Latest News

Solar Panels on Diotec's German Facilities – Green Energy Supported by Our SBX2540-3G Solar Bypass Diode

Did you know? All three facilities of Diotec headquarters in Germany are covered with photovoltaic modules, supplying a significant amount of "green" energy to our wafer, chip and device production. The worldwide Diotec plants will be equipped with PV panels within this year, the year of our 50th anniversary.

But do these PV panels work in winter as well? Yes, they do, and surprisingly often with higher energy output. The efficiency of PV panels is higher at low temperatures. So even when there is less sunlight during the day, it may happen that on sunny winter days more electricity is produced than on hot summer days. Not only heat can impact negatively on the performance of the panels. Also the sky is dustier and humid compared to a cold, fully bright winter day.

A disadvantage in winter is the higher risk for partial shading, due to the lower altitude of the sun, but also snow covering. It can lead to hotspots and thus damage on the modules. For that purpose every PV module is equipped with protective bypass diodes. They need to offer low forward voltage drop in bypass mode, and low reverse leakage in normal mode of operation. The SBX2540-3G combines both in an ideal way and is the perfect solar bypass diode. A great support of the green production of new semiconductor devices!

Dual Power with MOSFETS from Diotec – A Mobile Weather Station for Domestic Use

MMFTP3401 for Mobile Weather Stations

No matter if you want to make a bike tour, walk in the snow, make an excursion in the mountains, or if you prefer to go the cinema: Mobile weather stations are well suited for the planning of the weekend.
Get at-a-glance information about how the weather will be from the small and handy display.

Besides current weather data, these devices also show weather forecasts – but it remains to be seen if these events occur. Many of such weatherstations are suitable for dual power operation – from integrated battery or offline power supply. At this point, our MOSFET MMFTP3401 comes into play. This product is ideally suited as switch for such dual power devices. Due to the low R_DSon and low leakage current, this part provides extended hours of operation – especially in battery mode. The MMFTP3401 comes in the SOT-23 outline and allows up to-4A drain current at an R_DSon less than 65 mΩ. The parts are well suited up to -30 V and can be controlled via logic level – this is a great advantage for these applications.

You are looking for other kinds of MOSFETS? No problem, we provide an overview with parametric search on our website and also an easy-to-use cross reference tool: Simply type in a random competitor part in the searchfield  and you will receive our substitutes.

Weather Stations – Why are they so important?

KBP210G for the Power Supply of Weather Station

“Weather” is another word for meteorology - translated literally this means measuring the meteorological state of the atmosphere. This might be anything: Outdoor and indoor climate, weather forecast but also environmental impact.
A weather station measures all these elements and displays the data on a screen.
At airports, this system plays an important role because a flight might be postponed due to an imminent thunderstorm and air traffic controllers are able to plan routes.

In the mountains, for example on the Feldberg in the black forest (1493 m amsl), such station is also of great importance. To predict the weather as accurately as possible for winter sports enthusiasts, and to inform the visitors and residents about dangerous snowstorms just in time, weather stations are indispensable.

Our bridge rectifier KBP210G is a device which can be used in the power supply for such remote stations. A small wind turbine creates AC power, which such rectifier turns into DC. That is then regulated by a charging electronic and stored in a battery. Thanks to the high surge current and reverse voltage rating of the KBP210G, this system works even at stormy weather and thus unstable AC supply from the wind turbine. Therefore, the weatherstation can provide valuable information reliably and permanently.

Snowmobiles – For Work and Fun

BYG10J-AQ for Snowmobiles

In winter, when much snow falls, skiing and snowboarding is for active people a great way to enjoy themselves. With a snowmobile you can easily explore the gorgeous winter landscape. Additionally, these motorized vehicles are a good tool for forestry workers and last but not least, a great way to transport injured people in skiing areas.

Snowmobiles are well suited to move forward very fast on unprepared slopes and normally equipped with automatic transmission and throttle heating. Their engine power ranges from 41 PS to 299 PS. Additionally, they have an empty weight of more than 200 kg.

Diotec's BYG10J-AQ is a controlled avalanche rectifier with full AEC-Q101 qualification, ideally suited for engine control units (ECU) of snowmobiles and similar. The part offers 10 mJ of single pulse energy rating at breakdown > 650 V, 1.5 A of forward current and 27/30 A of surge current rating. As such they support reliable function of the ECU under all circumstances, especially when time counts – such as when injured people need to be rescued from the slopes.

ESD-Protector ESD9L1P8 for Auto-Preserving Cookers

ESD9L1P8 and Auto-Preserving Cookers

Did you know?
Christmas markets have a centuries-old tradition. The Striezelmarkt in Dresden was the first Christmas market in Germany in the year 1434. A so called Nikolausmarkt was held in Munich in 1310. The biggest Christmas market in Europe invites up to 2 million visitors to the beautiful city of Strasbourg (Alsace) in France.

Lots of people get into the spirit of Christmas when they are on a Christmas market with its gingerbread, waffles and nice booths selling wonderful tree decoration and wooden toys. Spiced wine is for many of us simply part of a true Christmas market. With auto-preserving cookers red and white mulled wine and also children’s punch can reach the correct temperature quite fast and can be kept warm as well.

Low humidity during winter time leads also to an increased risk of ESD impacts caused by us human beings. Diotec's ESD9L1P8 is an ESD protection diode in the tiny SOD-882/DFN1006 package outline, capable for +/- 30 kV according to Human Body Model (HBM). As such it provides ESD protection even for smallest control panels of auto-preserving cookers and other domestic appliances.

Christmas Bakery with our High Voltage Transistor DI2579N

NPN Transistor DI2579N in Ovens

An open fire that creates a homely mood, spending some peaceful hours with your loved ones, the magic of Christmas songs … It all belongs to a wonderful Christmas time. 
And what would Christmas be without tasty Christmas cookies?
No matter if vanilla crescent cookies, cinnamon stars or Elisen gingerbread: The smell and taste of delicious freshly baked cookies is a must for many of us at this festive season. 

Modern ovens are ideal for baking of such delicacies. The high voltage NPN transistor DI2579N offers 1 A / 700 V and is ideally suited for the temperature control circuit – and delicious Christmas stollen and cookies are ready on time.

 

Cell to Chassis – (CTC) Space- and Weight-Saving Solutions and Fast Acceleration

Reverse Battery Polarity Protection in E-Cars

Interesting facts: E-Motors don’t need any plungers or crankshafts and are able accelerate to 100 km/h in very few seconds. (Some extremely powerful e-cars reach the 100 km/h in less than 2(!) seconds.) Even at low speeds, e-motors deliver the maximum torque immediately after the start - A great advantage compared to combustion engines that need a certain number of revolutions per minute. Moreover, an e-car drives almost silently and runs without harmful emissions – when charged by solar, wind or other renewable energies.

As car batteries normally are quite heavy, it is advantageous to implement them directly in the chassis – without a separate box. This reduces the overall weight of the car and saves space at the same time. Since the batteries are no more centralized but distributed all over the chassis, there will be separate battery disconnection units (BDUs). Those are operated on the still present 12 V board supply and need – like all electronics on that voltage level – diodes providing reverse battery polarity protection.

A typical device for that purpose is the SK14-AQ, assembled in the standard DO-214AC/SMA case outline. The part is fully AEC-Q101 qualified and offers nominal 1 A / 40 V, which allows to cover a wide range of automotive electronics consuming few 100 mA of current – like the BDUs used for Cell to Chassis batteries.

 

The electronica 2022 in Munich was a Great Success.

electronica 2022 in Munich

The world’s leading trade fair and conference for electronics in Munich was extremely interesting and an outstanding success.
We established many very promising contacts, had fantastic talks and also initiated projects.

Do you want to know what our highlights were?
We honoured our best distributors with the Top Sales Partner Award 2022: micronetics, Vibratec, TME and Weisbauer.

Our new Power MOSFET family aroused great interest. Automotive qualified parts such as the LDP series for load dump protection were demonstrated along with our demo car.

Silicon Carbide Schottky Diodes were requested by several industrial customers. And last but not least controlled avalanche rectifiers for smart meters and EV charging control.

We are looking forward to meeting you again at the electronica 2024!

 

Our Demo Car and Load Dump Protection

LDP01-26AYD2-AQ and Load Dump Protection

Our demo car shown at the electronica and built on a scale of 1 to 8 is equipped with real functioning LED lights. The board in front is a full functioning automotive USB port, capable to charge any mobile device. The circuit is load-dump protected with the LDP01-26AYD2-AQ.

A few details:
• Stand-off Voltage 22 V
• Breakdown Voltage 26 V
• Peak Pulse Power 5 000 W
• Load-dump protection according to ISO-1670-2
• Industry standard D²PAK case outline

Why is load dump protection so important?
A load dump transient is the voltage surge generated when e. g. the battery is disconnected under load. This typically happens if a discharged low voltage car battery (also used in EVs!) is powered up by a second one and afterwards jump leads are removed. The peak voltage of this surge can be as high as 120 V and the surge may take up to 400 ms to decay. Enough to damage all kind of electronics at the supply system.

Reliable Auxiliary Supply of the In-Cable Control Box using Diotec's BYG10M

Our BYG10M for EV-Charging

Diotec's BYG10M is the ideal input rectifier for in-cable control boxes or ICCB for short. The ICCB is the new "spare wheel" of electrical vehicles (EVs): You normally don't take care of it, but in case of emergency it is your helper in need. The ICCB and the cables attached are supplied with every EV.

In case you don't find any suitable charging pile or wall box it allows you to charge the car at common socket-outlets. At voltage levels of usually 85 to 265 V_rms, their power output is not more than about 1 to 3 kW and thus the charging process is quite slow. However, within two or three hours you can gather enough range to reach your destination or the next fast charging station. The ICCB contains safety features as well as control electronics for communication with the on-board charger. The combination of high currents, high cable inductance and often unstable mains at socket outlets requires robust input rectifiers for the auxiliary power supply of that electronics.

The BYG10M is an avalanche rated diode offering 10 mJ of single pulse energy at breakdown > 1 050 V, 1.5 A of forward current and 27/30 A of surge current rating.