RFMW Expert Product Pick: pSemi PE25213 Charge Pump Capacitor Divider

What made you select the pSemi PE25213 charge pump capacitor divider as a featured product?

I’ve chosen the pSemi PE25213 charge pump capacitor divider because it enables ultra-high efficiency front-end voltage conversion of up to 99% from 2- or 3-cell battery inputs in a compact, low profile form factor. Power design engineers working on mobile computing, networking infrastructure, and data center systems are continually challenged to deliver higher efficiency in tighter spaces, all while extending battery life or improving thermal headroom. For battery-powered platforms such as Ultrabooks and tablets, efficiently stepping down multi-cell lithium battery voltages to levels suitable for core components is a delicate balancing act. Similarly, 12V input point-of-load systems powering FPGAs, ASICs, or DDR memory require ultra-compact DC-DC front ends that can manage heavy loads with minimal loss and low EMI. Traditional inductive regulators often fall short in footprint, profile height, and fast transient response, driving a need for innovative capacitor-based approaches.

The pSemi PE25213 is a high-efficiency charge pump capacitor divider IC designed to simplify and optimize intermediate bus conversion in compact systems. With a proprietary architecture capable of dynamically selecting between divide-by-2 and divide-by-3 modes, the PE25213 enables seamless conversion from 2-cell or 3-cell lithium batteries to lower voltages suitable for downstream regulation, all while avoiding under-voltage lockouts during deep discharge conditions. Delivering up to 10A of output current at up to 99% peak efficiency, and housed in an ultra-low, <1 mm profile power solution, the PE25213 is ideal for modern system designers looking to maximize power density and runtime while minimizing solution size and EMI.

What are the Key Features/Specifications of the PE25213?

• Supports 5.7V to 15V input (÷2 mode) and 8.4V to 15V input (÷3 mode)

• Delivers up to 10A output current

• Peak efficiency up to 99%

• Configurable Divide-by-2 or Divide-by-3 operation with dynamic switching under load

• Cycle-skipping mode for enhanced light-load efficiency (pin-selectable)

• Low-EMI fixed-frequency operation under heavy loads

• Auto-switch mode prevents UVLO of downstream regulators during low battery condition

• Fully protected against input under-voltage, output over-current, and thermal fault

• Ultra-low profile 4.545 × 2.715 mm, 47-pin WLCSP

• Type III PCB compatible pinout

What are Common Markets/Applications of the PE25213?

• Two-cell and three-cell lithium platforms

• Ultrabooks, notebooks, and full-size tablets

• Ultra-thin form factor designs

• 12VIN Point-of-load Designs in Networking and Telecommunications:

  •  Data center power delivery

  •  Networking infrastructure

  • Optical line cards and switches

•  Front-end conversion for FPGAs, DDR memory, and ASIC power rails