PMIC is optimised for OLED IT devices
Magnachip’s first power management IC (PMIC) has been launched. It is designed for IT devices equipped with OLED screens.
A PMIC is a core component to supply power to electronic devices, explained Magnachip. It plays an increasingly important role as the battery life of handheld IT devices like laptops and tablets is dependent on power efficiency.
The new PMIC is based on Magnachip’s integrated power IC technology and communicates with a system by using an inter-integrated circuit (I2C). This enables it to control functions such as output voltage control, on/off block, output voltage sequence management, protection circuit fault flag and switching frequency transition.
The PMIC’s fast transient response supports a variable refresh rate which allows a screen to adjust how often it refreshes the image to match the frame rate without user input. This capability reduces power consumption and enables a smooth and comfortable viewing experience for games and high-quality videos at refresh rates of 60 to 240Hz, said Magnachip.
For a compact power circuit, the IC has one boost regulator for the power supply to source and gate drivers, one low dropout (LDO) regulator, two voltage reference operational amplifiers, three negative output LDO regulators, three high-current buck regulators for power supply to a timing controller and two operational amplifiers for the gamma buffer. In addition to the high level of integration resulting in smaller and faster electronic circuits, the PMIC provides over-voltage protection, short circuit protection, thermal shutdown, under voltage lockout, over current detection, over current shutdown and a clamping circuit.
The PMIC is expected to generate interest in OLED panel manufacturers. Research firm, Omdia, estimates that shipments for laptops will grow 44.3 per cent annually from 6.3 million substrates in 2022 to 39.2 million substrates by 2027. The shipments of OLED panels for tablet PCs is expected to increase from 3.9 million substrates to 24.2 million substrates in the same period.
Magnachip desigs and manufactures analogue and mixed-signal semiconductors for communications, IoT, consumer, computing, industrial and automotive applications. The company provides a range of standard products to customers worldwide based on more than 40 years of operating history. It has a portfolio of approximately 1,100 registered patents and pending applications, together with engineering, design and manufacturing process expertise.