Buck switcher IC for low-part-count automotive PSUs

Power Integrations has released a high-current member of its LinkSwitch-TN2Q automotive switcher IC family, providing up to 850mA of output current without needing metal heatsinking. The highly integrated ICs support a broad input voltage of 30VDC to 550VDC, allowing the devices to start up and operate below the required SELV threshold in functional safety EV applications.

Edward Ong, senior product marketing manager at Power Integrations, said: "As electronics in electric vehicles grow more sophisticated, automotive customers need higher supply currents to drive them. The 850mA rating for this new IC represents an increase of 230% in available output current compared with other members of the LinkSwitch-TN2Q family. LinkSwitch-TN2Q ICs reduce part-count by including control, driver, protection circuitry and a 750V power MOSFET in an SMD package."

The ICs are AEC-Q100 qualified and support buck, buck-boost and non-isolated flyback converter topologies. Each device includes a 750V power MOSFET, oscillator, on/off control, a high-voltage switched current source for self-biasing, frequency jittering, fast (cycle-by-cycle) current sensing and current limit, hysteretic thermal shutdown, and output over-voltage protection circuitry in a monolithic IC.

The ICs consume very little current in standby, providing power supply designs that readily satisfy less than 50mW no-load at 400VDC input. Comprehensive protection features allow safe and reliable power supplies, including protection against input and output overvoltage, device over-temperature, lost regulation, and power supply output overload or short-circuit faults.

A reference design kit, RDK-707Q, is offered for designers wishing to evaluate the LinkSwitch-TN2Q IC family.