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Unveiling of a new generation of low-noise regulators for IoT at 55 nm

May 25, 2015

Unveiling of a new generation of low-noise regulators for IoT at 55 nm

Eager to address the low-power challenge of IoT markets, most IP providers neglect the needed complements for dealing with the sensitive analog parts, necessarily embedded on Systems-on-Chip targeting connected devices.

Dolphin Integration rolls-out the nLR-Charny, latest generation of Low-Noise Linear Regulator, upgraded to help System-on-Chip integrators to secure the operations of RF blocks. It meets stringent low noise requirements and provides power noise resilience. The nLR-Charny is an essential component for a panoply of standard cells, memories and power regulators for meeting the challenges of embedded low power voltage domains.

Key features :

  • Intrinsic output noise of 20 µVrms within the 20 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth
  • Power noise resilience better than 65 dB, up to 10 kHz
  • ± 3% DC accuracy, including Line and Load regulation
  • Embedded IO-cells with ESD protections
  • Soft-start feature, and over-current and temperature protections
  • Advanced views for enabling Noise Propagation Checks (NPC)
  • Complemented with the Over-voltage Protection Module (OPM) for enabling direct connection to Li-Ion batteries.
  • Availability at TSMC and SMIC 55 nm and easily re-targetable from 180 nm to 40 nm at most top foundries

To ensure a smooth integration within an overall Power Management Network (PMNet), the nLR-Charny meets the DELTA Standard enabling optimal construction of the System-on-Chip. The immediate benefit is a shorter time-to-market, involving development safety, thanks to standardized and reusable regulation components.

Indeed, building a PMNet implies verifying it, as well as performing the verifications from the earlier stages of the PMNet definition and optimization, down to the completion of the physical implementation. To address this need, specific views (simulation models) are provided to verify the adequacy of the PMNet with its loads in different operating scenarios so that:

  • The power supply voltage of each power domain will remain in the operating range of each load during the transition from one operating mode to another (MTC: Mode Transition Check).
  • The noise generated on the power supplies by the various loads and noise sources across the PMNet will not degrade the performances of noise-sensitive loads (NPC: Noise Propagation Check).
  • The integration is properly structured and sized : assembly, routing, decoupling, etc.

For ensuring a straightforward pathway for right-on-first-pass SoC, Dolphin Integration then features the PowerVisionTM EDA solution. The advanced views must consistently be provided as standard deliverables for each functional component of a Power Management Network, together with some guidelines for facilitating their usage.

For more information about such products and EDA solutions, please visit our website at dolphin-integration.com or contact us at regulators@dolphin-ip.com.

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