Vicor Launches Half-Chip PRM Regulator

V•I Chip, a subsidiary of Vicor Corporation, has announced its half-chip PRM regulator, the newest member of the company’s V•I Chip product line. The PRM48BH480T200A00 is the highest power-density DC-DC solution currently available for applications with limited space – an ideal solution for medium- to low-power applications. In its half-chip package (16.5 x 22.0 x 6.7mm), this converter is 97 percent efficient at 200W with the same power density as a 400W full-size PRM.

The PRM48BH480T200A00 operates from 48Vdc (38 to 55V) to generate a regulated, adjustable 5 to 55V output. The ZVS (zero-voltage-switching) Buck – Boost topology and high switching frequency (~1MHz) operation enable high efficiency and reduced size to reach power density over 1,300W / in3. The half-chip PRM can be used as a stand-alone, non-isolated voltage regulator or combined with V•I Chip’s full-chip or half-chip VTM™ current multipliers for a complete, isolated DC-DC solution direct to the point-of-load, with extremely fast transient response and isolation to 2,250Vdc. The half-chip PRM is ideal for applications such as server processor and memory, ATE system, and LED drivers that require high efficiency, fast transient response, low profile, and overall design flexibility.

An external control loop and current sensor maintain regulation and enable flexibility in the design of voltage and current compensation loops for precise power delivery. All V•I Chips are compatible with standard pick-and-place and surface mount assembly processes.

“This new member of the V•I Chip portfolio not only provides power designers with a better low-power option, but offers them a building block for entire high efficiency DC-DC systems as well,” says Stephen Oliver, VP of Marketing and Sales. “The new PRM is scalable, can be mixed and matched with full- and half– size V•I Chips, and solves complex power design challenges with a higher efficiency.”