New Industry Products

Enpirion Introduces "LDO Killer" Switch Mode Devices

September 19, 2007 by Jeff Shepard

Enpirion Inc. announced the introduction of its 2A buck-mode device. Featuring Enpirion’s integrated inductor technology, the EN5322QI has been dubbed the "LDO Killer," by the company. The 2A EN5322QI is claimed to be the perfect replacement for inefficient linear regulators to meet Energy Star requirements.

With the recent introduction of EPA Energy Star 4.0, developers of Energy Star certified products need to meet new, stricter design requirements. According to Enpirion, the new requirements effectively eliminate linear converters as viable solutions for regulating power. The Enpirion part is said to solve the noise, size, cost and other historical objections to the use of switchers, paving the way for across-the-board replacement of what are said to be inherently inefficient LDOs (Low Drop Out regulators).

"Enpirion’s ultra-integrated approach to switch-mode regulation makes it a no-brainer for engineers to toss out linear supplies that dissipate wasted energy by design," stated Ashraf Lotfi, Enpirion’s President and CTO. "Designers have been waiting for switchers that are viable replacements for LDOs, and now that day has finally arrived."

According to the company, the EN5322QI’s tiny footprint, low part count and ease of design are said to make it a near drop-in replacement for inefficient linear converters. The part comes in a tiny 6mm x 4mm x 1.1mm QFN package and integrates all converter functionality, while requiring only a single input and single output ceramic filter capacitor. The converter integrates MOSFET switches, control and compensation, and the inductor, all in a tiny, low profile package. The device has a wide 2.4 to 5.5V input range and has a VID programmable output range from 0.6 to 3.3V. The EN5322QI is capable of sourcing a continuous 2A over the entire industrial temperature range.

With a total solution footprint of less than 60mm2, the EN5322QI delivers a power density of more than 70W per square inch, giving it, according to the company, one of the highest power densities of any switch-mode dc-dc converter ever made. Key to the high power density is Enpirion’s high frequency silicon. It is claimed that most power semiconductor devices exhibit high switching loss, which limits the frequency at which they can operate. High frequency enables the shrinking and hence integration of the magnetics. Integration of the magnetics confines the high-frequency switching currents which cause the noise and EMI; historically the bane of switch-mode dc-dc converters. Integration of the inductor also greatly simplifies the design process.

The EN5322QI uses a type III voltage mode control scheme. As a result of the high switching frequency, the EN5322QI is said to have superior transient performance and the control scheme is said to provide excellent load matching to sub 90nm loads such as advanced processors, FPGAs, and complex ASICs.

Parts are sampling now, with pricing set at $2.23 in quantities of 1000 pieces.