Date Announced: 26 Feb 2007 Two new additions to Catalyst’s innovative Quad-Mode(tm) LED driver product line deliver 10% greater efficiency* and up to 65% smaller packageAccording to sales and marketing specialist Spectrum Infocus, LED driver performance has attained new levels with Catalyst Semiconductor’s announcement of a three-channel and a four-channel Quad-Mode(tm) charge pumps. The CAT3643 Quad-Mode charge pump is the world’s smallest, highest efficiency charge pump, delivering 10 percent higher efficiency* in a 2.5mm x 2.5mm XQFN package with a 0.4mm profile. The CAT3643 drives up to three LEDs while the CAT3634 drives 4 LEDs. These introductions come just two months after the launch of the CAT3636 six-LED driver, which debuted Catalyst’s groundbreaking Quad-Mode technology.*Compared to three-mode charge pumpsQuad-Mode charge pump architectureThe innovative, patent-pending Quad-Mode charge pump architecture delivers the high efficiency levels of inductor-based LED drivers, while eliminating the associated high-profile inductors and unwanted EMI. Most charge pump LED drivers today offer three modes of operation corresponding to the ratio of the output voltage to the input voltage: 1x, 1.5x and 2x. The Quad-Mode architecture adds a fourth mode of operation, 1.33x, without the need for the additional capacitor and associated extra two pins required by all existing four-mode charge pumps, which enables the dramatically smaller, lower pin count XQFN package.The 1.33x fractional operating mode also reduces the input switching currents seen at the battery, minimizing the overall supply noise – a critical parameter in portable devices such as mobile phones. Additionally, by utilizing the 1.33x mode of operation, the excess boosted voltage is kept to a minimum, which reduces wasted power and subsequent device heat losses.CAT3643 deliver efficiency levels as high as 92 percent The new CAT3643 deliver efficiency levels as high as 92 percent, yet save significant board space and costs. It’s the only charge pump available in an eXtra-thin 2.5mm x 2.5mm 12-lead XQFN package, with a 0.4mm profile, versus the traditional 3mm x 3mm 16-lead TQFN package and 0.8mm profile of most three-mode LED drivers.The XQFN package, reduced number of leads and high efficiency of the CAT3643 make it the world’s lowest profile (0.4mm) and smallest size (65 percent smaller) fractional charge pump available.The CAT3643 includes fully featured LED programming and dimming control via Catalyst’s flexible 1-wire EZDim™ programming interface. Six different current ratios are available via the EZDim interfaceAccording to Jo Sellers, Product Manager with Spectrum Infocus, Catalyst’s sales and marketing representative, the performance and space saving benefits of the CAT3643, combined with its eXtra-thin, low profile XQFN package makes it an unprecedented performance alternative for designers of today’s emerging, ultra-thin portable products: “This device also addresses the ‘sweet spot’ of the portables market, where 3-LED designs are becoming the norm”, Sellers said.. Price and AvailabilityPricing for the CAT3643 in 10,000 piece quantities starts at $0.64 each. Pricing for 10,000 piece quantities of the CAT3644 is $0.68 each. Samples and evaluation kits are now available. Projected lead-times for production quantities are currently 6 to 8 weeks ARO.
Contact
For further information on the CAT3643/3644 or any Catalyst Semiconductor product or service please contact Jo Sellars at Spectrum Infocus. Tel: +44 (0) 1869 240604 Fax: +44 (0) 1869 240608
E-mail:[email protected]
Web Site:www.spectrum-infocus.com
