ICs & Semiconductors

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has expanded its range of 24nm BENAND single level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory with embedded 8bit error correction (ECC). The launch of the new 8Gb 24nm SLC BENAND enables manufacturers to utilise the latest 24nm technology in devices that were designed to use 4xnm NAND, extending the product life of consumer electronics, multimedia devices, smart meters, intelligent lighting systems and industrial technology.

The global memory market is seeing wildly divergent fortunes when it comes to its two two main segments, with the continued strong performance of NAND being offset by the sobering and continued downturn of NOR flash, according to a new report from IHS Technology. According to IHS the NAND product - the embedded multimedia card (eMMC) - enjoyed record shipments in 2013 of more than 1 billion units, up a hefty 49 percent from 687 million in 2012 with revenues up 28 percent to $25.8 billion. In comparison, NOR shipments fell 10 percent to 606 million units, with revenue down 15 percent to $3.0 billion.

STMicroelectronics has introduced the STM32Cube, a new and free design tool and software for its STM32 microcontroller portfolio. This new development platform is intended to simplify and help speed up customers’ projects and comprises the STM32CubeMX graphical configurator and initialisation C-code generator that provides step-by-step guidance for users and a set of rich embedded-software components that save integrating software from multiple sources.

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has developed a single-chip amplifier to support safety designs that add the sound of a conventional internal combustion engine to electric and hybrid electric vehicles (EVs and HEVs). The TB2909FNG is a compact and integrated power amplifier that also supports other external audible output including reversing alarms and ‘answerback’ confirmation for keyless remote entry security.

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) has launched a new range of 7,200 RPM hard disc drives (HDDs) engineered for nearline business-critical workloads. The MG04 series HDDs are available in capacities up to 5TB and are the first enterprise capacity drives to feature Persistent Write Cache technology. This optional feature enables improved application performance and data-loss protection in the event of unexpected power loss.

By integrating an advanced 32-step up/down volume control, the PAM8407 Class D audio amplifier from Diodes Incorporated has enabled a reduction in the component count in a variety of stereo speaker applications, including PCs, docking stations and wireless speakers.

Anritsu Corporation is now approved by LTE chipmaker Sequans Communications for using the MT8870A Universal Wireless Test Set as an advanced manufacturing test solution of LTE devices based on Sequans’ Mont Blanc LTE platform.

Exar Corporation has unveiled the SP335, an advanced multiprotocol transceiver supporting RS-232, RS-485, and RS-422 serial standards. At 5x5mm2, the SP335 is less than half the size of a comparable discrete design, doubling the number of serial interface channels that can be assembled in the same board space and allowing system designers to easily combine multiple serial protocols over the same connector.

Silicon Labs has introduced the industry’s first single-chip digital ultraviolet (UV) index sensor ICs which have been designed to track UV sun exposure, heart/pulse rate and blood oximetry and provide proximity/gesture control for smartphone and wearable computing products.

ams’s latest contactless magnetic position sensing technology has been endorsed by the automotive supplier Continental, which is basing its new CPS series chassis height sensor on the AS5162, a magnetic position sensor. The AS5162, paired with a simple two-pole magnet, accurately detects angular displacements as fine as 0.09° over a full revolution.