Vicor Intros VIC Replacements for Quarter Bricks

Vicor Corp. (Andover, MA) announced the availability of its new VI Chips (VICs) adapted to the footprint and pin out of a telecom-standard, through-hole quarter brick. This “VIC-in-a-Brick” format makes it easy to retrofit a VIC into a quarter-brick application and achieve density, efficiency, fast response and quiet, low-noise operation. A VIC-in-a-Brick can be used as a second source replacement for bricks in many applications. The VIC-in-a-Brick configuration is available for certain Vicor VIC models, including the recent 48V to 12V bus converter modules (BCM).

The BCM delivers an isolated 12V at up to 200W for intermediate bus architecture applications such as telecommunications and computers, including servers and data storage equipment. The BCM may be used to power non-isolated, point-of-load converters, or as an independent 12V source. Up to two BCMs can be accommodated in the VIC-in-a-Brick format for a total of 400W of power conversion in the space of a quarter brick.

Efficiency of the 12V BCM exceeds 96% over a wide load range. The VIC BGA power package provides flexible thermal management through its low junction-to-case and junction-to-BGA thermal resistance. The VICs have exceptional speed and transient performance, responding to 100% step load changes in less than 1ms. Employing a unique ZCS/ZVS topology with a fixed, multi-megahertz, switching frequency, the VICs are relatively free of input and output noise, eliminating costly and bulky filters.

The VIC-in-a-Brick modules are priced starting at $0.13/watt in OEM quantities. Delivery is six weeks ARO.