Enhanced Power-Management IC Scrimps On Board Space, Cost

March 15, 2004

The AS3603 takes up 60% less pc-board space at half the cost of its predecessor, the AS3601 programmable power-management IC. Aimed at mobile devices like cell phones, PDAs, and digital cameras, this Austriamicrosystems device features a highly efficient dc-dc downconverter and ultra-low-power low-dropout (LDO) regulators, all programmable in 0.05-V steps.

The IC has two digital low-noise (0.75 to 2.5 V, 200 mA), three RF low-noise (1.85 to 3.4 V, 150 mA), two RF low-noise (1.85 to 3.4 V, 75 mA), one single in-line module low-power (3 V, 20 mA), one peripheral low-noise (2.5-3.2 V, 150 mA), and one low-power (2.5 V, 10 mA) LDO regulators.

It features step-down (1 to 3 V up to 500 mA) and step-up (15 V, 45 mA for white LEDs) dc-dc converters and a programmable 1-W stereo audio power amplifier with an 8-(omega) bridged output. Other features include low noise of 35 µV_RMS from 100 Hz to 100 kHz, 1-mV static and 10-mV transient line and load regulation, and a 70-dB power-supply rejection ratio.

An on-chip programmable battery charger supports all lithium- and nickel-based batteries. It features constant current, constant voltage, and trickle charge.

The AS3603 is available in a QFN48, 6- by 6-mm, 0.4-mm pitch package or a QFN48, 7- by 7-mm, 0.5-mm pitch package. It costs about $1.70 each in volume quantities.

Austriamicrosystemswww.austriamicrosystems.com (919) 676-5292

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.