New 90A digital PoL modules address growing challenge of powering advanced ICs

CUI has released its highest current digital POL family to date. Designed specifically to address the rapidly-rising power requirements of today’s most advanced integrated circuits, the NDM3Z-90 is a non-isolated module outputting 90A in ultra low-profile vertical and horizontal packages. The series delivers benchmark power levels while incorporating a range of advanced digital features, including programmable output range, active current sharing, voltage sequencing, voltage tracking, synchronization and phase spreading, programmable soft start and stop, as well as a host of monitoring capabilities. The NDM3Z-90 utilizes Intersil’s newest digital power controller, the ZL8801. Due to the ZL8801’s ChargeMode control technology, no compensation is required, allowing the modules to autonomously balance the trade-offs between dynamic performance and system stability on a continuous basis. With this feature, designers are able to bypass the traditional practice of building-in margins to account for factors such as component ageing, manufacturing variations, and temperature, which inevitably lead to higher component cost and longer design cycles. The NDM3Z’s zero compensation feature allows the module to dynamically set optimum stability in real time as conditions change. The 90A series delivers class-leading efficiency and transient response. Efficiency peaks at 91.4% at 12VDC in to 1VDC out, 50% load. Efficiency remains high up to full load at 88.7%. To address the growing sensitivity to transient load steps in today’s ICs, performance has been maximized with the help of the ZL8801’s Chargemode technology which allows the module to responds to a transient load step in a single switching cycle. At 12VDC in to 1VDC out with a 45A load step (from 22.5A to 67.5A) and a 2A/µs slew rate, peak voltage is a mere 28mV with moderate external capacitance required. In addition to the superior performance metrics, the module is capable of paralleling four modules in an active current-sharing manner to output up to 360A. The NDM3Z-90 is designed to meet the ‘teraAMP’ standard for high current digital POL modules recently announced by the Architects of Modern Power (AMP Group) industry power consortium. The AMP Group aims to provide true multi-sourced but technically advanced and highly efficient power supplies for distributed power architectures, extending standardization to embrace electrical specifications and performance, including the monitoring, control and communications functions made possible by the adoption of digital controllers. This allows the AMP Group to define common configuration files to enable plug-and-play interoperability between products from its member firms, which currently comprise CUI, Ericsson Power Modules and Murata. The NDM3Z-90 series is available with an input range of 7.5 to 14VDC and a programmable output range of 0.6 to 1.8VDC. All digital features will be dynamically programmable via PMBus commands or through CUI’s simple, easy to use Novum ACE GUI. The 90 A family is available in two compact through-hole configurations, a vertical version measuring 50.80mm (L) X 9.47mm (W) X 19.1mm(H) and a horizontal version measuring 50.8mm x 19.1mm x 9.7mm. For added flexibility during the development process, the modules are footprint nested to accommodate dual layout needs in the event that design requirements change, says the company. “We are pleased to announce the release of our most powerful digital POL module yet,” said Mark Adams, VP, Advanced Power, CUI. "Power density, transient response, and efficiency are all of chief concern to our customers as they are tasked with designing the power system for today’s cutting-edge ICs. Our mission is to help engineers stay one step ahead with our Novum Advanced Power line." APEC 2015, Charlotte, North Carolina, March 15th to 19th, Booth 206.