Portable Gets Flexible With Micrel’s Ultra-Compact Quad Output Single Chip Solution

Portable Gets Flexible With Micrel’s Ultra-Compact Quad Output Single Chip Solution

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MIC2811/21 Combines One Highly Efficient DC-to-DC Converter With Three LDO Regulators For Multimedia Chipsets And Micro-Controller Or Low Power FPGA-Based Systems

San Jose, Calif., June 11, 2008 — Micrel Inc., (Nasdaq:MCRL), an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions, today launched the MIC2811/21, a highly efficient flexible power management IC (PMIC) that provides four output voltages in a tiny 3mm x 3mm MLF ® -16 lead package. This quad output device is ideal for providing voltages necessary for system core, I/O, auxiliary and external memory supplies such as SDRAM, NAND flash or Secure Digital (SDIO) found in today’s portable devices. The MIC2811/21 are currently available in volume quantities with pricing starting at $1.46 for 1K quantities. Samples can now be ordered on line on Micrel’s web site at: http://www.micrel.com/ProductList.do

“The MIC2811 and MIC2821 offer the maximum flexibility needed to power portable devices using multimedia chips, DSPs or FPGAs, where battery life is of great importance,” noted Andy Khayat, Micrel’s director of marketing for portable products. “By offering four output voltage rails in a single 3mm x 3mm MLF ® package with three independent input supplies, the MIC2811 and MIC2821 allow designers to optimize for size, efficiency and configurability.”

The operating efficiency of the MIC2811/21 can be dramatically improved by supplying two of the LDO regulators from low voltage sources such as the output of the DC-to-DC converter. LDOs 1 and 2 operate from independent input supply down to 1.65V. This minimizes the voltage drop from input to popular output voltages such as 1.0V or 1.2V to increase efficiency. The DC-to-DC converter and the remaining LDO share the same input supply with an input range of 2.7 to 5.5V. The fixed 2MHz switching frequency of the DC-to-DC converter allows simple noise filtering in sensitive RF applications. Output current rating for the DC-to-DC is 600mA while the three LDOs each support up to 300mA. All four regulators have an output accuracy of +/- 3 percent over an operating junction temperature range of -40 to 125ºC.

The MIC2811 supports an optional bypass capacitor to optimize noise and PSRR performance of LDO1 and LDO2 for noise sensitive applications. The MIC2821 offers independent enables for all four outputs to support advanced sequencing and control for system power state optimization.

About Micrel, Inc.

Micrel Inc., is a leading global manufacturer of IC solutions for the worldwide analog, Ethernet and high bandwidth markets. The Company’s products include advanced mixed-signal, analog and power semiconductors; high performance communication, clock management, Ethernet switch and physical layer transceiver ICs. Company customers include leading manufacturers of enterprise, consumer, industrial, mobile, telecommunications, automotive, and computer products. Corporation headquarters and state-of-the-art wafer fabrication facilities are located in San Jose, CA, with regional sales and support offices and advanced technology design centers situated throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. In addition, the Company maintains an extensive network of distributors and reps worldwide. Web: http://www.micrel.com.