Renesas ISL6752/54EVAL1Z

Overview

ISL6752/54EVAL1Z from Renesas (formerly Intersil) is a ZVS full-bridge DC/DC evaluation board supporting both ISL6752 and ISL6754 controller daughter cards, delivering 12V ±5% at up to 50A output with 95% peak efficiency, synchronous rectification, and current-doubler topology for high-density power conversion in telecom and industrial PSUs.

For engineers reviewing the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z datasheet, ISL6752/54EVAL1Z pinout, ISL6752/54EVAL1Z application, or ISL6752/54EVAL1Z equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of zero-voltage-switching control, synchronous rectifier timing, primary-side current sensing, and high-efficiency 400V-input-to-12V-output power stage design.

Technical Context

The ISL6752/54EVAL1Z implements a primary-side-controlled ZVS full-bridge topology with two independent daughter cards - one for ISL6752 (pulse-by-pulse current limiting) and one for ISL6754 (patented average current limiting with brick-wall profile). Control ICs reside on the primary side, eliminating need for AC-line-isolated gate drive transformers.

It integrates synchronous rectifiers driven via isolated pulse transformer T6, RCD-delayed ISL89163 drivers, and dual-current-sensing transformers (T2/T4) on low-side FET drains. The current-doubler output uses two parallel inductor banks (L102/L103) and dual SR banks (Q107–Q109 & Q111–Q113) to share output current and eliminate center-tapped secondary windings.

Key Specifications

Availability

ISL6752/54EVAL1Z is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for telecom power system validation, industrial DC/DC converter development, and high-efficiency 400V-input PSU prototyping requiring stable component supply and documented reference design support.

Supply support for ISL6752/54EVAL1Z includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

Renesas Electronics acquired Intersil in 2017 and maintains its high-performance analog and power management portfolio, including ZVS controllers and evaluation platforms for advanced power conversion.

The ISL6752/54EVAL1Z belongs to Renesas' high-efficiency DC/DC evaluation platform family, designed specifically to accelerate development of zero-voltage-switching, synchronous-rectified, high-input-voltage power supplies for telecom infrastructure and industrial systems.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z evaluation board?

The ISL6752/54EVAL1Z is a complete ZVS full-bridge DC/DC evaluation platform supporting both ISL6752 and ISL6754 controller daughter cards. It demonstrates synchronous rectification, current-doubler output architecture, and primary-side ZVS control - enabling engineers to validate high-efficiency 400V-input-to-12V-output power stages without designing from scratch. The ISL6752/54EVAL1Z includes all necessary biasing, protection, sensing, and drive circuitry per AN1603.

Can the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z operate with only one daughter card installed?

Yes - the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z is designed to operate with either the ISL6752DBEVAL1Z or ISL6754DBEVAL1Z daughter card installed, but not both simultaneously. Each daughter card provides full control functionality: ISL6752 enables pulse-by-pulse current limiting, while ISL6754 delivers average current limiting with brick-wall behavior and faster short-circuit recovery. The ISL6752/54EVAL1Z main board remains unchanged between configurations.

What are the key differences in current limiting between ISL6752 and ISL6754 on the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z?

The ISL6752 implements cycle-by-cycle (pulse-by-pulse) current limiting, which disables switching immediately upon overcurrent detection each cycle. The ISL6754 uses patented average current limiting that maintains constant average current under overload and releases instantly after fault clearance - shown in Figure 28 of AN1603 as "SHORT CIRCUIT RELEASE WITH ISL6754". This difference is hardware-defined by the daughter card and directly affects transient response and fault handling on the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z.

Does the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z include protection features for bridge FET failure?

Yes - the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z includes high-voltage crowbar protection (F1 and D3) and blocking diode D4 (Figure 6, AN1603) to safeguard primary-side control circuitry during bridge shoot-through or MOSFET failure. These components clamp VDD to safe levels and isolate the 13V lab supply, minimizing damage during evaluation. While optional in final designs, they are integral to the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z's robustness as a debug platform.

How does the current-doubler topology improve performance on the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z?

The current-doubler topology on the ISL6752/54EVAL1Z splits output current across two inductors (L102/L103) and two SR banks, reducing conduction loss per path and eliminating need for a center-tapped transformer secondary. It maintains near-constant duty cycle from no-load to full-load - unlike diode-based doublers - improving load transient response and eliminating pulse-skipping jitter. This is confirmed by waveform analysis in Figures 13–14 and performance curves in Figure 33 of AN1603.