Power Supplies and Regulators

IC Production

Dread to think what the yields are like.

Current density is now at the level that was used for accelerated life tests (burn-in) 25 years ago... which is why modern ICs actually wear out due to metal migration & other joys.

What is the theoretical limit? Isn't it about 100 atoms width at the moment?

ALL. What process is used for the SSI chips. I understand Russia make the low transistor count chips as they’re IC fabrication plants were less advanced (lower transistor count) than the Wests who barred transfer of advanced technology to the Communist Block. Eirc Honiker the Leader of East Germany was be concerned that his engineers had just invented I better RAM chip (rendered obsolete when Western technology arrived, or should I say Eastern, I understand the Japanese cornered the RAM market, not much profit in it now a days though) than the fall of the Berlin Wall!


Power Supplies

Diodes have ratings, I select a diode for it's application if it isn't already in my box of "goodies". A 1N4001 that I might use in a simple power supply, say 100 mA, I will not use in one that delivers 10 Amps.

The value will depend on the current rating you are dealing with. A 5V power supply that supplies 10 mA will have a MUCH smaller capacitor than a supply that supplies 5V @100A.


My Question was referring to Power Supplies to drive 5V TTL 74’xx series, and 3V-15V CMOS 40’xx series digital chips. So how many logic chips can a 100 mA power supply drive?

What are the specific values of a smoothing capacitor for 100 mA, and 10 A (2,200 micro-Farads?).

I remember now: the LM7805 outputs 5V; LM7812 -> 12V but what output does the LM317 give? Variable? Is it hooked up to a pot. ?

How much current does a Pentium 4 Intel processor burn? I recall hearing old computers cooling fans going? This doesn’t seem to be the case with my current computer. What is it’s transistor count?

What is the ABOSULTE thinnest track commercially available? And in the Lab?
What widths are Lithograpahic, and X-ray? Is there a production cost difference?

[ John Becker ] I have contacted Alan of EPE about the BAEC Archive, and think an AD in the next issue would be a good idea. Thank You.


Another Question? Every medium power electronic device sends to come with it’s own power supply e.g., CD Player, Computer Speakers…Why are there so many types with different output voltages and currents? Can’t they be collected and reused, or just a few standard types be made so they are not wasted. I remember years ago they used to sell power packs with a special 3-way connector that jacked into different equipment types.

Diodes have ratings, I select a diode for it's application if it isn't already in my box of "goodies". A 1N4001 that I might use in a simple power supply, say 100 mA, I will not use in one that delivers 10 Amps.

The value will depend on the current rating you are dealing with. A 5V power supply that supplies 10 mA will have a MUCH smaller capacitor than a supply that supplies 5V @100A.

LM7805, LM7812 and LM317 come to mind for positive voltage regulators. Although you can find a dozen more if you look. Do you need Low Drop Out voltage regulators? That's another whole number set. How about Switching regulators?? Negative regulators? Again, it depends on your application. I strongly suggest you get a good data book if they're still available, such as the Motorola Voltage Regulator Handbook. Check out the manufacturers web sites also. They have LOADS of information.

The current width will again depend on your application and your wallet. Do you want higher power? Higher speed? Or do you want the absolute fastest you can get and are willing to spend the big bucks to get it? Or is this a rhetorical question? Which process are you speaking of? lithographic? X-Ray? Production? Experimental?

You seem to think that there are many "absolutes" in electronics and chip manufacturing. That just isn't so.


[Questions] About P.S. Smoothing Caps. & Regulators; Adventures with Microelectronics Book; and IC Design?

I’ve just been added a bit to the BAEC Archive Newsletter Index:

https://baec.tripod.com/newsletter_index.htm - .html copy attached.

and got onto the subject of building power supplies. And have a few questions:

POWER SUPPLIES:
*Do you always use the same diode rectifier regardless of input-output voltage?
*Does anyone know what value in micro-farads a smoothing capacitor is for a 5V and 12V output?
*Does anyone know the component numbers of regulators that have an output of 5V, 12V, and variable 3V-15V?

DIGITAL ELECTRONIC BOOKS:
*Does anyone have a list of the projects in Tom Duncan’s ‘Adventures with Microelectronics’ and ‘Adventures with Digital Electronics’? I can only remember two: RED-AMBER-GREEN traffic lights, and a CMOS 4008 4-bit Adder. And perhaps something to count from 0-9 using a 7-segment display and CMOS 4511 BCD (binary coded decimal) to 7-segment LED driver?

IC DESIGN.
*The levels of integration for IC’s are: SSI (Small Scale Integration), MSI (Medium), LSI (Large), VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration)… What comes next? And how many transistors do you get on each type?
*What is the current IC power / data line width? 100 to 70 Nano-meters, one millionth of a milli-metre comes to mind?