Electroluminescent Lamp Driver Helps Light Up PDAs

Claiming to set new standards for high brightness and low power consumption in PDAs, organizers, GPS units, and handheld medical devices, the SP4403 electroluminescent lamp (EL) driver operates at a higher coil-switching frequency that is said to facilitate the use of sub-2 mm high, 470 µH and inductors. The device uses a resistor-controlled oscillator design that delivers narrow lamp frequency distributions as well as tight performances over temperature. Its eight-pin MSOP reduces board space requirements and current draw is only 50 nA in shut down mode. The device operates over a temperature range of -40°C to 85°C. Prices for the EL drivers start at $0.87 each/10,000.