New Industry Products

Vicor Unveils B048K120T10/15/20 VIC Converters

May 11, 2003 by Jeff Shepard

Vicor Corp. (Andover, MA) introduced the first family of products based on its new V-I Chip (VCI) ball grid array, surface-mount power component. The new family consists of 48V to 12V bus converter modules (BCM) for conventional intermediate bus architecture applications. The VICs of factorized power can process up to 200W in a small and light power ball grid array package.

The 200W BCM B048K120T20 requires only 0.85in x 1.26in (21.5mm x 32mm) of board space, less than one-third the board area of intermediate bus converters in quarter-brick style packages. Available in two mounting styles, it has an above-the-board height of only 4mm (in-board mounting) or 6mm (on-board mounting). Power density is 800W/in³, five times better than quarter-brick bus converters. The B048K120T10, rated at 100W, and the B048K120T15, rated at 150W, support lower power applications in the same VIC package.

Efficiency exceeds 96% over a wide load range. The VIC ball grid array power component is easily cooled through its junction-to-case and junction-to-ball grid array thermal paths. The 100W B048K120T10 requires no discrete heatsink in a typical application with 200LFM of 55°C air. The B048L120T20, with its optional integral pin fins, is capable of full-load operation at 200W with 300LFM of 80°C air.

The VIC BCMs are priced as low as $0.12 per watt in OEM quantities, and will be shipped in JEDEC trays or taped-and-reeled for automated pick-and-place. Delivery is six weeks ARO. Pre-assembled evaluation boards are available for $49.