Enpirion Announces Second-Generation 3A and 6A DC-DC Converters Featuring Integrated Inductors

Reduced Footprint, Enhanced Thermal Performance, Increased Efficiency, Low Ripple and Noise

Electronica 2006
MUNICH, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Enpirion, Inc., the world’s leading provider of integrated inductor DC-DC converters, announces the release of its second-generation products with 3A and 6A load current ratings. These second-generation products bring a further reduction in footprint, thermally enhanced QFN packaging, lower ripple and noise, and an increase in efficiency.

"These new 3A and 6A converters deliver benchmark performance and highest power density at the time when space-constrained customers with demanding loads need it most," said Paul Greenland, VP of Marketing and Applications at Enpirion.

Smaller Footprint

Enpirion’s breakthrough DC-DC converters already offer up to 70% reduction in DC-DC converter footprint over competing solutions. Second-generation products offer an additional 25% reduction in area. Reduced footprint is crucial in today’s new products where PCB area is at a premium, consumed by increased functionality, content and bandwidth.

Increased Efficiency

Efficiency has also been increased compared with first-generation products. The integrated MOSFET switches have been optimized to provide higher efficiency over the operating range, achieving improvements by as much as five percentage points over preceding products.

Enhanced Thermal Performance

These second-generation products herald the introduction of mold-array processed lead-frame packaging that uses the lead frame and exposed bottom slug as part of the circuit. This provides internal low loss and inductance connections constraining switching currents to the smallest area, within the package. Enhancing thermal performance eliminates the need for thermal de-rating or forced-air cooling in ambient temperatures below 85°C.

Low Noise and Low Voltage Ripple

As CMOS geometries trend towards 95 nm and below, internal circuits become more sensitive to supply voltage ripple and noise. Up to this point, sub-95 nm chip-set customers have found it necessary to increase output filter capacitance dramatically in order to use conventional regulator or controller-plus-switch solutions without nuisance resets interrupting operation. This is not the case for Enpirion, which satisfies the requirement with a standard filter.

Ease of Design

The EN533x and the EN536x require two multi-layer ceramic filter capacitors and one soft-start timing capacitor. Output voltage is programmed via a 3-pin voltage ID for the EN5335QI and the EN5365QI, and by an external resistor divider for the EN5336QI and the EN5366QI. Increasing load current capacity is simple, up to four 6A converters may be paralleled, delivering a maximum of 24A.

Pricing & Availability

The EN533x 3A and the EN536x 6A synchronous buck DC-DC converters are available immediately. Pricing in quantities of 1,000 units is $2.94 for the EN533xQI and $4.36 for the EN536xQI.

About Enpirion

Enpirion is the leading developer of Power Systems on Silicon, delivering breakthrough power density and ease of use. Enpirion utilizes a fabless manufacturing model and partners with the industry's leading assembly and test houses to provide the highest degree of quality and reliability. Enpirion's products are designed into a broad range of demanding applications including embedded computing, set-top boxes, consumer electronics, telecommunications equipment, cellular handsets and more. For additional information about Enpirion and its award-winning products, please visit www.enpirion.com.