New Industry Products

Enpirion Releases New 600mA DC-DC Converter

April 01, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

Enpirion Inc. announced the availability of a new 600mA synchronous buck converter with an integrated inductor, delivering low output ripple in a 3 x 3 x 1.1mm QFN package. The solution requires only small 2 MLCC capacitors for a solution footprint of only 22mm². Enpirion’s low noise devices are intended for RF, analog, and high-speed digital applications where switcher noise can limit data throughput and cause failure in spectral compliance.

The new EP5368QI part features a proprietary low loss integrated inductor, PWM controller, MOSFETS and compensation network. This level of integration is said to greatly simplify design, contains noise, and reduces part count and size. The device has a 4 MHz switching frequency, and achieves up to 94% efficiency. It provides 600mA of continuous output current over the industrial temperature range, and 700mA over the commercial temperature range.

The EP5368QI offers low radiated noise (EMI), low conducted noise, and low output ripple. The level of integration localizes the high frequency noise associated with switch-mode dc-dc converters, keeping it inside the package and not on the PCB. The company claims that the converter also uses voltage mode control to achieve high noise immunity and superb load matching to today’s sub-90nm semiconductor process technology.

The EP5368QI requires only two small MLCC capacitors for a complete solution, with a total footprint of just 22mm². This part has shrunk from its first generation, which had a 32mm² solution footprint.

Integration of the inductor is said to make switch-mode converter design an almost turnkey experience. Further, the part uses a 3-pin voltage selector to choose one of seven preset common output voltages or an external resistor divider. The overall design experience is said to be nearly as easy as that of designing in a linear regulator, with the efficiency of a switcher.

Enpirion’s newest 600mA dc-dc converter is currently designed into a number of platforms. It is well-suited for a broad range of mobile and wireless broadband applications, including (but not limited to) smart phones, wireless data cards, portable gaming devices, navigation systems, personal media players, and advanced mobile processors.

The EP5368QI is available now, and pricing is set at $0.98 for quantities of 10,000 parts.