The changing technology of DC/DC converter design and manufacture
Summary
DC/DC converters are used in many applications, for example telecomms, data communications, test and measurement, process control, semiconductor fabrication, industrial manufacturing, medical devices and battery powered equipment. Now very low cost, non-isolated point of load (PoL) converters, situated next to the processors requiring very fast transient response performance, have replaced many of them. In reality, when the required external inductors and multi-layer ceramic capacitors are included, the board space and cost is greater than a fully integrated, standard off-the-shelf DC/DC converter. Through I2C communication the device is fully configurable and suitable for a vast range of applications, including high-performance power management units (PMU) for smartphones as well as Bluetooth modules. Digital control, high technology levels and new manufacturing techniques are keeping the power supply market abreast, and even ahead, of the demands of the electronics industry.