Nordic Semiconductor nPM110 power management IC

Nordic Semiconductor has launched the nPM1100, its first power management IC (PMIC). The product combines a USB-compatible input regulator with overvoltage protection, a 400 mA battery charger and a 150 mA DC/DC step-down (buck) voltage regulator in a 2.075 x 2.075 mm wafer level chip scale package (WLCSP).

The PMIC is designed to ensure stable power supply and operation for Nordic’s nRF52 and nRF53 Series multiprotocol systems-on-chip (SoCs) and to maximise application battery life. The product can also be used as a generic PMIC for any application using rechargeable lithium-ion or lithium polymer batteries. Its compact form factor makes it suitable for advanced wearables, connected medical devices and other space-constrained applications.

Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) applications based on nRF52 and nRF53 Series SoCs and using rechargeable Li-ion/LiPo batteries can take advantage of the PMIC’s battery charger to bypass the first regulator stage of the SoCs. When used in this configuration the high efficiency of the device’s buck regulator reduces overall system power consumption, while its 150 mA current capability increases the current available for other system components from 10 to 100 mA.

The product features an ultralow quiescent current (I_Q) of 700 nA (typ), which can be further reduced to 470 nA in ‘ship mode’. Ship mode also disables power output — removing the need for an external power switch and resulting in minimum battery lifetime impact on products in transit. The unit takes up as little as 23 mm² of PCB area, including passive components (rising to 27 mm² when optimised for performance).

The PMIC requires no configuration software to operate as all settings are pin configurable. It is compatible with all devices designed to operate within the output voltages and supply currents the chip can deliver. The product’s operating temperature range is -40 to +85°C.