TI intros industry's smallest power management ICs for solid state drives

DALLAS, USA: Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) introduced a family of tiny, single-chip, power management integrated circuits (PMICs) for powering all the supply rails in solid state drives (SSDs), hybrid drives and other Flash memory management applications.

The new LM10504, LM10503 and LM10506 PMICs improve reliability and reduce system cost and development time. Additional features include a power-saving deep sleep mode, built-in current limit and thermal protection, and power-down data protection.

TI's new PMICs integrate three programmable 2.25-MHz DC/DC step-down converters with 95-percent peak efficiency that support core processor, memory and I/O voltages, along with a general-purpose, 3-V, 250-mA low-dropout (LDO) regulator for host controller reference. Each PMIC functions cooperatively with a controller IC to optimize the supply voltage for low power conditions and features a deep sleep mode option that lowers the core ASIC voltage and turns off the Flash and input/output rails to obtain maximum system efficiency.

The LM10504 and LM10506 also include power-down data protection that ensures that the SSD controller completes the writing operation during unexpected power failure.

Designed alongside a temperature sensor, such as the TMP121 and TMP122, or the industry smallest low-power LM74, each PMIC provides a complete power management solution for SSDs.

The LM10504 is a flexible PMIC for use in a variety of large and small, client and consumer SSD form factors including 3.5-inch, 2.5-inch, 1.8-inch, mSATA, Micro SATA, Half-Slim SATA, mini PCIe and integrated SSD.

The LM10503 is a higher current, 2-A PMIC designed for power-hungry controllers used in enterprise SSDs. The LM10503 features the National PowerWise® adaptive voltage scaling technology from TI for reducing the power consumption of SSD controllers and increasing system power efficiency.

The LM10506 is the smallest PMIC designed for ultra-portable applications in space-constrained, client and consumer SSDs including mSATA, Half-Slim SATA, mini PCIe and integrated SSD.

Key features and benefits of PMICs
* Each PMIC integrates three buck regulators with internal FETs and an LDO for digital reference.
* The buck regulators are SPI-programmable to supply variable voltages at up to 95-percent peak efficiency.
* Each PMIC features low-dropout at 3-V, 250 mA for host controller reference.
* Power-down data protection enhances data integrity to ensure a highly reliable SSD.
* Deep sleep mode saves power during idle times.
* Customizable start-up sequencing supports various controller IC requirements.
* Automatic internal soft-start on each supply limits in-rush current during start-up.
* 2-MHz switching frequency supports a smaller inductor size.
* High integration and small 2.8-mm²-micro SMD package simplifies layout and conserves board space.

The new PMICs, together with TI’s wide portfolio of discrete temperature sensing ICs and power management regulators that include the National SIMPLE SWITCHER nano modules from TI, now represent the industry’s most comprehensive offering for SSDs.

All three PMICs are available in volume now from TI and its authorized distributors. The LM10504 and LM10506 PMICs are offered in a 34-pin micro SMD package measuring 2.8-mm by 2.8-mm with 0.4-mm pitch. The suggested retail price is $1.90 and $1.60, respectively in 1,000-unit quantities. The LM10503 is offered in a 36-pin LLP package measuring 6-mm by 6-mm and is priced at $3.90.