Analog Design Journal

By Thomas Hoffman, product marketing engineer, switching regulators

Scaling optical modules from 400Gbps to 1.6Tbps and beyond creates a fundamental challenge between rising power requirements and very small footprints. Modern DSPs must operate at higher currents with core voltages below 1V, yet fixed module dimensions leave little margin for heat or electromagnetic noise. MagPack™ technology addresses these trade-offs through integrated magnetics, with a design that reduces the solution footprint by up to 50%, enables current densities up to 590mA/mm², and minimizes radiated emissions by enclosing the switching node within a shielded metallic mold.

By Aditya Sundar, systems engineer; and Supriyo Palit, systems engineer, consumer audio amplifiers and haptics products

Consumers want higher audio-fidelity experiences from their smartphones, laptops and smart speakers. Mechanical constraints of the diaphragm and voice coil assembly impede high-fidelity audio in microspeaker designs. To prevent over-excursion and thermal damage, traditional designs rely on static voltage limits that restrict loudness and bass extension. This article discusses how smart audio amplifiers address these limits by integrating high-precision IV sensing with real-time DSP protection. Through predictive thermal modeling and instantaneous excursion monitoring, this technology enables controlled component overdrive, delivering 8dB-to-10dB higher loudness and deeper bass response without compromising hardware reliability.

By John Caldwell, technologist, linear amplifiers

Three-wire RTD configurations often encounter significant temperature measurement inaccuracies due to uncompensated lead resistance. Even 1Ω of resistance can introduce errors exceeding 2.5°C in industrial sensing applications such as battery management systems and process control. Monolithic dual N-channel JFETs address these errors by creating matched current sources for ratiometric measurement. Leveraging device current matching within 2% at 3σ enables a low-cost, low-voltage solution to cancel lead resistance, providing a compact, high-precision alternative to complex compensation architectures in space-constrained designs.

By Matthew Bowers, systems engineer, Power Design Services

Greater power-density requirements in 48V automotive and industrial systems are driving the adoption of converters with integrated GaN power FETs. While GaN reduces switching losses and parasitics, it also concentrates power into smaller footprints, creating thermal management challenges. This article examines a 48V-to-12V, four-phase synchronous buck converter using integrated GaN technology, demonstrating how dual-side cooling and PCB thermal spreading provide the parallel paths necessary to maximize power density while ensuring stable operation in compact designs.

By Björn Görner, systems engineer, Power Design Services

As ECUs grow in complexity, the demand for always-on power delivery requires the design of reliable, redundant power architectures in next-generation vehicles. While ORing is a common approach to redundancy, some applications require priority switching instead. However, parasitic elements during switchover can trigger oscillations that jeopardize system stability. This article details how integrating external hysteresis through fault outputs and modified feedback dividers mitigates these oscillations, enabling stable, reliable power transitions in redundant automotive power architectures.