New ON Semiconductor PMICs provide multi-channel operation; draw low I_Q

ON Semiconductor has introduced two new PMICs (power-management ICs) for battery-powered systems such as smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, GPS systems, and other portable electronics. The NCP6924 integrates two high-efficiency, 800-mA, 3-MHz step-down DC-DC converters and four LDO voltage regulators for a total I_Q (quiescent current) of just 105 μA. The NCP6914 integrates a single high-efficiency, 800-mA, 3-MHz step-down DC-DC converter and four LDO regulators drawing an I_Q of just 72 μA. Featuring five and six voltage rails, both of these devices are sized to supply power to mixed-signal modules such as cameras, or to complement power distribution to an application processor under minimum supervision. "Both devices save on-board real estate by providing multiple strings of power distribution and allowing higher power densities to be distributed across the system, helping to solve thermal challenges," said Thibault Kassir, director of ON Semiconductor's Interface and Power products. Programming flexibility is offered through a 400 kHz/3.4 MHz I²C interface which controls power up sequencing, enables and disables output power, and controls individual active-output discharges. Dynamic voltage scaling of the DC-DC converters allows the system to adjust core or IO voltages to load profiles when, for instance, the system goes into sleep mode. In addition, one of the integrated DC-DC converters can directly supply the on-board LDO regulators, considerably reducing overall power losses. The DC-DC converters' output voltage is programmable from 0.6 to 3.3 V in 12.5 mV steps and LDO regulators from 1.0 to 3.3 V in 50 mV steps. Dedicated pins and registers for power good and interrupt complete the feature set, providing the necessary supervision to report power failure. Packaging and Pricing The two devices are both offered in 2.45- x 2.05-mm and 1.76- x 2.05-mm WLCSPs (wafer-level chip-scale packages), respectively, with 0.4 mm pitch. The NCP6924 is priced at $1.85 per unit and NCP6914 is priced at $1.35 per unit in 10,000 unit quantities. On Semiconductor NCP6924 product deeplink NCP6914 product deeplink