STMicro unveils fast 50W Qi wireless charging IC

6th November 2020

Alex Lynn

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STMicroelectronics has introduced a fast Qi wireless charging IC, STWLC88. Delivering as much as 50W of power, the new device enables consumers to charge smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other personal electronic devices without cables as safely and nearly as quickly and efficiently as they could by plugging them in.

ST’s 50W wireless-power IC charges smartphones two times faster than the previous-generation device.

Safe, wireless delivery of high power to charge personal electronics must address a range of challenges including efficiency, reliable communication, Foreign Object Detection (FOD), and thermal, over-voltage, and over-current protection. ST has spent years crafting solutions on top of the industry-standard Qi wireless power-transfer system to address these challenges beyond the standard with patented hardware, cutting-edge signal processing algorithms, and proprietary ST SuperCharge (STSC) protocol.

Together these enhancements allow ST customers to utilize the complete turnkey Tx/Rx solution consisting of the STWLC88 and the STWBC2 digital controller to achieve high power efficiently and safely, while remaining compliant with Qi specifications.

“ST’s latest STWLC88 wireless-charging IC provides the best solution for wireless-charging applications with industry-leading efficiency, highest power delivery, and maximum safety,” claimed Francesco Italia, General Manager, Analog Custom Products Division, STMicroelectronics. “With the launch of the world’s fastest charger, ST has expanded the portfolio to cover a wide range of power levels to meet increasing demand for higher-power chargers in the age of 5G communications.”

The STWLC88 incorporates multiple circuits to substantially reduce the external BoM (Bill of Materials), making it well suited for integration in a wide range of applications with restrictive PCB area requirements. Being WPC Qi 1.2.4 EPP compliant, the STWLC88 is fully compatible with all Qi EPP certified transmitters in the market. As a result, the STWLC88 offers state-of-the-art features that are critical for performance and safety and is suited for medium- to high-power wireless-charging applications.

The STWLC88 is in production and available in a 4.0x4.5x0.6mm WLCPS 110-bumps 0.4mm pitch package, priced from $2.5 for orders of 10,000 pieces.

The STEVAL-ISB88RX evaluation board, containing the STWLC88 and a sophisticated GUI, is also available to simplify prototyping and significantly cut time to market with the 50W charger IC.