High-Accuracy Regulation of Low-Voltage, High-Current Supplies (.PDF Download)

As process geometries for FPGA, DSP, ASIC, and high-performance processors continue to shrink, power-rail voltage-accuracy requirements get tighter and tighter. Core voltages now typically fall in the 0.9-V range, and core currents are tens of amperes. In addition, FPGAs and other devices often require multiple (2 to 4) supplies. On top of that, some devices require these supplies to be turned on in a specific sequence.

While these requirements are difficult, the real problem may be the fact that the supply voltages must be held to within a 1% to 3% range to meet the device’s demands. Achieving 1% accuracy is a real design challenge. However, with the right components, you can design a supply that will deliver a better than 1% output voltage accuracy over the full temperature range.