Digital hybrid PWM controllers with PMBus simplify PSU design

Intersil has announced two new PMBus compatible, single-phase digital hybrid DC-DC controllers that provide point-of-load (POL) conversions for FPGAs, DSPs, ASICs, processors and general purpose system rails. The ISL68200 with integrated MOSFET drivers and ISL68201 with PWM output simplify power supply designs for data center routers, servers and storage, as well as wireless infrastructure equipment. The ISL68200 can drive external MOSFETs directly, while the ISL68201 is paired with Intersil's DrMOS (Integrated Driver and MOSFET) power stage to create a complete voltage regulator solution. The ISL68200 and ISL68201 digital hybrid controllers provide the performance of Intersil's R4(TM) control loop with the benefits of a digital PMBus interface. Both controllers are fully configurable with external pin-strap resistors, which provide a familiar engineering design flow and eliminate the need for non-volatile memory. Designers can use the PMBus interface and Intersil's PowerNavigator GUI software to read back Vin, Vout, Iout and temperature telemetry, monitor fault reporting bits, and conduct on the fly changes to the Vout setpoint. For systems where PMBus functionality is not required, the interface can be used to debug the power supply during board bring-up, and then left disconnected in final production. This feature speeds development by allowing designers to quickly modify important parameters like switching frequency, output voltage and loop gain to fine-tune power supply performance without using a soldering iron to change components. The ISL68200 and ISL68201 leverage Intersil's proprietary R4 modulation technology, which provides a compensation free control loop that eliminates external compensation resistors and capacitors. The R4 modulator includes energy saving light-load efficiency modes of operation, and has industry-leading transient performance, adjusting both duty cycle and switching frequency in response to load transients. The R4 control loop's fast response time significantly reduces the amount of output capacitance required versus competing technologies. This, coupled with the ISL68200/01's small 4mm x4mm package size, enables a smaller total solution size than competitive products. "We see an increasing need for DC-DC controllers with a digital interface that allows customers to monitor power supply health, output current/voltage, and change output voltage on the fly," said Mark Downing, senior vice president of infrastructure and industrial power products, Intersil. "The ISL68200 and ISL68201 digital hybrid controllers deliver higher POL performance than competing analog controllers, while offering a familiar design flow and the PMBus functionality found on high-end full digital products." The ISL68200 with integrated MOSFET drivers is available now in a 4mm x 4mm, 24-lead QFN package. In support, the company offers the ISL68200DEMO1Z evaluation board. The ISL68201 with PWM output for pairing with an ISL99140 DrMOS power stage is available now in a 4mm x 4mm, 24-lead QFN package. In support is the ISL68201-99140DEMO1Z evaluation board. PowerNavigator GUI simplifies power supply designs - Intersil's PowerNavigator tool simplifies power supply set up and configuration, including all device parameters and telemetry. Full schematic designs are completed in minutes, and the GUI makes it easy to change features and functions without writing a single line of code, says the company.