Picor Introduces Cool-Switch® High-Speed Load Disconnect Switch Solutions

Picor Corporation, a subsidiary of Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ:VICR), today announced the Cool-Switch® PI2161 and PI2061, the first in a series of new electronic circuit breaker, load disconnect switch solutions that address a broad range of redundant intermediate bus requirements for high-availability systems in high performance computing, telecom, and communications infrastructure applications. This new series of products is designed with emphasis on high performance operation, board space savings, and reduced design complexity. "Fault detection accuracy and speed are critical to limiting the exposure of the redundant bus to excessive voltage drops due to large over load currents that could bring the system down during low impedance power source failures," says Chester Firek, Picor Product Marketing Manager. "It is the speed of these devices that makes them true electronic circuit breakers. "The Cool-Switch solutions incorporate proprietary technology enabling fault condition response in a fraction of the time of alternative approaches, as quickly as 120 nanoseconds with 4 Amp gate peak discharge current capability," Firek continues. "The faster response reduces the need for added bulk capacitance, allowing the designer to reduce cost and size of the overall solution." Targeted for medium to high voltage, high-side redundant bus applications, the Cool-Switch® PI2161 is a complete high-density, full-function electronic load disconnect solution with an integrated high-speed controller driving a MOSFET possessing a very low on-state resistance of less than 9 milli-Ohms. The PI2161 is 60V rated and features an integrated charge pump suitable for narrow-range, high-side 48V bus applications. This thermally enhanced 7mm x 8mm land grid array System-in-Package (SiP) solution is capable of delivering up to 12 Amps over a wide range of operating temperatures. The internal MOSFET provides very high efficiency and a low loss current sensing feature that eliminates the need for sensing total load current resulting in the ability to use very low power sense resistors. The Cool-Switch® PI2061 solution is a universal high-speed, high-side load disconnect controller IC designed for use with N-channel MOSFETs. Optimized for 12V and 48V systems, the controller IC also can be used in wide-range systems required to operate during input voltage transients up to 100V for 100 ms. An internal charge pump eliminates the need for a separate bias supply for high side applications. The PI2061 controls either a single MOSFET or paralleled MOSFETs to facilitate operation and protection at higher current levels. The 3mm square controller is an extremely low power loss solution with fast dynamic response to fault current conditions. Both solutions provide an active low fault flag output for system diagnostics indicating an over-current trip or UVLO fault conditions. The new Cool-Switch® products expand Picor's existing power management product portfolio, providing complementary load disconnect solutions to Picor's existing Cool-ORing® Active ORing and μRDS(on) FET™ [microRDS(on) MOSFET] products. PI2161 and PI2061 are available now. In OEM quantities, the PI2161 starts at $4.66 and the PI2061 starts at $1.48. For data sheets and additional information on these solutions and other Picor products, please visit www.vicorpower.com/picor