Renesas ISL8118EVAL1Z

Overview

ISL8118EVAL1Z from Renesas Electronics is an evaluation board for the ISL8118 single-phase synchronous buck PWM controller, featuring integrated 2A/4A MOSFET drivers, voltage-mode control with input voltage feed-forward, and pre-biased soft-start capability. It supports 4.5V–20V input, delivers 1.8V/25A output at 300kHz switching frequency, and implements dual MOSFET r_DS(ON)-based overcurrent protection.

For engineers reviewing the ISL8118EVAL1Z datasheet, ISL8118EVAL1Z pinout, ISL8118EVAL1Z application, or ISL8118EVAL1Z equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of high-efficiency DC/DC converter designs targeting server VRMs, telecom power supplies, and FPGA core voltage regulation - with full schematic, BOM, layout files, and performance characterization data provided in AN1489.

Technical Context

The ISL8118EVAL1Z implements a complete voltage-mode synchronous buck converter using the ISL8118IRZ controller (28-pin MLFP), two high-side BSC059N04LS and two low-side BSC018N04LS N-channel MOSFETs, a 0.68µH Vishay IHLP5050FD-R68 inductor, and 1600µF total output capacitance from five Sanyo 6TPF330M9L POSCAPs.

It validates key ISL8118 features including dual-path OCP (topside and bottomside r_DS(ON) sensing), programmable UVLO (4.2V enable / 4.0V disable), ±10% voltage margining via MARGIN pin, and Type-III compensation network tuned for 50kHz loop bandwidth and stable transient response under 0A→25A step load.

Key Specifications

Availability

ISL8118EVAL1Z is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for power supply validation, VRM prototyping, and FPGA/ASIC core voltage development requiring stable component supply, full documentation support, and production-representative thermal and electrical performance.

Supply support for ISL8118EVAL1Z 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 Corporation is a global semiconductor leader delivering microcontrollers, analog, power, and SoC solutions for automotive, industrial, infrastructure, and IoT applications.

The ISL8118EVAL1Z belongs to Renesas' high-performance analog power management evaluation platform family, designed specifically to accelerate adoption of their advanced PWM controllers in enterprise-grade DC/DC converter designs.

FAQ

What is the primary purpose of the ISL8118EVAL1Z?

The ISL8118EVAL1Z is a fully assembled and tested evaluation board for the ISL8118 synchronous buck PWM controller. It enables engineers to validate converter performance-including efficiency, transient response, OCP behavior, and margining-under real-world conditions before committing to custom PCB design. The board ships with complete AN1489 documentation, schematic, BOM, and test data for the ISL8118EVAL1Z.

Does the ISL8118EVAL1Z support pre-biased output startup?

Yes, the ISL8118EVAL1Z demonstrates the ISL8118's built-in pre-biased soft-start functionality. When the output is pre-charged, the board holds drivers in tri-state until the COMP signal exceeds the oscillator ramp bottom, then activates the low-side MOSFET for bootstrap charging - eliminating output voltage overshoot. This behavior is verified in Figure 4 of the ISL8118EVAL1Z user manual AN1489.

What MOSFETs are used on the ISL8118EVAL1Z board?

The ISL8118EVAL1Z uses two Infineon BSC059N04LS (high-side, 40V, 5.9mΩ) and two BSC018N04LS (low-side, 40V, 1.8mΩ) N-channel MOSFETs in parallel per switch position. These devices were selected to meet the 1W per-FET power loss budget and optimize conduction vs. switching loss trade-offs across the 4.5V–20V input range, as detailed in the ISL8118EVAL1Z design procedure.

Can the ISL8118EVAL1Z be used with separate bias and power supplies?

Yes, the ISL8118EVAL1Z supports both single-rail and split-supply configurations. Jumper J8 allows connection of PVCC/VCC to the main input (pins 1–2) or use of an independent bias supply applied to terminal J6 (pins 2–3 jumpered). This flexibility enables testing under mismatched input/bias conditions - critical for validating ISL8118 operation during cold-start or brown-out scenarios per the ISL8118EVAL1Z application notes.

Where can I find the schematic and bill of materials for the ISL8118EVAL1Z?

The complete schematic, bill of materials (BOM), layer stack-up drawings, and PCB layout files for the ISL8118EVAL1Z are included in Application Note AN1489 (Rev 0.00, June 2009), pages 7–9. All documents are publicly available on the Renesas website and archived with the ISL8118EVAL1Z product page. No registration or login is required to access the ISL8118EVAL1Z technical package.