Renesas Electronics Introduces Multiphase PMICs with High Efficiency and Small Footprint


April 30, 2018 | Product Brief | Renesas Electronics Corp. has announced three programmable power management ICs (PMICs) that offer high power efficiency and a small footprint for application processors in smartphones and tablets: the ISL91302B, ISL91301A, and ISL91301B PMICs. The PMICs also deliver power to artificial intelligence (AI) processors, FPGAs, and industrial microprocessors (MPUs), and they are well suited for powering the supply rails in solid-state drives (SSDs), optical transceivers, and a wide range of consumer, industrial and networking devices. The ISL91302B dual/single output, multiphase PMIC provides up to 20A of output current and 94 percent peak efficiency in a 70mm2 solution size that is more than 40 percent smaller than competitive PMICs (Note).

In addition to the ISL91302B, Renesas’ ISL91301A triple output PMIC and ISL91301B quad output PMIC both deliver up to 16A of output power with 94 percent peak efficiency. The new programmable PMICs leverage Renesas’ R5 Modulation Technology to provide fast single-cycle transient response, digitally tuned compensation, and ultra-high 6 megahertz (MHz) (max) switching frequency during load transients. These features make it easier for power supply designers to design boards with 2 mm by 2 mm, 1 mm low profile inductors, small capacitors, and only a few passive components.

Renesas PMICs also do not require external compensation components or external dividers to set operating conditions. Each PMIC dynamically changes the number of active phases for optimum efficiency at all output currents. Their low quiescent current, superior light load efficiency, regulation accuracy, and fast dynamic response significantly extend battery life for today’s feature-rich, power hungry devices.

“Smartphone and tablet application processors require smaller footprint power supplies and higher output current and efficiency to maximize battery life,” said Mark Downing, vice president, Core Power Solutions Division, Renesas Electronics Corp. “The ISL91302B and ISL91301A/B PMICs offer designers everything they need to solve their toughest PCB layout challenges, dynamically scale performance, and extend battery run-time.”