Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442844
7 Qorvo 2021 Experienced circuit designers know that stable, accurate, and efficient direct current (DC) power rails are necessary for achieving reliable and consistent system operation. Various voltages are usually provided by a combination of DC/DC switching regulators (converters) and low-dropout regulators (LDOs), each matched to the particular voltage, current, accuracy, noise, transient response, and other needs of the rail they support. At the same time, designers know that a set of independent DC rails, even if individually suitable, is not enough to meet the complicated requirements of today's designs. It's not unusual for a system to have four, six, or more DC rails in close physical proximity. Because of the large number of rails, it is critical to manage these rails both individually and as a group to ensure the needed timing, sequencing, and relationships among them (Figure 1). That's where power management integrated circuits (PMIC) play a major role. As the name implies, this component manages multiple rails and choreographs their interaction to meet the system's specific needs. Although the earlier Figure 1: Today's systems use an array of multiple DC rails provided by boost, buck, and LDO regulators, which have independent outputs, but their actions need configurations, and their outputs must also be coordinated to some extent depending on the application specifics. (Source: Mouser Electronics). Meeting Complex Objectives While Simplifying Designs Bill Schweber for Mouser Electronics Today's power management ICs combine multi-rail buck, boost, and LDO regulation with sophisticated configurability of each rail's parameters and interaction with other rails. generation of PMICs was primarily managers of other DC/ DC regulators, today's PMICs are integrated with multiple switching converters and LDOs in the same package. This integration brings many immediate advantages, of course, concerning smaller overall footprint, need for fewer passive components, and tightly functional linkage among the various rails. Even better, latest-generation PMICs are also highly configurable by design to tailor their operation to the priorities of the system they power.