Our mission on All About Circuits is to inform you about key developments in electronics and semiconductor technology. With that in mind, we’re introducing a new article format—Tech Shorts—to round up news items we might otherwise miss during a busy week.
Here’s a taste of several newly announced products spanning applications from smart homes to data centers.
1. Qorvo Introduces Matter SoC
Qorvo recently announced its latest IoT solution, the QPG6200L SoC, designed for smart home devices. Featuring the company’s proprietary ConcurrentConnect technology, this SoC supports multiple protocols, including Matter, Zigbee, and Bluetooth Low Energy.
Block diagram of the QPG6200L. Image used courtesy of Qorvo
The QPG6200L is said to excel in energy efficiency, with a sleep current of less than 1 µA, making it 30% more power-efficient than competing solutions. Optimized for battery-operated and energy-harvesting devices, Qorvo tailored the QPG6200L for IoT applications such as sensors, lighting, and home hubs. The SoC also integrates a built-in secure element and achieves PSA Level 2 certification to provide robust protection against common IoT software vulnerabilities.
The QPG6200L is currently available for sampling, with full production expected to begin next year.
2. Nuvoton Unveils AI Development Board
Nuvoton recently launched its NuEzAI-M55M1 development board to simplify endpoint AI development by eliminating the need for extensive programming skills. Powered by the NuMicro M55M1 microcontroller, this development board is based on the Arm Cortex-M55 core, clocked at 220 MHz, and includes an Arm Ethos-U55 NPU. This combination allows the board to handle both machine learning inference and CNN/RNN operations efficiently. The microcontroller is equipped with 1.5 MB of SRAM and 2 MB of Flash memory, which can be expanded using HYPERBUS interfaces to support HYPERRAM or HYPERFLASH.
The NuEzAI-M55M1 offers digital signal processing and on-device machine-learning inference capabilities. Image used courtesy of Nuvoton
Nuvoton boasts the M55M1’s ability to operate at a low voltage range of 1.8 V to 3.6 V while maintaining functionality across extreme temperature conditions, from -40°C to +105°C. The M55M1 integrates several features to optimize power consumption and security. For instance, during low-power sleep mode, the CPU allows various sensors, such as microphones and image sensors, to continue operating and monitoring predefined events. Furthermore, the NPU enables secure, on-chip storage of machine-learning model data, reducing the risk of tampering or data theft.
3. Microchip Launches Voltage-Controlled SAW Oscillators
Microchip recently unveiled its new family of voltage-controlled SAW oscillators (VCSOs), the 101765 series (datasheet linked). The new family targets radar and test instrumentation systems that demand ultra-low phase noise and high-frequency stability. Available in 320 MHz and 400 MHz configurations, these VCSOs offer phase noise performance of 166 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset to provide exceptional signal clarity in mission-critical applications like radar systems and active electronically scanned array (AESA) systems.
Functional block diagram of Microchip’s new VCSOs, the 101765. Image used courtesy of Microchip
Packaged in a small 1-inch × 1-inch hermetic Kovar enclosure, the VCSOs are optimized for aerospace and defense applications, where size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) drive design considerations. The devices operate at supply voltages ranging from 4.75 V to 15.75 V, with a current draw of 111 mA. Meanwhile, the ultra-low phase noise characteristics of these devices enable better lower-limit detection, enhancing radar accuracy and overall system performance.
4. Toshiba Adds 1200-V SiC Schottky Barrier Diodes
Toshiba recently expanded its lineup of third-generation silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky barrier diodes (SBD) with the TRSxxx120Hx series. Toshiba designed these 1,200-V-rated devices to enhance the efficiency of industrial power systems. The new diodes use Toshiba’s advanced junction barrier Schottky (JBS) structure, which combines a merged PiN Schottky (MPS) design to lower forward voltage at high currents while simultaneously reducing leakage current. This structure equips the diodes for high-power applications such as photovoltaic inverters, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
Toshiba’s new SiC SBD devices have a high IF-VF curve because of their JBS structure. Image used courtesy of Toshiba
Toshiba claims that the TRSxxx120Hx series offers an industry-leading forward voltage of 1.27 V and a low total capacitive charge of 109 nC, resulting in minimal power loss during switching events. Additionally, the devices feature a low reverse current of 2.0 μA, which reduces overall system losses.
5. Littelfuse Launches Ultra-High Amperage SMD Fuse Series
Littelfuse has recently introduced the 871 series of high-current, surface-mount device (SMD) fuses—the first of its kind to handle 150 A and 200 A in a compact form factor. The new series provides a space-saving alternative to traditional through-hole fuses to meet the growing power requirements in modern electronics and reduce the need for parallel fusing. By simplifying the design process, the 871 series allows engineers to optimize their designs for smaller, more efficient PCB layouts, effectively lowering the bill of materials and simplifying the overall build.
Littelfuses’ 871 series. Image used courtesy of Littelfuse
Littelfuse claims that the 871 series (datasheet linked) is particularly well-suited for high-power applications in sectors like data centers, communications infrastructure, and server racks, where reliable protection against overcurrent is necessary to maintain uptime and operational efficiency.
6. Broadcom Delivers 200G/Lane DSP for Gen-AI
Broadcom recently targeted next-generation AI applications with its new Sian2 DSP solution infrastructure for 200-G-per-lane optical interfaces. The Sian2 DSP, or BCM85828 (product brief linked), offers full support for 800 G and 1.6-T optical transceivers, doubling the bandwidth of existing solutions while maintaining lower power consumption and latency. Broadcom states that these improvements are important to scale up AI clusters, which require increasingly high-performance and reliable network connectivity.
Application diagram using the BCM85828 transceiver PHY. Image used courtesy of Broadcom
Built using a 5-nm process, the Sian2 DSP consumes less than 28 W, making it one of the most power-efficient solutions for 1.6-T transceivers. It features sub-80-ns roundtrip latency (ingress and egress) and supports data rates of 212.5 Gbps and 226.875 Gbps, providing flexibility for both InfiniBand and Ethernet-based applications. Additionally, the solution integrates a low-swing and high-swing laser driver for both SiP- and EML-based optical modules. It also supports multiple forward error correction (FEC) schemes, including bypass, segmented, and concatenated FEC, enhancing data integrity during transmission.
