Dear Reader,
Switch mode power supplies today are used in almost every type of electronic equipment. The change from the traditional 50/60Hz transformer to switch mode power has been driven by the increasing demand from the equipment manufacturer and end-user for higher output power and efficiency, smaller size and less weight.
Accordingly, the components change. In place of slow diodes for the bridge rectifier and linear regulators for post regulation, we now find high frequency switches such as MOSFETs; fast rectifiers with low forward voltage and small recovery chargers such as Schottky diodes; PWM controllers and monolithic DC/DC-converters. At the same time, new standards are emerging that will require new and improved semiconductors: for reduced standby power consumption, or for sinusoidal in-phase current consumption, for example.
STMicroelectronics is not only a leading supplier of semiconductors for the switch mode power supply market, the Company is also one of the few suppliers able to provide the broad range of devices necessary for this dynamic sector - from diodes and MOSFETs to control circuits and integrated converters.
In this special issue of Product News STMicroelectronics presents a selected portfolio of products specially designed for switch mode power supplies.
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