Miniaturised Integrated Circuit Core Element for Point of Load (PoL) Conversion

In the last years Point of Load converters (PoL) appeared as a clear bottleneck for the realisation of digital applications for space (to supply FPGA’s, microprocessors, memories, specialised digital circuits, etc.). Many preparatory activities have been conducted by ESA to define a target specification, taking into account promising European technologies and user’s requirements. This paper provides a brief technical description of a PoL IC device designed and manufactured by STMicroelectronics and shows the main test results and performances in order to demonstrate that this integrated solution embeds the most important features that a Point of Load (PoL) device should have. The device is the outcome of a design activity executed in relation to the TRP activity entitled “Miniaturised core element for Point of Load (PoL) conversion” (T703-305EP of the TRP work plan 2011-2013). The realization of this product enables STMicroelectronics to compete in the global world market, since this is a prerequisite for the future availability of PoL products, for their commercial success and their sustainability. An export licence-free, performing and advanced PoL ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) would be a major achievement. It would encounter interest from users and would resolve the problem of supplying digital loads with the required accuracy and dynamical performances.