Empower Semiconductor Debuts “Fastest” Integrated Voltage Regulator
The 10 amp EP7010 can regulate through a 0 to 10 amp load step in less than 500 ns with under a 15 mv voltage droop
The new integrated voltage regulator (IVR) from Empower is part of Empower’s EPX70xx family. The tiny, 5 by 5 mm IVRs operate from inputs ranging from 1.62 to 1.96 volts, and supply one to three outputs that can be adjusted to between 0.40 and 1.30 volts
From zero to 10 amps in 500 nanoseconds with less than a 15 millivolt voltage drop. Image courtesy of Empower
The EP7038
Empower also highlights family member EP7038 in an informative video. This IVR features three separate outputs, two sourcing 4 amps each and one sourcing 2 amps. Each output can be independently programmed as described. It's important to point out that, like all members of the EP70xx family, the EP7038 requires no external capacitors or inductors to do its job.
Industry Leading Transient Response
The EPC7038 delivers what Empower Semiconductor claims is the industry’s best transient response for a 500 ns full load step.
Modified Image courtesy of Empower video (1:53)
During that step, the output ripple is less than 10 millivolts
As stated by Steve Shultis, Senior Vice President WW Sales and Marketing at Empower Semiconductor, “Fast start-up times can be critical in many applications and being able to offer the world’s fastest transient response times is critical to many customers. With this game-changing speed improving both energy efficiency and performance is having a tremendous impact.” He goes on to state that. “We have achieved incredible results in our EP70XX product family that has now delivered the world’s fastest transient speeds from zero to 10A in 500ns with <15mv droop without any output capacitors. This combination of density, speed and efficiency are allowing designers to utilize our products in groundbreaking ways, enabling breakthrough levels of system performance.”
And, as Mr. Shultis further points out, “Those experienced in the industry have to do a double-take at the time axis when looking at scope shots – we are used to dealing in microseconds, not nanoseconds.”
Members of EMPOWER’s IVR Family
|
Number of Outputs |
Out 1 (amps) |
Out 2 (amps) |
Out 3 (amps) |
Datasheet | |
| EMP7010C | 1 | 10 | - | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7013C | 1 | 3 | - | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7015C | 1 | 5 | - | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7024C | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7027C | 2 | 8 | 2 | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7029C | 2 | 5 | 5 | - | Datasheet |
| EMP7032C | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Datasheet |
| EMP7037C | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | Datasheet |
| EMP7038C | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Datasheet |
Other Features
The units all feature both ENABLE and POWER GOOD pins. There is an I3C high speed interface for control and to read telemetry information. Members of this IVR series achieve efficiencies of up to 92%, and that level is nearly flat through the full 10 amp range.
Fault protection features include:
- OVLO (overvoltage lockout)
- UVLO (unervoltage lockout)
- OVP (overvotage protecion)
- OCP (overcurrent protection)
- Short-circuit protection
Applications
- POL power in servers
- Data center SSD & NAS
- Networking and Communication SoCs
- Optical transceiver SoCs and Modules
- FPGA
- AI and machine learning processors
Physical Considerations
Most units measure 5 x 5 x 0.75 mm and are available in FcCSP packages
The exception is the 3 amp, 1 output EP7013, which is smaller at 4.15 x 4.15 x 0.75 mm
