, custom LED lighting,and IP/system-centric design.42 EDn | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com ]

ANALOG ICs: AD9670/71OCTAL ULTRASOUND AFE(ANALOG DEVICES)The AD9670 was introduced as theindustry’s first octal (eight-channel)ultrasound receiver with on-chip digitalI/Q demodulation and decimation filtering.Because of the embedded demodulationand decimation feature, it is the firstultrasound receiver able to conditioneight channels of data from RF to a basebandfrequency, reducing the processingload on the system FPGA by at least 50%compared with other receivers.By incorporating a 5-Gbit/secJESD204B interface, the AD9671 reducesultrasound system I/O data routing byas much as 80% compared with otherdata interface standards. The AD9670and AD9671 also integrate a low-noiseamplifier, variable-gain amplifier, antialiasingfilter, and 14-bit ADC with a125M-sample/sec sample rate and anSNR performance of 75 dB for enhancedultrasound image quality. The extendedanti-aliasing filter frequency rangeand a high ADC sample rate are alsodesigned to help medical and industrialultrasound equipment manufacturersmeet the trend toward higher-frequencyprobes and superior image quality.DEVELOPMENT KITS/EVALUATION BOARDS:BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGYSENSORTAG KIT(TEXAS INSTRUMENTS)The goal of the SensorTag developmentkit is to make possible a Bluetooth lowenergydevice with the maximum numberof sensors while achieving years ofbattery life on a single coin-cell battery.At the same time, it’s designed toshorten the design time for Bluetoothapp development from months to hours.With a free downloadable SensorTagapp from the App Store and no requiredhardware or software expertise, the kitmakes it easy for smartphone app developersto take advantage of the growingnumber of Bluetooth low-energyenabledsmartphones and tablets. It’soffered as the first Bluetooth low-energydevelopment kit focusing on wirelesssensor applications and the only developmentkit targeting smartphone appdevelopers.[ www.edn.com ]LEDs & LIGHTING: LUXEON ZLEDs (PHILIPS LUMILEDS)Designed as the smallest and most flexiblehigh-power light source, LUXEONZ LEDs are offered as a step toward simplifyingluminaire design and inspiringthe imagination of the lighting designerwhile improving system luminance andminiaturizing light sources, enablingthe next generation of uniform and efficientlight sources. Their micro sourcesize of 1.7×1.33 mm or 2.2 mm 2 is 80%smaller and delivers higher performancethan standard LEDs.With LUXEON Z, designers canbuild their own custom 1×4, 2×2, 3×3,4×4, and other arrays based on end luminairedesign. The un-domed architectureof LUXEON Z is unique to LEDs in illuminationand allows designers preciseoptical control, leading to more uniformand tighter beam patterns desiredin directional and high-end applications.Configurations are virtually limitless,and with the ability to mount as manyas 250 of the high-lumen LUXEON Zin one square inch, designers can reachnew levels in lumen densities.LOGIC/INTERFACE/MEMORY:HYBRID MEMORY CUBE(MICRON TECHNOLOGY)The first 3-D IC tobe successfullymanufacturedin volumewith advancedthrough-sili-con vias (TSVs),Micron’s Hybrid MemoryCube uses a logic device as its base,with high-performance DRAM verticallystacked above it using TSV connections.Initial volume productionof the Hybrid Memory Cube, with itscombination of high performance, lowpower, next-generation features, andcompetitive cost, heralds 2013 as theturning point for 3-D ICs designed toenable high-performance networks andservers today and destined for marketsranging from industrial to consumer.The HMC concept completely re-H I G H V O LT A G EOver2500 Std. ModelsSurface Mount and Thru-HoleDC-DC Converters2V to 10,000 VDC OutputsLow Profile / IsolatedUp to 10,000 Volts StandardRegulated and ProgrammableModels AvailableSee PICO’s full catalog immediatelywww.picoelectronics.comHighPowerUp to 350 VDC Outputs(Units up to 150 Watts)Regulated / Wide Input RangeIsolated OutputsISO9001:2000AS 9100 REV BINDUSTRIAL • COTS • MILITARYDelivery Stock to One Weekfor sample quantitiesPICO ELECTRONICS, Inc.143 Sparks Ave., Pelham, New York 10803Call Toll Free 800-431-1064 • FAX 914-738-8225E Mail: info@picoelectronics.com

ACE AWARDS CELEBRATING THE ART OF ENGINEERINGarchitects and redistributes normal DRAM functions whiledelivering:• Scalable system architectures: Flexible topologies(expandability)• Performance: Higher DRAM bandwidth• Energy (power-efficient architectures): Lower DRAMenergy per useful unit of work done• Dependability (RAS): In-field repair capabilityThe result is bandwidth and efficiencies that are a leapbeyond current device capabilities. HMC prototypes, forexample, clock in with bandwidth of 128 Gbytes/sec comparedwith state-of-the-art module form factors that deliver12.8 Gbytes/sec.PASSIVES,INTERCONNECTS, ANDELECTROMECHANICAL:LPS1100 THICK-FILMRESISTOR(VISHAYINTERTECHNOLOGY)The LPS1100 thick-film powerresistor is offered as the industry’sfirst resistor in the compact 57×60-mm package to offer a power ratingof 1100W at a heat-sink temperature of +25°C. With itshigh power capabilities and high dielectric strength to 12kV RMS, the LPS1100 is intended for power supply, inverter,converter, HEV-EV battery management, and snubber, chopper,pre-charge, discharge, and filtering resistor applications.The LPS1100 thick-film resistor is non-inductive (lessthan 0.1 microhenry) and provides a resistance range from1Ω to 1.3 kΩ. Designed for easy mounting to a heat sink,the device’s compact footprint, low 25-mm profile, and lowweight of 79 grams allow designers to reduce the size of theirend products.POWER: LTC6804MULTICELL BATTERY MONITOR(LINEAR TECHNOLOGY)Addressing automotive battery management, the LTC6804high-voltage battery monitor for hybrid electric and electricvehicles and other high-voltage stacked-battery systemsmeasures up to 12 series-connected battery cells with atotal measurement error of less than 1.2 mV. The cellmeasurement range of 0V to 5V makes the LTC6804suitable for most battery chemistries. All 12 cells can bemeasured in 290 µsec, and lower data acquisition ratescan be selected for high noise reduction.Multiple LTC6804 devices can be connected in series, permittingsimultaneous cell monitoring of long, high-voltagebattery strings. Each LTC6804 has an isoSPI interface forhigh-speed, RF-immune, local area communications. Usingthe LTC6804-1, multiple devices are connected in a daisychainwith one host processor connection for all devices.Using the LTC6804-2, multiple devices are connected inparallel to the host processor, with each device individuallyaddressed.PROCESSORS (FPGAs, MCUs,MICROPROCESSORS): VIRTEX-7 H580TFPGA (XILINX)Offered as the world’s first 3-Dheterogeneous all-programmableproduct,the Virtex-7 H580TFPGA features up toeight 28-Gbit/sec and 4813.1-Gbit/sec transceivers, makingit the only single-chip solution foraddressing key N×100G line card applications and functions.The architecture is called heterogeneous because the GTZ25-28G SerDes are on a separate and different die from theFPGA slices, allowing a mix of 25- to 28-Gbit/sec (“GTZ”)SerDes (transceivers), fabric, BRAM, and 13.1G (“GTH”)SerDes to meet the needs of the market in advanced traditionalproducts.The heterogeneous implementation of the H580T devicealso allows independent technology choices for the coreFPGA and 28-Gbit/sec transceiver die, which enables theright technology choices for the right function. This enablesoptimized power and performance and avoids big trade-offs,44 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com ]

which often burden other aspects of a product. The inherentflexibility of the all-programmable technology, beyondhardware to software, digital to analog, and single to multipledie in 3-D ICs, is offered as addressing the communicationmarket’s ultimate need to reduce design costs while increasingperformance.SENSORS: AS3935FRANKLIN LIGHTNING SENSOR(ams-TAOS USA)A unique device, the AS3935 programmablelightning sensor IC detects thepresence and approach of potentiallyhazardous lightning activity in thevicinity. It detects intra-cloud activityas well as cloud-to-ground flashes,often enabling risk to be evaluated forapproaching storms. In addition, itidentifies and rejects interference signalsfrom common man-made sources,such as fluorescent lighting, microwaveovens, and switches.Configurability allows the partto work both indoors and outdoors.Portable devices, such as GPS, watches,cell phones, and handhelds, canmonitor the environment to warn ofpotential lightning strikes. Devicessuch as weather stations, clocks, andpool equipment can warn of approachinglightning strikes in the area, withrelative confidence. Devices protectingequipment, such as UPS for telecom,medical equipment, televisions,and computers, can switch to batterybackedor generator power when strikesthreaten the integrity of power supplyand quality.processing systems, analog mixed signal, and IP cores. Toaddress implementation, Vivado includes a hierarchicaldesign flow, logic synthesis with support for SystemVerilog,and a 4× faster, more deterministic place-and-route enginethat uses analytics to minimize “cost” functions of multiplevariables, including timing, wire length, and routingcongestion. Last-minute design changes and ECOs areaddressed with incremental flows that allow for smallchanges to be quickly processed, making iterations fasterafter each change.Advanced IC Packaging3D Miniaturized ModulesMulti-Die and Stacked DieMiniaturizedFPGA SystemsMulti-Component ModuleSOFTWARE: VIVADODESIGN SUITE (XILINX)The Vivado Design Suite is offeredas the industry’s first SoC-strengthdesign environment consisting ofa highly integrated IP and systemcentricdesign platform for 28 nm,20 nm, and future generations of allprogrammable devices. It is designedto help address design integration andimplementation bottlenecks faced byFPGA users.Vivado speeds the design of programmablelogic and I/O as well asaccelerates programmable systemsintegration and implementation intodevices incorporating 3-D stacked siliconinterconnect technology, ARMCSP and Flip ChipMolded MCMPiP and PoP(Package in/onPackage)Designed and Manufactured in the U.S.A.www.isipkg.com 805.482.2870 info@isipkg.com[ www.edn.com ] MAY 2013 | EDN 45

ACE AWARDSTEST & MEASUREMENTSYSTEMS AND BOARDS:INFINIIUM 90000 Q-SERIESOSCILLOSCOPE(AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES)The Infiniium 90000Q-Series oscilloscopes,offeringbandwidthsfrom 20 to 63GHz, were thefirst real-timeoscilloscopesover 60 GHz toship to customers. Theirbandwidth and low noise/jitter haveenabled measurements that were previouslyimpossible on a real-time oscilloscope.Scientists and engineers are usingthe 90000 Q-Series to look at highspeeddesigns, enabling advances intechnologies such as 56-Gbyte/secSerDes. In addition, the 90000 Q-Seriesalso features 2 Gpts of data, allowing itto measure jitter on long patterns, a keycomponent in emerging technologies.WIRELESS/RF: BCM43355G Wi-Fi COMBO CHIP(BROADCOM)The BCM4335 is offered as theindustry’s first complete 5G Wi-Ficombo chip for smartphones, tablets,ultrabooks, and other mobile devices.5G Wi-Fi is a major evolutionary stepfrom the existing 802.11a/b/g/n networks,and dramatically improves thewireless range in the home, allowingconsumers to watch HD-quality videofrom more devices, in more places,simultaneously.The BCM4335 integrates a complete,single-stream 5G Wi-Fi system—including MAC, PHY, and RF—with BT 4.0, FM radio, and softwareon a single silicon die. It is platformagnostic, and integration of the MAC,PHY, and RF allows it to be added toany smartphone or tablet regardless ofapplication processor. Other featuresinclude wireless coexistence algorithmsthat mitigate radio interference,advanced “sleep modes” that extendbattery life, and processing capabilitiesthat off-load power-intensive tasksfrom the host processor.[ www.edn.com ]

SPECIAL SECTIONTOP 25GLOBALDISTRIBUTORSBrought to you by EBNPLUS THEUNBROKENCHAINHow a high-velocity,dizzyingly complexsupply chain wardsoff risk and disruption

Special SectionTop 25Global DiStributorSThe wheel’s turningAlthough the electronic componentsdistribution landscape remains relativelyunchanged from last year, EBN Editor-in-ChiefBrian Fuller says the business itself is wilderthan ever.S-3Tips for designengineers: tapping intoonline design toolsOne available resource is designed to supportthe engineer from prototype to production.S-16Ulysses and theSirens: Distributors eyeconsumer businesslongingly but warilyWill distributors be lured by the promiseof consumer dollars, or will they maintaintheir course?Did the lessons fromthe 2011 tsunamis andfloods really sink in?Following a relatively mild year in termsof natural disasters, supply-chain companiesare cautioned to fight complacency.Resolving design chainvs. supply chain conflictsEngineers don’t design for the supply chain;they design for their customers.S-4S-8S-12Top 25 globalelectronic componentdistributorsThe annual survey of distributors producedsome interesting numbers, but little changein rankings.Dueling swordsin the EMS sectorElectronics manufacturing services providersare experimenting with a revenue model thatemphasizes quality instead of volume.The anti-counterfeitmovement: Is it reallya movement yet?Despite greater awareness and significantstrides, the high-tech sector is only beginningto grasp what it means to deal with counterfeitpart tracking and reporting.S-18S-20S-22America’s declared(and undeclared) cyberwarThe US government is employing several tacticsto protect national interests from networkattacks and data theft.S-14May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-1

We Do Business Your WayCatalogOnlineLocal ServiceThe Allied Catalog featuresthousands of products from300+ world-class suppliers.Choose from more thantwo million product solutionsat alliedelec.com.We are ready to assist you.Call your local sales rep at1.800.433.5700.Buy it your way fromAllied Electronics1.800.433.57001.800.433.5700© Allied Electronics, Inc 2013. ‘Allied Electronics’ and the Allied Electronics logo are trademarks of Allied Electronics, Inc. An Electrocomponents Company.

Special SectionA Letter from the editorShuTTErSTockThe wheel’sturningBy Brian Fuller, Editor-in-Chief, EBNHello, and welcome back to another installment in the longrunningTop 25 Distributors list, brought to you by EBN andhosted this year by our colleagues at EDN.As you’ll see from the annual list (page S-18), not toomuch changed amid the electronic components distributionlandscape in 2012. Some companies lost revenue ground,and some gained—some significantly—but overall it was a flat year.But the business itself—its internal challenges and opportunities—is wilderthan ever, from shifting market and technology priorities, to regulatory andcompliance challenges, to counterfeiting, to risk management, to crisis preparednessand management.The stories inside this year’s issue help illuminate that and more.Our overview story (page S-4), which recalls Ulysses and the Sirens, delvesinto one of distribution’s biggest challenges today: how much to embrace thehigh-volume, low-margin, and highly volatile consumer electronics business.Tam Harbert wonders whether any lessons from the Japan earthquake andtsunami and Thailand floods sunk in at all (page S-8).Longtime supply-chain editor and observer Barbara Jorgensen ties a neatthread between the two crucial halves of our world: the design chain and thesupply chain (page S-12). What are the conflicts between the two, and how dowe resolve them?And Jennifer Baljko pens an in-depth look (page S-22) at the latest legislation,regulation, and strategy around anti-counterfeiting of components.You can find these and more excellent supply-chain insights in this annualsurvey. And, every day, you can stay on top of the latest supply- and designchainnews and trends at EBNOnline.com.Enjoy.•May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-3

Special SectionUlysses and theSirens: Distributorseye consumer businesslongingly but warilyBy Brian FullerIn a world that lives by the quarter, 2012was quite a ride for distributors. In short,it could have been worse, but it sure couldhave been better.It was another year of go-go quartersfollowed by abrupt pauses. That led tosome interesting numbers on the annual Top 25Distributors survey, but little ranking change (seecomplete chart, page S-18).Topping the list of the world’s biggest electronicsdistributors were Avnet and Arrow, respectively,followed by WPG Holdings, Future Electronics,and WT Microelectronics. (WT wasn’t included inthe 2010 or 2011 top-distributors lists.)Three of the top five (Avnet, Arrow, and Future)are western companies that saw revenues dipin 2012 anywhere from 4% to 6%.Electrocomponents plc, Digi-Key Corp,Rutronik Electronics, and Mouser Electronics allfell one spot in the rankings from 2011 to 2012,while Premier Farnell fell two (from No. 6 to No. 8).Stability, slow growthThat stability in ranking and, largely, in revenue,reflects the theme for distribution in 2012: essentiallyflat (−1.1%) at about $78 billion in an overallsemiconductor market of about $300 billion. Thatfollowed a torrid 2011, where the top four distributorsenjoyed double-digit sales growth.Like gazing into the bottom of a teacup, someexecutives look at the numbers and see traditionalchallenges magnified.“I’m not sure the challenges have changed a lot,”said Glenn Smith, CEO of Mouser, who celebratedhis 40th anniversary at the company this spring.“The pressures are still there. We’ve got to have anefficient business. We’ve got to pull cost out of thesupply chain. [The] challenge is we’re all doing itglobally, and the complexities are increasing.”But for other western distributors, the numbersreflect what could be a significant shift in businessmix that has wide-ranging consequences for thechannel. In short, the global adoption of and passionfor mobile electronics such as smartphonesand tablets are threatening the traditional distributionmodel.Harley Feldberg, president of Avnet ElectronicsMarketing Global, puts it into perspective:“Two phenomena collided in the September andDecember quarters. Somewhere near 100% of thegrowth that has occurred in the electronic componentsupply chain is coming from select industriesand select customers,” he said in an interview.Feldberg added that in a very short amount oftime, tablets, phones, and other wireless mobiledevices have experienced white-hot global demand.That’s driving business for distributors, butit’s largely high-volume, low-margin business.Brian FullerS-4 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

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Special SectionNew dynamicsAt the same time, “the broader industrial marketplacesare exhibiting little or negative growth, primarily due tomacro-economic issues.”The shifting dynamic is affecting broadline distributors’results.“Why? Because … those [consumer electronics] supplychains are quite different than our traditional business.I’m not sure a lot of people make money except for the[OEMs]. They’re high-volume, low-margin businesses thatcan be attractive if you put a unique supply-chain solutionaround it,” Feldberg said.Mark Larson doesn’t disagree, and indeed, as CEO ofprivately held Digi-Key, throws in a subtle needle or two tohis huge public competitors.“There’s so much volume in the long runs of consumerproduction that it looks good if you’re a public companyto push your top line with huge sales,” he said. “Much ofit is fairly high risk. The consumer buyer tends to changefeatures much more rapidly and much more quickly thanin industrial products.”Larson added: “Large distributors have built the businesson this longer-run business because that’s wherethe volume is. They have to come under a fair amount ofstress. Volume is nice, but it doesn’t pay for the lights.”He noted that concentration exposure is a problem forthe large distributors. Digi-Key services 300,000 businessesacross a range of industries with electronics components.“They’ve [larger distributors] got fewer customers,” Larsonsaid. “If they lose a customer, they may have to wear ablack armband. If we lose a customer, we have to be carefulwe lose one we don’t miss.”At Mouser, Glenn Smith is keenly focused on thehigher-margin engineering services aspects of the distributionbusiness as an antidote to end-market vulnerabilities.“Our business model is primarily not high volume,”Smith said. “It’s to the industrial customer or the medicalcustomer, who’s building thousands of units but not millionsof units. We’re delivering information to engineers tohelp them in their design cycle.”Tipping pointFor Feldberg, at the moment, it’s less about competitivepositioning and more about an industry’s potential tippingpoint in its history.“Distribution’s got a strategic question it has to answernow,” Feldberg said. “If that’s our future, if so much ofcomponent semiconductor consumption is going to comefrom digital consumer devices, how does that affect therole of distribution looking five to 10 years out?”Feldberg said the consumer electronics part of thepuzzle becomes almost a moot issue if growth returns tothe traditional industrial sector of broadline distributionbusiness.“Will we see growth is the big question, and if sowhen?” Feldberg asked. “That’s the $64,000 question today.If that growth does not occur and the West stays stagnantfor two years, what does that mean for our model? Whatchanges will we have to make?”Distribution has had difficulty growing its share of the$300 billion global semiconductor market past $75 billionto $78 billion.If the distributors can’t grow that so-called DTAM, theyneed to come up with a model to tap into the remaining$225 billion direct semiconductor business.“The direct business is a different model. It doesn’t allowfor FAEs or for local sales teams,” Feldberg said. “Themargin is very low.”Outlook 2013While Feldberg and others take a long view in a businessthat’s usually focused on the next three months, there’sthe year to consider, as well. What’s the business outlook?Electronics supply-chain professionals squirm if you askthem to look past the current quarter. (Indeed, Feldberg,who has been at Avnet for more than 30 years, instead sayshe’s worked at the company for more than 120 quarters.)Some markets are stagnant for the foreseeable future;others like mil-aero are surging, Feldberg said.“It’s early to tell,” Digi-Key’s Larson said. “There is moreoptimism in the business than there was last year. When itcomes to hard, cold numbers, it’s more elusive.”Calling himself an eternal optimist, Larson said, “I’massuming market conditions are not going to changesignificantly to the end of the year. The growth that we’lldrive and aspire to will be from gaining market share fromsome of our competitors. Market growth is too uncertainat this time. Our sales goal would be growth in the rangeof 8% to 10%.”As the year progresses, meanwhile, distributors willcontinue to hear the siren song of consumer electronics.Some may choose to sail closer to the sound; others mayfollow the path of Ulysses, who had himself lashed to themast to ensure he didn’t steer his boat toward the Sirensand sure death for him and his men.•S-6 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

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Special SectionDid lessons from the2011 tsunamis andfloods really sink in?By Tam HarbertYou know the saying: “Those whofail to learn from history aredoomed to repeat it.” The naturaldisasters that buffeted the supplychain in 2011 are now history,albeit recent history. In March ofthat year, a massive earthquake, subsequent tsunami,and consequent nuclear disaster in northernJapan severely disrupted both the electronics andautomotive supply chains. Then, in the fall, monsoonsled to severe flooding in Thailand, swampinghundreds of factories—including several thatmade critical hard-disk-drive components.The big question two years later: Has the industrylearned its lessons? Would similar disasterstoday have such dramatic impacts? The year 2012was mild, with a lower than usual number of dramaticweather events (with the notable exceptionof Superstorm Sandy in the United States), so it’seasy to become complacent. But that’s dangerous,if studies of climate change that claim increasingnumbers and magnitude of violent weather eventsare accurate.The truth is, only time will tell whether thesupply chain is any better prepared today than in2011. Some analysts say the events got industry’sattention enough to initiate some changes. But atleast one analyst thinks the electronics industry isdoomed to repeat history.After 2011, several of Technology Forecasters’clients—especially midsize OEMs and lower-tiercontract manufacturers—“came to us and said,“We’ve had disaster preparedness on our to-do listfor years; now we need to put it into place,” saysPamela Gordon, president of the consultancy.Bob Ferrari, managing director of FerrariConsulting and Research Group and founder andexecutive editor of the blog Supply Chain Matters,also thinks the supply chain has learned from the2011 disasters. “It was like our 9/11,” Ferrari says.“Although supply-chain organizations used to talkabout the implications of a major supply-chaindisruption, we had never really seen one until2011.”Consequently, companies are making somechanges, according to Gordon and Ferrari. Specifically,at least some companies are doing thefollowing:Looking beyond Tier 1 suppliers. TheJapanese tsunami, in particular, exposed realvulnerabilities in the lower tiers of the supplychain. OEMs initially were reassured when theylearned that their first-tier suppliers weren’t badlyimpacted, only to suffer later when they realizedthe disaster had wiped out some “40% of thesilicon wafer supply,” says Ferrari. Today, companiesare looking deeper into their supply chainsto identify the components and materials that aresole-sourced or where the supply is concentratedin a certain geographic region (such as disk-drivemanufacturers in Thailand).Emerging regulations and political pressuresare already pushing companies to get “full materialdisclosures [FMDs]” from their suppliers, whichidentify the countries of origin of materials andcomponents, says Gordon. Now companies areS-8 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

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Special Sectionseeing how useful these disclosures can be in a disaster.With FMDs, OEMs immediately know whether a givenarea is a key source of certain parts or materials, and canbuild alternative sources into their disaster planning, sheexplains.Improving communications plans. The 2011 eventsexposed shortcomings in communication; it was morecomplex and took much longer than companies anticipated,says Gordon. Companies realized they neededbetter plans for how to communicate (if lines were downor power was out) and with whom they should be communicating,says Ferrari. It was the start of a new awareness“that social media can be a good alternative in communicatingduring a crisis,” he notes. Since 2011, more companieshave started to monitor media such as Facebook andTwitter to get alerts when disasters happen, to get the wordout to employees or suppliers in harm’s way, and to receiveinformation from the affected area when other means ofcommunication are unavailable.Indeed, Ferrari monitors social media carefully himself.In late March, for example, he saw a surge of reports onTwitter that a major 6.1-magnitude earthquake had occurredin central Taiwan. “Knowing that this area is theepicenter for high tech and consumer electronics supplychains, we immediately re-tweeted this news with hopesthat our readers would be on alert to both the event andThe elecTronics supplychain lives in a DanGerousneiGhborhooDAsia comprises some of the riskiest areas in terms of thelikelihood of natural disasters and the economic damagethey can inflict, according to a recent report by Maplecroft,which analyzes risk of all kinds. The company compilesan index based on a country’s economic exposure to therisk of natural disasters. Among the highest ranked (of 197countries) are Japan (No. 2), China (No. 3), the Philippines(No. 4), Taiwan (No. 6), and Indonesia (No. 8), according toHelen Hodge, head of maps and indices at Maplecroft.That means these countries have the most globallysignificant economic assets exposed to major naturalhazards, particularly earthquakes and floods. “With the increasingglobal economic importance of these nations andtheir interconnectivity to global markets, a major event inone these financial centers increases the risk of economiccontagion,” says Hodge.the potential for disruption,” he says. Among the companiesin the area are TSMC (the world’s largest semiconductormanufacturer), United Microelectronics, Innolux,and AU Optronics. Although two TSMC facilities werereportedly evacuated, it turned out that there was minimaldamage. But it was a reminder of how vulnerable Taiwanesefacilities are. “They are all in that earthquake zone,” hesays. “We dodged a bullet.” (See sidebar on Asian highriskareas.)Padding inventory, at least in critical areas. Havingbeen caught short in 2011, purchasers are more likely to beable to convince a CFO that they need to put aside safetystock or line up alternative suppliers, says Ferrari.Monitoring unstructured information. Someforward-thinking companies are using data mining andanalysis on e-mail communications and other types ofunstructured data, which can serve as a “kind of earlywarningsystem of supply-chain risk,” says Ferrari. Suchtools can help zero in on important information duringa crisis, to monitor the situation in real time, and also topiece together data that may give a more complete andaccurate assessment of the situation than can any one supplier.After all, “the natural human tendency is to hedge.Nobody’s going tell their major customers, ‘we really tooka hit here and it may be a month before we get out of this,’”says Ferrari. “You’re not going to get that right away.”Malcolm Penn, founder and CEO of Future Horizons,is less optimistic. He maintains that most companieshave done nothing to become better prepared for naturaldisasters, despite all the damage inflicted by the calamitiesof 2011. “There was a lot of scurrying around, but I don’tthink anybody has changed structurally the way they dothings,” he says.Although OEMs say they are looking beyond their Tier1 suppliers and improving communications systems, Pennis skeptical. Have they really investigated how they wouldcope if a TSMC facility were destroyed in a Taiwaneseearthquake, for example? “I can’t think of a single customerthat would go to TSMC and say, who are your wafersuppliers, and who are the suppliers of your wafer suppliers?Who supplies the slurry to grind the wafers down?”he says.Even if they asked, he adds, “TSMC wouldn’t tellthem.”•Tam Harbert is a freelance journalist and EBN contributor.S-10 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

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Special Sectionvs.Resolving designchain supply chainconflictsBy Barbara JorgensenThe modern supply chain couldbenefit from a 3-D simulationtool. The process is no longerlinear: A better model might bethe known galaxy, with a bunch ofsuppliers (planets) circling arounda sun (the customer). But a supply-chain analysishas to start somewhere, and for the sake of theelectronics supply chain, it starts with the designengineer.EBN and Velocity have been examining stepsand strategies to build an effective supply chain.“Effective” means different things to differentconstituents: For engineers, it’s a wide choice ofproducts, technical support, and fast prototyping;for buyers, it’s quality, price, and dependability; forcustomers, it’s all of these, plus aftermarket services.Each partner has a specific role to play and awish list on how things could work better.Design engineers traditionally haven’t been apart of the classic supply chain. The process usedto begin when a design was done and purchasingdeveloped the BOM. But engineering responsibilitieshave expanded over the years. Designersnow have to consider the price of the componentsthey’re using, the life cycle of these parts, compliancewith environmental mandates such as RoHS,and a host of other issues. Engineers, like everybodyelse, are being asked to do more with lessat a faster pace than ever. So what would make adesigner’s job more efficient?A study conducted by Technology ForecastersInc found that engineers visited 25 or more websitesbefore even starting a design. Engineers arelooking for new parts, the price and availability ofthese parts, potential end-of-life (EOL) issues, andenvironmental sustainability. In a perfect world,all of this information would be available uponvisiting just a few sites. But it’s not. Suppliers havetheir own websites with their parts; distributorshost sites that feature their franchises; and somesites focus only on new products, while others focuson maintenance, repairs, and overhaul (MRO).Most sites now host the RoHS status of devices,but there are currently different RoHS standardsfor different countries.Then there’s the data itself. Engineers can finddata sheets at suppliers’ sites, distributor sites,and third-party sites. But not all data sheets arecreated equal. Some sites just aggregate suppliers’data, which may get out of date. Distributor sitesare timelier—they get EOL notices from suppliers—butdata may be organized by supplier, bytechnology, or by application. Suppliers may ormay not provide tech support. Distributors usuallydo, but they may steer engineers toward a specificcomponent. Worse, a sales rep might call on anengineer who was just making an inquiry.Environmental compliance data is usuallyavailable through suppliers and distributors, andis also compiled at consultancy, government, andnon-government-organization (NGO) sites. Somesites cross-reference compliance status with actualdevices, while others provide general guidelines.Engineering research could be made easier bycompiling real-time component data at one masterBarbaraJorgensenShutterStockS-12 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

site. The site would cross-reference part numbers, suppliers,component specs, and applications. It would automaticallyflag a potential EOL or noncompliance issue. The perfectsite would be agnostic (not tied to a sales or marketing strategy)and anonymous (engineers don’t have to register).Technology support is another factor that weighs inhere heavily. But this, too, would be web-based, with theoption of personal support. This site could be linked witha research site or standalone. Ideally, support staff wouldbe available 24/7 by phone or by live chat. They’d speakor write in the engineers’ language, and they wouldn’t betied to a supplier or distributor. Based on an engineer’squestions, the technical staff would anticipate potentialproblems and help select supporting components. Thenthey’d tell designers where they could get samples of thesecomponents. This site could link to a third site or direct usersback to a research page, where one-click purchasing isavailable. Parts would be delivered the next day.If engineers were designing for their supply chain,they’d pick a widely available, low-priced part that could besourced anywhere in the world. It wouldn’t be a proprietarypart, and it wouldn’t have a lead time. This part wouldThe process is no longerlinear: a beTTer model mighTbe The known galaxy, wiTh abunch of suppliers (planeTs)circling around a sun (ThecusTomer).be in no danger of going EOL, and it would be automaticallycompliant with global environmental regulations.Somehow, though, the engineer would source this componentonly through a chosen supplier or a chosen distributorand not through a competitor. And even though thepart is low-priced, there would be a healthy profit marginbuilt into the sale.But engineers don’t design for the supply chain; theydesign for their customers. The needs of the supply chainand the design engineer aren’t perfectly matched, but theycan be better aligned.•Barbara Jorgensen has more than 20 years of experience asa business journalist, working for leading electronics industrypublications such as Electronic Business, Electronic Buyers’News, EDN, and EBN.May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-13

Special SectionAmerica’sdeclared(andundeclared)cyberwarThe US government is employingseveral tactics to protect nationalinterests from network attacksand data theft.By Bruce GainPresident Barack Obama issued an executiveorder in mid-February to make it easier for“eligible critical infrastructure” companiesand the US government to share informationabout network attacks.As the international cyberwar heats up, theexecutive order represents one of several ways the US governmentis attempting to protect national interests from networkattacks and data theft. It is also the latest development in theUnited States’ reaction to increasingly common attacks thatcould have major implications on the world’s supply chain.The main goal of the executive order is to create moreefficient best practices and policies for protection against“the cyber threat to critical infrastructure, which continuesto grow and represents one of the most seriousnational security challenges we must confront.”The executive order follows an article published in theThe Washington Post about a classified government reportit obtained on international cyberattacks. Foreign governments,especially China, are directly or indirectly sponsoring“massive, sustained” cyberespionage campaigns thatare putting US technology and development secrets atrisk, according to the article.Same hack, different dayHowever, the claims are hardly new. The article in TheWashington Post follows a report issued last year by theOffice of the National Counterintelligence Executive,which monitors espionage against the United States. Whileattacks previously were largely limited to those againstmilitary and government networks, the National CounterintelligenceExecutive maintains that internationalcyberthieves are increasingly stealing US trade secretsfrom private firms and using them to gain an advantagein the undeclared economic war. Attacks originating fromRussia, Israel, and France are also prevalent, but Chinais by far the worst culprit, according to the Office of theNational Counterintelligence Executive.SHUTTERSTOCKS-14 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

The economic consequences in the United Statesfrom trade secret and other data theft by foreign partiesare significant but difficult to quantify. The Office of theNational Counterintelligence Executive said the attackscould cost the US economy up to $400 billion a year, butadded that some estimates are substantially lower. However,speaking on a recent edition of Face the Nation, BobOrr of CBS News cited estimates by House IntelligenceCommittee Chairman Mike Rogers who said cybertheftagainst US interests represents up to $400 billion in stolenintellectual property.No innocents?But as the US government seeks to shore up its cyberdefenses,it is not necessarily a passive participant in thisundeclared cyberwar. The US government, according toFrench media reports, was behind attacks on the Frenchpresident’s residence during the months leading up to thepresidential elections last year. Boththe United States and France wouldnot comment on the reports, yet crediblenational French publications, includingL’Express and Le Télégramme,confirmed that the attack took place.Le Monde, one of the most wellrespectednewspapers outside of theUnited States, cited a French diplomatwho said he demanded an explanationfrom the US government about why itaccessed then French President NicolasSarkozy’s e-mails and other data.The United States and Israel wereunofficially behind the Stuxnet virus attack. Consideredto be one of the most complex and lethal virus programsever coded, the virus succeeded in crippling the supervisorycontrol and data acquisition (SCADA) systems thatIranian scientists supposedly use to enrich uranium.The French presidential and Stuxnet attacks are, ofcourse, just two examples of attacks against foreign intereststhat supposedly originated in the United States. To theextent that the United States does apply its vast arsenal ofAs the usgovernment seeksto shore up itscyberdefenses, it isnot necessArily ApAssive pArticipAntin this undeclAredcyberwAr.defense spending to cybersurveillance and even cyberwarfareremains the stuff of chat-room discussions andinformation that will remain classified for decades fromnow, if it ever does become known.Technology theftBut as network attacks against US interests ramp up, theUS government is also obviously worried about how illegallyobtained technologies will shift beyond the shores ofthe United States. The theft potentially has huge implicationsin the technology industry, since stolen technologiesdeveloped in the United States, which spends the most inthe world on research, could be marketed and producedelsewhere.Citing China as the main culprit, Rogers noted duringthe Meet the Press episode how product blueprints andknow-how are stolen by data theft and then used to producespecific products.“I mean,” said Rogers, “theChinese basically are replicatingthese products about as fast as theycan. And we’re not doing very muchabout it. This is the first stage ofwhat could be a very, very big problemif they turn this pillaging ofwealth into attacking key systems.”However, the US government’smore aggressive role in protectingintellectual property from cyberattacksshould have at least someeffect. The US government shouldalso likely step up its more offensiveactions in this covert cyberwar, although those actions willremain very covert.Meanwhile, each skirmish and battle won could havea direct effect on which countries get to produce whichtechnologies.•Bruce Gain is a freelance writer based in France who got hisstart in the electronics world by hacking the family Commodore64 in the early 1980s.May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-15

Special SectionTips for designengineers: tapping intoonline design toolsSupporting the engineer from prototype to productionBy Brian GermanWhen it comes to productdesign, engineers havemultiple goals: Designwell, design withinbudget, and design fast.Companies trying tocompete and move products to market faster arealways looking for ways to decrease design timewhile improving quality and efficiency. Thesefactors, combined with budget constraints andother complexities, mean today’s engineers needall the help they can get to bring a new product tomarket, whether in the prototype or productiondesign phases.One resource designers can tap into for help isa collection of reference designs. These designs areproven solutions and act as a starting point for aspecific product design, to be used as-is or modifiedas needed.Some reference designs are a complete end-toendproduct design solution, while others offerpartial solutions designed to meet common engineeringneeds. Examples of full solutions wouldbe DC/AC inverters, LED bulb drivers, or AC/DCwall converters, while partial solutions addresssuch areas as DC/DC conversion, audio amplifiers,or motor drivers.The main purpose of a reference design is tospeed the development of new products usingthe latest technologies. Because engineers knowthey can start with a proven platform targeted forspecific applications, they can shorten the designcycle, minimize errors, and get a product to marketmore quickly.Manufacturers often provide reference designs,but it can be challenging to search across multiplesuppliers and sites. A library that has consolidateddesigns from many suppliers can greatly decreaseresearch time up front.This type of cross-supplier library:• Helps designers search for specific designs bycategory, supplier, and performance• Provides access to detailed schematics witheach design• Eliminates extra steps in the design process,saving precious time• Offers easy access to useful product ideas anddesign platforms/eval boards• Offers BOM and Gerber files, when availableWith engineers as its primary focus, Digi-Keyknows how important it is for engineers to haveeasy access to two things: parts and information.But, with vast amounts of knowledge and manythousands of parts, the key is making it easy forthe engineer to find useful content, proven designs,and the right parts quickly.It can be frustrating to design a product onlyto discover that the parts required for prototypeor production are not in stock. A good referencelibrary should provide thorough supportingdocumentation, including BOM, schematics, andother materials, and ensure that the main ICs usedBrian GermanS-16 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

in any design are normally in stock. For example, withinthe Digi-Key Reference Design Library, each design pageoffers a link to purchase the evaluation board that thedesign was based from, which can be delivered directly tothe designer so he or she can test it at his or her desk, oftenwithin 24 hours.Digi-Key utilized the strength of its part filter withinthe Reference Design Library to help engineers locatedesigns based on each reference design’s performance andfeatures.Working with a distributor that offers personalizedproduct designs can also decrease design timeand improve design quality. The LED driver board(DKSB1003A/876-1003-ND) is an example of a modifiedreference design that Digi-Key’s application engineersdecided to make public in response to customer interestand demand. By tapping into the knowledge of applicationengineers, designers can create improved designs createdby expert teams.By offering organized designs and personalized assistance,Digi-Key can support top-notch design that meetsa company’s need for speed to market, producing qualityproducts.•Brian German has been a technician with Digi-Key for 11 years,where his primary focus is the Reference Design Library. Hegraduated in 2001 from North Dakota State College of Sciencewith an AAS in electronics.Figure 1 Example of a referencedesign from Microchip, an Li-Ion/Li-Pol single-cell battery chargerbased on the MCP73871DM-VPCCeval board.Figure 2 An example of filters inthe subcategory DC/DC SMPS.May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-17

Special SectionTOP 25 Global Electronic Component2012rank2011rankCompany2012 totalglobalrevenue2011 totalglobalrevenue% changefrom 20112012 NorthAmericanrevenue2012Asia/Pacificrevenue2012Europe/Mideast/ROWrevenue1 1 Avnet 25,160.00 26,700.00 -5.8% 10,990.00 7,140.00 7,030.002 2 Arrow Electronics 20,405.13 21,390.26 -4.6% 10,641.90 3,836.00 5,927.203 3 WPG Holdings 12,397.80 11,111.90 11.6% N/A N/A N/A4 4 Future Electronics 1 4,831.00 5,107.00 -5.4% N/A N/A N/A5 WT Microelectronics 2,800.69 2,365.65 18.4% N/A N/A N/A6 5 Electrocomponents PLC 3 2,028.98 1,902.39 6.7% 444.00 N/A N/A7 7 TTI Electronics 4 1,560.00 1,540.00 1.3% 910.00 145.00 503.008 6 Premier Farnell 2,5 1,544.60 1,574.44 -1.9% N/A N/A N/A9 8 Digi-Key Corporation 1,417.00 1,536.00 -7.7% 974.00 150.00 293.0010 9 Rutronik Electronics 1 1,100.75 1,026.82 7.2% N/A N/A N/A11 10 Mouser Electronics 615.00 582.00 5.7% 386.00 97.00 132.0012 12 Excelpoint Technology 584.80 489.40 19.5% 0.00 584.80 0.0013 11 DAC 584.60 564.90 3.5% 574.30 10.30 0.0014 13 Carlton-Bates 1,6 384.00 362.30 6.0% N/A N/A N/A15 14 Dependable Component Supply 1 334.50 327.00 2.3% N/A N/A N/A16 16 PEI Genesis 2 214.00 210.00 1.9% N/A N/A N/A17 18 Master Electronics 163.00 156.20 4.4% 147.00 N/A N/A18 17 Richardson Electronics 2 149.44 161.03 -7.2% N/A N/A N/A19 19 Powell Electronics 120.00 120.00 0.0% N/A N/A N/A20 20 Bisco Industries 116.30 103.20 12.7% 111.80 2.20 2.3021 21 Flame Enterprises 98.20 101.00 -2.8% 84.40 4.10 9.7022 22 Electro Sonic 70.00 75.00 -6.7% 68.00 1.00 1.0023 24 Hughes-Peters 63.00 59.00 6.8% 63.00 0.00 0.0024 25 Steven Engineering 51.00 49.00 4.1% 45.30 3.00 2.7025 Hammond Electronics 35.90 37.90 -5.3% 35.9 0.00 0.00All revenue figures expressed in US$ millions1EBN estimate2Fiscal year sales3North American sales are based on figures at US subsidiary Allied Electronics Inc4TTI acquired Sager Electronics in March 20125Premier Farnell includes Newark/element14 in North America6Division of Wesco Distribution IncS-18 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

DistributorsBroadline (b)specialized (s)catalog (c)Public orprivate Headquarters Website Products* Services**b pu Phoenix, AZ www.avnet.com s, p, e, i, b, cs, o l, bom, k, d, si, vmi, t, pk, p, eb pu Denver, CO www.arrow.com s, p, e, i, b, cs l, bom, k, d, si, vmi, t, pk, p, e, asb pu Taipei, Taiwan www.wpgholdings.com s, p, e, i, b, cs, o l, d, vmi, t, p, g, o, bomb,c pr Point Claire, QC www.futureelectronics.com s, p, e, i, b, o l, bom, k, d, vmi, pb pu Taipei, Taiwan www.wtmec.com s, o N/Ab pu Oxford, UK www.electrocomponents.com s, p, e, i, b, o bom, k, d, vmi, os pu Fort Worth, TX www.ttiinc.com p, e, i l, bom, k, vmib,c pu London, UK www.premierfarnell.com s, p, e, I, b, cs, o bom, k, vmi, pk, ob pr Thief River Falls, MN www.digikey.com s, p, e, i, b d, vmi, p, ob pr Ispringen, Germany www.rutronik.com s, p, e, I, b, cs, o cm, l, bom, d, vmi, pk, p, eb,c pu Mansfield, TX www.mouser.com s, p, e, i, b, cs bom, kb pu Singapore www.excelpoint.com.sg s, p l, bom, d, vmis pr Wilmington, MA www.dac-group.com e, i N/As pu Little Rock, AR www.carlton-bates.com p, e, i, o bom, k, d, vmi, tb pr Deerfield Beach, FL www.dependonus.com s, p, i, e, cs bom, k, vmi, t, ps pr Philadelphia, PA www.peigenesis.com i, b k, db pr Santa Monica, CA www.masterelectronics.com p, e, i, b cm, l, bom, k, d, vmi, t, pk, ps pu LaFox, IL www.rell.com p, e, b, o k, d, vmi, tb pr Swedesboro, NJ www.powell.com e, i, b cm, l, bom, k, d, vmi, t, pkb pu Anaheim, CA www.biscoind.com p, e, i, b l, k, vmi, pks pr Chatsworth, CA www.flamecorp.com e, i N/Ab pr Markham, ON www.e-sonic.com s, p, e, i, b, t l, bom, k.vmi, pks pr Dayton, OH www.hughespeters.com s, p, e, i, b ks pr South San Francisco, CA www.steveneng.com e, i, cs, o cm, l, k, d, vmi, pks pr Orlando, FL www.hammondelec.com p, e, i, b, o k, vmi, o* Products include: semiconductors (s), passives (p), interconnect (i), electromechanical(e), batteries/power supplies (b), computer systems and peripherals (cs), other (o).**Services include: contract manufacturing (cm), logistics, (l), bill of materials management(bom), kitting and subassembly (k), design services (d), systems integration (si),vendor managed inventory services (vmi), testing (t), packaging (pk), programming (p),environmental (e), ASIC design (as).May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-19

Special SectionDuelingswordsin theEMS sectorElectronics manufacturing services providers areexperimenting with a revenue model that emphasizesquality instead of volume.By Bolaji OjoThe financial stats alone make it abundantly clear electronicsmanufacturing services (EMS) providers are among the most endangeredspecies in the electronics industry. They are also amongthe industry’s most adaptive enterprises, constantly tacking onnew services and forever restructuring and readjusting operationsto fit equally fast-changing revenue models.EMS providers started out as junior partners to OEMs in a supply chain whereplayers talk about partnerships, but which is governed in reality by how muchpower an enterprise has over its extended supplier base. With no natural base, restrictedinteractions with end customers—beyond what the OEM permits—andlimited influence over component suppliers and distributors, EMS providers werenot natural power brokers in the electronics industry.That situation has changed little despite strong efforts on the part ofsenior executives to raise the profile of EMS companies. Even companies likeFoxconn, the world’s mega-EMS provider, are severely limited by what theirequally mega-OEM customers, such as Apple, HP, and Dell, permit. Ratherthan butt heads with customers, but still conscious of the need to improvemargins and profitability, EMS companies in more recent times have resortedBolaji OjoSHUTTERSTOCKS-20 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

to a strategy that’s best described as “thrust and parry.”The thrust (offense) gets them involved in new businessopportunities, while the parry is defensive. If you are a seniorexecutive with an OEM that has an engagement witha contract manufacturer, then you should familiarize yourselfquickly with the full range of the contractor’s thrustand parry activities, as some of these will have an impacton your company’s operations. In other words, add actionsbeing taken by EMS providers to accelerate margin growthor exit lower-profit operations to your must-watch list.Margins are so slim in the contract manufacturingindustry that companies must constantly ensure theycan justify the huge capital investments required. Like amalnourished child suffering an acute case of Kwashiorkor,EMS revenues can be bloated while everything else on theincome statement is all bones and rags: The gross profitand operating margins are paltry, while net incomes—when they post a gain—are often so measly you wonderwhy anyone would want to be in the business at all.To the numbersLet’s take a look at numbers from a publicly traded EMSprovider. Flextronics Corp, one of the largest in the industry—possiblysecond to Foxconn Electronics Inc—inthe fiscal year ended March 31, 2012, posted sales of $29.4billion and a gross profit margin of 5.2%, which representsabout the average for the industry; 7% is considered great,while 9% is simply insanely fabulous.Rivals Jabil Circuit, Plexus, and Sanmina are in someways only slightly better positioned. Their sales are alsomuch smaller; in this industry, companies are oftenforced to choose between higher revenue and fattermargins, an unpalatable option whichever way you cutit, since both choices are loaded with dangers. Marketleader Foxconn, for example, has chosen higher salesbut sweats bullets just to extract a fraction of the profitsrecorded by its biggest customer (Apple). The TaiwaneseEMS provider, I predict, will eventually have to reviewand most likely change that strategy, but that’s materialfor another discussion.This is why change is a constant for the industry. Afteryears of pandering to OEMs’ desire to have “low cost”operations and competing with each other to drive downcosts for customers, the EMS market is trying to movein a different direction. At the very least, these companiesare experimenting with a revenue model that putsthe emphasis on quality rather than volume. In doing so,they are also indirectly lending credence to the belief thatWestern countries still have a role in electronics designand manufacturing.Stepped-up investmentTwo recent developments support this view. Flextronicsannounced in February that it would invest a total of $32million in a new product innovation center in Milpitas,CA. This move backs up the company’s long-term commitmentto higher-end prototyping services in a westernlocation. Jabil Circuit also has reported it would be partneringwith UPS to offer “reverse logistics solutions forreturn and repair programs to high-tech original equipmentmanufacturers, service providers, and enterpriseson a global scale.”That’s the thrust. The parry comes when the EMSprovider turns down that huge-volume, high-sales, butlower-margin business for lower revenue but healthiermargin contracts.•Bolaji Ojo, former editor-in-chief of EBN, has spent the last 25years covering business issues on four continents, specializingover the last 11 years on the electronics industry supply chain.methodology for top 25 distributors survey (page s-18):the EBN top 25 distributors survey is conducted annually between march and april for publicationonline and in print. the listing ranks electronic component distributors by calendar-year sales; in thefew cases where those numbers are unavailable, fiscal-year sales are used.the data is collected via questionnaires that are e-mailed to private and public companies worldwide.the information provided is matched against public records; in cases where such records are unavailable,companies are asked to provide a signed letter confirming the numbers. EBN estimates the resultsfor companies that do not complete the questions or that decline to offer letters confirming salesfigures. Companies whose numbers cannot be independently verified are not ranked.May 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-21

Special SectionThe anti-counterfeitmovement: Is it really amovement yet?Despite greater awareness and significant strides, the high-tech sectoris only beginning to grasp what it means to deal with counterfeit parttracking and reporting.By Jennifer BaljkoUS legislation has compelled astepped-up interest in preventingcounterfeit electronic partsfrom slipping into the supplychain. It has also raised morequestions than it has answered.For many dealing with the enormity of tracking,reporting, and resolving issues associated withpotential counterfeit parts, there is a collectivehope that 2013 will bring clearer guidance on whatneeds to be done by whom and when.Conversations today are already moving awayfrom “What does the National Defense AuthorizationAct (NDAA) mean?” to “How is mycompany going to be impacted, and what am Idoing about it?” This mental shift brings withit another set of challenges requiring increasedcollaboration, communication, trust, and thoughtleadership throughout the electronics industry,several industry watchers noted. A tall order, someacknowledged, because of the deep-rooted stigmaand heightened concern about potential liabilityrelated to discovering counterfeits anywhere in apart’s chain of custody.Even so, if consensus is true, then the electronicindustry’s current dialog on this topic is agood start, but still largely perfunctory. Companiesmost affected by both the law and customers’updated risk-management requirements are doingwhat they can to be legally compliant, but an ongoingweak economic climate and a lack of specificgovernmental direction raise legitimate questionsabout whether the cost of an anti-counterfeitingprogram justifies the business case.Cost considerations aside, progress depends onhow willing industry, government, and academiaare to work together to create cost-effective, longtermanti-counterfeiting solutions that outsmartthe bad guys, reduce risks, and make the supplychain more secure.“We have come a long way since these issuesfirst surfaced,” said Kristal Snider, vice president atERAI Inc, Naples, FL. “But the supply chain cannotmature, improve, and keep up with this issueand develop effective solutions if it’s not somethingeveryone agrees on, at least to some extent.”“Everyone in the supply chain knows aboutNDAA,” she added, noting some of the lag time betweenwhen the law was signed, when details abouthow different elements of the law will actually cometogether, and what the industry can do in the meantime.“But everyone is waiting for clearer instructionabout what comes next. We’re waiting for moreinformation to flow down to the industry.”S-22 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

Until that happens, the industry’s not standing still.Here’s a snapshot of what’s happening today and what elseneeds to be done to keep the anti-counterfeit movementmoving ahead.NDAA’s impact todayBy now, any company touching the US defense and aerospaceindustry knows about the NDAA and its notoriousSection 818. The law, brought into force in 2012 andupdated this year, holds defense contractors accountablefor detecting suspect or counterfeit electronic parts andpaying for remediation and rework if suspect or counterfeitparts show up in their products. NDAA is thegovernment’s way of addressing the harm being done byworldwide counterfeiting and piracy, the magnitude ofwhich—when calculated broadly and beyond electronics—is estimated to be “well over” $600billion, according to the InternationalChamber of Commerce.With the law in place, mostcompanies in this supply-chain segmentare likely already having deepertalks about risk mitigation, warrantycontracts, and test and inspectionprocesses ensuring part quality andauthenticity. Since some OEM somewhereis going to be accountable tothe Department of Defense, it’s onlya matter of time before they work through their approvedsupplier list and call up with questions about how parts aresourced, where they were procured, how long they havebeen in inventory, and how trustworthy is that source ofsupply.The lead-up to the legislation’s approval and the yearsince have also ushered in a new wave of industry conferences,training programs, working committees, and standards.Initially, these aimed to create awareness, but nowthe focus scopes more toward due diligence.That push is keeping Carlo S Abesamis, quality engineerfor the Procurement Quality Assurance group atNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), busy. Abesamis,whose main responsibility is to audit the organization’selectronics suppliers, also manages JPL’s CounterfeitAwareness Training program, which started in 2008 beforethe mainstream was thinking about this and providesinstruction to other NASA groups and external organizationssuch as the US Department of Justice and Customsand Border Protection (CBP).by now, anycompany touchingthe us defense andaerospace industryknows about thendaa’s section 818.“Shortly after I was hired, one of the tasks I was askedto work on was counterfeit parts training. Even back then,we have always had support from top management atheadquarters to do this kind of outreach and awarenessbuilding,” Abesamis said. “When we first started theseprograms, it was about creating awareness. Today peopleknow about the problem, and now they want more indepthinformation about it.”JPL uses a modular training approach, walking peoplethrough the basics and then going into topics such as riskmitigationevaluations and establishing supplier requirementsfor obsolete parts. Another module being developedwill focus on part inspection, from visual componentinspection up to running parts through state-of-the-arttest and X-ray equipment, he said.Other companies—namely independent distributorsthat have taken the most heat sofar because of their open-marketprocurement strategies and theperceived associated risk of bringingsuspect parts to the supply chain—are also proactively trying to nipcounterfeit issues in the bud, despitethe high cost of doing so. The toptierindependent distributors, for instance,are investing in new test andX-ray machines, hiring and trainingmore inspectors, undergoing rigorousstandards-adoption measures, and doing all they canto prove due diligence, said Debra Eggeman, executivedirector of the Independent Distributors of ElectronicsAssociation in Buena Park, CA.According to Eggeman, “Many of our members havebeen flushing out their risk-mitigation strategies and arein the process of adopting new standards,” such as IDEA-QMS-9090 and SAE’s AS5553 and AS6081, which addresspart quality and counterfeit-detection processes. “They arealso constantly being challenged to upgrade equipment,and many independent distributors are making significantcapital equipment investments. Some are installing theirfirst X-ray machines; others are looking to buy new equipmentwith more sophisticated software algorithms that canbetter detect inconsistencies or process more parts. As theybecome more educated about this, they also recognize thatthey need more people to work on this. These aren’t thekinds of people you can hire from Monster.com.”A harder task, though, isn’t just detecting counterfeitsas new parts arrive at the warehouse. It’s knowing what’s inMay 2013 Top 25 Global Distributors S-23

special sectioninventory and deciding when and how to retest potentiallymillions of components to be compliant with NDAA, sheadded.Enforcement is another layer of the equation, as well.While it’s hard to pin down how much national law enforcementagencies are cracking down (the Department ofHomeland Security is by its nature not a tell-the-world-everythingkind of organization), a recent report suggests thatcounterfeit electronics parts are very much on the minds ofthose at the CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) agencies.counterfeiters know whatthe industry is doing to stopthem, and are working tosidestep existing measures.The recent “Intellectual Property Rights Fiscal Year 2012Seizure Statistics” report (http://1.usa.gov/ZvOJcE) notesthat the organizations’ expanded efforts “to seize infringinggoods”—all products, not just electronics products—led to691 arrests, 423 indictments, and 334 prosecutions. Electronicsparts accounted for 15% of the total number of seizures.Additionally, initiatives under Operation Chain Reaction, anIntellectual Property Rights Coordination Center operationdesigned to prevent counterfeit items from entering USgovernment supply chains, led to 24 arrests, 36 indictments,26 convictions, and the seizure of more than $9.83 million incounterfeit electronics, currency, and vehicle parts, accordingto a CBP press release.What lies aheadNot surprisingly, the more people talk about counterfeitpartprevention, the more there is to do about it, and themore the electronics industry will have to pull together toget things done.Up high on the list are staying vigilant and thinkingahead. Counterfeiters know what the industry is doing tostop them, and the really good ones are building impressivenetworks to sidestep existing anti-counterfeit measures.This is already evident. It used to be “easy” to identifyfakes. There were scratches on the package or leads weredamaged or some rudimentary technique was employed.Now, counterfeiters have moved onto more sophisticatedtechniques, such as cloning parts, which represents a seriousissue for the entire industry, said Mohammad Tehranipoor,University of Connecticut’s Castleman Associate Professorin Engineering Innovation and director of the university’sCenter for Hardware Assurance, Security, and Engineering(CHASE).Developing cost-effective solutions that look beyondexisting counterfeit issues and identify potential problemsthree, five, or 10 years from now will be critical. Tehranipoorexpects that while the overall number of knowncounterfeit cases may drop in the next few years, it won’t bebecause counterfeiting has stopped. Rather, counterfeiterswill have gotten that much better and phony parts will beharder to identify.Although equally sophisticated, industry-approved solutionsare appearing in the market—such as Applied DNAScience’s DNA signature marking for individual part packages,to name one—and academic institutions can help theindustry develop longer-term solutions based on risk-basedanalytics, the electronics industry also has to be more innovativeand eventually push anti-counterfeit strategies furtherdown the line, back to the design level, Tehranipoor said.“Companies and original component manufacturershave to design products with the whole life cycle in mind.They have to ask what happens when the components arethrown away or recycled, and what happens when theyshow up in other parts of the supply chain. People need tounderstand where the vulnerabilities are not just for todayfor the future,” he said, adding that in the long run it’s morecost-effective to deal with this in the design stage than try toefficiently manage one part at a time. “If you design-in anticounterfeitingmeasures, you design once and can fabricatea million.”These high-level things, however, can be addressed onlyif the industry is willing to talk about them openly, and ifsafe-harbor assurances are built into the tracking, monitoring,and reporting processes.A notable problem is that people are afraid to reportcounterfeit issues, because they are afraid either their company’sbrand reputation will be damaged if the news getsout or they’ll be legally implicated and sued, said Snider.More effective communication could help lessen this fear,and that’s why ERAI’s conference in mid-April, whichwill highlight many of the supply-chain issues related tocounterfeit part detection, will have a session on improvingcommunications efforts between all involved parties.“The missing piece for all this is communications. Rightnow, we have a broken-line communication,” Snider added.“It’s like building a high-speed train from the East Coast tothe West Coast and skipping three states in the middle. We’vealready worked hard in laying the groundwork. We have toget the tracks fixed so we can go from point A to point B.”•Jennifer Baljko is a freelance journalist and contributor to EBN.S-24 Top 25 Global Distributors May 2013

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designideasreaderS SOLVe deSIGN PrOBLeMSPocket white-LED torch ispower efficientRaju Baddi, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Pune, India↘This Design Idea describes a singlewhite-LED torch, which can behoused in an empty glue-stick tube andhas a long rechargeable-battery life. Thecircuit is constructed with just a fewcommonly available parts. This torch hasproven to be highly durable; the prototypemodel constructed by the authorhas been in service for nearly five yearsand is still in good working condition.Q 51.2V(NiCd,2500 mAhr)+L 1-3(4×1.3 mH)1 3L 1-22 L 2-3Q 1 Q 2(1.3 mH) (1.3 mH)100kBC5591k 10k10k 510BC5491nF1nFQ 3 3.3k+10 μF1.5 to 3.3kBC549BC547BC547 82kQ 4Figure 1 An inductive voltage booster powers the white LED.(a)Figure 2 The circuit’s components can be assembled onto the two sides of a circulargeneral-purpose board: Connections on the lower surface have been mirrored (a);EDNDI5267 Fig 1.eps DIANEfrom the top, component placement is shown in white, and connections are shownin green (b).(b)WLED3VDIs Inside48 Gnat-power sawtoothoscillator works on low supplyvoltages52 Connect a 4×3 matrixkeyboard to a microcontrollerusing two I/O pins55 Bender senses shocks▶To see and comment onall of EDN’s Design Ideas, visitwww.edn.com/designideas.A single 1.2V/2500-mAhr nickelcadmiumcell powers the torch (Figure1). A simple transistorized boostswitcher based on a tapped inductoris used to increase the voltage efficiently(up to approximately 80%) tothe voltage needed for a typical whiteLED 1 —in this case, about 3V. Q 1andQ 2form an astable multivibrator producingrectangular waveforms at theircollectors that are 180° out of phase.Assume that at power-up, Q 2is offand Q 1is on. Under these conditionsand with Q 2’s collector high, Q 3is turnedon via Q 2’s collector resistor. With Q 3on, current flows through the first halfof the inductor (from terminals 1 to 2).At the end of this first half-cycle ofoperation, the multivibrator flips to theother state: Q 2turns on and Q 1turnsoff, and its collector goes high. Q 3isswitched off; Q 4and Q 5are switched onvia Q 1’s collector resistor. The decayinginductor current now flows through terminals1 and 3. Since L 1-2is equal to L 2-3,and since they are on a common core,the inductance of L 1-3is four times thatof L 1-2and L 2-3. This increased inductance(and the corresponding additionalturns on the core) leads to a reductionin the magnitude of the currentbut an increase in voltage across theLED. During this phase, current flows[ www.edn.com]May 2013 | EDN 47

designideasAPPLY ADHESIVEON/OFF SWITCHPOCKET CLIP AT 90° WITH RESPECT TO SWITCHWLED1N4007INDUCTOR+1.2V, 2500-mAhr−NiCdCHARGINGSOCKET2.4CM4.3 CM2.2Ω9 CM20G GLUE-STICK TUBEFigure 3 The white-LED torch can be assembled inside an empty glue-stick tube.through the LED and, simultaneously,the 10-μF capacitor is charged. Thisphase lasts for a time period determinedby the RC values in the astable circuit.Once the RC time constant passes, theprocess repeats: Q 1turns on, Q 2turns off,and the other transistors switch as previouslydescribed. The current through terminals1 and 2 of the coil again increases,storing energy from the battery in theinductor. During this phase, the 10-μFcapacitor powers the LED.Figure 2 shows how the circuit’scomponents can be assembled onto thetwo sides of a circular general-purposeboard. Figure 3 shows how the torchcould be assembled inside the glue-sticktube. Once the torch is assembled andpowered up, adjust the 100-kΩ potentiometerin the astable circuit for maximumbrightness. Note that, if needed,an additional transistor can be used inparallel with Q 3to boost the energystored in the L 1-2inductor. The need isdictated by how quickly and deeply Q 3goes into saturation.Photographs of the working circuitcan be seen in the online version of thisDesign Idea at www.edn.com/4412618.An online appendix contains the quantitativeaspects of the circuit.EDNRefeR ence1 “LT1932 constant-current DC/DCLED driver in ThinSOT,” Linear Technology,http://bit.ly/17YVEdw.Gnat-power sawtooth oscillatorworks on low supply voltagesBruce D Moore, Consulting Analog Engineer↘This sawtooth-oscillator circuit,drawing less than 3.2 μA andworking at under 1V, is a useful buildingblock that fits the bill for extremelylow-power consumption and operationto low supply voltages. It could be usedas the basis for a PWM control loop, atimer, or a VCO, or as a capacitanceto-frequencyconverter. It’s a nifty circuitfor two reasons: It uses an opendraincomparator output to make anaccurate switched current source, andit uses a latch function to make a simplecomparator into a window comparator,while needing no extra components.The appeal of this circuit is foundin the combination of the tiny size,the ridiculously low number of externalcomponents, a low supply current,and the ability to maintain a constantamplitude and frequency despite thevariable battery voltage. Unlike theclassic op-amp astable multivibrator,this design features comparator thresholdsthat are set by precision referencevoltages rather than the output swing ofthe op amp in combination with resistorfeedback.A ratiometric fixed-frequencydesign of this type usually results in avariable-amplitude sawtooth waveform,which is undesirable in PWM controlloops because it can affect the loopgain. As a side benefit, the up/downramps can be independently controlledby scaling R 1and R 2.Referring to Figure 1, there are onlyeight components in this circuit: twoICs, four resistors, a capacitor, and apower-supply-bypass capacitor. The keybits are two Touchstone Semiconductoranalog building-block ICs in 4-mm 2TDFN packages (the TS12011 and theThe appeal of ThiscircuiT includesiTs small size andlow exTernalcomponenTcounT.TS12012), each containing an op amp,a comparator, and a reference. By leaningon their characteristics, the designcan be kept terrifically tiny and simple.Here’s how the circuit works: Asumming integrator feeding a windowcomparator generates the sawtooth48 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

ANALOGINTEGRATIONISN’T FOREVERYONE© 2013 Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. All rights reserved. Maxim Integrated and the MaximIntegrated logo are trademarks of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., in the United States and otherjurisdictions throughout the world.

designideas0.87VREFR 31MR 42MSUMMINGINTEGRATORR 21MR 12MV DD− 10IC 1½TS12011wave. The integrator-summing nodeis held at V REFby the feedback actionof the amplifier. Thus, a fixed positivereference current set by R 1is balancedby a larger-amplitude switchednegative current set by R 2. The lowercomparator block has an open-drainoutput; when its output is low, currentis pulled from the summing node via R 2:I R1=(0.87×V REF−0.58×V REF)/R 1and I R2(switched)=0.58×V REF/R 2. If I R2is setto 2×I R1, a symmetrical triangle waveresults.The frequency is set as follows:23101+470 pF4IC 2½TS12012− +2 3V DD0.9 TO2.5V0.1 µF41.5× REFGENERATOR10.58VREF0.87VREF1f=[1/I R1+1/I R2]×C×V ,where V is the difference between 0.87×V REFand 0.58×V REF. Here, f=850 Hz.Figure 2 shows the waveforms at thesawtooth and pulse outputs.The window comparator employs abuilt-in latch function of the TS12012to provide hysteresis. The latch functionhas a sly feature: When LHDETis pulled low, the comparator inputsare still active and sensing the inputEDNDI_PLANETANALOG Fig 1.eps7V REF8−½TS120116+8 5+6½TS12012−DIANE9LHDET(LATCHINPUT)9WINDOWCOMPARATORstate, until the inputscross. The comparatorin IC 2gets set when theramp crosses the lowerthreshold at 0.58×V REF,and reset when the rampcrosses 0.87×V REF. Thereset pulse is momentary,but puts the latchin a state where thecomparator inputs crossingcause it to set andlatch again (which happensdue to the switchedreference current causingthe integrator toramp negative). The netresult: No glue logic isneeded.The battery voltageranges down to0.9V with a miserlyV DDcurrent of 3.2 μA.Maximum operatingfrequency is limited bythe op-amp slew rateand prop delays to about3 kHz. DisconnectingR 1and driving it witha voltage source greaterthan 0.58×V REFgivesyou a VCO function.Editor’s note: ThisDesign Idea is courtesy of EDN.com’ssister site, Planet Analog: http://bit.ly/11IkNeK.EDN1-kHz SAWTOOTHOUTPUT1-kHz PULSEOUTPUTFigure 1 This low-voltage sawtooth generator uses only eight components and draws extremely lowpower.Figure 2 The waveforms at the sawtooth and pulse outputs are shown. The pulsetrain is used to reset the latching comparator.50 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

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designideasConnect a 4×3 matrix keyboardto a microcontroller using two I/O pinsAruna Prabath Rubasinghe, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka↘Matrix keyboards are commonas an input device in microcontroller-basedprojects. A conventionalway of connecting a matrix keyboardto a microcontroller is to use multipleI/O pins of the MCU. The MCU thenuses a scanning algorithm to identifywhich keys are pressed. A drawback ofthis method is that it requires a largenumber of the MCU’s I/O pins to connectthe keyboard. For example, toconnect a 4×3 keyboard requires sevendigital I/O pins. This becomes a problemwhen the project is based on alow-pin-count MCU or when theMCU being used does not have enoughfree I/O pins.Two solutions for this issue areavailable: Use readily available I/Oexpanders, or assign a unique voltageto each key using a resistor networkand then use an analog pin to readthe voltage and determine which keyis pressed. Each solution has its owndisadvantages.Since most of the time I/O expandersrequire a special communicationprotocol (I 2 C or SPI, for example) toread and write data, the MCU shouldhave built-in communication modules,or the user has to implement therelevant communication-protocol softwarewisely, which adds significantlyto the overhead of the MCU. On theD 21N4148D 11N4148D 31N4148D 51N4148D 41N4148CLOCKR 310k1413 ECLKIC 14017Q0 3Q1 2Q2 4Q3 7Q4 10Q5 1Q6 5Q7 6Q8 9Q9 11D 7D 8D 9R 11kR 41kR 51kR 61kABCD1 2 31 2 34 5 67 8 90 #D 61N4148R 747kINTERRUPTD 10NOTE: DIODES D 7 , D 8 , D 9 , AND D 10 ARE EACH A 1N4148.15MR12CO1413 ECLKIC 24017Q0 3Q1 2Q2 4Q3 7Q4 10Q5 1Q6 5Q7 6Q8 9Q9 1115MR12COFigure 1 This circuit for a 4×3 keyboard shows a more efficient architecture using two CD4017 Johnson counters with only twoI/O pins.52 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

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designideasSTARTCOUNT=1;TIMER(0);DISABLE TIMER INTERRUPTDISABLE EXTERNAL INTERRUPTEXTERNALINTERRUPTUSER FUNCTIONSINFINITE_LOOP()TMERINTERRUPTDISABLE TIMER INTERRUPTDISABLE EXTERNAL INTERRUPTBUTTON_FUNCTION(COUNT);COUNT=12YESCOUNT=0;NOENABLE TIMER INTERRUPTENABLE EXTERNAL INTERRUPTCOUNT++CLOCK();ENABLE TIMER INTERRUPTENABLE EXTERNAL INTERRUPTFigure 2 The clock count kept in the MCU increments as it generates clock pulses in intervals; this count is equal to the switch numberfocused at the moment.other hand, assigning a unique voltageto each key using a resistor networkbecomes troublesome as the number ofkeys becomes high, which will lead totight voltage margins. Then, as resistorvalues tend to change with temperature,the use of tight voltage marginscan cause incorrect readings. Evenswitch bouncing can play a major rolein producing incorrect voltages withthis method. Another major drawbackof this method is that it requires thepresence in the MCU of an analoginput pin.The Design Idea described hereaddresses all of the above problemsin an efficient manner and has severaladvantages: It requires only twoI/O pins regardless of the number ofswitches connected; it does not requirea special communication protocol; andit does not require an analog pin. Theidea is based on two CD4017 Johnsoncounters, which are both common andinexpensive.Figure 1 shows the circuit for a 4×3keyboard. R 1, R 4, R 5, and R 6are usedfor current limiting; R 7, D 4, D 5, and D 6form an OR gate.The example described here showshow to implement this method to reada 4×3 matrix keyboard. One CD4017is used to control the keyboard rows,while the other is used to control thecolumns.The MCU generates a clock signaland feeds it to the counter IC controllingthe columns. Initially, the0th output of the column counterand row counter is at logic high, andEDNDI5310 Fig 2.eps DIANEthe column counter increments as itreceives clock pulses. At the fourthclock pulse, the column counter resetsand simultaneously increments by onethe counter controlling the rows. Asthe column controller resets, the rowcontroller increments and the rowcontroller resets with the fifth clockpulse from the column controller. Asclock pulses generate, a count variableon the MCU should be incrementedand should reset to one upon the fifthclock pulse to the row controller. Theoutput of the keyboard is OR’ed andconnected to an external interrupt pinof the MCU.An interrupt occurs only if a buttonpressed when both the row and thecolumn of the respective button areat the logic-high level. If either row orcolumn of the button is logic zero, aninterrupt will not occur.When an interrupt occurs, theMCU reads the count value at themoment; that value is equal to thebutton just pressed.The clock count kept in the MCUincrements as it generates clock pulsesin intervals; this count is equal to theswitch number on the keypad thatcould generate an interrupt if pressed.The flow chart in Figure 2 illustratesthis scenario.Note that even though thisexample shows a 4×3 keyboard, youcan also read a 10×10 keyboardby using the remaining outputs ofboth 4017 counters. Furthermore,you can cascade additional 4017ICs to expand the keyboard size asnecessary.EDNRefeR ence1 Rubasinghe, Aruna, “Read 10 ormore switches using only two I/O pinsof a microcontroller,” EDN, Feb 28,2013, www.edn.com/4408027.54 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

advertisementA Robust 10MHz Reference Clock Input Protection Circuit andDistributor for RF Systems – Design Note 514Michel AzarianIntroductionDesigning the reference input circuit for an RF systemcan prove tricky. One challenge is maintaining the phasenoise performance of the input clock while meeting theprotection, buffering and distribution requirements forthe clock. This article shows how to design a 10MHzreference input circuit and optimize its performance.Design RequirementsRF instruments and wireless transceivers often featurean input for an external reference clock, such as theubiquitous 10MHz reference input port found on RFinstruments. Many of these same systems include aprovision to distribute the reference clock through thesystem. Figure 1 shows a common scheme, wherethe reference clock supplies the reference input to twodistinct phase-locked loops (PLLs).A well-designed, robust input would accept both sineand square wave signals over a wide range of amplitudes.It would maintain a constant signal level driveto the destination PLL inputs inside the system, evenin the face of varied inputs. The exposed-to-the-worldreference input port should have overvoltage/overpowerprotection. Most importantly, the inevitable degradationin the phase noise performance of the clock signalshould be minimized.Design ImplementationThe LTC ® 6957 is a very low additive phase noise (orjitter) dual-output clock buffer and logic translator. Theinput of the LTC6957 accepts a sine or a square waveover a wide range of amplitudes and drives loads atconstant amplitude.10MHzREF INPROTECTION10MHzPLL1 REF10MHzPLL2 REFPLL1PLL2Figure 1. Block Diagram of a Common Reference Inputand Reference Distribution for an RF SystemLO1LO2 ORADC/DAC CLOCKDN4MA F01The LTC6957 offers various output logic signal options:PECL, LVDS and CMOS (in-phase and complementary),allowing it to drive a wide range of loads. Figure 2 showsa 10MHz reference input circuit using the LTC6957-3,which produces two in-phase CMOS outputs.The transformer shown in Figure 2 serves several functions.First, in conjunction with the Schottky diodesfollowing it, it offers input overpower/overvoltageprotection. The diodes limit the AC voltage seen by theLTC6957-3. The WBC16-1T can handle up to 0.25Wpower (3.5V RMS into 50Ω).The transformer also isolates the connector ground—which is usually tied to the chassis of the RF system—from the internal analog ground of the system.Furthermore, the transformer applies a voltage gain tothe incoming signal, thus steepening the edges seenby the LTC6957-3. This helps reduce AM-to-PM noiseconversion, which in turn limits phase noise degradation,especially with small input signals. The WBC16‐1T hasa voltage gain of four. It is possible to rely on the transformer’svoltage gain of four, as opposed to its maximumand ideal power gain of one, because the LTC6957-3presents a high impedance load to the transformer.R1 and R2 can be adjusted in combination to match theinput port to 50Ω. For small input signals, the diodes areoff and the transformer sees a load of 804Ω in Figure2. That load is reflected to the input as approximately50Ω because of the transformer’s primary-to-secondaryimpedance ratio of 16. For larger input signals, theSchottky diodes turn on, reducing the 604Ω resistanceto nearly a short circuit. This degrades the referenceinput return loss—a problem that can be avoided byadjusting the values of R1 and R2, but there are tradeoffsto doing so.For large input signals, the input return loss can beimproved by increasing R1’s value, and reducing R2’sL, LT, LTC, LTM, Linear Technology, and the Linear logo are registered trademarksof Linear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of theirrespective owners.05/13/514

3.3V3.3V10MHz REF IN–10dBm to 24dBm0.1µFWBC16-1TR1100Ω0.1µF R1100ΩR2604Ω0.1µF0.1µF FILTAHSMS-281C0.1µFFILTBLTC6957HMS-3112FILTA SD12V +11V+ OUT3IN +10OUT14IN –9OUT258GND GNDOUT67FILTB SD20.1µFCMOS OUT1, 10MHzCMOS OUT2, 10MHzWENZEL501-04608APHASE NOISE FLOOR =–169dBc/Hz AT100kHz OFFSET10MHz TEST TONE–10dBm to 10dBmPHASE NOISE FLOOR = –163dBc/HzAT100kHz OFFSET AND –10dBmPHASE NOISE FLOOR = –169dBc/HzAT100kHz OFFSET AND 10dBm100Ω100ΩAGILENTE5052APHASE NOISEFLOOR READINGFigure 2. 10MHz Reference Input Circuit Employing the LTC6957-3 with Front-End Protection,Shown with Test Signal and Phase Noise Measurement Set-Up0.1µFDN514 F02value, such that their combined series resistance remainsaround 800Ω. However, since R1 appears in serieswith the signal, it adds noise to it. A larger R1 comes incombination with a smaller R2, resulting in a smallerportion of the signal appearing at the LTC6957-3’sinput, further degrading the phase noise performance.In other words, the designer can trade off phase noiseperformance for input return loss by playing with thevalues of R1 and R2. The values shown in Figure 2 strikean overall balance of these two performance metrics.The AC-coupling capacitor separating the connectorfrom the transformer in Figure 2 offers input protectionfrom DC sources.The LTC6957-3 has internal lowpass filters that canbe selected via the FILTA and FILTB pins. This optionstrategically limits the bandwidth of the LTC6957’s firstamplifier stage, and hence, the additive phase noise ofthe circuit, especially when the input signal is weak asshown below.PerformanceA 10MHz OCXO is connected to the input of the circuitvia a step attenuator as shown in Figure 2. The referenceinput signal is varied between –10dBm and 10dBm whilemeasuring the phase noise floor at the output of theLTC6957-3 with different input filter settings using theAgilent E5052A signal source analyzer. Figure 3 showsthe phase noise floor of the 10MHz CMOS clock outputof the LTC6957-3 measured at a 100kHz offset.If the amplitude of the externally applied 10MHz referencesignal is not known, pulling FILTA low and FILTBhigh yields good overall phase noise performance asData Sheet Downloadwww.linear.com/LTC6957shown in Figure 3. Nevertheless, performance canbe optimized if the applied signal level at the input ismeasured and appropriate filter settings are applied.The R1 and R2 values chosen in Figure 2 result in aninput return loss of –9dB when the reference input’spower is 0dBm into 50Ω. The return loss is better atlower input powers and worse at higher powers.PHASE NOISE FLOOR AT 100kHz OFFSET (dBc/Hz)–140–145–150–155–160–165–170–10FILTA, FILTB = L, LFILTA, FILTB = L, HFILTA, FILTB = H, LFILTA, FILTB = H, HOPTIMUM FILTSETTINGS–5 0 5 1010MHz REFERENCE INPUT POWERWITH REFERENCE TO 50Ω (dBm) DN514 F03Figure 3. 100kHz Offset Phase Noise Floor at the Outputof the LTC6957-3 vs 10MHz Reference Input Power Levelfor Various LTC6957 Filter SettingsConclusionA robust, high performance 10MHz reference inputcircuit is built around the LTC6957-3. Features includea wide range of input signal type and level compatibility,protection and clock distribution with limited phasenoise degradation. The circuit’s phase noise and inputreturn loss are evaluated and optimized. The LTC6957-3simplifies the design process while achieving excellentoverall performance.For applications help,call (408) 432-1900Linear Technology Corporation1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507 ● www.linear.comdn514f LT/AP 0513 196K • PRINTED IN THE USA© LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2013

designideasCLASSICSOriginally published in the April 26, 1990, issue of EDNBender senses shocksDon Sherman, Maxim Integrated Products, Sunnyvale, CA↘With the aid of a simple mountingsystem and some soldered-onweights, a piezoelectric “bender” candetect mechanical shocks. The bendercomprises a piezoelectric-ceramic elementbonded to a thin brass disc. Suchassemblies form the heart of many telephoneannunciators and wrist-watchor panel-mounted alarms.Depending on the mountingscheme, the bender can sense shocksin one axis (Figure 1a) or three axes(Figure 1b). For one-axis sensing, solderone edge of the bender to a mountingbolt. Opposite the mounting bolt,solder a weight to increase the bender’ssensitivity. A small hook affixed to themounting substrate limits motion sothat the brittle piezoelectric elementwill not crack.For three-axis sensitivity, solder oneedge to a mounting bolt as before. Atthe other edge, solder a flat-head boltthat points away from the mountingsubstrate. Use a pair of jam nuts toincrease the assembly’s polar momentof inertia. The jam nuts’ position determinesthe bender’s sensitivity.In both cases, apply your solderingiron as briefly as possible to the benderto avoid damaging the piezoelectricelement’s bond to the brass disc.Figure 2 shows a simple alarm circuit.Giving the bender a good smackwill develop several volts across R 1,the 10-MΩ resistor. The dual-timerIC, IC 1, will then pulse the outputalarm for one minute at a 1-Hz rate.The alarm has its own driver circuitand sounds a piercing 90-dB tone whenenergized.The bender and alarm are bothavailable from Projects Unlimited,Dayton, OH.EDNFigure 1 Solidly mounting one end of a piezoelectric “bender” and affixing a weight to the opposite edge transforms the benderinto a shock sensor. Here, “a” is sensitive to vertical-axis shocks only; “b” senses shocks in all three axes.Figure 2 The circuit sounds a 1-sec alarm whenever you give the bender a good smack.[ www.edn.com]May 2013 | EDN 55

10987000615243supplychainLinking design and resourcesSoftware supply chain’s soft underbellyWith all the attentionon counterfeit electroniccomponents,it’s easy to overlook the vulnerabilitiesof other supply chainsin the computing industry. Arecent Gartner report (http://gtnr.it/14hObdi) calls attentionto the importance of investigatingthe supply chains ofsoftware, services, and evendata. The report warns that the“IT supply chain” has becomealarmingly insecure.One example the reportcites is the admission in May2012 by Chinese mobile-phoneGREEN UPDATEmaker ZTE that one model ofits Android phone had a backdoorinstalled in its software.The backdoor, which wasfound only in smartphonesshipped to the United States,allowed installation of arbitraryapplications and full access toany data stored on the phone.There could be other smartphoneswith similar vulnerabilities,says the report.To protect against suchhacks, corporations need toinstitute a formal IT supply-chainrisk-management program,including investigation into theThE FUTUrE OF ClEAn MAnUFACTUrInGIn ThE UnITEd STATESrobustness of software-updatemechanisms, says the report.For smartphones, in particular,it recommends asking all hardwareand software suppliers forspecifics on how they updatefirmware and software.The Gartner report notes thatjust because this happened ina ZTE phone doesn’t necessarilymean that the companyhad a nefarious motive. Indeed,the backdoor could have been“developed and installed by adisgruntled or rogue employee,assuming he or she circumventedsource-code controlImproving supply-chain and manufacturingmethods, and educating consumers todemand greener electronics as well as lesspackaging, is a good start for any supply chainwishing to contribute responsibly to a cleanerenvironment while doing its business. I waspleased to learn that the US department ofEnergy (dOE) on March 26 launched the CleanEnergy Manufacturing Initiative (CEMI) (http://1.usa.gov/12rC2ln). The initiative focuseson “growing American manufacturing of cleanenergy products and boosting US competitivenessacross all sectors through major improvementsin manufacturing energy productivity.”So, what does the CEMI mean for the supplychain? According to the Solar Foundation,roughly 30,000 jobs in the solar sector in theUnited States are in manufacturing. In addition,the US wind supply chain has grown inrecent years. nearly 70% of the componentparts of wind installations in the United Statesare being sourced domestically. All of this efforttranslates into a means of reducing localand global air pollution. It also contributes to a7.9% reduction in computers and electronicsin the supply chain.According to the dOE, with the recentopening to manufacturers of a $35 million,state-of-the-art Carbon Fiber TechnologyFacility (CFTF) in Oak ridge, Tn, clean-energycompanies and researchers are provided witha test bed for the development of less expensive,better-performing carbon-fiber materialsand manufacturing processes. The CFTF willhelp manufacturers lower the cost of producingtheir products, which, in turn, will reduceend-consumer prices.The new facility represents a great potentialin positioning the United States in the growinginternational carbon-fiber manufacturing sector.Finally, what is good for the environment isgood for us.—by Susan FourtanéThis story was originally posted by EBn: http://bit.ly/110Cmm2.and deployment managementsystems.”Or maybe it didn’t comefrom ZTE at all. The Economistreported recently that whenan American telecommunicationscompany investigated aChinese company acquired byone of the American company’svendors, it found the Chinesecompany to be clean. Itturned out, however, that theChinese company was outsourcingsoftware developmentto a firm that was a frontfor russian intelligence (http://econ.st/110Fmif).That’s a perfect exampleof why today’s convoluted ITsupply chain is increasinglyinsecure. The Gartner reportsays software supply chainscan be easy targets becauseof increased use of outsourcedsoftware development. Evenif a company uses its owndevelopers, many use thirdpartylibraries and frameworksthat include open-source software,which can be vulnerable.In addition, with the useof increasingly active code atmany layers, the use of software-basedplatforms atopoperating systems providesnew opportunities to insertbackdoors and vulnerabilities.Finally, content itself can beused to attack. Exploits againsthidden application-layer vulnerabilitiescan change aninnocent piece of code into anattack vector.Are you doing what youshould to ensure the integrityof your software supply chain?—by Tam HarbertThis story was originally postedby EBn: http://bit.ly/ZRkSFK.56 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

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productroundupSenSorS/TranSducerSProgrammable Hall switch from Diodes Incextends design flexibility↘The AH1898 programmable omnipolar Hall effect switch enables designersto use the same contactless detection circuit in multiple applications or withdifferent field strengths. It features a band-select pin, allowing device sensitivity tobe changed to one of two predefined magnetic sensitivity ranges, and has been optimizedfor use across a 1.6 to 3.6V low-voltage supply range with a hibernating clockingsystem to minimize power consumption. The device helps extend portable batterycelllifetime with an average supply current of 4.3 μA (typical) at 1.8V. The AH1898has an 8 kV ESD rating on supply and output pins, and a chopper stabilized designthat delivers temperature stability over the operating range of −40 to +85°C, absoluteminimum switch point drift, and enhanced immunity to RF noise and physical stress.The switch is available in the miniature 0.8×0.8-mm CSP package, with a 4-pinfootprint and integration of pull-up resistors that result in reduced external componentcounts and simplification of PCB layouts. Prices start at 20 cents (10,000).Diodes Inc, www.diodes.comMeasurement Specialties offers digital barometricsensor in a compact QFN package↘The MS5637 digital barometricpressure sensor uses an integrated24-bit ADC to precisely processpressure and temperature values inas little as 0.5 msec. A low powerdraw of 0.6 μA combined witha compact footprint of 3×3×0.9 mmmakes this high-resolution moduleideal for handheld,mobile devices.The MS5637’shigh-resolutiontemperature output enables operationas an altimeter or thermometer, and ahigh-linearity pressure sensor providesan altitude resolution of 13 cm at sealevel for accurate measurements.Standby power is less than 0.15 μA at25°C, supply-voltage ranges from 1.5 to3.6V, and the ADC interfaces withmicrocontrollers via an I 2 C interface.The sensor operates from 300 to 1200mbar over an extended temperaturerange of −40 to +85°C, with a longtermstability of ±1 mbar per year.Pricing for the MS5637 is less than $1(1 million). Delivery time is dependentupon quantity.Measurement Specialists,www.meas-spec.comNine sensors includedin contextual awarenesskit from InvenSense↘A contextual awareness systemdevelopment kit (CA-SDK)combines nine sensors and software ona 1.71×1.46-in. PCB configured into awearable watchband. Wearable sensorinnovations enable applicationsand productsto offer orientationtrackingand activity recognition.It can alsobe used in sleepmonitoring, posturedetection, and immediateenvironment detection applications.The kit features the MPU-9250nine-axis MotionTracking deviceand InvenSense’s algorithms forMotionFusion. It incorporates temperature,humidity, UV light, proximity,pressure, and light sensors, and comeswith an embedded motion-processinglibrary, USB port, onboard memory, andBluetooth module. The MPU-9250 willbe available in the summer of 2013, andprices start at $5.50 (1000).InvenSense, www.invensense.com[ www.edn.com]May 2013 | EDN 59

The LA-25 series LVDTs aredesigned for harsh environments.The robust position sensor has a 1-in.OD aluminum housing with a wall thatthe company claims is five times asthick as competitive products. It is terproductroundupAlps doubles dynamicrange of geomagneticsensor↘Housed in a 1.6×1.6×0.7-mm LGApackage, the HSCDTD008Ageomagnetic sensor is 60% smaller thanearlier HSCD series models, and deliverstwo times the dynamic range. Thedevice is capable of measuring magneticfield strengths of ±2.4 mT on each of itsthree axes and provides an output resolutionof 0.15 μT/LSB. Geomagnetic sensorsin the HSCD series are intended foruse in compact electronic equipment.The size reduction and wider range arethe result of applyinga thin-filmprocess and magneticsimulationtechnology. Lownoise and highresolution areachieved in the ASIC, which employsan Alps-developed algorithm that allowscalibration with a natural user action.The sample price for the HSCDTD008Ais 1000 yen, or about $10.Alps Electric, www.alps.comUSB power sensorcovers dc to 110 GHz↘The NRP-Z58 power sensorboasts a frequency range from dcto 110 GHz and a measurement speedof 300 readings/sec in buffered mode. Italso provides a power measurementrange of −35 to 20 dBm. For relativemeasurements, such as amplificationand reflection, the NRP-Z58 achieveslinearity of 0.007 dB (0.16%) up to 67GHz and 0.010 dB (0.23%) between 67and 110 GHz. The device connectsdirectly to a PC via a USB port in orderto analyze measurement results, and canbe used in combination with the NRP2base unit or withnearly any signalgenerator,signal and spectrum analyzer, or networkanalyzer from Rohde & Schwarz.The 1-mm coaxial plug screws securelyonto the jack of the measuring instrumentto provide high measurementreproducibility.Rohde & Schwarz,www.rohde-schwarz.comLow-noise MEMSmicrophone fromAnalog Devices targetshearing aids↘The ADMP801 MEMS electretcondenser microphone measures7.3 mm 3 , produces a low EIN (equivalentinput noise) of 27 dBa SPL (sound pressurelevel), and consumes just 17 μAwith a 1V supply. The device is an analog-output,bottom-ported omnidirectionalMEMS microphone designedspecifically for hearing aids. Housed in asurface-mount LGA package that is3.35×2.50×0.98 mm, the microphone isreflow-solderable with no sensitivity degradation.The ADMP801 is $10.78(1000). An evaluation board, the EVAL-ADMP801Z-FLEX, sells for $95 each.Analog Devices, www.analog.comBourns Inc expandsnon-contacting rotaryposition sensor line↘The AMS22U and AMM20Bnon-contacting rotary positionsensors use magnetic Hall effect technologyin such applications as patientplatform position feedback, pneumaticcontrol valve position feedback, actuatormotor position feedback, life/shuttlesuspension, and tilt control feedback.The AMS22U is a single-turn sensorthat offers a rotational life of up to 100million cycles. It features a 1/8-in. shaftsupported by dual ball bearings and afactory-programmable electrical anglefrom 10 to 360 degrees. The AMM20Bis a multi-turn model that features arotational life of up to 50 million cycles,depending on theproduct and application.It has aslim-profile package,12-bit resolution,and a factory-programmableelectrical angle from 1080to 3600 degrees. The sensors are availablenow in sample and productionquantities. The AMS22U is priced at$35 each (1000), and the AMM20B ispriced at $24 each (1000).Bourns Inc, www.bourns.comST launches single-chipmagnetometer↘The LIS3MDL is a high-performance,standalone three-axismagnetometer that delivers flexibilityfor sensor-fusion designs. Housed in a2×2×1-mm package, the sensor is usedin mobile phones, tablets, and personalnavigation devices and is suited toindoor navigation as it can calculatedead reckoning without satellite signals.The magnetometer can be combinedwith other discrete sensors, suchas the three-axis MEMS accelerometeror the three-axis MEMS gyroscope, tobuild sensors with as many as ninedegrees of freedom. Mass production isscheduled for Q2 2013, and unit pricingis 60 cents (1000).STMicroelectronics, www.st.comAlliance Sensors introducesindustrial LVDTs↘60 EDN | MAY 2013 [ www.edn.com]

minated with either a cable in a cordgrip or a heavy-duty axial connector.The housing features a threaded endnose that can go through a 0.88-in. holein a bulkhead or bracket up to 0.13-in.thick for single-hole mounting. It isavailable in full ranges from 3 to 15 in.,and rated IP-67, so it can survive industrialwash-downs and equipment cleaning.Pricing for the LA-25 series variesdepending on connector and stroke.AllianceSensors Group,www.alliancesensors.comAgilent Technologies’thermocouple powersensors are fast,accurate↘The U8480 series of USB thermocouple-basedpower sensorsdelivers a measurement speed of 400readings/sec, with the ability to measuredown to dc. USB functionalityenables the sensor to plug directly intoa PC or USB-enabled instrument toallow power measurements without anexternal power meter or power supply.The U8480 series provides power linearityof less than 0.8%, a built-in triggerfunction to synchronize measurementcapture, and an internal calibrationfunction that reduces measurementuncertainty. The U8481A modelcovers frequency ranges of 10 MHz to18 GHz, and the U8485A covers 10MHz to 33 GHz, with the option toexpand the frequency range from 10MHz down to dc. The U8481A andU8485A thermocouple power sensorscost $2835 and $4028, respectively,while dc-coupled versions cost $3043and $4236, respectively.Agilent Technologies,www.agilent.comBosch unveilsconsumer MEMS↘The BMA355 three-axis accelerometermeasures 1.2×1.5×0.8mm 3 and provides ultralow-power performancewhile an integrated interruptengine permits 12-bit resolution in smalldevices. For larger devices, the accelerometerincludes on-chip motion detection,portrait-landscape orientationswitching,laying-flat detection, tap/double-tap sensing, shock detection, andfree-fall protection. The BNO055 is thefirst member of a new Bosch Sensortecfamily of Application Specific SensorNodes, and implements a nine-axis sensorand sensor fusionin a single package.The 5×4.5-mm 2 system-inpackageincludesa 12-bit accelerometer,a triaxial 16-bitgyroscope, a triaxial geomagnetic sensor,and a 32-bit microcontroller runningBosch’s FusionLib software.Bosch, www.bosch.comStackpole currentsenseresistors keeptheir cool↘The BR series of through-holecurrent-sense resistors elevatethe resistive element off of the PCB tomaximize cooling and minimize theamount of heat at the board level.Devices in the series offer power ratingsof 1, 3, and 5W with a choice of ±1%,±2%, and ±5% tolerances; resistancevalues from 5 to 100 mΩ; a temperaturecoefficient of resistance (TCR) of 20ppm/°C; and current handling to 70 A.Prices vary depending on size, resistancevalue, and tolerance, and rangefrom 16 to 38 cents (1000) for the mostcommon values and sizes. Lead time iseight weeks, with popular values andsizes available from stock.Stackpole Electronics,www.seielect.comTI sensor-to-processorchip reduces videosystem size↘The SN65LVDS324 sensor-toprocessorchip lowers BOM,reduces system power consumption,and shrinks package size, while providingfull HD, 1080p60 image quality ina host of video capture applications andvideo recording equipment. As a dedicatedbridge for video streams betweenHD image sensors and processors, thechip typically consumes less than 150mW and supports a wide range of resolutionsand frame rates, up to 1080p60full-HD to maximize system performance.It is also optimized to work witha variety of processors, including TI’sOMAP and DaVinci processors forvideo applications. The SN65LVDS324is available in a 4.5×7-mm, 59-ballPBGA (ZQL) package, and costs$2.65 (1000).Texas Instruments, www.ti.comCompanyA Dv ERTISER I NDExPageAgilent Technologies 15, C-3Allied Electronics S-2Analog Devices 8APEC 32Arrow ElectronicsCS-4Avnet 57Coilcraft 3CST of America Inc 25Dassault Systems 39Digi-Key CorpC-1, C-2,CS-2Ellsworth Adhesives 42Emulation Technology 28Future Electronics Inc S-5, S-7Interconnect Systems Inc 45International Rectifier 21Linear Technology54A–54B,C-4LPKF 33Maxim Integrated 49Melexis Inc17, CS-3Mill-Max Manufacturing 11Mouser Electronics 6National Instruments 4Pico Electronics Inc 7, 43RFM 35, 46Rochester Electronics S-9Rohde & Schwarz Gmbh & Co 13, 26, 41RTG Inc 44Stanford Research Systems 31TDK-Lambda Americas Inc 19UBM EDN 18, 53, 58Wind River 51EDN provides this index as an additional service. Thepublisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.[ www.edn.com]MAY 2013 | EDN 61

Tales from The CuberiChard davis • TeleCommuniCaTions engineerDebugging with a LASERCounting the printers, media players, power-tool aimingdevices, and laser pointers used to tease the cat,I have more than a dozen lasers in my house, andmany more around my office. I certainly didn’t foreseethat happening at the time of my first encounterwith laser technology 50 years ago. My first full-timejob was as an electronics technician for a large military-electronicscontractor. And among my first assignments was testing a remarkablenew thing called a laser. The laser was so new that it wasspelled in all caps like an acronym, sometimes even with periodsbetween letters. An office joke was that “L.A.S.E.R.” stood forLatest Angle to Secure Expensive Resources.Another technician and I were putin a lab with a laser and left to test itday after day. The laser we were testingwas quite something for its time—a 5Wpulsed ruby laser with a flash-tube exciter.The ruby rod and a straight flash tuberan down the two foci of an ellipticallybored-out aluminum cylinder, whichitself was wrapped in cooling tubes. Thelaser, about the size of a 2-lb coffee can,looked like something straight out of aBuck Rogers movie.Our job was to record data fromabout 10,000 laser test firings. Heatdissipation, then as now, was the limitingfactor on laser power, and measurementsfrom a dozen thermocouples werewhat we logged, by hand.The testing took place during atoasty July. The air-conditioning atour lab couldn’t keep up with the load,and open windows, fans, and T-shirtsbecame the defenses against the weather.The open windows and heat seemedto bring out the flies. Nobody ever figuredout the exact source of the flies,but they were everywhere. By earlyafternoon each day, dozens of large fliesfound their way to our side of the windowscreens.In conditions made worse by theheat and the real bugs, the boredomgot to us: Fire the laser, read the instruments,write down the data, wait forthe flash-tube capacitors to recharge,swat the flies.There was little break from the tedium,and our idle minds quickly turnedto finding out what the laser could do.The output of the 5W laser was normallydumped onto a steel plate—safebut dull. We sought more exotic targets.We were disappointed that we couldnot make our laser drill a hole in a razorblade, the standard “wow” demonstrationof laser power in the early days ofthe technology. The best we could dowas create a pretty, blue-ish dot on aGillette single-edge blade. But our lasercould poke a clean hole through stackedsheets of paper. Twenty-seven sheetswas our record.our idle minds TurnedTo finding ouT whaTThe laser Could do.What I don’t recall is which of uscame up with the idea of the laser flyswatter. The laser turned out to beremarkably good at eliminating thepesky flies. Our technique was quiterefined: We shut one of the big, double-hungwindows, trapping the fliesbetween the glass and the screen torestrict their movement. We aimed thelaser at a fly, unconcerned in the daysbefore OSHA about exactly where thelaser beam traveled on its way out of thelab. Flash! Crack! One less fly.About a week after the end of labtesting, however, we had to answersome tough questions from our boss.Did we have any idea, he asked, whatmight have caused the dozens of smallholes that now peppered the windowscreens in that lab?With experience I have becomemuch more safety conscious, and I’mnow careful to consider a full range ofconsequences—both intended and unintended—whentesting new systems.EDNRichard Davis is a telecommunications engineerworking in mobile-phone services,including E911 and location services.Daniel Vasconcellos62 EDN | MAY 2013[ www.edn.com]

No other oscilloscope can touch it.But you can.The oscilloscope experience redefined.Agilent’s next-generation oscilloscopes offerwaveform update rates 20 times faster thanthe competition. With the latest capacitivetouchscreen technology and innovativeInfiniiScan Zone touch triggering, you haven’treally experienced an oscilloscope until now.Agilent InfiniiVision4000 X-Series Oscilloscopes200 MHz to 1.5 GHz12.1-inch screen designed for touchInfiniiScan Zone touch triggering1M waveforms/sec update rateFully upgradable: bandwidth, MSO,dual-channel WaveGen, DVM,serial analysis including USBScan or visithttp://qrs.ly/ey263t8to see a video demoAgilent and ourDistributor NetworkRight Instrument.Right Expertise.Delivered Right Now.Buy from anAuthorized Distributorwww.agilent.com/find/distributorsExperience the difference.See demos, app notes and more.www.agilent.com/find/4000Xscope© Agilent Technologies 2012

Wireless Mesh Network.Wired Reliability.Every Node Can Run on Batteries for >10 Years at >99.999% ReliabilityThe Dust Networks LTC ® 5800 and LTP ® 5900 product families from Linear Technology are embedded wireless sensornetworks (WSN) that deliver unmatched ultralow power operation and superior reliability. This ensures flexibility inplacing sensors exactly where needed, with low cost “peel and stick” installations. The highly integrated SmartMesh ®LTC5800 (system-on-chip) and LTP5900 (PCB module) families are the industry’s lowest power IEEE 802.15.4e compliantwireless sensor networking products.Features• Routing Nodes Consume 99.999% Reliability Even in theMost Challenging RF Environments• Complete Wireless Mesh Solution – NoNetwork Stack Development Required• Network Management and NIST-Certified Security Capabilities• Two Standards-Compliant Families:SmartMesh IP (6LoWPAN) andSmartMesh WirelessHART (IEC62591)Highly Integrated LTC5800 andLTP5900 FamiliesLTC5800Flash512KBSRAM72KBSmartMeshNetworkingSoftwareARMCortex-M3LTP5900/1/2(PCB)CLIUART(2-pin)APIUART(6-pin)AESCryptoMACEngineTempSensor32kHz802.15.4eTransceiverAnalogInputs20MHzTXICXPADigitalI/OInfo & Starter Kitswww.linear.com/dust1-800-4-LINEARwww.linear.com/starterkits, LT, LTC, LTM, LTP, Linear Technology, the Linear logo, theDust Networks logo and SmartMesh are registered trademarks ofLinear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners.

No other oscilloscope can touch it.But you can.The oscilloscope experience redefined.Agilent’s next-generation oscilloscopes offerwaveform update rates 20 times faster thanthe competition. With the latest capacitivetouchscreen technology and innovativeInfiniiScan Zone touch triggering, you haven’treally experienced an oscilloscope until now.Agilent InfiniiVision4000 X-Series Oscilloscopes200 MHz to 1.5 GHz12.1-inch screen designed for touchInfiniiScan Zone touch triggering1M waveforms/sec update rateFully upgradable: bandwidth, MSO,dual-channel WaveGen, DVM,serial analysis including USBScan or visithttp://qrs.ly/ey263t8to see a video demoAgilent and ourDistributor NetworkRight Instrument.Right Expertise.Delivered Right Now.Buy from anAuthorized Distributorwww.agilent.com/find/distributorsExperience the difference.See demos, app notes and more.www.agilent.com/find/4000Xscope© Agilent Technologies 2012

Wireless Mesh Network.Wired Reliability.Every Node Can Run on Batteries for >10 Years at >99.999% ReliabilityThe Dust Networks LTC ® 5800 and LTP ® 5900 product families from Linear Technology are embedded wireless sensornetworks (WSN) that deliver unmatched ultralow power operation and superior reliability. This ensures flexibility inplacing sensors exactly where needed, with low cost “peel and stick” installations. The highly integrated SmartMesh ®LTC5800 (system-on-chip) and LTP5900 (PCB module) families are the industry’s lowest power IEEE 802.15.4e compliantwireless sensor networking products.Features• Routing Nodes Consume 99.999% Reliability Even in theMost Challenging RF Environments• Complete Wireless Mesh Solution – NoNetwork Stack Development Required• Network Management and NIST-Certified Security Capabilities• Two Standards-Compliant Families:SmartMesh IP (6LoWPAN) andSmartMesh WirelessHART (IEC62591)Highly Integrated LTC5800 andLTP5900 FamiliesLTC5800Flash512KBSRAM72KBSmartMeshNetworkingSoftwareARMCortex-M3LTP5900/1/2(PCB)CLIUART(2-pin)APIUART(6-pin)AESCryptoMACEngineTempSensor32kHz802.15.4eTransceiverAnalogInputs20MHzTXICXPADigitalI/OInfo & Starter Kitswww.linear.com/dust1-800-4-LINEARwww.linear.com/starterkits, LT, LTC, LTM, LTP, Linear Technology, the Linear logo, theDust Networks logo and SmartMesh are registered trademarks ofLinear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are theproperty of their respective owners.