Maxim, MAX8655: a 25A Step-Down Regulator Breaks the Size Barrier and Fits in Tiny 8mm x 8mm TQFN
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- The MAX8655 is the industry's smallest footprint 25A Step-Down Regulator providing features without any compromise on power or control.
- The MAX8655 not only reduces space but, also, drastically lowers the generated EMI and virtually assures first-pass design.
- The MAX8655 represents the ideal solution for any application where Space, Power, and Versatility are major concerns such as Telecom, and Datacom equipment, Notebooks and Flat-Panel Displays and even on those industrial applications where the wide input range can be important.
Maxim Integrated Products introduces the MAX8655, the first switching, step-down regulator incorporating MOSFETs able to provide output currents of up to 25A shrinked into the industry's smallest footprint package: an 8mm x 8mm x 0.8mm (height) TQFN. A wide 4.5V to 25V input-voltage range allows a large variety of applications, where input voltage can have a two-to-one variation. This new IC represent a great improvement in power density, output current, and size, making it ideal for any application in which space, power, and versatility are crucial.
The Problem of Power Density vs. Board Space
Today's Engineers are requested to design complex boards where more voltages are squeezed into ever-smaller spaces and this leads them to deal with increased power density. They also have to take care of Board Trace inductance that produces undesired EMI and stress on the semiconductor devices, forcing them to a second and third passes before to get a successful design. What a time consuming activity.
Resolving the Power-to-Size Challenge
It is crucial that power management be small and versatile within today's power-hungry applications. Maxim's new proprietary PowerMind™ products offer a solution to reduce the board space offering both versatility and simplicity of use.
Though packaged in a tiny TQFN, the MAX8655 does not compromise any features. Peak current-mode control at up to 1.2MHz switching simplifies compensation, allows for all types of output capacitors, and inherently provides feed-forward for optimum line regulation.
Built-in MOSFETs lowers the generated EMI and virtually assures first-pass design as it incorporates all the critical inductances and eliminate undesired parasitic board inductances.
Accurate current sensing enables paralleling in multiphase fashion to get higher output currents with smaller output-filter components.
Programmable features include Selectable Switching Frequencies, Slope Compensation, OVP Threshold, Short-circuit Protection and Latch-off or Fold-back Current Limit with auto-recovery over-current protection.
Sync Input/Output and Thermal Protection are standard features that assure safe operation under all conditions.
The MAX8655 Advantage Summary
The MAX8655 regulator is an important industry innovation because it combines advanced circuits, packaging, high frequency, scalability with all standard features. It completely removes the need of discrete solutions and provides a reduced board space while improving system performances.
The MAX8655 is versatile, powerful and, integrating the critical inductances, it makes easier the Designer’s lay-out job increasing the confidence of getting first-pass success even on EMI test procedures; this means to save time on all the critical stages of a design.
Maxim's new PowerMind products like the MAX8655 allow the designer to focus on getting the rest of the design working, assured that there is already available a small and simple solution for the power management. An Evaluation Kit will be available.
Maxim Integrated Products, a two billion dollar company, designs and manufactures ICs for analog and mixed-signal applications. The company's broad portfolio of 27 product lines is among the industry's deepest, with over 5400 products.
PowerMind is a trademark of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.