Buck Controller Powers Broadband Systems

The SP6120 is the first member of a new family of low-voltage, synchronous buck controllers designed to meet the rapidly developing need for precise, high-efficiency, low-voltage supply buses in distributed power systems common to networking and telecomm equipment. The SP6120 is a fixed-frequency, voltage-mode, synchronous PWM controller touting features such as 1% reference, 10% frequency accuracy, 40 mV over-current detection, 950 µA quiescent current, and 10 µA sleep current, all specified over the full range of input voltages and operating temperatures. High-speed operation minimizes board space, and the device is easily programmable from 200 kHz with a single resistor to ground. For battery applications, a programming pin permits discontinuous conduction mode. By employing the company's AnyFET technology, the SP6120 can be used as a tool for resolving price/performance trade-offs by allowing the user to select the high-side switching device, NFET or PFET, without having to change controllers. In a 16-pin TSSOP package, the buck controller has a starting price of $1.75 each/10K.