Sim Free Nokia Mobile Phones-another Leap in Mobile Technology

Mobile phones these days are not just about staying in touch. They are also about convenience and cost effective communication. To cater to the changing style and requirements of phone users and to stay ahead of the competition, mobile companies have to come up with innovative and cutting edge technology everyday. SIM free mobile phones are another introduction in the global mobile phone market that gives independence from a specific mobile network to handset users.

When we think of stylish phones with innovative features, the first name that comes in our mind is Nokia. Nokia has always considered the needs of customers and now it has come out with a range of SIM free phones that let you switch from one network service provider to another without any hassle. The handsets give you the flexibility to communicate. Especially, when you are traveling in foreign countries, these phones prove advantageous for you.

Nokia SIM free phones are the cheapest way to staying in touch. You are not bound to any mobile network service provider. With a Nokia SIM free mobile phone, you can change your network without having to wait for any contract to get over. In case you are not satisfied with your current network service provider, you can shift to another anytime. Also, if you want to upgrade your handset without changing the operator, you could opt for a Nokia SIM free mobile phone. The convenience provided by Nokia SIM free mobile phone has become extremely popular with mobile phone users. There are several options that you can choose from in terms of network, model, tarrif plans, etc.

So in case you are still using a mobile phone without a SIM free facility, it's time for you to go for a Nokia SIM free mobile phone and get rid of the hassles that you have been facing in staying connected.

Read more ...

Watch Satellite TV on Computer and Save on Subscription Fees

If you are still paying monthly satellite TV subscription bills, you might find it a huge relief to know that know you can watch satellite TV on computer for an affordable one-time software download fee. Though the concept is still new, it is becoming increasingly popular among satellite TV viewers for a number of obvious reasons.

1. Simple and user-friendly software is the only thing you need to pay for in order to watch satellite TV on computer. The price of less than $50 with most retailers is ridiculous in comparison with expensive satellite dish equipment and monthly subscription fee.

2. Software installation is a child's play as compared to a messy dish system set-up. Anybody with minimum computer skills can do it.

3. While a satellite dish can cover 600-700 channels at maximum, the software that allows watching satellite TV on computer provides instant access to over 3000 TV channels and radio stations, including the ones that are normally not available in your country via satellite subscription services.

4. The software provides access to dozens of various languages and channels from nearly 80 countries worldwide.

5. You get to watch satellite TV on computer for free. Exclusive of the low software cost, there are no monthly payments, no hidden charges, no extra fees for new channels and updates.

6. When you choose to watch satellite TV on computer, you are free to select viewing only the channels or programs you want. With the smart software you can easily search and save your favorite channels to come back another day.

Any media player and fast Internet connection are two basic things you need to be able to watch satellite TV on computer using the software. Broadband connection will ensure the smoothest television feeds transmission. While other specifications do matter if you want to watch quality satellite TV on computer, you shouldn't bother too much as most of the modern PCs meet the minimum requirements.

As you see, monster satellite dish systems are becoming a notion from the past. Not only the younger tech savvy generation tends to watch satellite TV on computer using the amazing software, but some older folks too switch to the new method. With your PC or laptop being easily transformed into a satellite television set you can watch satellite TV on computer as soon as today itself!

Read more ...

SMD-type DC/DC converter has up to 5W power rating

Source : Click here
Taiwan – Minmax Technology Co. Ltd offers its MSKW2000 series of DC/DC converter that features a power rating of up to 5W and a typical full-load efficiency of 85 percent, and has 21 models available. Each model has input voltage ranges of 9V to 18V DC, 18V to 36V DC and 36V to 75V DC, suitable for use in data communication equipment, mobile battery-driven devices, distributed power systems, mixed analog/digital subsystems, process/machine control equipment, computer peripheral systems and industrial robot systems. It provides precisely regulated output voltages of 3.3V, 5V, 12V, 15V, +/-5V, +/-12V and +/-15V DC. It has high-power density, a remote on/off control, short-circuit protection and an MTBF of more than one million hours. Each EN55022 Class A-compliant converter has a "gull-wing" SMD-type package that minimizes cost and eliminates the need for external filtering. It operates at temperatures within -40 degree to 71 degree Celsius.

Read more ...

Radio-on-chip breaks low-power barrier for mobile devices

Source : Click here

Consumes 70% less power in active mode than competitive solutions and near-zero power in standby

Claimed to feature breakthrough low power for mobile WLAN solutions, the AR6002 radio-on-chip consumes 70% less power than competitive solutions on the market in active mode while downloading content. In addition, the AR6002 significantly extends battery life by drawing virtually zero power in standby.

For example, the part will take more than 100 hours to deplete a standard 3.7-V 800-mAh phone battery in continual VoIP mode. The device features substantial radio BOM integration onto the chip with integrated power amplifier (PA), low-noise amplifier (LNA), and RF switch in a leading total solution footprint of less than 50 mm2.

Additional features include pre-installed WLAN driver support for the Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 operating system, advanced algorithms for Bluetooth coexistence, and support for two-, three-, and four-wire handshaking protocols. The solution is available in single- (2.4-GHz) and dual-band (2.4/5-GHz) options in CSP or BGA packages (Call company for pricing samples available now; prod qty, 1st qtr 2008.)

Read more ...

MIMO technology to boost WiFi networking speed

Source : Click here
Atheros, the WiFi chip company, is pushing 802.11n multiple input multiple output MIMO WiFi as a technology which will double range and increase actual data throughput by six times, despite questions over the technology's attractions.

There are questions over interoperability, over the willingness of hot-spot owners to upgrade and over users' requirements for longer range and higher throughput.

"We're expecting pretty substantial growth for 802.11n. By the end of 2008 we expect to see it in 30 per cent of new, shipped, notebooks," Todd Antes, v-p for marketing at Atheros, told EW.

Last week Atheros introduced its first 802.11n single-chip product. The theoretical data throughput speed is 300Mbit/s. "At close range, ten feet, actual throughput is 60 per cent of that," said Antes. "We have measured 200Mbit/s actual throughput."

That compares to a theoretical 54Mbit/s for 802.11g, and an actual throughput, at close range, of 20Mbit/s.

The range of 802.11n compared to 802.11g is twice as much, according to Atheros.

So far, so good, but, asked about interoperability testing, Antes pointed out that a specification for testing products from different companies had only been agreed by the WiFi Alliance in May.

"Any products that have made it through the WiFi testing exhibit a mandated level of interoperability," said Antes. It is a less than ringing endorsement of 802.11n interoperability.

Furthermore, there is no evidence that users, who basically want to use WiFi for email, Skype calls and downloading printed data, have any complaints about the speeds of 802.11a and g.

So there is no pressure on hot-spot owners to install 802.11n. A further drawback for 802.11n installation is a lack of tools. Installers now have to use tools designed for 802.11a and g.

Since 802.11n is a draft standard, with final ratification maybe a year away, availability of installation tools could be limited for some time.

Read more ...

Sealed Beam LED Marker and Floodlight

Source : Click here

LEDtronics announced their PAR36 Series Marker Lamps and Floodlights designed as an energy-saving substitute for PAR36 sealed beam lamps. suitable industrial vehicles, golf carts, architectural accent lighting, low-heat medical spotlighting, emergency egress lighting systems, landscape lighting, and other utilizations. The lamp can be a direct drop-in replacement for 12/14V DC, 6V DC and 120V AC PAR36 incandescent lamps. The housing is a sealed unit that protects the LEDs inside and is resistant to moisture and dust, making it suitable for outdoor purposes where it can withstand exposure to harsh environments. They are available in Warm White (3000 Kelvin), Pure White (5500 Kelvin), and Cool White (8000 Kelvin) color temperatures. The lamp generates a negligible amount of heat and can brightly indicate your presence while consuming only 4.5Watts of power. An LED cluster lamp continues to provide light even if one or more emitters fail—unlike when the filament fails in an incandescent bulb.
LEDtronics

Click here for the datasheet: www.LEDtronics.com/ds/par36/

Please enter a to e-mail address.
Please enter a valid to e-mail address.
Please enter a from e-mail address.
Please enter a valid from e-mail address.

From Name:
From E-Mail:
To Name:
To E-Mail:
Message:

Read more ...

Encapsulated 15W to 40W PCB-Mount Supplies

Source : Click here

Lambda introduced its new KM-family of encapsulated AC/DC power supplies designed for applications that require robust, encapsulated, lightweight and compact power supplies. Single, dual and triple output models are available with power ratings from 15W to 40W. They are available with combinations of output voltages including 3.3V, 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, and 24V (adjustable for special applications) and operate with an input range of 90V AC to 264V AC. Featuring a reinforced 4k Vac input to output isolation, these units meet IEC60601-1 international safety standards for medical equipment making them suitable for patient-connected medical and general-use applications.  The PCB-mount supplies are designed for convection cooling and can be operated in temperatures from -25°C to +70°C.  These sealed supplies resist dust, humidity and harsh environments. Standard features include high efficiency and MTBF, overcurrent, overvoltage and over-temperature protection.  Compliances include UL/IEC60601-1 Safety, Class II (no input ground wire needed), CE Mark, EN55011 EMC, and RoHS-compliant. The KM series are available now with prices starting at $26 each in 100 piece quantities.

Read more ...

LCDs and Plasma Televisions Highly Reliable

Source : Click here

Famed product review organization Consumer Reports has found that LCD and plasma televisions are generally very reliable and require few repairs during their first three years of service. The findings are potentially significant as the end-of-year holiday buying season begins, and electronics retailers pressure consumers to purchase extended warranties to go along with their new flat-screen televisions. According to Consumer Reports, most repairs to LCD and plasma televisions fall within manufacturer warranty periods, and even though rear-projection TVs were found to more problematic than LCD or plasma sets, even they don't generally need extended warranties unless they're going to see very heavy use.

Overall, Consumer Reports found that LCD and plasma flat-panel television sets had a 3 percent repair rate, while rear-projection televisions had an average 18 percent repair rate. About a quarter of the repairs in rear-projection TVs involved replacing the bulbs, with many of those failures occurring early in the unit's service and covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Average repairs for a rear-projection TV were $300; Consumer Reports recommends customers considering an extended warranty spend no more than $200 to $300 on it (essentially, the cost of a new bulb) or 15 percent of the unit's price, whichever is lower. But unless users are planning on using the TV 5,000 or more hours within the warranty period, an extended warranty probably still isn't worthwhile.

Among flat-panel televisions, Panasonic's 50-inch TH-50PZ700U plasma was rated the best flat-panel television the organization had ever tested. Panasonic LCD and plasma sets had a 2 percent overall repair rate; other brands with low LCD repair rates included JVC, Toshiba, Samsung, and Sony, while Pioneer and Samsung plasma sets were also found to be reliable. Consumer Reports found less reliable sets were sold by Dell LCD TV (the company has exited the flat-panel TV market), Hitachi LCDs, and Philips plasma sets.

Read more ...

Bug Labs lets consumers build their own gadgets

Source : Click here

The BUGbase, the hub that every BUGmodule snaps into. Image credit: Bug Labs.

A New York company called Bug Labs has recently released information about their new product called BUG. A collection of various open source hardware modules, BUG allows consumers to build their own gadgets, such as cameras, keyboards, speakers, GPS and more. The product requires no soldering or solid state electronics skills, so virtually anybody can mix, match, and create their own unique device.
These modular gadget kits may be more than just fun for tech enthusiasts, however. The product is just the beginning of Bug Labs´ goal to redefine consumer electronics with—a name they´ve coined—"community electronics." Just as software was democratized 30 years ago with open source alternatives, the company hopes that BUG will invert the currently top-down consumer electronics market with its open source hardware.

Each BUG hardware module can produce one or more Web services. Consumers simply snap together the modules the way they want, and the Web services connect. A module called the BUGbase, a programmable and "hackable" Linux computer, serves as the hub for every device. With space for four connections, the BUGbase consists of a CPU, 128MB RAM, built-in WiFi, rechargeable battery, USB, Ethernet, and a small LCD.

The BUGmodules, which simply snap into the BUGbase, so far include a digital camera/video cam, GPS, touch-sensitive LCD screen, and an accelerometer to detect motion. BUG devices are attached to BUG via the Bug Module Interface (BMI). The company explains that creating BUG applications is simple and intuitive, using JAVA and OSGi. Users can share the BUG applications they create with other users/developers through an online community called BUGnet.

As the company explains, the inspiration behind the BUG idea comes from the childhood interest of taking things apart and seeing how things work:

"With BUG, we want people to recapture and share this excitement again, and we want them to apply this to their everyday device. We believe everybody is an inventor at heart, so we´ve developed a platform for users to create and forever modify their favorite gadget, allowing for ultimate customization and use."

Read more ...

A series of Langer’s IC EMC testing devices available from Westek Electronics

Source : Click here

Langer's IC EMC testing devices

Langer EMV Technik has released a series of IC EMC testing devices including RF current measurement and burst injection probes, as well as a pulse burst generator. These devices permit a comprehensive suite of emission and immunity testing of ICs, ASICs, etc.

The Langer testing devices are obviously important in the design of ICs but are of equal importance in the evaluation and comparison of available components to circuit designers. This can save in production costs by avoiding the use of filtering and shielding components.

The Langer series 700 RF voltage measurement probes makes possible the detailed evaluation of RF voltage spectra at both high and low output levels. The probes are characterised by a high input resistance and capacitive coupling, as well as low input capacitance so that little load stress is placed on the output pins of the device under test.

The Langer series 600 RF current measurement probes have a shunt of 0.1 ohm coupled capacity, making them capable of measuring RF current without short-circuiting the device output pins.

The Langer model 600 RF probe measurements in combination with open circuit measurements achieved with the 600 series probes permit output impedance calculations. This permits circuit designers to work around device characteristics to achieve optimum immunity and minimum emission.

The RF characteristics of the supply rails can also be evaluated utilising Langer series 600 probes. An inductance is cut into the supply rail, and by virtue of the internal inductance of the IC being much greater than that encountered in the supply rail, its RF current returns to ground via the probe.

The behaviour of a device, for example an ASIC-based controller, under operating conditions can be evaluated using the Langer series 200 burst injection probes in combination with the Langer PBS burst generator.

In this way interference phenomena including toggling of certain registers, triggering of internal resets, etc can be tested. For example, a program loop is set up in the controller under test, and with the injection of various pulse burst patterns the output of a specific pin whose output is supposed to invert at the end of the program cycle, is monitored. Faults such as interference injected at reset pins can be tested using Langer series 200 and 300 probes.

Read more ...

Hua Hong NEC Releases USB Inter-Chip PHY IP for Embedded Flash Process Platform

Source : Click here

Shanghai Hua Hong NEC Electronics Co Ltd has released the USB Inter-Chip PHY IP (HQUSBFI001) for 0.25µm embedded Flash process platform.

The HQUSBFI001 is characterized by its advanced low-power performance, which is important to portable application IC designers. It can be set up on standard or ultra-low power mode when being suspended. The power will be lower than 1µA when it is in the ultra-low power mode. The company adopts a similar interface for this HQUSBFI001 with USB1.1 PHY. Since the HQUSBFI001 integrates inner pull-up and pull-down resistors, external resistors are not required. This is said to offer a convenient and cost-effective production design solution for customers.

The HQUSBFI001 is compatible with the USB2.0 Full speed, which fully meets the USB Inter-Chip criteria.

Read more ...

Op amps enable low-power instrumentation

Source : Click here

Dual and quad CMOS op amps rival the best bipolar amplifiers in DC performance while achieving picoampere input bias currents

Linear Technology reckons its newest CMOS op amps push the limits of precision with 3.5MHz gain-bandwidth product and less than 90uV offset over the entire -40 to +125C temperature range. Featuring rail-to-rail input and output stages, the dual LTC6081 and quad LTC6082 achieve low frequency noise of just 1.3uV peak-peak and low input bias current of 1pA maximum at 25C, making these amplifiers ideal for precision instrumentation.

The LTC6081 and LTC6082 only consume 330uA per amplifier and offer an optional shutdown feature, allowing the current to be reduced to 0.5uA per amplifier, which provides further savings in battery power.

In addition, the amplifiers have an uncompromising gain bandwidth of 3.5MHz and a slew rate of 1V/us.

The LTC6081 and LTC6082 offer a CMRR of 105dB and PSSR of 90dB, and the large signal voltage gain of 120dB ensures gain linearity.

'The LTC6081 and LTC6082 rival the best bipolar amplifiers in DC performance while achieving picoampere input bias currents', says Brian Black, Product Marketing Manager.

'Combining this precision with an excellent speed-power ratio opens up new possibilities for designers of low-power instrumentation systems'.

The LTC6081 dual is offered in the 8-pin MSOP and tiny 3 x 3mm DFN package.

The LTC6082 quad is available in the 16-pin SSOP and 5 x 3mm DFN packages.

1000-piece pricing starts at US $1.74 each for the LTC6081 dual and US $2.97 each for the LTC6082 quad. Request a free brochure from Linear Technology Corp....

Read more ...

Wireless Sensors To Monitor Bearings In Jet Engines Developed

Source : Click here

Researchers at Purdue University, working with the U.S. Air Force, have developed tiny wireless sensors resilient enough to survive the harsh conditions inside jet engines to detect when critical bearings are close to failing and prevent breakdowns.

The devices are an example of an emerging technology known as "micro electromechanical systems," or MEMS, which are machines that combine electronic and mechanical components on a microscopic scale.

"The MEMS technology is critical because it needs to be small enough that it doesn't interfere with the performance of the bearing itself," said Farshid Sadeghi, a professor of mechanical engineering. "And the other issue is that it needs to be able to withstand extreme heat."

The engine bearings must function amid temperatures of about 300 degrees Celsius, or 572 degrees Fahrenheit.

The researchers have shown that the new sensors can detect impending temperature-induced bearing failure significantly earlier than conventional sensors.

"This kind of advance warning is critical so that you can shut down the engine before it fails," said Dimitrios Peroulis, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Findings will be detailed in a research paper to be presented on Tuesday (Oct. 30) during the IEEE Sensors 2007 conference in Atlanta, sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The paper was written by electrical and computer engineering graduate student Andrew Kovacs, Peroulis and Sadeghi.

The sensors could be in use in a few years in military aircraft such as fighter jets and helicopters. The technology also has potential applications in commercial products, including aircraft and cars.

"Anything that has an engine could benefit through MEMS sensors by keeping track of vital bearings," Peroulis said. "This is going to be the first time that a MEMS component will be made to work in such a harsh environment. It is high temperature, messy, oil is everywhere, and you have high rotational speeds, which subject hardware to extreme stresses."

The work is an extension of Sadeghi's previous research aimed at developing electronic sensors to measure the temperature inside critical bearings in communications satellites.

"This is a major issue for aerospace applications, including bearings in satellite attitude control wheels to keep the satellites in position," Sadeghi said.

The wheels are supported by two bearings. If mission controllers knew the bearings were going bad on a specific unit, they could turn it off and switch to a backup.

"What happens, however, is that you don't get any indication of a bearing's imminent failure, and all of a sudden the gyro stops, causing the satellite to shoot out of orbit," Sadeghi said. "It can take a lot of effort and fuel to try to bring it back to the proper orbit, and many times these efforts fail."

The Purdue researchers received a grant from the U.S. Air Force in 2006 to extend the work for high-temperature applications in jet engines.

"Current sensor technology can withstand temperatures of up to about 210 degrees Celsius, and the military wants to extend that to about 300 degrees Celsius," Sadeghi said. "At the same time, we will need to further miniaturize the size."

The new MEMS sensors provide early detection of impending failure by directly monitoring the temperature of engine bearings, whereas conventional sensors work indirectly by monitoring the temperature of engine oil, yielding less specific data.

The MEMS devices will not require batteries and will transmit temperature data wirelessly.

"This type of system uses a method we call telemetry because the devices transmit signals without wires, and we power the circuitry remotely, eliminating the need for batteries, which do not perform well in high temperatures," Peroulis said.

Power will be provided using a technique called inductive coupling, which uses coils of wire to generate current.

"The major innovation will be the miniaturization and design of the MEMS device, allowing us to install it without disturbing the bearing itself," Peroulis said.

Data from the onboard devices will not only indicate whether a bearing is about to fail but also how long it is likely to last before it fails, Peroulis said.

The research is based at the Birck Nanotechnology Center in Purdue's Discovery Park and at Sadeghi's mechanical engineering laboratory.

Read more ...

TDK Prototypes Holographic Material w/ Enhanced Recording Capability of 76 Gbits/inch2TDK Prototypes Holographic Material w/ Enhanced Recording Capability of 76 Gbits/inch2

TDK Corp prototyped a material with enhanced recording capability intended for holographic media and presented the results of recording/playback using this material.

The material has a high M# of 41.8/mm. The M# indicates the overwriting capability of holographic media. As the M# gets higher, the degree of data multiplexing can be increased more easily, resulting in a higher recording density. The shrinkage percentage is 0.29%.

According to the company, when the data was written on the prototype material by coaxial holographic recording, it was confirmed that the material can provide a recording density of 76 Gbits/inch². Sony Corp undertook the data recording.

The achievement was presented at ISOM'07, an international conference on optical memory held in Singapore from Oct 21 to 25, 2007, as well as at other events.

TDK improved the M# by increasing the difference in refractive index between the portion that turns into polymer by the monomer multiplexing at the time of recording interference fringes and the binder portion except the polymer. The intensity of diffracted light at the time of playback increases as the difference in refractive index becomes greater, thereby resulting in satisfactory reproduction signals even when the data is overwritten.

Increasing the difference in refractive index

Source : Click here

In order to increase the difference in refractive index, TDK enhanced the refractive index of the binder by mixing it with a transition metal having a high refractive index. However, if the metal component is singly mixed, the material becomes clouded and cannot be used for recording due to the degradation of compatibility between the binder and monomer. To prevent the deterioration of compatibility, the company combined the binder with an organic group.

TDK also produced two other recording materials. One has an M# enhanced to 63.5/mm while maintaining a shrinkage percentage of 0.29%. The other has a shrinkage percentage reduced to 0.08% while retaining a comparable M# of 45.6/mm.

Both materials were achieved by the improvement of monomers used. In general, it is difficult to maintain a high M# and low shrinkage percentage at the same time because when the proportion of monomer is increased to improve the M#, the proportion of binder, which reduces shrinkage, decreases, and thus increasing the shrinkage percentage.

The higher the shrinkage percent is, the harder it becomes to record interference fringes. On the other hand, the M# decreases when the shrinkage percentage is reduced.

The company plans to actually record data on the new materials, and focus on the development of recording materials having even higher M# and lower shrinkage percentage.

Read more ...

Tokai University Develops New Transparent Conductor w/o Using Indium

Source : Click here

 

Masashi Chiba, associate professor at Tokai University, explains the new transparent conductive film by using a model of Mg(OH)₂ crystal.

Researchers of the School of High Technology for Human Welfare at Tokai University announced that they developed a transparent conductive film with materials composed mainly of magnesium hydrate (Mg(OH)₂).

The film's characteristic values, including its electric resistivity, are still low. But the researchers aim to replace ITO (indium tin oxide), transparent conductive film used for LCD panels and others, with the new transparent conductive film, taking advantage of the fact that the cost to procure its materials is low and its manufacturing process is simple.

The transparent conductive film was developed by Toshiro Kuji and Masashi Chiba, professor and associate professor, respectively, of the School of High Technology for Human Welfare at Tokai University.

The chemical elements constituting the transparent conductive film are magnesium (Mg), oxygen (O), hydrogen (H) and carbon (C). As for the film's structure, the results of an X-ray diffraction method showed that carbon exists in the crystal of magnesium hydrate, Kuji said.

The crystal of magnesium hydrate is originally transparent. Therefore, "We think that the crystal of magnesium hydrate provides transparency and the network of carbon in the crystal provides conductivity," Chiba said.

Mg reacts with H₂O and becomes transparent

In the manufacturing process, the RF magnetron sputtering method is used. Magnesium metal and graphite are sputtered in a low vacuum to form a film of the composite of magnesium and carbon. The temperature is not controlled in the process.

Then, the opaque film turns transparent after being left in a water vapor atmosphere for 10-15 minutes, with H₂O gradually reacting with Mg.

"It works in the same way as magnesium metal starts an exothermic reaction in water and generates Mg(OH)₂ and H₂ (except for the existence of carbon)," Kuji said.

The film is 2.4μm thick. And the particle diameter of the crystal ranges from several tens to several hundreds of nanometers.

When carbon is not used in the sputtering process, insulating crystal with very high specific resistance is formed. Because carbon was used this time, a specific resistance value of about 10^-1Ωcm was observed. This value is much larger than ITO's 10^-4Ωcm.

Nevertheless, "The specific resistance values of ITO and ZnO were as low as 10^-1Ωcm when they were first developed," Chiba said. "I believe that the value of the transparent conductive film can be reduced too as we continue our research."

"By controlling the ratio of carbon to optimize the carbon's network, we possibly can increase the conductivity of the film beyond that of ITO while keeping the transparency of the film," Kuji said.

On the other hand, the light transmission of the film is relatively high from the beginning. When carbon is added, the light transmission of the filmed materials is 89.8% in average in the wavelength range of 380nm-1μm. In the infrared domain, the light transmission is even higher.

"From now on, we will diminish the size of particle diameter to increase the uniformity and reduce the degree of reflection," Chiba said.

There are many challenges in making the film fit for practical use.

"We will test the film's adhesive properties to substrates, the stability of resistance value, the temperature dependency and whether it becomes a semiconductor material," Kuji said.

Though Mg(OH)₂ decomposes into MgO and H₂O at 330°C, it is fairly stable at 100°C and below, he said.

Working toward practical use in collaboration with manufacturers

"We do not intend to confine our research to the university," Kuji said. "We want to actively work toward practical use of it in collaboration with manufacturers."

Aisekku Nano Tyubu, developer of carbon nanotubes, will be one of the participants in the joint research.

A black film turns transparent after being left in a water vapor atmosphere for 10-15 minutes.

The average light transmission is 90% in visible light range. The red line shows the transmission of the new material.

Read more ...

Ultra-Small, RoHS-Compliant Quartz Crystals with Wide Frequency and Operating Temperature Ranges

Source : Click here

MMD Components introduced an ultra-miniature quartz crystal that has a wide frequency range of 16 MHz to 60 MHz and can operate in temperatures as low as -40°C and as high as +85°C. Measuring only 2 mm × 2.5 mm, with a maximum profile of just 0.55 mm, the X series crystals are hermetically sealed in a 4-pad ceramic package and delivered on tape and reel for easy pick and place. They can be used in any application where limited space is a key issue and a frequency reference is required, such as Bluetooth devices, PDAs, mobile phones and MP3 players. The crystals have a frequency tolerance/stability rate as high as ±50 PPM/±100 PPM; are RoHS compliant; and feature ruggedized construction for extreme vibration and shock applications, meeting MIL-STD-883 and MIL-STD-202 specifications. Availability is stock to 14 weeks, with prices starting at $0.95 in 1K quantities.
MMD Components

Read more ...

Epson Commercializes Non-Contact Power Transmission Module

Source : Click here

Seiko Epson Corp has commercialized what it claims is a highly efficient module enabling non-contact power transmission. The product comprises a power transmission module and a power receiving module. Using these two elements as a set enables transmission of up to 0.5W (5V/100mA).

Non-Contact Power Transmission Module

The thin, flat coil used for power transmission results in a compact design, with the secondary module having an overall thickness of 2.3mm. Electromagnetic shielding fitted to the back of the transmission surface in each module reduces interference with other electronic components contained within the same device.

The module enables users to incorporate advanced safety measures for non-contact power transmission into their designs, with in-built safety features including metal detection, secondary detection and automatic cut-off in the event of excess current or abnormal temperature.

With the rapid increase in mobile devices, such equipment has come to be used in a more diverse range of environments. This product solves problems associated with conventional external power supplies using contact terminals, namely contact terminal degradation and insufficient power supply due to bad connections. Users can also use it to create mobile devices for applications that could previously only be powered by a conventional plug-in power supply.

Read more ...