Intersil Offers Scalable PWM Controller For ASICs & Computing Designs

Intersil Corp. announced the release of the ISL8120 dual output or variable phase PWM controller. This PWM controller features proprietary current sharing technology which is said to enable multiple versions of the chip to be used in parallel for a cost-efficient dual output or n-phase PWM controller solution that addresses a variety of specific design needs.

Each phase delivers up to 25A of output current, based upon MOSFET selection. Each chip can be configured as two single-phase outputs or one dual-phase output. With the ability of each ISL8120 to deliver two single-phase 25A outputs or one dual-phase 50A output, designers determine the number of ISL8120s required based on the number of voltage rails and output current levels that need to be generated. Up to six ISL8120s can be used in parallel to deliver a single 12-phase 300A output. The ISL8120’s integrated current sharing control is what is said to enable this unique scalability.

The ISL8120’s versatility is further increased by its ability to handle industry-standard input voltages of 3, 9, 12 and 24V. In addition, the device’s gate drive voltage ranges from 2.7 to 5.5V, featuring a low-side 2A/4A 5V drive and a 2A/2A 5V high-side drive. The controller can also perform overcurrent sensing by dc resistance (DCR), Rds(on) or external sense resistance (ESR) so that it can function in a broad variety of system architectures.

The ISL8120 also provides high accuracy by offering true differential remote sensing. This is achieved by referencing from an individual node point directly to ground, which is said to provide a higher degree of accuracy, allowing more precise debugging of the layout.

Available now in a 32-lead QFN package, the ISL8120 is a suitable PWM controller solution for datacomm or telecomm systems, RAID systems, power modules, power supplies or industrial applications.

The ISL8120 is available now in a 32-lead QFN package and is priced at $4.31in 1,000-unit quantities.