Step-down convertors increase battery life

A new family of 400mA synchronous DC/DC step-down convertors features ultra-low quiescent current and up to 95% power efficiency.

Extending efforts to improve system run-times in application processor-powered and DSP-based portable devices, Texas Instruments has released a family of 400mA, synchronous DC/DC step-down convertors with ultra-low quiescent current and up to 95% power efficiency.

The new high performance power management convertors are ideally suited for portable systems powered by single-cell lithium-ion (Li-ion) or three-cell alkaline or nickel metal-hydride (NiMH) batteries.

The TPS6222x family of step-down convertors supports an input voltage range from 2.5 to 6V, an output voltage range of 6 down to 0.7V and output current up to 400mA, which can support PDAs, smartphones and wireless LAN applications.

The convertors operate with a fixed switching frequency of 1.25MHz (typical).

To provide additional power savings, the TPS6222x enters a "power save mode" operation at light load currents.

In this mode the switching frequency is reduced and quiescent current is typically only 15uA, resulting in the highest efficiency over the entire load current range.

Additionally, an advanced fast response voltage mode control scheme achieves excellent line and load regulation with small ceramic input and output capacitors.

The TPS6222x step-down DC/DC convertors are available today in volume from TI and its authorised distributors.

Suggested resale pricing for the devices, which come in a five-pin ThinSOT-23 package, are $1.49 each in quantities of 1000.

Evaluation modules of the TPS6222x are available in less than 24 hours through the TI power website.

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