IC Power Supplies

IC power supplies are integrated circuits (IC) that receive an unregulated input voltage and provide a regulated or unregulated output voltage. There are different types of IC power supplies, including linear regulators, switching regulators, and charge pumps. Linear regulators and switching regulators supply regulated output. Charge pumps can supply either regulated or unregulated output.

IC power supplies in their simplest application take regulated input voltage, change it to another voltage level, and output it as regulated voltage. Since many devices today contain memory chips and microprocessors, using them with a regulated IC power supply ensures the safety and efficient use of the circuitry, which may only function properly within a narrow voltage range. IC power supplies differ in their capability to convert voltages. A linear regulator is used to step down the input voltage to a lower level output voltage. Because they are small and relatively inexpensive, linear regulators are the type of IC power supplies typically used in portable electronic products.

Switching regulators are IC power supplies that can step up, step down, and invert the polarity of the incoming voltage. A switching regulator is larger than a linear regulator and is more expensive. Switching regulators are very useful, however, for their ability to step up, step down and invert incoming voltages at high load currents. Charge pumps also step up, step down, and invert incoming voltages, but only at a limited load current. A switching regulator uses a power transistor together with an inductor to convert voltages from one level to another. A charge pump performs the same conversions, but within a limited load current, and without the use of an inductor. Charge pumps can also output either regulated or unregulated voltages, depending upon their configuration.

Selecting IC power supplies depends on the application, the size of the device and its circuit board configuration. Other parameters to consider when choosing an IC power supply include cost, efficiency, the level of current used in the application, and the noise level produced by the power supply.

• Designing Power Supplies for Global Applications
  Switched-mode power supplies (SMPS) provide an ideal solution for meeting global power requirements. SMPS designs can automatically adjust for variations in input voltage by changing the pulse width...
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• iC-WK/WKL Laser Diode Driver Application Notes
  iC-WK/L - CW operation up to 90 mA from 2.4 to 6 V supply voltage - Fits all types of laser diode pin configurations - Simple power adjustment via the external resistor - Quick soft start typically...
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• High-Voltage ICs
  Several chip makers can now produce integrated circuits that operate directly from ac lines. These ICs are expected to drastically change the makeup of power supplies. For one thing, they may...
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Part Numbers for IC Power Supplies