World’s Smallest Load Switch Targets Mobile Applications
Portable Design News, Tuesday June 17, 2008
Micrel Inc. has launched the MIC94040/1/2/3, a new family of high side load switches featuring breakthrough packaging technology. The chips are aimed at a wide variety of high-end portable, battery powered consumer devices, including smart/feature phones, personal multimedia and navigation, and Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs).
Micrel’s innovative version of MLF package technology extends battery life by greatly reducing the on-resistance (RDSON) of the MIC94040/1/2/3 devices down to 28mohm. Also, superior thermal performance of the new package technology allows more than 3A continuous current from a tiny 1.2mm x 1.2mm package, enabling applications such as UMPCs to use the MIC94040/1/2/3 for high current circuits. Each device operates from 1.7V to 5.5V input and can be controlled with very low 1.5V logic due to a novel level shift circuitry that allows it to control higher voltage supplies. 
The MIC94040 and MIC94041 feature rapid turn on, while the MIC94042 and MIC94043 provide a slew rate controlled Soft-Start turn-on of 116 µs (typical) to prevent in-rush current. In addition, the MIC94041 and MIC94043 feature an active load discharge circuit that insures capacitive loads are automatically discharged whenever the main switch is in an OFF state.
The MIC94040/1/2/3 are currently available in volume quantities with pricing starting at $0.34 for 10K quantities.
Micrel, Inc., San Jose, CA (408) 944-0800 [http://www.micrel.com/]
