Chipset powers up latest CPUs

The latest power management products from Fairchild form a chipset that is part of a complete VRM/VRD10.x power solution that meets the stringent power requirements of today's CPUs.

The latest power management products from Fairchild form a chipset that is part of a complete VRM/VRD10.x power solution that meets the stringent power requirements of today's CPUs.

The FAN5019 is a multiphase PWM controller and the FAN5009 is a dual high-frequency mosfet driver.

The FAN5009/FAN5019 chipset is also scaleable enough to conform to the ever-evolving demands of high-performance microprocessors, which require more current than can be practically supplied by a single-phase VRM.

To meet tight power requirements, Fairchild's new FAN5009/FAN5019 chipset allows the regulator to scale from two, three or four phases, and converts a 12V main supply into the highly accurate core supply voltage.

In addition, the chipset can deliver up to 140A for the CPU core from a 12V input - providing scalability and power for future VRM10.x processors.

The FAN5019's architecture combines a highly stable, high-speed control loop with active voltage positioning (droop) to meet CPU load transient requirements while minimising the number of output capacitors and their associated costs.

Fairchild's VRM10.x solution uses temperature-compensated inductor current sensing - the current sense architecture recommended by major CPU manufacturers - to measure current and accurately set and maintain the loadline.

Most competing products use mosfet on-resistance or sense resistors to measure current and set the loadline, a less accurate and more costly option.

Fairchild's current sensing method allows the designer to change the FETs, without having to recompensate loadline control circuit values, and it provides tight accuracy at the lowest system cost, unlike competitive products.

"Fairchild's VRM10.x chipset solution meets rigorous power specifications, including tight loadline requirements, while reducing part count and system cost.

To further save space and costs in designs, the FAN5009 driver features an integrated bootstrap diode for high-side drive", said Madhu Rayabhari, Director of Marketing for Fairchild's System Power Group.

"The FAN5019 and FAN5009, combined with Fairchild's extensive selection of high and low side power mosfets (including the new, high-performance mosfet BGAs), offer designers a comprehensive single-source for advanced VRM/VRD10.x power supply components".

The FAN5019 is pin and function backward-compatible with Fairchild's FAN53168 and FAN53180 controllers, and the FAN5009 is pin and function backward-compatible with the FAN53418 driver.

To further increase the reliability of the supply chain, the FAN5019 and FAN5009 are also 100% pin-compatible second sources to the ADP3168, ADP3180 and the ADP3418, respectively.

The FAN5009/FAN5019 chipset also features undervoltage, overvoltage, crowbar and short-circuit protection for enhanced system safety and reliability.

Additionally, the FAN5019 takes advantage of dynamic VID technology to allow seamless "on-the-fly" VID changes.

Dynamic VID allows the processor to save power by lowering its core voltage while it is running.

The FAN5019 is available in a 28-lead TSSOP package and the FAN5009 is available in an 8-lead SOIC package.

Both devices are rated for operation from 0 to +85C and are currently available in volume production.

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