Abstract: A matrix integrated magnetics (MIM) “Extended E” core in which a plurality of outer legs are disposed on a base and separated along a first outer edge to define windows therebetween. A center leg is disposed on the top region of the base and separated from the outer legs to define a center window. The center leg is suitably positioned along a second outer edge opposite the first or between outer legs positioned along opposing outer edges. A plate is disposed on the outer legs opposite the base.

Abstract: A power converter having input and output nodes and a method of operating the same. In one embodiment, the power converter includes a switching circuit including first, second and third active phase legs. Each of the first, second and third active legs includes a first switch coupled to one of the input nodes and a second switch coupled to another of the input nodes and has a common switching node therebetween. The power converter further includes a magnetic device including first, second and third primary windings, and first, second and third secondary windings. The first, second and third primary windings are coupled to the common switching node of the first, second and third active phase legs, respectively. The power converter still further includes a rectifier including first, second and third rectifier elements interposed between the first, second and third secondary windings, respectively, and one of the output nodes.

Abstract: A method of forming packages containing SiC or other semiconductor devices bonded to other components or conductive surfaces utilizing transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding to create high temperature melting point bonds using in situ formed ternary or quaternary mixtures of conductive metals and the devices created using TLP bonds of ternary or quaternary materials. The compositions meet the conflicting requirements of an interconnect or joint that can be exposed to high temperature, and is thermally and electrically conductive, void and creep resistant, corrosion resistant, and reliable upon temperature and power cycling.

Abstract: There is disclosed a core structure with a very low profile, high power density and lower losses. The disclosed design allows for a larger core area where the DC fluxes are added, thereby reducing the air-gap requirements in the cores derived from low saturation density materials such as ferrites. The cellular nature of the design can be effectively employed in vertically packaged power converters and modules. Also disclosed is a DC-DC converter topology which preferably employs the disclosed core. N AC drive voltages drive N current doubler rectifiers (CDRs) in accordance with the symmetric modulation scheme; each CDR provides two rectified output currents to an output node. Each AC drive voltage has a switching period Ts. The drive voltages are phase-shifted by Ts/(2*N), such that the rectified output currents of the CDRs are interleaved, thereby reducing output voltage ripple.

Abstract: A vertically packaged cellular power converter solves the problems associated with conventional designs and paves the way for a cellular circuit architecture with ultra-low interconnect resistance and inductance. The vertical packaging results in a power flow in the vertical direction (from the bottom to the top) with very short internal interconnects, thereby minimizing the associated conduction losses and permitting high conversion efficiency at high currents. The cellular architecture is ideally suited for generating multiple supply voltages.

Abstract: Cutout and/or keep away regions are etched in the winding structure near the gapped center leg of a magnetic core. This reduces eddy current losses caused by the leakage field and improves current uniformity and current sharing between windings thereby increasing converter efficiency. Windings closest to the air gap are suitably formed with both keep away regions and cutouts. Windings a little further away are formed with only cutouts and the windings furthest away are unchanged. This approach keeps the net winding losses low in the presence of a fringing field. The precise configuration is determined by the core structure, air gap and winding arrangements.

Abstract: A vertically packaged cellular power converter solves the problems associated with conventional designs and paves the way for a cellular circuit architecture with ultra-low interconnect resistance and inductance. The vertical packaging results in a power flow in the vertical direction (from the bottom to the top) with very short internal interconnects, thereby minimizing the associated conduction losses and permitting high conversion efficiency at high currents. The cellular architecture is ideally suited for generating multiple supply voltages.

Abstract: A vertical winding structure for planar integrated magnetics used in switched-mode power converters maintains close coupling between the different windings but reduces the eddy current losses, lowers the DC winding resistance and reduces the number of layers of the PCB. Vertical and horizontal windings can be used together without sacrificing these performance advantages and further minimizing the capacitive coupling between the outer-leg windings and the center-leg winding. This winding structure can be used in a wide range of magnetic structures including isolated and non-isolated CDRs, interleaved CDRs, and buck and boost converters.

Abstract: A composite magnetic core formed of a high permeability material and a lower permeability, high saturation flux density material prevents core saturation without an air gap and reduces eddy current losses and loss of inductance. The composite core is configured such that the low permeability, high saturation material is located where the flux accumulates from the high permeability sections. The presence of magnetic material having a relatively high permeability keeps the flux confined within the core thereby preventing fringing flux from spilling out into the winding arrangement. This composite core configuration balances the requirements of preventing core saturation and minimizing eddy current losses without increasing either the height or width of the core or the number of windings.

Abstract: A method of forming nano composites within a polymer structure comprises exposing a wettable polymer having ion-exchangeable groups pendant therefrom to an aqueous solution of a soluble salt containing metal ions, the metal ions replacing, by ion exchange, the pendant groups on the polymer. After ion exchange the polymer is exposed to a reducing agent forming metal oxides trapped within the polymer structure.

Abstract: There is disclosed a core structure with a very low profile, high power density and lower losses. Higher core surface area and improved core utilization in terms of flux density are other desirable feature in the disclosed design. The disclosed design also allowed for a larger core area where the DC fluxes are added, thereby reducing the air-gap requirements in the cores derived from low saturation density materials such as ferrites. The cellular nature of the design can also be effectively employed in vertically packaged power converters and modules.

Abstract: A matrix integrated magnetics (MIM) “Extended E” core in which a plurality of outer legs are disposed on a base and separated along a first outer edge to define windows there between. A center leg is disposed on the top region of the base and separated from the outer legs to define a center window. The center leg is suitably positioned along a second outer edge opposite the first or between outer legs positioned along opposing outer edges. A plate is disposed on the outer legs opposite the base.

Abstract: There is disclosed a core structure with a very low profile, high power density and lower losses. Higher core surface area and improved core utilization in terms of flux density are other desirable feature in the disclosed design. The disclosed design also allowed for a larger core area where the DC fluxes are added, thereby reducing the air-gap requirements in the cores derived from low saturation density materials such as ferrites. The cellular nature of the design can also be effectively employed in vertically packaged power converters and modules.

Abstract: There is disclosed a core structure with a very low profile, high power density and lower losses. The disclosed design allows for a larger core area where the DC fluxes are added, thereby reducing the air-gap requirements in the cores derived from low saturation density materials such as ferrites. The cellular nature of the design can be effectively employed in vertically packaged power converters and modules. Also disclosed is a DC-DC converter topology which preferably employs the disclosed core. N AC drive voltages drive N current doubler rectifiers (CDRs) in accordance with the symmetric modulation scheme; each CDR provides two rectified output currents to an output node. Each AC drive voltage has a switching period Ts. The drive voltages are phase-shifted by Ts/(2*N), such that the rectified output currents of the CDRs are interleaved, thereby reducing output voltage ripple.

Abstract: A lamp electronic ballast with a piezoelectric cooling fan. Use of ballast-driven lamps is limited in some lighting applications by thermal considerations. For example, the problem of heat removal from compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballasts has limited their use. Similarly, the use of ballast-driven fluorescent lighting in high hat and other closed luminaire applications has been limited by thermal considerations. Thermal management of ballasts for such thermally sensitive applications is provided by a piezoelectric fan integrated with the ballast. The power to drive the fan may be obtained from the same AC line input that supplies the ballast, or from an AC ripple voltage present at the output of a rectifier in the ballast, or from the output of the ballast to the lamp, or from any suitable circuit location in the ballast. The fan maybe a membrane-type spot-cooler comprising a thin membrane carried by a frame mounted adjacent a hot spot.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transformer has pairs of input/output electrodes located on a piezoelectric body corresponding to period locations on a standing sine wave superimposed on said body, and having a waveform corresponding to vibrational modes of the piezoelectric body at resonance. The transformer also has a grounded guard electrodes to reduce parasitic coupling between its input and output regions.

Abstract: Anodized aluminum anode and cathode foils are interleaved in a stack separated by spacers saturated with electrolyte in an enclosure. The anode foils and cathode foils have tabs which protrude from the housing and are cold welded to leads outside the housing, where they are not exposed to electrolyte. This permits using copper leads, which can be soldered to traces on a printed circuit board. A flat capacitor can be fixed underneath a PCB or even used as the substrate for a circuit, resulting in high volume efficiencies and the possibility of using it as a heat sink for other components.

Abstract: Novel emitter materials, electrode assemblies amd lamps comprising the same are provided in which, in accordance with the invention, novel electrodes are provided having a lamp electrode structure, preferably including a hollow ferrule for sealing in a lamp to permit evacuation; an emitter material of the invention on at least one surface thereof, preferably on a protrusion attached to the hollow ferrule; a thermal isolator, preferably in the form of a low thermal conductivity wire or an incised or cut-out portion of the hollow ferrule body, for thermally isolating the protrusion from the ferrule to maintain a sufficiently high temperature for thermionic emission, and further comprising an emitter material requiring no in-lamp processing. The emitter materials are a mixed oxide of Ba, Sr and mixtures thereof with one or more of the metals from the series comprising Ta, Ti, Zr, Sc, Y, and La, are preferably selected from the group consisting of Ba.sub.4 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9, Ba.sub.5 Ta.sub.4 O.sub.15, BaY.sub.

Abstract: To improve performance, reliability and lifetime of a plasma-containing electro-optic display device, at least the cathode electrodes have hollows or wells within which plasma discharge occurs. This reduces the tendency of the electrode material to be sputter deposited on the walls of the device. In addition, cathode emission is improved by incorporating emitter materials into the electrodes, either by alloying or by surface coatings.

Abstract: Novel emitter materials, electrode assemblies amd lamps comprisinfg the same are provided in which, in accordance with the invention, novel electrodes are provided having a lamp electrode structure, preferably including a hollow ferrule for sealing in a lamp to permit evacuation; an emitter material of the invention on at least one surface thereof, preferably on a protrusion attached to the hollow ferrule; a thermal isolator, preferably in the form of a low thermal conductivity wire or an incised or cut-out portion of the hollow ferrule body, for thermally isolating the protrusion from the ferrule to maintain a sufficiently high temperature for thermionic emission, and further comprising an emitter material requiring no in-lamp processing. The emitter materials are a mixed oxide of Ba, Sr and mixtures thereof with one or more of the metals from the series comprising Ta, Ti, Zr, Sc, Y, and La, are preferably selected from the group consisting of Ba.sub.4 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9, Ba.sub.5 Ta.sub.4 O.sub.15, BaY.sub.