Renesas ISL81601DEMO1Z

Overview

The ISL81601DEMO1Z from Renesas Electronics is a demonstration board designed to evaluate the ISL81601 60V synchronous buck-boost controller IC. It supports bidirectional operation, programmable soft-start, independent enable functions, and integrated UV/OV/OC/OT protection. The board delivers up to 10A at 48V output with 200kHz switching frequency and operates across 32–60V input range for industrial power conversion applications.

For engineers reviewing the ISL81601DEMO1Z datasheet, ISL81601DEMO1Z pinout, ISL81601DEMO1Z application, or ISL81601DEMO1Z equivalent, this board enables rapid validation of high-voltage buck-boost topology performance-including DEM/PWM mode selection, parallel daisy-chaining, current sharing, and bidirectional supercapacitor charging-under real-world thermal and load transient conditions.

Technical Context

The ISL81601DEMO1Z implements the ISL81601 QFN controller in a complete, tested 4-switch buck-boost reference design. It features dual-phase interleaved operation with configurable phase shift (0°, 60°, 90°, 120°, 180°) via jumpers J6/J7, and supports both constant-current (CC) and hiccup-mode overcurrent protection via jumper J9.

Board-level functionality includes prebias output startup, PGOOD monitoring, VIN limit enable/disable (via FBI pin), input current limiting, and selectable PWM or discontinuous conduction mode (DEM) operation using jumper J8. Test points TP1–TP28 provide direct access to all critical IC pins and signal nodes for oscilloscope probing and signal injection.

Key Specifications

Availability

The ISL81601DEMO1Z is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for industrial power supply development, telecom rectifier validation, battery backup system prototyping, and high-voltage DC/DC converter design requiring stable component supply and full functional verification.

Supply support for ISL81601DEMO1Z 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 markets.

The ISL81601DEMO1Z belongs to Renesas' Industrial Analog and Power demonstration platform family, engineered to accelerate adoption of high-efficiency, high-voltage buck-boost controllers in mission-critical power systems.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the ISL81601DEMO1Z?

The ISL81601DEMO1Z is a fully assembled demonstration board used to evaluate the ISL81601 60V synchronous 4-switch buck-boost controller IC. It provides immediate hardware validation of key features including bidirectional operation, programmable soft-start, DEM/PWM mode selection, parallel daisy-chaining, and comprehensive protection schemes-without requiring custom PCB design or layout effort. The ISL81601DEMO1Z enables rapid characterization of efficiency, transient response, and thermal behavior under real operating conditions.

Can the ISL81601DEMO1Z operate in bidirectional mode?

Yes, the ISL81601DEMO1Z supports bidirectional operation when configured correctly: the FBI pin must be left floating, the mode must be set to PWM (jumper J8 pins 1–2), and the input voltage must exceed 36V before enabling the supercapacitor charge cycle. This allows the board to function as both a regulated 48V source and a controlled energy sink-enabling use cases such as regenerative braking simulation or hybrid energy storage system testing. The ISL81601DEMO1Z user manual (UG176) details the exact wiring and sequencing required.

How many ISL81601DEMO1Z boards can be operated in parallel?

The ISL81601DEMO1Z supports parallel operation with two or three units in a daisy-chain configuration, as documented in Figures 2 and 3 of UG176. Phase shift between units is set via jumpers J6 and J7 to achieve 0°, 60°, 90°, 120°, or 180° interleaving-reducing input/output ripple and improving thermal distribution. Each ISL81601DEMO1Z contributes up to 10A, enabling scalable total output currents of 20A or 30A while maintaining tight current sharing through dedicated interconnects (J10/J11).

What are the jumper configuration options on the ISL81601DEMO1Z?

The ISL81601DEMO1Z uses five key jumpers: J3 disables output when shorted; J7 enables/disables VIN limit via FBI pin; J8 selects PWM (pins 1–2) or DEM (pins 2–3); J9 selects constant-current OCP (pins 1–2) or hiccup-mode OCP (pins 2–3); and J6/J7 jointly configure phase shift for parallel operation. Default factory settings are J8 = PWM, J9 = CC, J3 = open, J7 = GND, and J6 = open. All configurations are verified in Table 3 and Section 2.5 of the UG176 user manual.

Does the ISL81601DEMO1Z include test points for oscilloscope measurements?

Yes, the ISL81601DEMO1Z provides 28 labeled test points (TP1–TP28) for direct probing of critical signals including PHASE1, PHASE2, VOUT, COMP, SS/TRK, ISEN+, ISEN−, CLKOUT/DITHER, and PGOOD. These points are placed per Figure 6 of UG176 to minimize probe-induced ringing and ensure accurate measurement of output ripple, phase node transitions, and start-up waveforms. The board's layout prioritizes low-inductance paths and ground isolation to preserve signal integrity during high-speed switching analysis.