ON Semiconductor introduces new tools for automotive infotainment [May 2012]

May 26, 2012 8:21 am

ON Semiconductor introduced a new series of switching buck regulators for space-constrained, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) sensitive automotive entertainment and infotainment applications.  These devices offer industry leading conversion ratios for battery connected switch-mode power supplies. The NCV890100, NCV890101, NCV890130, NCV890131, NCV890200, NCV890201 and NCV890231 each incorporate an internal power switch and operate at 2 MHz. The 2 MHz switching frequency allows the use of smaller, less costly inductors and capacitors for both the input and output filters. The switching frequency of the NCV890101, NCV890131, NCV890201 and NCV890231 devices can also be synchronized to an external clock source. “These switching regulators are highly optimised for use in modern automotive information and entertainment applications,” said Jim Alvernaz, ON Semiconductor director of automotive products. “The combination of the high switching frequency and an internal N-channel power switch enables the design of highly compact automotive power systems.”  While competitive devices are capable of converting 16 V down to 3.3 V, the devices in this new series from ON Semiconductor have the capacity to convert an 18 V input to outputs as low as 3.3 V and a 16 V input to outputs as low as 2.5 V, while maintaining a constant switching frequency of 2 MHz. These devices can operate over a voltage range from 4.5 V up to 36 V, and can tolerate load dump voltages up to 40 V (45 V for 890x3x versions), making them very well suited to harsh automotive start-stop and cold-crank conditions. The NCV890100, NCV890101, NCV890130 and NCV890131 deliver 1.2 amperes (A) of peak output current, while the NCV890200, NCV890201 and NCV890231 deliver a peak output current of 2 A.