Selecting a Power Module for Your Application
by Zaki Moussaoui, Principal Applications Engineer, and
 Sarika Arora, Product Marketing Manager; Intersil Corporation
Many of today’s telecommunication, data communication, electronic data processing and wireless network systems are powered with distributed power architectures. These complex systems require power management solutions that are capable of monitoring and controlling the power supply to very precise parameters. To achieve this level of performance, most designs use an FPGA, microprocessor, microcontroller or memory block.
This level of design sophistication has placed a heavy burden on application designers serving these communication infrastructure companies. Their choice is simple: either invest significantly to improve their in-house power management proficiency or rely on the expertise of outside design companies. Neither option is particularly desirable.
Recently, a new option has emerged: the point-of-load dc-dc power module. These modules combine most or all of the components necessary to deliver a plug-and-play solution that can replace up to 40 different components. This integration simplifies and speeds designs while reducing the power management footprint.
The key to getting the performance you need from these modules – while staying within your budget and space requirements – requires a firm grasp of the different technologies available.
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