Texas Instruments Unveils Smallest 6A, 17V Step-Down DC-DC Converter

Extending its family of SWIFT™ power management integrated circuits (ICs), Texas Instruments (TI) introduced what it describes as the industry’s smallest single-chip, 6A, 17V step-down synchronous switcher with integrated FETs. The high-performance TPS54620 is said to be 60% smaller than today’s multi-chip converters, resulting in a complete 6A power solution less than 195mm² – one-fourth the size of a postage stamp. The 1.6-MHz monolithic dc-dc converter supports input voltages from 4.5 to 17V, allowing it to manage space-constrained 5 and 12-V point-of-load designs, such as a wireless base station or high-density server.

"As telecommunications designs become more dense and complex, they need more integrated, highly efficient power management devices that support a 12V power rail," said Steve Anderson, Senior Vice President of TI’s Power Management business unit. "We continue to develop smaller, more robust SWIFT converters, so designers can more quickly develop differentiated products for the market."

In addition to size improvements, the TPS54620 offers a high degree of performance and reliability, such as a highly accurate voltage reference with +/- one percent accuracy over temperature. Achieving a 95% power conversion efficiency and a 25% lower Rds(on) than previous 6A SWIFT devices, the converter easily powers deep sub-micron TI digital signal processors (DSPs) and other embedded processors, such as FPGAs and ASICs.

Additional features and benefits of the TPS54620 include: the SWIFT device supports a 6A continuous, 8A peak load current, and a power stage input voltage range from 1.6 to 17V; 1.6 MHz synchronous converter integrates two high-efficiency MOSFETs (26 and 19mΩ) and comes in a space-saving, thermally enhanced 3.5 x 3.5mm monolithic QFN package that minimizes footprint; synchronized switching frequency from a master clock eliminates beat noise in sensitive data acquisition circuitry; and a feature-rich IC includes power-good, enable and tracking pins for sequencing.

The TPS54620 is available in volume now in a 3.5 x 3.5mm QFN package. Suggested resale pricing is $1.95 in 1,000-unit quantities. The TPS54418 has a suggested resale price of $2.15 in 1,000-unit quantities.