TI intros industry’s smallest point-of-load DC/DC converters for harsh environments

USA: Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) introduced the industry’s smallest monolithic point-of-load (POL) DC/DC converters for harsh environments, including radiation tolerant, geological, heavy industrial, and oil and gas applications.

The 6.3-V, 6-A TPS50601 and the 6.3-V, 3-A TPS50301 are synchronous step- down converters optimized for small form factor designs.

The devices’ current mode control, high switching frequency, and integration of the high- and low-side MOSFETs slash board space by 50 percent compared to other solutions, reducing the size of equipment needed for tight spaces, such as down-hole drilling.

Key features and benefits of the TPS50601 and the TPS50301:
Peak efficiency: Best-in-class peak efficiency of up to 95 percent results in lower heat dissipation, compared to competitive devices.

Design flexibility: 100-kHz to 1-MHz switching frequency and optimized compensation scheme enable designers to make trade-offs between size and efficiency.

Reduced board space: High efficiency, optimal layout and dynamic bias reduce the size and number of output capacitors, and improve transient response. This enables more than 12-watts-per-square-inch power, compared to the nearest competitor at 10 watts per square inch.

High reliability: The TPS50301 is qualified up to +210 degrees-C for high temperature applications, while the TPS50601 is qualified up to +125 degrees-C for harsh environments with QMLV/RHA qualifications pending.

Higher-current operation: Designers can use two devices in parallel to double the output current.