Zilker Labs Announces Additions To Digital-DC™ Family, Including An Integrated 6A Digital DC-DC Converter
Zilker Labs, Inc. has introduced what it describes as the industry’s first 6A integrated dc-dc converter with digital power control and monitoring, further expanding Zilker Labs’ family of Digital-DC™ products.
The ZL2106 integrates an intelligent digital dc-dc controller with drivers and MOSFETs into a 6 x 6mm package, further reducing the PCB footprint and increasing power density versus Zilker Labs’ existing digital dc-dc controllers. The ZL2106 enables a complete 6A dc-dc converter solution with digital power management in as little as 0.5 in² (3.4 cm²) of PCB area.
The latest addition to the Digital-DC product family combines a compact, efficient, synchronous buck controller, drivers, MOSFETs and key power and fault management functions in a single IC. The ZL2106 includes power management features which eliminate the need for additional components and support the industry-standard PMBus command protocol for configuring and monitoring multiple power parameters through the on-chip I²C/SMBus serial port. The ZL2106 operates over a wide range of input/output voltages and switching frequencies and can be configured using simple pin-strap techniques for ease of use.
The ZL2106 is available in a 6 x 6mm 36-lead QFN package. Pricing starts at US$3.05 in quantities of 1,000.
Zilker also introduced what it describes as the industry’s most accurate dc-dc power controller for meeting the ever-increasing voltage regulation accuracy requirements of today’s high-performance embedded processors and ASICs. The ZL2004-01 uses Zilker Labs’ Digital-DC technology to provide ±0.2% dc output regulation, which is said to enable the most integrated and cost-effective solution for delivering accurate power to sensitive devices.
The ZL2004-01 interfaces with external drivers and MOSFETs, providing a flexible controller that can be implemented using a wide variety of power train components. The device also supports active current sharing, allowing up to 8 devices in parallel to supply load current requirements in excess of 100A. The ZL2004-01 can be seamlessly combined with other Digital-DC ICs to provide a comprehensive and intelligent system power solution. Zilker Labs’ Digital-DC products are fully configurable with simple pin-strap connections, resistor selection or via the on-chip I²C/SMBus compliant serial port using the industry-standard PMBus™ (Power Management Bus) command set. The devices can be configured and monitored individually or as a system through the I²C/SMBus interface. All of Zilker Labs’ Digital-DC products support monitoring of voltage, current, temperature and other system parameters without additional components.
Also available is the new ZL1505 high-speed, high-current synchronous N-channel MOSFET driver, which is said to provide the industry’s highest power conversion efficiency at loads up to 40A per phase. Specifically designed for use with the ZL2004 Digital-DC controllers, the ZL1505 utilizes dual PWM inputs to enable the controller to provide dynamic dead-time optimization that maximizes power conversion efficiency in response to changing system operating conditions with no user interaction or additional components needed. The device combines a 3A high-side drive with a 4A low-side drive to enable high efficiency at high step-down ratios and high switching frequency. The ZL1505 operates from a 4.5 to 7.5V gate drive supply and can be used in step-down applications with an input supply of 3 to 24V. The ZL1505 also provides an adjustable gate drive current feature that uses simple pin-strap connections to configure the low-side gate driver and the high-side driver for 50% or 100% of its rated drive current, enabling performance optimization across a wide range of input/output voltage and output current requirements.
The ZL2004-01 is available in a 5 x 5mm 32-lead QFN package with pricing starting at US$3.60 in quantities of 1,000. The ZL1505 is available in a 3 x 3mm DFN package with pricing starting at $0.71 in quantities of 1,000.
