Sipex Corp. (Milpitas, CA), a provider of analog integrated circuits, introduced its SP6687 high-efficiency charge pump driver, which independently controls up to four white LEDs and is suitable for backlighting color displays in portable applications such as cell phones, digital cameras, portable MP3 players and PDAs.
The SP6687 can generate regulated output current using three distinct operating modes. At high-input voltages, it functions as a linear regulator. At low-input voltages, it functions as a 1.5X charge pump, boosting input voltage to maintain desired LED forward current. A third mode allows it to operate as a 2X charge pump. The tri-mode architecture, in addition to low 1 µA shutdown current, enables greater efficiency, constant brightness and longer battery life. The SP6687 provides a matched current source of up to 120 mA total (30 mA per LED) for all channels. The part operates at 1 MHz frequency.
Samples of the SP6687 are available now. The part is rated over the industrial temperature range of –40 °C to +85 °C, and is housed in a 4 mm x 4 mm QFN package. Pricing for the SP6687 begins at $1.09 in 1,000-piece quantities.
