Operating from input voltages between 2.7V and 5.5V, the Austriamicrosystems AS1234 DC-DC converter delivers output voltages as low as 0.6V. A step-down regulator, the supply is designed for low-power batter-based applications. Typical applications use Li-Ion or triple AA cells. The converter features 100% duty cycle operation allowing the design to extract maximum energy from the battery.
The company offers the AS1324 in both fixed-output-voltage configurations and in a variable output model. The fixed versions come in 1.2V, 1.5V, and 1.8V outputs and require no external voltage dividers for configuration. In the variable version, an external voltage divider sets the output to any value between 0.6V and the input voltage.
The company is targeting industrial, medical and automotive applications with the AS1324 family. The DC-DC converters rely on a fixed 1.5-MHz switching frequency that allows packaging in the small 5-pin TSOT23. The converters integrate a power-save mode, consuming only 30 μA of quiescent current. The design offers a 100nA shutdown mode combined with an output disconnect feature. The converters cost $0.59 (1000).