Synchronous DC/DC converters for smart industrial applications

STMicroelectronics’ L6983 38V/3A synchronous DC/DC converters maintain high efficiency at all loads with a maximum value of 95% and are highly integrated with synchronous MOSFETs on-chip to save external components and simplify design.

The L6983 converters have extremely low quiescent current of just 17µA. Low current consumption (L6983C) and low-noise (L6983N) variants are available. The L6983C enters pulse-skipping mode when the load current is below 0.6A while the L6983N, suitable for noise-sensitive applications, stays in PWM (pulse-width modulation) mode at all loads to minimize electromagnetic disturbances.

With a wide input-voltage range from 3.5V to 38V, L6983 converters are an efficient and flexible solution for 12V and 24V industrial bus-powered systems, battery-powered equipment, decentralized intelligent nodes such as smart-building controllers, and always-on devices including smart sensors. They can be ordered with 3.3V, 5V, or adjustable output voltage.

All L6983 variants feature a Power-Good output pin that can be used for power-up/power-down sequencing, enabling logic circuitry, or as a fault indicator. In addition, integrated feedback-loop compensation, over-voltage protection, and soft-start circuitry simplify the design of a complete power-supply system. The switching frequency is programmable from 200kHz to 2.2MHz. Frequency spread-spectrum operation and external frequency synchronization ease EMC compliance.

ST has also released the STEVAL-ISA208V1 evaluation board for L6983C to help accelerate device selection and power-supply development.

The L6983C and L6983N are in production now, packaged in 3mm x 3mm QFN16, from $1.50 for orders over 1000 pieces.