[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]ZMD AG (ZMDI), a Dresden-based semiconductor company that specializes in enabling energy-efficient solutions, today announces the product release of a fully configurable true-digital, high-performance PWM controller IC for non-isolated, step-down DC/DC point-of-load (POL) supplies.

The ZSPM1005 operates in a single-phase and single-rail configuration. As a global supplier of analog and mixed-signal solutions for automotive, industrial, medical, information technology and consumer applications, ZMDI is following its roadmap for smart power management by adding another ZSPM IC family member targeted for FPGA designs and POL power modules for single-phase applications including telecommunication, base stations, servers and storage.

ZMDI customers are already familiar with the advantages of the ZSPM1000 true-digital PWM controller solution. Like the ZSPM1000, the new ZSPM1005 has a digital control loop and is fully programmable, enabling fast design-cycles and easy debugging. For both products, ZMDI's patented, digital control engine provides best-in-class step-response performance resulting in the highest power density and best POL solution cost.

The new ZMDI controller includes a 2-pin-configuration feature to set output voltage, compensation, and other parameters using external resistors. The pin assignments are fully programmable by the Pink Power Designer™ software during development. In the final application, the ZSPM1005 controller device has the flexibility to configure a curve fitting relationship between the voltage at the configuration pins and parameters such as the output voltage set-point, so digital communication with the DC/DC converter for monitoring or on-the-fly configuration is not required. Since this “hybrid” IC is pin-to-pin compatible with the ZSPM1000, ZMDI's family concept enables POL power module platform designs for modules with and without digital PMBus™ communication.

“We call the new ZSPM family member a ”hybrid“ controller because it delivers the performance and flexibility of the digital world, while in the final application, it is used like a traditional analog-controller-based POL solution. It combines the best of both worlds,” said Tycho Raab, Product Line Manager at ZMDI. “Due to the simplicity of use and the family strategy, the solution is ideal for meeting the POL power module requirements for FPGA designs.”