Multi-phase AI power chipset excels in efficiency, says Maxim
According to Maxim Integrated Products, designers can achieve highest efficiency (to reduce power cost and heat) and the smallest total solution size using the MAX16602 AI cores dual-output voltage regulator and the MAX20790 smart power-stage IC.
The MAX16602 and MAX20790 chipset achieves greater than 95 per cent efficiency and supports designs from 60 to 800A or more, said the company. It is intended for use by designers of high performance, high power artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
It uses the company’s patented coupled inductor for current ripple cancellation. The low profile coupled inductor technology supports higher saturation current per phase compared to a discrete inductor, said the company, to meet space-constrained design limitations.
The low profile coupled inductor (less than 4mm) is customisable to support multiple form factors such as peripheral component interconnect express (PCIe) and OCP accelerator modules (OAM).
The AI multi-phase chipset provides a one per cent efficiency improvement compared to competing alternatives, enabling greater than 95 per cent efficiency at 1.8V output voltage and 200A load conditions. This increase in efficiency translates to a 16 per cent reduction in wasted power, confirmed Maxim. It also allows 40 per cent less output capacitance compared to competing alternative for a reduction in total solution size and capacitor count. The chipset is customisable to support multiple form factors and enables AI computing at the edge as well as cloud computing at the data centre.
Hyperscale data centre designers grapple with increasing peak power and related higher thermal levels as they boost computing power to take on the demands of AI applications and deep learning. AI systems implemented with the MAX16602 and MAX20790 multi-phase chipset generate less heat compared to others available on the market, said Maxim. The combination of coupled inductor technology and monolithic integrated dual-side cooling power stage ICs lower switching frequencies by 50 per cent and the monolithic approach practically eliminates the parasitic resistance and inductance between FETs and drivers to achieve the industry’s highest efficiency, continued Maxim.
The chipset smallest size and reduced component count and bill of materials (BoM) costs are designed for AI in space constrained, cost-sensitive projects.
