New Industry Products

TDK Offers Semiconductor-Embedded-in-Substrate Power Management Module for Smartphones and Tablets

February 04, 2013 by Jeff Shepard

TDK Corporation has announced a new series of highly integrated, multi-channel power management modules for smartphones and tablets. Based on TDK's SESUB technology (semiconductor embedded in substrate), the new module is thought to be the world's first IC embedded power management module for smartphones and tablets. Aimed at reducing lead times and development costs for manufacturers of smartphones and tablets, the new product features a power supply management IC chip that is embedded directly into the substrate.

In combination with newly developed surface-mounted capacitors and power inductors, this results in a space-saving footprint that is up to 60 percent smaller than discrete solutions. The highly integrated module offers advanced multi-channel power management capabilities in a single miniature package with dimensions of only 11.0mm x 11.0 mm x 1.6 mm.

The major features of the new power management module are its high-efficiency step-down converter power supply in a 5-channel configuration with a maximum output of 2.6 A, and its low-noise, low-loss voltage regulator power supply for up to 23 channels. A highly efficient lithium-ion secondary battery charging circuit is also included. As a result of the fact that the IC completely embedded in the miniature three-dimensional SESUB structure, the power management module features superior thermal attributes compared with solutions with discrete packaged ICs.

The module also offers greatly improved EMC performance due to the self-shielding effect of its design. The new series meets the emerging needs for miniaturized multifunctional power management modules able to provide all of the functions in a smartphone with exactly the right amount of power, thus contributing to longer battery life.

Features of the new device include: High-efficiency, 5-channel step-down converter power supply with an output of up to 2.6 A. Low-noise, low-loss voltage regulator type power supply (max. 23 channels); High-efficiency lithium-ion secondary battery charging circuit for up to 4 A; LCD backlight power supply; Step-up converter power supply for camera flash; 16-bit microcontroller; Flash memory for 256 kB of program data and 8 kB of data memory; Reference quartz oscillator for real-time clock; Miniature dimensions of only 11.0 mm x 11.0 mm x 1.6 mm; And 0.5-mm pad pitch, 20 x 21 array, with 380 pads