Renesas ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z

Overview

ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z from Renesas Electronics is a fully assembled, tested demonstration board built around the ISL8117A 60V synchronous buck controller. It delivers a regulated 12V/3A output from a 6.5V–42V input, operates at 200kHz switching frequency, and integrates OCP/OVP/OTP/UVP protection with PGOOD indication for system monitoring.

For engineers reviewing the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z datasheet, ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z test setup, ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z performance curves, or ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z layout guidelines, this board serves as a validated reference design for high-voltage DC/DC buck conversion in industrial power supplies, telecom rectifiers, and battery-powered systems requiring fast transient response and compact footprint.

Technical Context

The ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z implements a current-mode synchronous buck topology using the ISL8117A controller (QFN-16), two Infineon BSZ100N06LS3G N-channel MOSFETs, and a 15µH Würth power inductor. It supports prebias start-up via SR soft-start and external frequency synchronization, with gate drive strength rated for up to 30A peak current.

Input filtering uses a 100µF aluminum electrolytic (C1) and eight 22µF X7R ceramics (C19–C26); output filtering combines two 220µF aluminum electrolytics (C8/C9) and ceramic decoupling. The board features dedicated SGND/PGND separation, thermal vias under Q1/Q2, and optimized high-frequency loop routing per Renesas layout guidelines.

Key Specifications

Availability

ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial power supply validation, telecom rectifier prototyping, and battery-management system development requiring stable component supply and production-ready reference designs.

Supply support for ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z 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 is a global semiconductor leader delivering microcontrollers, analog, power, and SoC solutions for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications.

The ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z belongs to Renesas' high-voltage DC/DC evaluation platform family, designed to accelerate adoption of robust, high-efficiency buck controllers in harsh-input environments such as factory automation and renewable energy interfaces.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z?

The ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z is a fully assembled demonstration board that implements a high-voltage synchronous buck converter using the ISL8117A controller. Its purpose is to provide engineers with a ready-to-test platform for evaluating 12V/3A power delivery from 6.5V–42V inputs, including performance validation, layout verification, and protection feature testing - all without requiring custom PCB design or component sourcing. The ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z simplifies early-stage power architecture decisions.

Can the output voltage of the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z be adjusted, and how?

Yes, the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z output voltage is adjustable via the feedback resistor network. The preset 12V output uses R1 = 19.1kΩ and R2 = 1kΩ; Equation 1 in the user manual (V_OUT = 0.6V × (1 + R2/R1)) allows recalculating R2 for any target voltage while keeping R1 fixed. This enables rapid reconfiguration to 5V, 3.3V, or other common rails using only a single resistor change - no controller reprogramming or hardware modification beyond R2 replacement is required on the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z.

What input power supply specifications are required to operate the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z?

To safely and correctly operate the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z, a DC power supply capable of delivering 0–42V with ≥10A sourcing capability is recommended. The board draws up to ~3.5A at minimum input (6.5V) for full 3A output due to efficiency losses, and higher peak currents occur during startup or transients. A lab supply with overcurrent limiting and remote sense is advised to avoid brownout or instability - consistent with the test setup described in UG102 Rev.0.00 for the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z.

Does the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z support synchronization to an external clock?

Yes, the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z supports external frequency synchronization via the MOD/SYNC pin (U1 Pin 12). When driven with a clean TTL/CMOS clock signal within the ISL8117A's 100kHz–2MHz range, the board locks its switching frequency to the external source - enabling EMI reduction through spread-spectrum alignment or multi-rail coherence in complex systems. This capability is implemented and verified on the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z per Figure 1 and functional description in UG102.

How is thermal management handled on the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z?

The ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z uses copper-filled polygons, thermal vias under Q1/Q2 (BSZ100N06LS3G), and a multilayer PCB stack-up (including solid ground plane on Layer 2) to dissipate heat from power components. The ISL8117A controller itself operates from –40°C to +125°C, but the board requires airflow at ambient temperatures above 60°C to maintain 3A output continuously - as noted in the "Operating Range" section of UG102 for the ISL8117A-LDEMO2Z. No heatsinks are mounted, relying instead on PCB conduction and convection.