Vicor Introduces Picor Cool-Power ZVS Buck Regulator

Vicor Corporation (Nasdaq: VICR) has announced the launch of its Picor PI33XX Cool-Power ZVS buck regulator series, an efficient point-of-load DC-DC regulator that provides the highest level of board-level designers Power density and design flexibility. The PI33XX family integrates a high-performance zero voltage switching (ZVS) topology to increase point load performance and provide industry-leading efficiency with peak efficiency of up to 98%. The PI33XX family integrates control circuitry, power semiconductors and auxiliary components in a high-density 10mm x 14mm x 2.56mm LGA package system (SIP). The PI33XX buck regulator converts an 8V to 36V input voltage to an output voltage of 1V to 16V, with up to 10A of output current and up to 120W of output power. Instead of using any extra components, the single-wire current-sharing approach, interleaving the use of as many as six PI33XX buck regulators, can further increase the output power.

The PI33XX family uses a zero-current-switching (ZVS) topology that allows the regulator to operate at high frequencies, reducing the switching losses of traditional buck regulators that use hard-switched topologies, bringing efficiency to the highest point. The high switching frequency of the PI33XX series also reduces the size of external filter components, increases power density, and enables fast and dynamic response to line and load transients. The PI33XX family maintains high switching frequency operation over the full input voltage range of the input without reducing efficiency. The minimum on-time is 20ns to support the maximum step-down conversion at input voltages up to 36V.

The PI33XX series of buck regulators require only an external inductor and a minimum ceramic capacitor as the input and output filters to form a complete high-performance regulator. No frequency compensation, parameter settings, or external components added. The product can operate over a wide -40°C to 125°C temperature range, allowing it to be used in most environments.

For the designer's complex power distribution challenges, the Picor PI33XX Cool-Power ZVS buck regulator is the only buck regulator in this category, offering an optional I2CTM extended fault telemetry capability allowing Report six different types of faults. Other device programmable I2C features include margin, logic polarity of the enable pin, and phase delay. Device programming is easily done through Cool-Power development tools.

Robert Gendron, vice president of marketing and business development at Vicor, said: "The Picor PI33XX Cool-Power ZVS buck regulator family allows designers to implement high-performance point-of-load power supplies on-board; ZVS is integrated into the load-point buck regulators. The soft-switching topology creates new industry performance standards. In conjunction with Vicor's various power-to-board solutions, we are implementing the entire distribution chain with optimum efficiency from input to point load."

About Picor Cool-Power

Picor Cool-Power products currently include the isolated converter PI31XX series and the current ZVS buck regulator PI33XX series. The PI33XX series is Vicor's first high-density, high-performance ZVS point load regulator, which will be followed by a comprehensive product line. Future products in this series include other ZVS buck regulators with higher voltage and current capabilities, ZVS down-boost regulators, and ZVS boost regulators. Expect all products to be set in terms of efficiency and density. Industry benchmarks.