Enpirion's Newest DC-DC Converter Targets Power Management for Solid State Drives

EN5339 meets the need for increased power density and reliability with fastest time to market

HAMPTON, NJ November 15, 2011 - Enpirion, the leading innovator of the industry's smallest point-of-load DC-DC converters, announced a new member of its power IC portfolio targeted at solid-state drives (SSDs) as well as industrial embedded applications.

The Enpirion EN5339 3-amp power system-on-a-chip (PowerSoC) integrates the controller, power MOSFETs, compensation network and inductor into one highly compact solution that significantly reduces the traditional engineering analysis and design effort associated with discrete DC-DC converter designs. Its slim profile offers Enpirion's wide base of customers - who offer diverse form factors including SATA, PCIe, mSATA and others - an important new alternative. The EN5339 has already landed more than 20 design wins ahead of its official market release.

The EN5339 fits into a 55 mm2 solution area with a 1.1 mm profile - setting the bar for the smallest 3 Amp solution available. Small form-factor SSDs, in particular, require this small area and height. Keeping up with the demands of storage, embedded and industrial applications, the EN5339 enables a 20 percent solution footprint reduction and 40 percent lower profile compared to previous Enpirion 3 Amp products.

"We continue to optimize solution size and cost without compromising the high performance and simplicity of design inherent in all Enpirion's PowerSoCs," said Charlie Mera, Enpirion's vice president of marketing and applications. "Our devices also offer a dramatic improvement in reliability. Clearly, designers must closely consider availability and reliability, as SSDs hold an enterprise's mission- critical data as well as consumers' key records and precious content."

The following is a summary of specific challenges in SSD applications that the EN5339 DC-DC converter and the broader Enpirion PowerSoC portfolio meet:

Highest Power Density = Increased Storage Capacity
SSDs have at least three point-of-load voltage rails that consume valuable PCB space. The EN5339's low profile, combined with a solution footprint 75 percent smaller than competitive products, enables the highest-capacity slim SSD drives, densely stacked multi-board SSDs and mounting on the backside of PCBs.

Reliability= Higher-Quality End Products
8x Enpirion PowerSoCs achieve 21,800 years mean time between failure (MTBF). Enpirion high-efficiency devices are truly industrial graded and do not require load de-rating at 85 °C ambient temperature. PowerSoCs are specified, simulated, characterized, validated and manufacturing-tested as a complete power system - which, when coupled with tightly controlled IC manufacturing processes and fewer total components, yields unsurpassed reliability.

Simplified Design Flow = Faster Time to Market, More Projects Commercialized
Enpirion PowerSoCs require fewer design steps with significantly less exposure to design cycle iteration. Fully validated and proven PCB layout and design files are provided, enabling customers nearly 100 percent first-pass reported success.

Total Solution Cost Reduction =Competitive Products, Simplified Supply Chain
In addition to EN5339's competitive cost, Enpirion PowerSoCs require fewer external components (typically 3 to 6). EN5339's low ripple (6 mV) and EMI eliminate the need for external noise filters, while its thermal performance and construction negate the need for heatsinks.

High Efficiency = Reduced Energy Consumption and Extended Battery Life
EN5339 and Enpirion high-efficiency DC-DC converters achieve up to 96 percent efficiency.

Price and Availability
Enpirion's EN5339 device is sampling now, with volume production by December 2011. It is available direct from Enpirion (www.enpirion.com) or through distribution for $1 .88 at volumes of 1 k units.