世界中で自律走行車が話題になっている中、NASAは先日、火星に自律走行車を着陸させました。2021年2月18日、「マーズ　2020 （Mars 2020）」ミッションは、火星探査ローバー「パーサヴィア（Perseverance）」を火星の地表に無事送り出しました。リアルタイムではありませんが、ローバーが大気圏に突入し、降下し、最終的に着陸する様子を世界中が見守りました。

この奇跡的な出来事を可能にしたのは、最新のカメラとイメージセンサの技術です。オン・セミコンダクターが開発した技術は、探査機が自動着陸のために使用した7台のカメラのうち、6台に採用されています。当社のブログで、この快挙について詳しく紹介しています。

Most design engineers want an ideal low dropout regulator (LDO) due to its superior dynamic performance and low quiescent current, yet it is challenging to achieve. In my previous blog, "What is dropout of LDO (Low Dropout Regulator)?" I explained what dropout means, how it is specified and the company’s product portfolio for side dropout parameters. Continuing the series, Pavel Vicek focuses the discussion on load transient response and its relation to quiescent current. Don't forget to subscribe to see more in the series as well as other interesting topics on technology and more. 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that motors are responsible for more than 45 percent of the world’s total electricity. Thus, finding ways to maximize their operational efficiency is paramount. Higher efficiency drives can be smaller and moved closer to the motor, which reduces challenges arising from long cables. This will have relevance from an overall cost and ongoing reliability perspective. The advent of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technology is expected to play a major role in enabling new motor efficiency and form factor benchmarks to be achieved.

Read our blog and learn more about our IGBTs that are co-packaged with SiC diodes or our 650V, 900V and 1200V rated SiC MOSFETs. Through such products, it will be possible to revolutionize motor drives - raising efficiency parameters and making implementations more streamlined.