Allegro MicroSystems introduces a new wide input voltage step-down regulator

     Allegro MicroSystems, LLC introduces two new adjustable high frequency DC-DC step-down switching regulators with integrated high side power MOSFETs that are ideal for meeting the power needs of the latest infotainment systems. The Allegro A8586 has an output current of up to 2.5A, while the A8587 has a maximum output current of 2.0A. Both products are AEC-Q100 compliant and have integrated current mode control for fast transient response.

     Both devices have a wide input voltage range of 3.8V to 36V for a variety of step-down applications, including automotive input environments. Static operating currents as low as 30μA facilitate battery-powered "keep alive" applications. Both products are designed to robustly handle load dumps with a maximum rated voltage of 40V, as well as idle-stop and cold crank conditions with a 3V UVLO rating.

     In PWM mode, the new regulator products maintain high efficiency over a wide load range and integrate pulse frequency regulation (PFM) due to reduced load to reduce switching and gate driver losses under light loads. Both the A8586 and A8587 devices have integrated frequency fold back features to prevent loss of inductive current during startup and provide better dropout performance. Extensive safety and robust protection features include per-pulse current limit, hiccup mode short-circuit protection, open/short-circuit freewheel diode protection, BOOT open/short-circuit voltage protection, VIN undervoltage lock, and overheat shutdown. The A8587 also has a negative power-on reset (NPOR) function to indicate whether it is in in-regulation or out-of-regulation.

     The A8586, A8586-2 and A8587 help boost EMC performance by integrating frequency dithering, continuous diode soft shutoff, and well-controlled slew rate functionality. By using a 4MHz oscillator, these devices can be switched on and off in areas outside EMI sensitive bands such as AM or ADSL. The A8586-1 device disables frequency conversion, while the A8586-1 and A8586-2 devices have the option to disable PFM.

     Both A8586 and A8587 devices are targeted at the automotive and industrial markets, including infotainment, center stack and dashboards, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and applications such as heads-up displays (HUD), industrial controls, and battery powered systems. The A8586 device comes in the industry standard DFN-10 or SOIC-8 package, while the A8587 comes in the DFN-10 package