50A encapsulated digital power module is 'industry's first'

The device provides POL conversions for advanced FPGAs, ASICs, processors and memory in space-constrained and power-dense telecomm and datacomm applications. The module is also well suited for high-end instrumentation, industrial and medical equipment. Used in conjunction with the company’s PowerNavigator GUI, the ISL8272M simplifies system power conversion and configuration, while speeding design time.

The complexity and performance of the latest FPGAs and processors used in wired, wireless and cloud computing systems is driving up the number of voltage rails. For example, some optical transmission systems have as many as 60 power supplies on a single board. This complexity requires a higher level of system intelligence and advanced digital power management, including telemetry and system monitoring, to ensure 99.999% uptime. There are real economic impacts when a telecomm system or a router goes down. For example, online purchases from Internet retailers can be lost during transmission, making uptime critical.

The device’s digital control technology provides precise sequencing and system monitoring through the PMBus interface. The innovative ChargeMode control architecture enables compensation-free design that keeps the device stable regardless of output capacitor changes due to temperature, variation or aging. Competitive voltage-mode control power modules often require designers to perform complex calculations, stability analysis and build a compensation network using four to five discrete components. The module’s ChargeMode control loop also provides a single clock cycle fast transient response to output current load steps common in FPGAs and DSPs processing power bursts.

The 50A ISL8272M relies on Intersil’s proven, 4th gen digital controller family and expands on the existing 25A ISL8270M and 33A ISL8271M digital power modules, giving customers an easy migration path to higher current power rails. Additionally, the company’s family of fully encapsulated power modules is compatible with all industry pick and place equipment for full manufacturing automation.

Intersil's PowerNavigator GUI software simplifies the device's setup and configuration, including all device parameters and full telemetry. The tool makes it easy to change features and functions of a digital power supply design without writing a single line of code.

The ISL8272M is available in a compact 18x23x7.5mm HDA package, priced at $50.75 and sold in 1,000-piece quantities. Two evaluation boards are available to speed time-to-market: the ISL8272MEVAL1Z 50A digital module evaluation board priced at $83, and the ISL8272MEVAL2Z 150A evaluation board priced at $150.

“Cloud computing’s high availability demands are requiring systems to control and monitor every power rail to maximise efficiency and reduce downtime,” said Mark Downing, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure and Industrial Power Products, Intersil. “The highly integrated ISL8272M offers our customers a higher current, intelligent digital power module solution that monitors and controls power supply voltages, currents, temperatures and fault status, while dynamically optimising system power efficiency on the fly.”