POL Converters: what are they and how to use them effectively

In recent years, power supply requirements have posed several challenges to designers, including multiple power supply voltages, voltage sequencing, high peak currents, or excessive heat. To address these issues, designers must intervene on the printed circuit board and implement measures at the PCB level. A common solution for this purpose is the use of converters at the load points or Point of Load (PoL). In fact, miniaturized PoL converters are increasingly popular because they allow to meet market demands for more efficient and compact systems. However, several factors must be considered when choosing PoL converters, as not all of them offer the same performance and benefits.

In the electronics sector, many innovations are revolutionizing the way technology is conceived. One emerging trend is the gradual abandonment of centralized and decentralized power systems (also known as Distributed Power Architectures - DPA), in favor of Intermediate Bus Architectures (IBA), where an isolated front-end dc/dc converter powers various smaller and non-isolated dc/dc converters (also known as Point of Load converters, PoL), placed close to the loads that need to be powered.

All these considerations have a significant impact on power supply design. The size of the converter is crucial, as every square millimeter of space on the PCB is precious, and therefore, the smaller the converter, the better. At the same time, another crucial aspect to consider is that PoL power supplies address the challenge of high peak current demand and low noise margins required by high-performance semiconductors such as microcontrollers or ASICs, precisely because of their proximity to the point of use. However, designers often find themselves facing tight deadlines and complex boards, and end up focusing on power supply only at the last minute. Consequently, PCB space is sacrificed, leaving just enough room for a miniaturized device.

Another aspect