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April 15
- Northrop Grumman, Intelsat complete historic satellite life-extension mission
➀ Northrop Grumman and Intelsat have successfully completed a historic satellite life-extension mission.
➁ The mission involved the undocking of a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) from Intelsat’s IS-901 satellite.
➂ The MEV, developed by Space Logistics LLC, added five years of service to the satellite and its customers.
- HMS Hampshire launched on the Clyde
➀ HMS Hampshire, the Royal Navy's second guided missile destroyer, was launched on Clydebank by Princess Margaret last week.
➁ The County class destroyer is expected to join HMS Devonshire in the Fleet next year.
➂ Equipped with advanced technologies, the ship carries guided weapons systems, radar-controlled guns, and has the latest air and surface warning radars.
April 14
- Pimoroni Presto presents a programmable Home Assistant display
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➁ The Pimoroni Presto (Retail Edition) is a 'programmable desktop companion' that packages the Presto hardware in retail wrapping;
➂ It features a 4-inch square touchscreen with RGB ambient lighting.
- European heath body elects Bath covid test pioneer as fellow
➀ Dr. Despina Moschou, an electrical engineer at the University of Bath, has been elected as a fellow of EAMBES, the European Alliance of Medical and Biological Engineering and Science.
➁ She developed 'LoCKAmp', a high-speed COVID-19 test, and has founded two companies.
➂ Moschou also supervises a student engineering team that developed a portable water quality monitor and secured funding for a project to equip engineering graduates with entrepreneurial skills.
- 100V GaN transistor will integrate Schottky diode for hard switching
➀ Infineon is planning a 100V GaN transistor with an integrated Schottky diode for hard-switched power topologies;
➁ The lack of body diode in GaN-based topologies can lead to higher power losses due to the larger effective body diode voltage;
➂ The new device is designed to reduce dead-time and maintain efficiency by connecting a Schottky diode in anti-parallel with the GaN transistor.
- Bosch extends Arrow agreement for automotive components in EMEA
➀ Bosch has signed an extension with Arrow Electronics to distribute its automotive semiconductor components in EMEA;
➁ The agreement includes Bosch’s MEMS sensors, ASICs, and SiC chips;
➂ Two generations of Bosch SiC chips are available, with the latest offering very low on-resistance across the temperature range.
- White Knight to save Shibaura
➀ MinebeaMitsumi has announced a tender offer to acquire thermistor specialist Shibaura Electronics to save it from a hostile takeover bid from Taiwan's Yageo Corp.;
➁ Shibaura Electronics, with a 13.5% world market share in thermistors, is a key player in vehicles, wind turbines, and industrial robots;
➂ Yageo Corp. plans to make a takeover bid on May 7th, offering $29 per share, but MinebeaMitsumi is offering $31 per share, totaling $485 million for the company.
- IQE and X-Fab hook up for GaN
➀ IQE和X-FAB签署了一项联合开发协议（JDA），旨在创建一个基于欧洲的GaN功率器件平台解决方案；
➁ 该协议为期两年，双方将合作开发650V GaN器件；
➂ 该协议将利用IQE的GaN外延设计和工艺专长以及X-FAB的技术开发能力和器件制造能力，为汽车、数据中心和消费应用提供优化的技术-衬底组合。
- Ed Rides The Tariff Roller-Coaster
➀ Ed在日记中透露，关税问题让他感到自豪，他预见到这将是Liz Truss故事的翻版，并相应地应对。
➁ 到周二晚上，关税已使全球股市价值蒸发10万亿美元，而到周四早上，股市又上涨了6万亿美元。
➂ 所有金融人士都说，当政府债券开始抛售时，总统将改变方向，就像Liz在她预算后大量出售金边债券时那样。
April 11
- Axelspace to boost Earth observation microsatellite constellation
➀ Axelspace, a Japanese microsatellite specialist, plans to launch seven Earth observation satellites in 2026;
➁ The satellites, named GRUS-3, will operate in sun-synchronous orbit and capture images of the Earth's surface daily;
➂ The new launches will increase Axelspace's constellation to twelve microsatellites.
- What caught your eye? (Siemens Digital, Compound semis, 3D magnetic sensor)
➀ Siemens Digital acquires Downstream Technologies, expanding its PCB design tool offerings and broadening its design space reach.
➁ The UK Ministry of Defence invests £200m into compound semiconductors and seeks partners.
➂ Diodes introduces a 3D magnetic sensor designed for manual controls, offering compact user interface inspiration.
➃ The Satellite Applications Catapult simulates microgravity at its Westcott facility, upgrading its ISAM facility with a gravity offload system for testing various payloads.
- EW BrightSparks 2024 profile: Jessica Ross, Leonardo / Strathclyde University
➀ Jessica Ross is a Design Engineering Graduate Apprentice at Leonardo, studying at Strathclyde University, balancing her engineering degree with work;
➁ She has taken responsibility for her own projects, including a feasibility study to improve safety in open beam work, which was successfully implemented;
➂ She competes in hockey for Scotland and is passionate about inspiring young girls to engage in sports and engineering.
- Picture of the Day: Gravity offload system to simulate microgravity
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- Allegations of insider trading by ST management
➀ ST Microelectronics' supervisory board has denied allegations of insider trading by two members of its managing board, including CEO Jean-Marc Chery, as reported by Reuters.
➁ Italy's Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti accused Chery and another executive of selling shares a day before reporting negative results.
➂ ST claimed that the stock sales were conducted 'through an automatic procedure' as part of a stock administration plan.
- Nvidia becomes No.1
➀ Nvidia has overtaken Samsung and Intel to become the number one semiconductor company in the world;
➁ Worldwide semiconductor revenue reached $655.9 billion in 2024, up 21% from $542.1 billion in 2023;
➂ Samsung Electronics maintained second place due to gains in DRAM and flash memory, while Intel's revenue grew by only 0.8%.
- Space Foundation report highlights growing U.S. space workforce
➀ The Space Foundation's 2025 Q1 report indicates an 18% increase in the space workforce over five years.
➁ The average salary in the U.S. space industry is $135,000, a 3.1% annual increase and nearly double the average private sector wage.
➂ Pharmaceutical companies are showing increased interest in manufacturing drugs in orbit, with projects like Redwire's PIL-BOX.
- Who Has The Leverage In Trade?
➀ The U.S. is a significant buyer of foreign goods, with President Trump aiming to change this, but substitution will be difficult.
➁ The U.S. tariffs could be costly for the country and for those selling to the U.S.
➂ China and the EU buy less from the U.S., making retaliation less painful and less effective.
April 10
- 24 by 32 pixel thermal camera array ICs
➀ Melexis has developed a 32 x 24 pixel far-infrared sensor array, the MLX90642, capable of capturing object temperatures between -40 and +260°C.
➁ The sensor array is available in two versions: a wide-view type with a 110° x 75° field of view and a narrow-view type with a 45° x 35° field of view.
➂ The company highlights its signal-to-noise ratio, with the wide-view type achieving approximately 0.1°C and the narrow-view type slightly better at lower sampling rates.
- 0.53mΩ mosfet in 5 x 6mm DFN package
➀ Rohm has developed three n-channel power mosfets in 5 x 6mm DFN packaging.
➁ The RS7E200BG is optimized for secondary-side ac-dc conversion and hot-swap controllers in 12V enterprise server power supplies.
➂ The DFN5060-8S package increases the internal die size area by approximately 65% compared to the conventional 5 x 6mm HSOP8 package.
- Microchip’s 32 LUT programmable logic block for PICs
Microchip has introduced a 32 logic elements programmable array into a microcontroller. The CLB (configurable logic block) can simulate various logic gates, buffers, flip-flops, and multiplexers. It improves response time and power consumption. The PIC16F13145 family offers various configurations with 8 to 20 pins and different memory options. The family also includes ADC, DAC, comparators, timers, and communication interfaces. Development support is provided through the Curiosity Nano development board and MPLAB X IDE.
- TSMC Q1 up 41.6% y-o-y
➀ TSMC reported a 41.6% year-on-year increase in Q1 revenues;
➁ March revenues were $8.7 billion, up 10% month-on-month and 46.5% year-on-year;
➂ Total Q1 revenues reached $25.5 billion.
- Samsung going for 1nm
➀ Samsung has established a team to develop 1nm process technology using high-NA EUV machines for mass production in 2029, according to the Seoul Economic Daily.
➁ It is unclear whether Samsung has ordered any of ASML's $350 million high-NA EUV machines.
➂ Samsung denied reports of canceling its 1.4nm process development, admitting project delays and a rumored shift of resources to the 2nm process.
- Q1 PC units up 4.9% but outlook uncertain
➀ IDC reported that PC unit shipments in Q1 2025 reached 63.2 million, a year-over-year increase of 4.9%;
➁ The entire PC ecosystem attempted to accelerate deliveries to avoid the impact of US tariffs and expected volatility;
➂ Underlying demand factors for PCs, such as Windows 10 upgrade and AI demand, remain strong, but uncertainty over US tariffs and global economic risks may negatively impact demand in 2025.
April 9
- 4bit dual-supply logic level shifters
➀ Toshiba has introduced three four-channel dual-supply level-translator-transceivers targeting UART and SPI interfaces;
➁ These devices support level-up and level-down voltage translation from either of their dual power supplies in bidirectional communication systems;
➂ The 74AVC4T245FT and 74AVCH4T245FT models have four bidirectional level shift circuits, with the latter adding input-holds for correct output states;
➃ The 74AVC4T345FT model is designed for SPI interfaces with a single channel and a triple channel;
➄ The transceivers have direction and output-enable pins within the ‘A’ side voltage domain and are voltage tolerant up to 3.6V;
➅ They offer output strength from ±2mA to ±12mA and have a static consumption of 8μA max through the two power inputs;
➆ The packaging is TSSOP16B and operation is over -40 to 125°C.
- 3D Hall sensor for human-vehicle interfaces
➀ Diodes is developing a 3D Hall-effect magnetic field sensor for contactless rotary motion and proximity detection.
➁ The AH4930Q sensor is designed for automotive applications such as infotainment controls, gear shifts, and seat adjusters.
➂ The sensor features a 12-bit ADC and can measure magnetic fields in all directions with high resolution and low noise.
- Siemens Digital buys Downstream Technologies
➀ Siemens Digital Industries Software has acquired DownStream Technologies, a provider of manufacturing data preparation tools for PCB design.
➁ The acquisition aims to expand Siemens' presence in the small and medium-sized business (SMB) market.
➂ DownStream Technologies' CAM350 suite of tools allows customers to verify and automatically prepare PCB design data for fabrication, reducing errors and streamlining the transition from design to production.
- Sateliot raises €70m Series B for 100 satellite constellation
➀ Sateliot, a Spanish satcoms startup, has raised €70 million in Series B funding;
➁ The funding includes an additional €10 million from Hyperion Fund, bringing the total to €80 million;
➂ Sateliot plans to deploy a constellation of more than 100 satellites to provide global connectivity and support IoT services at a lower cost.
- Smiths upgrades Tunisian cable harness facility
➀ Smiths Interconnect 在突尼斯的工厂增加了电缆组件生产能力；
➁ 制造流程包括切割、剥皮、压接、焊接、灌封、标识和测试等环节；
➂ 该工厂专注于制造和测试信号、数据传输、混合、装甲和电源电缆，以及用于航空航天、国防、交通和工业应用的信号、同轴、双轴、三轴和四轴，以及Mil-Spec和D-sub连接器。
- Top Ten Foundries
➀ The article lists the top ten foundries in Q4 2025, as compiled by TrendForce.
➁ It is a follow-up to previous articles on top EV vendors and chip vendors.
➂ It provides a snapshot of the semiconductor industry's leading players in the foundry sector.
April 8
- Tariffs
➀ The author expresses confusion over the White House's approach to tariffs, suggesting it invites presidents and prime ministers to negotiate different tariffs.
➁ The author references Trump's playbook of making demands and then negotiating, noting Vietnam's offer to reduce tariffs to zero and Israel's promise to balance trade with the US.
➂ The author discusses the ideal of a tariff-free world, referencing Margaret Thatcher's influence on the EU to create a single market and Elon Musk's statement advocating for a zero-tariff situation between Europe and North America.