Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Solution, the Industry’s Smallest Power Modules, Revolutionizes Design for Highly Space-Constrained Applications

Designers working on space-constrained applications can now dramatically reduce solution size and increase efficiency with the family of micro system-level IC (“uSLIC”) modules from Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: MXIM). The MAXM17532 and MAXM15462 ultra-small (2.6mm x 3.0mm x 1.5mm), integrated DC-DC power modules are part of Maxim’s extensive portfolio of Himalaya power solutions that enable industrial, healthcare, communications, and consumer markets. With these modules, customers get the full benefits of industry-best switching regulators with the size and simplicity of a linear regulator (LDO).

With dramatic advances in sensing, connectivity, and cloud computing, miniaturization is the next frontier that enables emerging trends such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. Next-generation system designs from industrial internet of things (IIoT) sensors, defense electronics, and network infrastructure equipment to medical and consumer devices need to collect, synthesize, and act upon data. This new intelligence requires more power in ever-reducing space without impacting thermal budget, making conventional solutions unviable and complicated. To fit into small enclosures that are deployed in harsh mechanical, electrical, and thermal environments means designers need shock and vibration tolerance, EMI compliance, increased energy efficiency, high temperature operation, and small size-a multidimensional challenge.

Maxim’s uSLIC™ power modules shrink the solution size of the power supply by 2.25x with an ultra-small package size. This is achieved by integrating a synchronous wide-input Himalaya buck regulator with built-in FETs, compensation, and other functions with an integrated inductor. The combination of these components enables the designer to use the modules in small space-constrained systems while complying with mechanical and EMI standards. In addition, engineers simplify designs as they no longer need to deal with conventional bulky, power hungry regulators. Instead, they can integrate the ready-made power module into almost the same space of a tiny LDO. In such a small size, designers can achieve high efficiency and lower noise with increased stability. The uSLIC DC-DC buck regulator modules, which operate over a wide input range as low as 4V to as high as 42V, support multiple applications across nominal input voltages of 5V, 12V, 24V, and 36V with reliable headroom for today’s demanding applications. They operate over the -40-degree Celsius to +125-degree Celsius temperature range.