Device delivers 100W output power in 2.9cm2 footprint

Today’s power systems for communications and computing infrastructure support high current loads from increasingly power hungry FPGAs, ASICs, and microprocessors. To supply these high current circuits, equipment makers often rely on discrete power solutions that are complicated, take up valuable real-estate and may have significant power output limitations. Intersil’s power module family reduces design complexity and creates headroom in the power system, increasing flexibility while improving efficiency and thermal performance.

The latest addition to Intersil’s complete family of power modules, the ISL8240M is pin-to-pin compatible with the company’s popular ISL8225M 30A power module, expanding the output current to 40A and delivering up to 100W output power. This offers designers a high level of flexibility, enabling a single PCB design across platforms. The ISL8240M is also capable of delivering up to 240A output when six modules in parallel operation are current shared, enabling the industry’s highest total output current.

The ISL8240M leverages Intersil’s patented technology and advanced packaging techniques to deliver greater than 90 percent power efficiency and the best thermal de-rating performance in the industry, enabling the ISL8240M to operate at full power over a wide temperature range. The module also provides over-temperature, over-current and over-voltage protection, further enhancing the robustness and reliability of the solution.

Like all of Intersil’s power modules, the ISL8240M is a turnkey solution that requires minimal design since only six external passive parts are required. The ISL8240M fits in a small 17 x 17mm footprint. Excellent thermal performance eliminates the need for heat sinks, further streamlining power supply design and reducing design and manufacturing risk and increasing reliability.

“The demands on power supplies continue to increase, making every efficiency gain and savings in board-space critical in enabling customers to achieve their design objectives,” said Mark Downing, senior vice president of infrastructure and industrial power products at Intersil. “The ISL8240M complements our family of 30A module solutions, giving designers more flexibility while offering all of the power savings and high level of reliability customers have come to expect from our solutions.”

The ISL8240M power module is available now and is priced at $39.85 (USD) each in 1,000-piece quantities. The ISL8240MEVAL3Z and ISL8240MEVAL4Z provide an evaluation platform for the ISL8240M and are priced at $88.00 (USD).