Wolfson Microelectronics plc has announced the introduction of the highly innovative WM8325 power management subsystem, the world's highest current monolithic power management IC (PMIC), which delivers a cost-effective, flexible solution for portable multimedia applications including smartbooks, tablets, e-books, media players and smartphones. The WM8325 features four programmable DC-DC converters, including one which is capable of delivering up to 2.5A and eleven LDO regulators, four of which are low-noise for supplying sensitive analogue subsystems. Its optimised QFN package is designed to improve thermal performance and reduce parasitic components, enabling low cost four-layer printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. The package allows large PCB tracks for all high current paths, which improves transient performance. All this in conjunction with its low thermal resistance (24oC/W), its lower electrical resistance and improved DC-DC technology ensures that the WM8325 delivers greater than 5% improvement in efficiency (at 1A) when compared with previous generations of PMIC DC-DC converters. Also incorporated into the WM8325 is an on-chip regulator, which provides power for ‘always-on' PMIC functions such as register map and the real-time clock, as well as offering autonomous backup battery switchover. A 12-bit auxiliary ADC also supports a wide range of applications for both internal and external analogue sampling, such as voltage detection and temperature measurement. Its one-time programmable (OTP) non-volatile memory delivers a highly flexible solution which also helps reduce time-to-market. Its crystal oscillator and internal RC oscillator both generate all clock signals for autonomous system start-up and processor clocking, while a secure real-time clock (SRTC) and alarm function is included, capable of waking up the system from low-power modes. To maximise battery life, highly-granular power management enables each function in the WM8325 subsystem to be independently powered down through a control interface or alternatively through register and OTP-configurable GPIOs. Jess Brown, Wolfson's Product Line Manager for Power Management, said: "We are delighted to introduce the world's highest current monolithic PMIC to the market. The WM8325 delivers world-leading power management, which simplifies design effort and saves cost whilst reducing time-to-market, making it ideal for next generation multimedia processors." Availability The WM8325 is available for sampling now in an 8x8mm, 0.85mm thick, 81-lead QFN package. Customer evaluation boards are available to aid device evaluation and development. www.wolfsonmicro.com
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