DC/DC buck converters achieve efficiencies up to 96%

31st March 2014

Nat Bowers

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Achieving an efficiency as high as 96% while delivering continuous load currents of 4 and 5A, respectively, the AP6550 and AP6540 synchronous DC/DC buck converters have been announced by Diodes Incorporated. The devices are suitable for applications including: gaming consoles; TVs and monitors; set top boxes; distributed power systems; home audio; consumer electronics; network systems; FPGA, DSP and ASIC supplies; and green electronics.

By operating at higher fixed switching frequencies of 500 and 750kHz, these highly integrated converters are also able to help shrink circuit footprints by minimising the size of external inductive and capacitive components. The 500kHz 4A-rated AP65402 and 5A-rated AP65502 provide an adjustable output voltage range of 0.925-16V, while the 750kHz parts, the AP65403 and AP65503, offer a higher range of 2.5-16V.

A wide operating voltage range of 4.75-17V means the converters are suited for both 5 and 12V bus system design and all devices tolerate a transient peak voltage of up to 7A. Component packaging is the industry-standard exposed pad SO-8EP, with pin-outs identical throughout the product family. Their current mode control produces a fast transient response and simple loop stabilisation, ensuring dependable line and load regulation in distributed point-of-load power management applications.

To help increase circuit reliability, the buck converters integrate a broad range of protection features, including thermal shutdown, under-voltage lockout, over-voltage and current-limit protection. A capacitor programmed soft-start function is also provided to control inrush current and output voltage overshoot.

The AP6550 and AP6540 synchronous DC-DC converters are priced at $0.65 (USD) each in 10,000 unit quantities.