TI unveils industry's highest power density 12-V, 10-A, 10-MHz DC/DC converter

Ultra-small SWIFT™ step-down converter features unique topology to achieve four times higher current density

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May 23, 2016, 08:00 ET

DALLAS, May 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (NASDAQ: TXN) today introduced the industry's first 12-V, 10-A, 10-MHz series-capacitor buck converter that achieves more than 50 A/cm³ in current density, which is four times higher than any other 12 V power management component or solution available today. The unique topology of the TPS54A20 SWIFT synchronous DC/DC converter enables high-frequency operation at up to 5 MHz per phase without special magnetics or compound semiconductors, which designers can use for 8-V to 14-V input and 10-A output applications. By using the step-down converter together with TI's WEBENCH^® Power Design tool, engineers can get their space- and height-constrained point-of-load (POL) telecom and networking power-supply designs to market faster. For more information, samples and an evaluation module, visit www.ti.com/tps54a20-pr.

The ultra-small TPS54A20 SWIFT step-down converter from Texas Instruments is the industry's highest power density 12-V, 10-A, 10-MHz DC/DC converter

The TPS54A20 features a unique two-phase, series-capacitor DC/DC buck topology that merges a switched-capacitor circuit with a multiphase buck converter. This capacitive conversion technology enables efficient, high-frequency operation and measures as much as seven times smaller than conventional converters. For a quick introduction, watch the video "How to decrease inductor size in a 10-A DC/DC converter design" and read the white paper, "Breakthrough power delivery for space-constrained applications." Read the application note "Introduction to the Series Capacitor Buck Converter" that analyzes the technology and presents example results for a 12-V input, 1.2-V/10-A output application demonstrating higher peak efficiency than a conventional buck converter, while operating at four times higher switching frequency.

TPS54A20 key features and benefits

Tiny solution: Small HotRod^™ quad flat no-lead (QFN) packaging and inexpensive, tiny 2- to 5-MHz inductors enable a 131-mm² solution size that consumes 50 percent less area than similar 500-kHz DC/DC converter designs. Read the blog post, "No small matter: How to reduce voltage regulator size."
Low profile: Measuring less than 2 mm in height, the reduced size, weight and bill of materials (BOM) allows placement of tiny 10-A voltage regulators on the back side of a printed circuit board (PCB), enabling engineers to take advantage of the small size that the TPS54A20 offers for industrial servers or other space-constrained applications.
Multi-megahertz operation: A 14-ns minimum on-time allows for 4-/7-/10-MHz operation without compromising efficiency or electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance. Download the "Three Different Buck Converter Circuits to Convert 12V to 1.2V at >6A Load Current Reference Design," which includes a 1.2-V output voltage for double-data-rate (DDR) 4 memory applications.

Availability, packaging and pricing
The new DC/DC converter is available in volume now from TI and its authorized distributors. Offered in a 20-pin, 3.5-mm-by-4-mm-by-1-mm thermally enhanced HotRod QFN package, the TPS54A20 is priced at US$3.25 in 1,000-unit quantities. Order the 4-MHz, 10-A TPS54A20EVM-770 synchronous dual-phase converter evaluation module and download the PSpice transient models.

Find out more about TI's power-management portfolio

Get more information on TI's high-performance SWIFT DC/DC converter portfolio for any power-supply application.
Search for solutions, get help and share knowledge in the TI E2E™ Community Power Management forum.
Download power reference designs from the TI Designs reference design library.

About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog integrated circuits (ICs) and embedded processors. By employing the world's brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.

About WEBENCH tools from Texas Instruments
WEBENCH Designer and Power Architect are the industry's only online tools that enable end-to-end circuit design, simulation and optimization for footprint, price and efficiency, with the ability to download schematic and PCB layout files directly into computer-aided design (CAD) tools. Component libraries include more than 40,000 components from 120 manufacturers, and TI's distribution partners update price and availability hourly. Offered in eight languages, users can compare complete system designs and make supply-chain decisions in minutes. Start a cost-free design now in TI's WEBENCH Power Design environment.

Trademarks
WEBENCH is a registered trademark and HotRod, SWIFT and TI E2E are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments