Allegro MicroSystems Introduces New Automotive Grade Discontinuous Flyback Converter Control IC

Allegro MicroSystems Inc. announced a new automotive grade quasi-resonant, discontinuous flyback converter control IC which supports a wide range of power requirements via the sizing of the external MOSFET and magnetics. It is designed to work over the automotive battery voltage range of 7 to 40V, and over the temperature range of -40 to +125°C ambient.

This new converter control IC is targeted primarily for use in vacuum florescent display (VFD) power supplies, which require multiple voltage rails. The IC could also be used in numerous other automotive applications that require several regulated voltage rails.

The A4401 includes an integrated transconductance amplifier, which can be used to monitor and regulate the voltage on either one or several outputs where good cross-regulation is required. This new device includes many other valuable features such as soft-start, low quiescent SLEEP mode, high voltage enable (EN) pin, and a novel adaptive quasi-resonant switching scheme, which minimizes radiated emissions.

Internal diagnostics provide comprehensive protection against overloads, input under-voltage and over-temperature conditions. In a typical application, the A4401 greatly simplifies the flyback converter, which is required to drive the anode, grid, and filament of a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) system.

The A4401 is supplied in an industry standard 8L SOIC package. It is priced at $1.04 in quantities of 1,000 and has a 12-week lead-time to market.