Up to 144A current sharing, multi-position sharing possible

Linear Technology Corporation announces the LTM4677, a dual 18A or single 36A μModule® (power module) step-down DC/DC regulator with a PMBus serial digital interface for automated digital power system management. This digital interface allows system designers and remote operators to control and monitor the system's power status and consumption via an I2C bus with READ and WRITE commands.

The LTM4677 supports applications in optical data transmission systems, datacom, telecom switches, routers, industrial test equipment, robotics, RAID, and enterprise systems. In these applications, the costs associated with electricity, cooling, and maintenance are critical and must be measured continuously and precisely.

The LTM4677 consists of an EEPROM, an I2C interface, dual DC/DC controllers, power MOSFETs, inductors, and supporting components. Its two 18A outputs can share current to provide a single output of up to 36A. Four LTM4677 devices can be arranged in multiple phases to share current up to 144A. Another advantage of the LTM4677 is its ability to share current with µModule regulators that do not have a PMBus interface, such as the 26A LTM4620 and 36A LTM4630.

The lower power versions of the LTM4677, the LTM4675 (9A, 9A) and LTM4676A (13A, 13A), are pin-compatible with the LTM4677 and are 100% functionally equivalent during system prototyping, eliminating the need to change the circuit board layout.

The LTM4677 features fast dual analog control loops, precision mixed-signal circuitry, and is housed in a 16mm x 16mm x 5.01mm ball grid array (BGA) package. The LTM4677 has an internal temperature range of -40°C to 125°C. Pricing starts at $39.60 each in 1,000-piece quantities.