Understanding the Theory Behind Transient Thermal Impedance

Transient thermal impedance is a measure of how a device behaves when pulsed power is applied. Transient thermal impedance is an important parameter, as it determines how the device behaves under low-duty cycles and low-frequency pulsed loads. IC packages have many thermal metrics, such as θJA and ΨJT. These parameters make it simple to estimate … Read more

Beware of These Electric Vehicle Charging Challenges

The batteries and charging systems associated with electric vehicles play a crucial role in determining the efficiency and cost of these vehicles. This article discusses the potential challenges of wired and wireless electric vehicle charging methods. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are gaining interest due to their promising attributes. These charging technologies can be classified into two categories: … Read more

Characterizing High-voltage Inductors and Magnetic Material via Triangular Flux Excitation

Measuring power inductors to obtain real-life, application-relevant data is a challenge. The challenge further increases when using high voltages, such as in offline applications like PFC, electric vehicle inverters, and fast-chargers. DC losses are relatively easy to predict when the operating temperature and DC resistance are known. But to what extent are losses caused by … Read more

An Introduction to Power Analysis Side Channel Attacks

Learn the basics of how power-based side-channel attacks work and the different types of power analysis attacks, including simple power analysis (SPA), differential power analysis (DPA), and correlational power analysis (CPA). Previously, I provided an introduction to the field of side-channel attacks as a whole, including why they can pose a significant security threat at … Read more

Mitigating Smart Meter Security Risk: A Privacy-preserving Approach

This article provides techniques to safeguard against security threats and maintain the privacy of smart metering systems. Smart metering systems have transformed energy distribution systems by providing real-time energy consumption data and better energy management. However, the widespread use of smart meters has also introduced significant security risks that can compromise customer privacy and security. … Read more

10 Tips for Designing With High-voltage Resistors

Optimized strategies prioritize the definition and testing of key components early in the design cycle. High-voltage resistors are one such component. Here are 10 tips for designing with high-voltage resistors. Optimized strategies prioritize the definition and testing of key components early in the design cycle. “High voltage” is a term that can have several meanings, … Read more

How Is Solar Panel Efficiency Measured?

In this technical article, we’ll dive into the details of how to accurately measure solar panel efficiency using industry-standard methods. In modern times, the demand for energy is increasing rapidly, and non-renewable sources alone cannot meet this demand. Renewables such as solar energy have gained importance due to their abundance and potential to meet the energy … Read more

Understanding Electric Vehicle Charging Technology

The electric vehicle market’s adoption is aided by the development of charging infrastructure. This article provides an overview of the charging technologies available for electric vehicles. The primary cause of environmental pollution, which worsens air quality and contributes to global warming by releasing harmful air pollutants (such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, etc.), … Read more

Maximizing Thermal Performance With Thermal Paste

This article explores the importance of thermal paste in high-power electronics, including its conductivity and ability to enhance durability and maximize thermal performance. Thermal paste, commonly called thermal compound or grease, is a dense material that accelerates thermal conductivity between heat-generating components of electronic devices and systems. Thermal paste is vital in managing heat in … Read more