Innovation is critical in today’s engineering world and it demands technical knowledge and the highest level of creativity. Seeing compact articles that solve design problems or display innovative ways to accomplish design tasks can help to fuel your electronics creativity.
You can find many very circuit ideas at ePanorama.net circuits page.
In addition to this links to interesting electronics design related articles worth to check out can be posted to the comments section.
1,841 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.advancedpcb.com/en-us/blog/overcoming-common-pitfalls-in-high-frequency-pcb-design/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/16591-taeydellinen-emi-suojaus-sotilasdroneen
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/09/13/where-do-you-connect-the-shield/
luo w says:
https://www.lzjpcb.com/technicalarticle/resinplugging.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flawless PCB design: RF rules of thumb – Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEb_0dja8tE
In this series, I’m going to show you some very simple rules to achieve the highest performance from your radio frequency PCB design for your electronics project. I’ll do this by showing you how to improve the grounding and reduce the crosstalk. These rules apply to both analog , digital and RF electronics. I’ll also share some rules of thumb for PCB parasitics that you can use in electronics simulations. I’ll prove my points with actual measurements on dedicated test PCBs. In this first part, I’ll focus on why ground planes are so effective.
Website: http://www.hans-rosenberg.com
00:00 Introduction
00:14 The fundamental problem
01:25 Where does current run?
03:52 What is a Ground Plane?
04:57 Estimating trace impedance
05:46 Estimating parasitic capacitance
07:38 Demo 1: Ground Plane obstruction
13:15 Demo 2: Microstrip loss
13:54 Demo 3: Floating copper
16:23 Conclusion
Tomi Engdahl says:
Flawless PCB design: 3 simple rules – Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhuHAhIKWoM
In this series, I’m going to show you some very simple rules to achieve the highest performance from your radio frequency PCB design for your electronics project. I’ll do this by showing you how to improve the grounding and reduce the crosstalk. These rules apply to both analog , digital and RF electronics. I’ll also share some rules of thumb for PCB parasitics that you can use in electronics simulations. I’ll prove my points with actual measurements on dedicated test PCBs. In this second part, I’ll focus on the impact of layer stackups and vias to achieve the best results.
Website: http://www.hans-rosenberg.com
00:00 Introduction
00:22 Test circuit description, 30 MHz low pass filter
01:06 The worst possible layout
02:10 Layer stackup and via impedance
03:57 Via impedance measurements
05:25 An improved layout
07:05 An even better layout
08:39 The best layout using all 3 rules
09:48 Summary of all 3 rules
10:21 Plans for next video
Tomi Engdahl says:
Design Mistakes You Must Avoid on Your New Electronic Product
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bzB3vX4kdM
6 Horribly Common PCB Design Mistakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9nycymUd-I
Tomi Engdahl says:
ESP32 in a commercial product? – From prototype to production
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vHB8AUQKWM
Tomi Engdahl says:
My Top 10 PCB Design Tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkc8BxL5Eo0
Tomi Engdahl says:
Power Tips #134: Don’t switch the hard way; achieve ZVS with a PWM full bridge
https://www.edn.com/power-tips-134-dont-switch-the-hard-way-achieve-zvs-with-a-pwm-full-bridge/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Integration of flexible batteries in wearable and foldable electronics
https://www.edn.com/integration-of-flexible-batteries-in-wearable-and-foldable-electronics/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Reliability issues of lead-free solder joints in electronic devices
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14686996.2019.1640072
Tomi Engdahl says:
Simple 5-component oscillator works below 0.8V
https://www.edn.com/simple-5-component-oscillator-works-below-0-8v/#google_vignette
Often, one needs a simple low voltage sinusoidal oscillator with good amplitude and frequency stability and low harmonic distortion; here, the Peltz oscillator becomes a viable candidate. Please see the Peltz oscillator Analog Devices Wiki page here and a discussion on my Peltz oscillator here.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Every Component of a Linear Power Supply Explained (while building one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTetQhGyUVg
What happens when:
0:00 Introduction
0:10 Size comparison
0:25 What’s inside?
0:46 Building our own linear power supply
1:07 JLCPCB
2:00 The mains
2:18 Input fuse
3:29 Input switch
3:44 Transformer – Introduction
3:59 Transformer – Structure
4:23 Transformer – Magnetising current
5:35 Transformer – Reactive power
7:40 Transformer – Magnetic coupling
8:06 Transformer – Secondary winding
9:08 Transformer – Why? (isolation & voltage change)
10:30 Transformer – Secondary (load) current
11:16 Transformer – Real-world voltage and current waveforms
14:04 Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple
15:03 AC to DC – Diode
17:02 AC to DC – Full bridge rectifier
19:09 AC to DC – Split secondary
20:10 AC to DC – Output ripple
21:02 DC capacitor
23:21 Pulsed input current (bad)
24:39 Output regulation
26:19 Zener diode
27:40 Open loop linear regulator
30:44 Closed loop linear regulator
32:48 Complete circuit summary
33:29 Outro
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/11/24/flyback-done-right/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/11/24/programmable-zener-is-really-an-ic/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/earplugs-ready-lets-make-some-noise/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/clapp-oscillator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are You Already In The Matrix—35 Million Devices Under Blue Pill Attack
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/11/27/is-your-router-in-the-matrix-35-million-devices-under-blue-pill-attack/
Tomi Engdahl says:
0 V to -10 V, 1.5 A LM337 PWM power DAC
https://www.edn.com/0-v-to-10-v-1-5-a-lm337-pwm-power-dac/#google_vignette
As a genre, DACs are low power devices with power and current output capabilities limited to the milliwatt and milliampere range. There is, of course, no fundamental reason they can’t be teamed up with suitable power output stages, which is indeed common practical practice. Problem solved.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/12/02/building-experience-and-circuits-for-lithium-capacitors/
https://laboratoiredesynthese.eu/2024/11/28/solar-lithium-capacitor-lic-charger-with-protection-circuit/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/54992/can-a-charge-pump-be-100-efficient-given-ideal-components
https://www.analog.com/en/resources/technical-articles/benefit-charge-pump-technology.html
https://www.jakelectronics.com/blog/charge-pump-definition-principles-and-applications
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/235653/are-charge-pumps-better-than-boost-converters-since-charge-pumps-do-not-use-indu
Both charge pumps and boost converters seem to serve the same purpose. Would charge pumps be preferable given that it does not use inductors? What are the pros and cons of charge pumps versus boost converters as DC-DC converters?
Boost converters can be efficient at a continuous range of voltage ratios. Charge pumps work best at fixed ratios. and for ratios other than (approximately) 2:1 or -1:1 they become increasingly complex.
Charge pumps are inherently inefficient when used as voltage converters: charging (or discharging) a capacitor loses some energy. Always. Even with ideal components.
An ideal inductor-based voltage converter can be lossless. An inductor-based current converter has the same problem as a capacitor-based voltage converter.
We mostly work with fixed voltages, so an inductor-based converter is generally preferred.
There are some answers on this site that elaborate more on this, including discussions about the unavoidable loss when charging a capacitor from a fixed voltage.
Charge pumps are DC circuits, based on capacitors. As capacitors charge, current flow reduces. Inductors on the other hand, have very low ohmic resistance so high currents can pass through them, hence buck/boost converters for power applications are based on both, capacitors & inductors.
Bigger capacitors in charge pumps can deliver more current, but then so can higher voltage. Smaller inductors can do the same job with less weight & space.
Charge pumps are good for information processing by manipulating voltages and very efficient since they work with low currents eg. arithmetic and clamper circuits. Not good for power applications though, no good for high power DC-DC converters.
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_pump
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/12/12/the-disappearing-capacitor/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/understanding-currents-in-dc-dc-buck-converter-input-capacitors/#google_vignette
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/synthesize-precision-bipolar-dpot-rheostats/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/single-supply-single-ended-input-to-pseudo-class-a-b-differential-output-amp/#google_vignette
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.homemade-circuits.com/how-to-make-ic-lm339-circuits/#LED_Strobe_Light
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/12/07/a-look-inside-ikeas-vallhorn-motion-sensor-teardown/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/%E2%88%86vbe-bread-dough-incubator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/a-holiday-shopping-guide-for-engineers-2024-edition/#google_vignette
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/startups-eye-opportunities-amid-analog-industry-consolidation/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/a-simple-purely-analog-130db-thd-sine-wave-generator/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.edn.com/in-situ-software-calibration-of-the-flying-capacitor-pginash/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://etn.fi/index.php/tekniset-artikkelit/16969-miksi-mems-ajoitus-on-kvartsia-parempi
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://hackaday.com/2024/12/18/push-for-on-hold-for-off-ac-edition/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Kyocera AVX has expanded its CR series of high-power chip resistors with a device that handles 2.5 W in a small 0603 package….
High-power chip resistor comes in tiny package
https://www.edn.com/high-power-chip-resistor-comes-in-tiny-package/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3nGDJTjuiyf26hv_gYnWzB_IfLtl0suyAYTk7_8n6ycoU1pIr3t2vAuzk_aem_kOpJxUqAmz49BGDuUOXLag
Tomi Engdahl says:
How to Protect Your Devices Against Reverse Polarity Using Ideal Diodes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tQHjUYKQwI
We all know that “ideal” parts do not exist. But what if they seem to exist and are used in cars and consumer electronics? And if they solve the common problem of efficient reverse polarity protection? Enough reasons to look at “ideal diodes” and check them out. I am sure you will consider using them in one of your future projects if you only know they exist and how they are used!