Micrel Presents New MIC2168/MIC2169 Control ICs
Micrel Semiconductor Inc. (San Jose, CA), a leader in power management and high-speed communications integrated circuits, released two new high-speed, dc-dc, synchronous buck, control ICs, the MIC2168 and MIC2169, which provide high efficiency, small size, point-of-load, dc-dc conversion for networking, telecom, server, set-top box and storage applications.
The MIC2168 operates at a fixed 1 MHz, pulse-width modulated, operating frequency. The MIC2169 operates at 500 KHz. The slower switching speed allows the highest level of efficiency, especially in high output-current applications where the IC is driving large MOSFETs with a high gate charge. With a proprietary adaptive gate drive technique that reduces MOSFET shoot-through current, both devices are capable of efficiencies over 95 percent.
The MIC2168 and MIC2169 operate from a wide 3 V to 14.5 V input-voltage range. The wide input range allows the devices to step voltages down in systems with 3.3 V, 5 V and 12 V power buses. With a programmable minimum output voltage of 0.8 V, the MIC2168/9 can power the latest generation CPUs, DSPs, FPGAs and ASICs. The 4 Ohm internal gate drivers allow the devices to power external MOSFETs that can provide 20 A of output current.
Offered in a small, low-pin count, MSOP-10 package, the MIC2168 and MIC2169 are available in the MSOP-10 package. The devices are priced at $1.92 and $1.74 in 1,000-piece quantities, respectively. Samples are available from stock, and production quantities are stock to 12 weeks ARO.
