What is Thermal Gasket?

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Thermal Gasket: Flexible pad or wafer with a very low thermal resistance that is put between a power module base plate and heat sink to ensure the high thermal conductivity across the junction.

SMBus: The System Management Bus (abbreviated to SMBus or SMB) is a single-ended simple two-wire bus for the purpose of lightweight communication. The SMBus was defined by Intel in 1995. It carries clock, data, and instructions and is based on Philips' I²C serial bus protocol. Its clock frequency range is 10 kHz to 100 kHz. (PMBus extends this to 400 kHz.) Its voltage levels and timings are more strictly defined than those of I²C, but devices belonging to the two systems are often successfully mixed on the same bus. (source: Wikipedia) SMBus home page
Secondary Circuit: Output side of an isolated DC-DC converter.
See Primary Circuit
Sense Line: Output line used in a remote sensing connection to route the output voltage (at the load) back to the control feedback loop.
See Remote Error Sensing or Remote Sensing
Series Operation: Master-slave configuration in which two or more isolated converters are connected to obtain a higher output voltage level (converter inputs connected in parallel) or wider input voltage range (converter inputs connected in series) than that obtainable from one module.
See Master/Slave Operation
Series Regulator: Linear regulator (internal or external to the converter) placed in series with the load to achieve a constant voltage across the load. This is the most popular method of linear regulation.
See Linear Regulation, Post Regulation, Shunt Regulator
Short Circuit Protection: See Current Limiting, Foldback Current Limiting
Shunt Regulator: Linear regulator (internal or external to the converter) placed in parallel with the load to achieve a constant voltage across the load.
See Linear Regulation, Post Regulation, Series Regulator
Six-Sided Shielding: Converter packaging technique in which the unit is placed into a metal case. The metal shielding minimizes any noise radiation from the converter components. A continuous shielded case has the base (or header) welded on, further reducing potential noise leakage.
Soft Start: Converter input circuit that limits the inrush current at turn on.
See Inrush Current
Split Bobbin Winding: The method of winding a transformer where by the primary and secondary are wound side by side on a bobbin with an insulation barrier between the two wingdings.
Stability: Obviously a misnomer, this term refers to the instability in power supply output which occurs in the presence of constant load, constant line and constant ambient temperature for a stated period of time (usually 8 hrs.) following warm-up. This small output variation which is related in part to the internal temperature rise of the power supply, is the zero frequency component of noise which must be present in any DC amplifier or regulator, even though all input, output, environmental and control parameters are held constant.
Standby Current: Current drawn by a converter when it has no load and has been shut down by a logic inhibit signal.
Step Change: Sudden change in a converter parameter. Typically used in referring to changes in output load or input line during converter testing.
Storage Temperature Range: Range of ambient temperatures over which a converter can be safely stored.
See Operating Temperature Range

Glossary of power supply terms