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Transient Load Steppers For Power Systems Test, and VRM & PDN Validation

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Transient Load Steppers For Power Systems Test, and VRM & PDN Validation
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Highlights:
  • Scalable up to > 2kAmp (peak and average) / 125A/in2
  • < 10nS edge speed and DC operation for max average power
  • Probe tip, liquid-cooled probe and refrigerated-liquid-cooled in-socket

  Description  

Transient Load Steppers For Power Systems Test, and VRM & PDN Validation

Product Details

Transient Testing
Transient load current step testing is a critical part of power system design, test, and verification. No matter the architecture, design make-up, or power levels, transient testing is key to evaluating many aspects including power integrity, power distribution network (‘PDN) validation, Voltage Regulation Module (‘VRM’) stability and transient response, noise, large-signal control loop stability, input filter stability, load emulation, thermal (TDP) testing, and IC package performance.
Picotest’s line of transient steppers enable testing of very fast load current transitions, high peak and average power, via multiple form factors that previously were unavailable or impractical to accomplish. In particular, demanding low-voltage, high-current applications including those found in data centers, AI, graphics, EV, and servers can now be tested.
The power distribution networks that provide power to advanced digital loads such as CPUs, ASICs, FPGAs, and other custom ICs can now be validated before the costly ICs are exposed to any power system related unknowns.

GaN “VRM+PDN Validators” in different formats to support different current levels

  • <10A – Browser Probe Format (P2105A Stepper)
  • 10A-50A – Water-Cooled Probe Head Stepper
  • Up to 2000A – In-Socket Load Board – Water or Refrigerated Cooling
  • Open-Loop and Closed-Loop Solutions (analog and digital control)

Product Selection
The product line provides load step testing orders of magnitude faster and higher than previously available. Included are three levels based on load current and delivery form factor: less than 10A, 10A-50A, and up to 2047A. Both open and closed-loop load current control options are offered. The stepper is essentially a signal level voltage controlled switch that opens or closes a path from the power rail through a GaN FET and custom resistor. So, while the probe can be moved to rails of different voltages and the step current will vary based on the power rail voltage when done so, the baseline load current is set at the time of purchase via a specified voltage-current combo resulting in fixed resistor values in the probe.
The S10 under 10A solution comes in a hand-held browser style probe format that fits into tight places. The open-loop current step is a single pre-defined (at the time of purchase) current step. Note, the current is dependent on the voltage of the power rail. The S50 10A-50A solution is a water-cooled browser-style probe format with 6 user pre-defined current steps (6-bit logic level control). Again, the current is dependent on the voltage of the power rail.
The S2000 2047A solution is provided in a custom format as an in-socket, ASIC replacement PC daughter card connecting to the customer’s board through a custom elastomer connector/interface. Picotest will work with you on the development process in order to bring about a solution with appropriate performance, control and integration.
This step loader replaces the ASIC that normally loads the power rails, allowing thorough power rail validation. This solution allows programmed and custom load current profiles from 0 to 2047A in 1 Amp steps using an 11-bit controller and custom design GaN/resistor networks. This level includes very high-power density, supporting full power at DC for TDP and load line testing.

P2105A Browser Probe (S10)
This is a hand held or probe stand held probe that can be used to step multiple rails. It has 2 pins (+/-) and is placed across the power rail. The current step is controlled by a control wire pair (5V 50 Ohm). The current step (current sinking into the positive pin) mimics the control signal.

Water-Cooled Browser Probe (S50)
This is also a hand held or probe stand held browser probe. It behaves in a similar way to the P2105A. It comes with a water-cooler that enables the load current/power density to be higher. The current step (current sinking into the positive pin) is controlled by a control wire pair. This is a 6 bit control bus with 3.3V or 5V logic level. There are 6 switches and each can be turned on or off and each can have a level set at the time of manufacturing. So there are 6 discrete levels.

Custom Load Board Development (S1000)
This is a full custom solution. It consists of a power board that is designed and fabricated in a pattern to be able to supply load current to the Vcc inputs of your load circuitry. The power board circuitry can be integrated onto your board or configured as a daughter card that mates with your board directly or through a custom elastomer/connector interface. Each supply point is driven by one or more GaN cells which are essentially switches that can be configured to any voltage. The load current delivered can be modulated in just about any way with a custom 11bit controller to driver the GaN cells on and off. The specifications of the rates, speeds, and current/power levels are shown in the detail specification section.

Picotest GaN Load Stepper Technology
Picotest’s line of load steppers utilize custom GaN technology and innovative power delivery interconnect formats and cooling to meet the requirements of supplying step load currents. Power levels up to 2000 Amps, 2000W average power (125W-125A/in2), up to 100% duty cycle, load current step rates that are sub-ns (<500ps), with DC – 50MHz repetition rates. These edge rates and average power levels exceed current capabilities by orders of magnitude.
The Picotest load steppers solve several pressing hurdles for power integrity testing. Electronic loads are too slow and present too much capacitance to allow a valid measurement to take place. Their edge rates are too slow to address the bandwidths needed to test PDN performance. They are unable to achieve the average and peak power levels needed. Additionally, the overly inductive interconnections between industry standard load step generators also make them too slow.
To achieve these performance breakthroughs, Picotest pushed the limits of GaN density, developed custom resistors, developed advanced cooling techniques, and integrated high-speed digital control. Various form factors including novel probe heads were developed to allow load step testing on a rail-by-rail basis. Key to getting the edge rates necessary to test the high bandwidths associated with low voltage PDNs was the reduction to near-zero inductance of the interconnect between the steppers and the PCB where the load step is applied. Given the minimization and very high-power densities, custom water and refrigerated cooling schemes were also implemented. Given the varied nature of the power systems architectures, care was taken to allow most of these features to be customized to application requirements.
New techniques to minimize interconnect inductance, allowing fast-edge (<500ps) transient load currents to be delivered to the power supply rail include browser probes, water-cooled probes, and custom-developed load boards.

BENEFITS:

  • GaN-enabled - Orders of magnitude faster edge speeds than other solutions
  • Vastly higher power density/currents – up to 100% duty cycle
  • Transients on the order of the bandwidth of your VRM
  • Enables true PDN validation and Power Integrity noise performance
  • Enable your Power Distribution Network to be validated BEFORE the expensive processor/digital load is connected
  • Vastly outperforms traditional electronic loads and other load stepper solutions
  • Enables long dwell times for slow load line loop testing
  • Digital control module with Complete Load Current Control
  • Pseudo random,Long dwell, Long Pattern, Sine, Digital Slew, Exponential, Fast burst

KEY FEATURES:

  • Scalable up to > 2kAmp (peak and average) / 125A/in2
  • < 10nS edge speed and DC operation for max average power
  • Probe tip, liquid-cooled probe and refrigerated-liquid-cooled in-socket
  • Up to 125W/in2
  • Highly miniaturized time-matched GaN Load Cells
  • Digital or Analog control of Digital or Analog Load Cell

Applications:

  • Power Supply Testing and Measurement
  • VRM and PDN Validation
  • Rail noise evaluation
  • Transient load step (large signal)
  • SPICE/ADS State Space Average Model Development
  • Large-signal control loop stability andInput filter stability
  • Thermal (TDP) testing
  • IC Package evaluation

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