Scalable PWM controller delivers flexibility for power-hungry ASICs and computing designs
(Product News, 09 May 2008 )
Intersil Corporation has released the ISL8120 Dual Output or Variable Phase PWM Controller. This PWM controller features proprietary current sharing technology which enables multiple versions of the chip to be used in parallel for a cost-efficient dual output or n-phase PWM controller solution that addresses a variety of specific design needs.
Each phase delivers up to 25A of output current, based upon MOSFET selection. Each chip can be configured as two single-phase outputs or one dual-phase output. With the ability of each ISL8120 to deliver two single-phase 25A outputs or one dual-phase 50A output, designers determine the number of ISL8120s required based on the number of voltage rails and output current levels that need to be generated. Up to six ISL8120s can be used in parallel to deliver a single 12-phase 300A output. The ISL8120’s integrated current sharing control enables this unique scalability.
The ISL8120’s versatility is further increased by its ability to handle industry-standard input voltages of 3V, 9V, 12V and 24V. In addition, the device’s gate drive voltage ranges from 2.7V to 5.5V, featuring a low-side 2A/4A 5V drive and a 2A/2A 5V high-side drive. The controller can also perform overcurrent sensing by DC resistance (DCR), Rds(on) or external sense resistance (ESR) so that it can function in a broad variety of system architectures.
The ISL8120 also provides high accuracy by offering true differential remote sensing. This is achieved by referencing from an individual node point directly to ground and provides a higher degree of accuracy, allowing more precise debugging of the layout.
