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New Maxim Continua regulator offers high-efficiency supercapacitor backup

By Michelle Froese June 7, 2021

System architects seeking backup power using supercapacitor or other energy sources can now deliver a small size and high-efficiency with the Continua MAX38889 2.5V-to-5.5V, 3A reversible buck/boost regulator.

The latest addition to Maxim’s Continua family of backup regulators delivers the industry’s tightest output regulation of 2.5 percent to support critical applications that demand high accuracy.

The MAX38889 features 94 percent peak efficiency, nine percent higher than the closest competitive solution, allowing it to support longer backup time. Additionally, at one-third the size, it enables easier integration into space-constrained designs.

“Maxim’s Continua family of backup voltage regulators uses advanced switching regulator design to deliver bi-directional buck/boost featuring tight output regulation that minimizes space while increasing power efficiency,” said Anil Telikepalli, managing director of the Core Products Group at Maxim Integrated. “This is the third product from our Continua line as Maxim strives to enable always-on applications by solving the design engineer’s toughest backup power challenges.”

In applications such as smart utility meters or automotive dashboard cameras, the MAX38889 Continua regulator operates in buck mode to charge a backup power source, such as a supercapacitor. When main power goes away, the regulator reverses direction automatically, boosting the supercapacitor voltage to power the system, until main power is restored.

For convenient adoption, the entire MAX38889 solution is 64 percent smaller than the closest competitor (218mm2 vs. 606mm2), allowing designers to reduce component count, cut board space and save BOM cost. Smaller size also makes it easier to integrate into new and existing designs with tight space constraints.

The MAX38889 regulates backup power for a wide range of portable and non-portable applications, such as retail price scanners and surveillance cameras, and others used in home, building, automotive, industrial automation, and healthcare IoT.

Advantages

  • Highest efficiency: 94 percent peak efficiency is 9 percent higher than closest competitor
  • Smallest size: One-third the size of the closest competitive solution
  • Tightest regulation: Delivers 2.5 percent voltage regulation demanded by 5V applications

Filed Under: Components, News, Power Management
Tagged With: maximintegratedproducts
 

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