Analog chip vendor Intersil Corp. introduced a pair of power management ICs said to enable the industry's first credit card-size motherboards for high-end ultrabook and tablet computers powered by two-cell lithium-ion batteries.
Intersil's PMICs for ultrabooks and tablets. Source: IntersilThe single-chip ISL95908 PMIC delivers eight voltage rails designed to support subsystem peripheral power requirements for Intel IMVP8 platforms while the single-chip ISL95906 provides eight power rails for VR12.6-compliant systems, according to Intersil (Milpitas, Calif.). The devices measure 5.5mm x 5.5mm, enabling PC motherboards that are 75% smaller than previously possible using discrete switchers, inductors and capacitors, the company says.
The ISL9590X ICs address the trend toward slimmer ultrabooks, tablets and two-in-one computers that offer more features and longer battery life. Both chips integrate a controller, power and driver MOSFETS, VTT LDO regulator, independent enable and power-good indicators, I2C interfaces and fault protection/monitoring for eight synchronous buck regulators.
"The ISL9590X PMICs enable ultrabooks with 360-degree hinges that for the first time allow users to rotate a touchscreen full circle to conceal the keyboard and use the system like a tablet,” says Andrew Cowell, senior vice president of mobile power products at Intersil, in a statement. “Manufacturers also have more space to add another Li-ion battery to further extend battery life."
They deliver 90% efficiency and integrate twice the functionality than the nearest competitor, allowing designers to use fewer external components, including smaller, low-profile inductors and capacitors. Now, mobile computing OEMs only need three devices—PMIC, core voltage regulator and battery charger—to power up the CPU/GPU, battery, and subsystem peripherals: flash memory, USB, HDMI, audio, sensors, camera module and WiFi.
The ISL9590X are the industry's only single-chip solutions that support the Intel and Microsoft Connected Standby standard, which provides an instant-on, always-connected experience similar to smartphones. The Connected Standby low-power mode maintains Internet connectivity, email and applications while the system is asleep. Both PMICs employ Intersil's proprietary R4 modulation technology, which delivers high light-load efficiency, ultra-fast transient response, and seamless continuous-conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous-conduction mode (DCM) transitions.
Key Features and Specifications of ISL95908 and ISL95906
- ISL95908 provides IMPV8 regulation at 5V, 3.3V, 1.8V/2.5V, 1V, 0.975V, and 0.9V
- ISL95906 provides VR12.6 regulation at 5V, 3.3V, 1.8V,1.5V, 1.05V
- Eight efficient 1MHz integrated FET switching regulators
- Internal compensation eliminates need to design external compensation network
- Programmable VR3 and VTT regulators for system memory, including DDR3/L/U, LPDDR3 and DDR4
- Connected standby with low-power consumption mode
- Extensive fault protection for over-current, over-voltage, under-voltage, and over-temperature with alert signal
- Independent power-good indicator for each regulator
- Independent enabled signals for each regulator offers maximum sequencing flexibility
- I2C bus allows system fault monitoring, enable control, configurable GPIO and output voltage offset programming
- Configuration pin for additional system programming
Pricing and Availability
The ISL95908 and the ISL95906 are available now in 5.5mm x 5.5mm, 121-bump WLCSP packages. Pricing for both PMICs is $7 USD in 3k quantities. For more information on the ISL95908 and ISL95906, please visit: www.intersil.com/products/isl95908 and www.intersil.com/products/isl95906 .
Questions or comments on this story? Contact peter.clarke@globalspec.com
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