National Launches SIMPLE SWITCHER Power Module Family

National Semiconductor has introduced the first three products in its SIMPLE SWITCHER^® Power Module Family. The new LMZ-series of power modules provide an innovative, integrated solution that will save design time and provide ease-of-use to help system designers get their products to market faster.

These power modules provide the efficiency of a synchronous switching regulator with the simplicity of a linear regulator, eliminating the external inductor and complex layout placement challenges typical in switching regulator designs. Other devices in the SIMPLE SWITCHER power module family will launch throughout 2010.

National’s power modules can greatly simplify power supply design for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs) and other point of load (POL) conversions for medical, broadcast video, communications, industrial and military applications.

The company’s patent-pending packaging technology provides low radiated electromagnetic interference (EMI), enabling National’s power modules to meet the requirements of the EN55022 (CISPR22) Class B radiated emission standard. The modules’ efficient heat dissipation and large exposed-bottom pad allows for operation in high-ambient temperatures without the need for airflow. They typically operate as much as 10°C cooler than comparable modules.

Additionally, the power modules’ single exposed-bottom pad allows for easy and quick prototyping on lab benches, eliminating the possibility of non-visual solder bridging. The size and lead pitch of these modules enable the use of the same pick-and-place manufacturing employed with standard TO-263 packages. Each module is pin-to-pin compatible with other family members, allowing designers to create one layout to facilitate last-minute drop-in replacements if load current requirements change.

Power supply designers can design with SIMPLE SWITCHER power modules using National’s award-winning WEBENCH® Power Designer, as well as the new WEBENCH Power Architect design tool. The enhanced WEBENCH Power Architect enables engineers to rapidly create multi-output DC-DC power supplies for an entire system.

Technical Features

National’s SIMPLE SWITCHER power modules provide -40°C to 125°C operation, along with low output voltage ripple and a wide voltage and current range that enable a complete customer-specific power supply solution. The first release of the LMZ power modules supports the common 3.3V, 5V, 12V and 24V input voltage rails and offers load currents up to 4A. Available in 7-lead, 10.16mm by 13.77mm by 4.57mm packages, the LMZ-series feature best-in-class thermal resistance (theta-JA) temperature of 20 °C per watt.

Pricing and Availability

Available now, the LMZ10504 is priced at $7.10 each, the LMZ12003 is $7.25 each, and the LMZ14203 is $9.50 each in 500-unit quantities. Additional information is available at: