While buck and boost converters are popular for their mainstream DC-to-DC power conversion, AC-AC converters are less well-known. Cycloconverters are AC-to-AC converters that have been around the world before power transistors and thyristors. They are used in low-speed, high-power motor drivers and several power electronic applications. This article describes cycloconverters and their structure, operation, and applications in power electronics.

As the automotive industry requirements for increasingly performant vehicle controllers relentlessly drives ahead, Silicon Storage Technology, a subsidiary of Microchip Technology Inc., (and United Microelectronics Corporation, a global semiconductor foundry, announced that they have completed full qualification and release to production of SST’s embedded SuperFlash Gen 4 (ESF4) with full automotive grade 1 (AG1) capability on UMC’s 28HPC+ foundry process platform.

GlobalFoundries announced its execution of a definitive agreement to acquire Synopsys’ ARC Processor IP Solutions business, including its teams of engineers and designers. This strategic move will accelerate GF’s and MIPS physical AI roadmap and strengthen their capabilities in custom silicon solutions.

Diodes Incorporated introduces the AP53781 and AP53782 28V USB Type-C Power Delivery (PD) dual-role power (DRP) controllers designed for managing DC power requests and outputs in battery-powered portable devices. The controllers support the latest USB PD3.1 extended power range (EPR) standard, delivering up to 140W for charging as well as releasing power from the internal battery.

To meet the demanding needs of high-voltage power management applications, Microchip Technology announced the introduction of its 600V Gate Driver portfolio, featuring 12 devices available in half-bridge, high-side/low-side and 3-phase driver configurations.

Delta, a global leader in power management and smart green solutions, announced today the launch of its 350kW (HPC 350) fast EV Charger in the EMEA market for electric passenger vehicles, buses, trucks and heavy-duty vehicles. Designed for grid-constrained and high-utilization environments, the HPC 350 combines ultra-fast charging with intelligent energy management, enabling dynamic load distribution, backend connectivity, and seamless integration into smart charging networks.

Magnachip Semiconductor Corporation announced the launch of its new series of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) designed for solar inverters and industrial Energy Storage Systems (ESS), further strengthening its position in the high-efficiency power semiconductor market.

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS), a supplier of discrete power devices, wide band gap power devices, power management ICs, and modules, unveiled its αMOS E2 600V Super Junction MOSFET platform. The first high-voltage product from the newly developed platform is AOS’ AOTL037V60DE2.

SK keyfoundry, an 8-inch pure-play foundry in Korea, announced that it has recently launched its fourth-generation 200V high-voltage 0.18-micron BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) process and will begin full-scale product development with major domestic and global customers, targeting mass production within the year.

Rohde & Schwarz expands its portfolio of mid-range instruments with the launch of the R&S FPL1044 spectrum analyzer and a new 40 MHz real-time spectrum analysis (RTSA) option for the entire FPL family. The R&S FPL1044 is an industry first, delivering high-frequency performance up to 44 GHz at a price point previously unattainable in the market. The universal RTSA option empowers FPL users with powerful real-time analysis capabilities.