ADI's ADP2108 converter offers more flexibility

Balancing a low-operating input-voltage capability, a low quiescent current and a small size, the 600mA ADP2108 DC-to-DC converter offers designers more flexibility in meeting strict system power and printed circuit board (PCB) area budgets without increasing battery capacity.

According to the company, this is an important concern when designing for small, handheld devices, such as mobile handsets, portable inventory scanners or rechargeable medical equipment.

Efficient power conversion is important when it comes to extending usage time for battery-powered devices.

As with its 6MHz ADP2121 sister device, the 3MHz ADP2108 operates from an input voltage as low as 2.3V to provide good conversion efficiency, transient response and protection.

This low operating voltage allows designers to fully use the available battery energy for 2.5V and 3V power loads before recharging, which can eliminate the requirement of a more expensive buck-boost regulator in some applications.

During light-load conditions, the ADP2108 switches to a low-quiescent power-save mode for additional battery life savings.

Space savings and heat management are also important design considerations for portable devices and modular point-of-load (POL) systems, according to ADI.

The ADP2108 device requires three tiny external 0603 size components, which, when combined with a more than 93 per cent conversion efficiency, enables designers to support a higher load in a smaller area.

In addition, the company is offering the ADIsimpower voltage regulator design tool and other downloadable power management tools that facilitate the design of high-efficiency DC-to-DC conversion blocks with reduced risk.

The ADP2108 is available in two package type options.

The 1mm x 1.5mm x 0.6mm wafer-level chip scale package (WLCSP) provides an ultra-low profile size for portable devices, such as mobile handsets, with stringent board space limitations, particularly on the Z-axis.

The 3mm x 3mm x 1mm thin small outline transistor (TSOT-23) package offers easy assembly for PCB designs.

Samples of the ADP2108 step-down converter are available now in a five-ball WLCSP package and a five-lead TSOT-23 package.

Pricing for the ADP2108 is USD0.80 (GBP0.49) per unit in 1,000-unit quantities for both packages.

ADI is a provider of high-performance semiconductors for signal-processing applications.