ADI introduces step-down buck converter

Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) has introduced the MAX77540 step-down buck converter, which provides a single-stage power conversion solution for multi-cell battery-powered applications,...

The device provides a single-stage power conversion solution for multi-cell battery-powered applications: augmented reality/virtual reality (ARVR) headsets, ground mobile radio (LMR) devices, digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, and more.

The MAX77540 buck converter with high power density features 94% peak efficiency in a wafer-level package that is 61% smaller than traditional square flat pinless packages.

Multi-cell battery-powered products require long battery life and the smallest possible solution size, such products usually require two-stage power conversion.

Conventional solutions are mostly inefficient, directly impacting the battery life of the system, for example, by using a first-stage converter to step down the battery voltage to 5V or lower, and then using a first-stage step-down converter to further step down the battery voltage to 5V.

The voltage is then further converted to the system supply voltage using a one-stage step-down converter. Since this architecture requires an additional converter.

This converter usually requires an external inductor, resulting in an oversized and costly solution.

With the MAX77540. design engineers can easily build a power converter with two 3A or a single 6A output.

The default power-up configuration requires only two external resistor settings and allows further adjustments through the I2C interface, providing users with an advanced power management solution.

External frequency synchronisation and spread spectrum modulation functions help to significantly reduce the power converter electromagnetic interference (EMI), used to support data detection, data processing and other noise-sensitive applications.

MAX77540 buck converter key features:

- 4V to 16V wide voltage input range, 3A bi-phase switching controller, single-stage conversion to USB-C voltage or 2S, 3S multi-cell battery voltage to processor core voltage.

- Wafer-level package is 61% smaller than traditional square flat pinless packages (2.5 times smaller solution size) for space-constrained applications.

- Peak efficiency of 94% at 7.4V to 3.3V conversion extends battery life.