Empower Semiconductor announced on June 23 the EP70xx, a family of a triple output DC/DC power supply with no external components into a single tiny package. With a single footprint, no external components, extensive programmability, a wide range of current and output configurations, power designers can proliferate the EP70xx across nearly all designs and platforms. By having multiple entire power supplies in a single IC package, the usual concerns of component variation and sourcing, synchronization and stability are all either eliminated or reduced significantly. The EP70xx family displays peak efficiencies of up to 91 % with a nearly flat efficiency curve up through 10 A of output current due to its unique architecture. “Our patented Integrated Voltage Regulator technology integrates dozens of components into a single IC increasing efficiency, shrinking footprints by 10x and delivering power with unprecedented simplicity, speed & accuracy and with zero discrete components. This IVR technology addresses a $6B opportunity with a wide range of applications including mobile, 5G, AI and data centers,” said Tim Phillips, Chief Executive Officer of Empower Semiconductor founded in 2014. Other founders include industry veterans such as Gene Sheridan, Executive Chairman and currently CEO of Navitas Semiconductor; and David Lidsky, Strategic & Technical Advisor.

These newly IVR products fully integrate all power supply discrete components, thereby simplifying the design process and shrinking the PCB area consumed by power management. By using an advanced CMOS geometry platform, the devices can also be integrated directly into a SoC package to further reduce the power area and energy consumed.

“We made it simple to place the EP70xx on the PCB with no discrete components, select settings using the provided GUI, and load the device via the I³C/I²C port. Just like that you have three outputs regulating at high currents with wide bandwidth and high efficiency. No input filter design, no output filter design, no feedback resistors, no loop compensation design, no component changes necessary. The devices showcase 1,000x faster dynamic voltage scaling than competing products, enabling fast and lossless processor state changes that can save 30 % or more of processor power”, said Trey Roessig, Chief Technology Officer.

EP70xx family comes to market with eight initial products: four triples, two duals and two singles. Outputs are available from 1 A to 10 A in a 5 mm x 5 mm or 4 mm x 4 mm package with a 0.75 mm profile, which is much thinner than traditional integrated power modules and inductors. The products achieve a level of density and simplicity so high that they are also available in bumped die form for co-packaging with digital ICs, enabling full power management integration into the SoC.

The EP7038 in example offers three outputs totaling 10A that enables full integration of multiple voltage rails all in one IC. It operates from a 1.8 V input supply, or as the second stage of 2-stage conversion. The three outputs are capable of 0.4 V to 1.31 V with 4 A, 2 A and 4 A respectively. Programmability is independent via the I³C interface for each of its three outputs. Telemetry, diagnostics, warnings and protection as well as operating parameters such as output voltage, soft-start time and sequencing, DVS ramp speed, and phase shedding are all programmable.

Product samples, demo boards, and reference designs of the EP70xx family with input voltages varying from 2.5 V to 16 V are available to qualified customers. Production volumes planned for Q4 2020. AS

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