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A USB reinforced isolator, Linear Technology’s LTM2894 guards against ground-to-ground voltage differentials and large common-mode transients. It separates grounds by isolating a pair of USB signal transceivers using internal signal isolation, providing 7500 VRMS isolation for 1 minute, plus common-mode rejection of greater than 50 kV/µs

Following its acquisition of Atmel, Microchip has announced a new generation of 8-bit tinyAVR MCUs. From its PIC series, Microchip has applied the concept of core independent peripherals, that can exchange data without waking the main processor core, and implemented it in the tinyAVRs.

Linear Technology’s LTC5596 RMS power detector has a wide RF input bandwidth of 100 MHz to 40 GHz with a linear dynamic range of 35 dB. The device responds in a log-linear 29-mV/dB scale to signal levels ranging from -37 dBm to -2 dBm, with less than ±1-dB error from 200 MHz to 30 GHz. In addition, the LTC5596’s response has ±1-dB flatness within this frequency range.

Linear Technology’s LTC4420 dual-input monolithic power prioritizer for 1.8-V to 18-V systems ensures smooth backup switchover to keep critical circuitry alive during brownout and power-loss conditions. Its 18-V operating capability accommodates a wide range of power sources, including wall adapters, USB ports, supercapacitors, and stacked batteries with lithium-ion, alkaline, or NiMH cells.

Analog Devices’ AD9164 16-bit, 12-Gsamples/s DAC with on-chip DDS performs direct RF synthesis at 6 Gsamples/s. This compact device brings high resolution and improved accuracy to a wide range of applications, from radar systems to smart-phone testing.

Aimed at industrial equipment and large household appliances, the XC9263 and XC9264 series of synchronous step-down DC/DC converters from Torex Semiconductor furnish 500 mA of output current. The devices, which incorporate an internal high-side/low-side driver transistor, have an input voltage range of 3 V to 18 V. Their output voltage ranges from 1 V to 15 V, accurate to within ±1.5%.

Higher efficiency in DC-DC power modules is constantly being pushed to the limit---just when we think we have reached that limit---another clever design breakthrough is made; good designers always find a way. Efficiencies in the 60% to 70% range used to be the standard, now designers expect it to be in the range of 85% to 90% and even higher

he LTC3895 step-down switching-regulator controller from Linear Technology drives an all N-channel synchronous power MOSFET stage. Its 4-V to 140-V (150-V absolute maximum) input range allows the device to operate from a high-input-voltage source or from an input that has high-voltage

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) introduced a high power (44 watts peak) single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) silicon switch that enables designers to reduce hardware size and bias power consumption in cellular radio systems.

Allegro MicroSystems’ ACS730 Hall-effect current sensor provides 1-MHz bandwidth and a fast response time of 210 ns. The device comes in versions that offer primary sensed current of ±20 A, ±40 A, and ±50 A with sensitivity of 100 mV/A, 50 mV/A, and 40 mV/A, respectively.