New Industry Products

Smart Load Switches with Rapid Turn-Off Fault Protection and I-Monitoring

August 06, 2014 by Jeff Shepard

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited (AOS) today introduced the AOZ1363, a high-current smart load switch with rapid turn-off fault protection and current monitoring. The device has an operating input voltage range from 5V to 16V and is capable of supplying up to 6A of continuous current. A low on-resistance of 23mΩ in a thermally enhanced 3mm x 3mm DFN package makes the AOZ1363 optimal for space-constrained applications that require circuit protection such as the latest notebook PCs, hot-swap supplies and micro servers.

The AOZ1363 integrates several smart functions to safely and effectively manage, and monitor loads. The device features an internal current limiting circuit, which protects the system from sourcing excessive load currents, in conjunction with a thermal protection function that limits excessive power dissipation. Externally programmable soft-start circuitry controls inrush current from highly capacitive loads during hot-plug events.

The device can communicate load information in real time through the current monitoring pin (ISEN) with an accuracy window of 10% at a specified load current of 3A. The AOZ1363 can detect over-current fault conditions and execute a rapid power-down within a delay time of 100ns maximum. It also features an input overvoltage protection which allows the device to power-down when the power input voltage exceeds 19V. Efficiency is not sacrificed as the AOZ1363 features a low quiescent current of 400μA that can be further reduced to less than 10μA in shutdown mode.

“The combination of smart functions, wider input voltage range, low on-resistance, and a thermally enhanced compact DFN package enables the AOZ1363 to achieve exceptional performance, making it a distinctive and ideal load switch for a variety of space-constrained applications” said Daniel Chang, Vice President of the Power IC Product Line at AOS. The AOZ1363 is immediately available in production quantities with a lead-time of 12 weeks. The unit price of 1,000 pieces is $3.75.