Cypress claims lowest power harvester ever

Cypress has introduced what it claims is the lowest power energy harvesting power management IC (PMIC), usable with solar cells down to 10x10mm.

Aimed at wireless sensor nodes, and called S6AE101A, it will start when 1.2uW is available and continue to function on as little as 250nA.

The linear chip mediates between a solar cell, an optional non-rechargeable battery, a load and two storage capacitors, and is built into the firm’s EZ-BLE PRoC module which also includes a Bluetooth LE radio.

The module (pictured) squeezes a lot into 10x10x1.8mm: an ARM Cortex-M0 with the radio, two crystals, a chip antenna, metal shield and passive components.

“The most compelling wireless sensor nodes that will drive IoT growth are self-powered, can be deployed anywhere for more than 10 years, and require minimal deployment and maintenance costs,” said Kiyoe Nagaya, v-p of Cypress analogue business. “Our energy harvesting PMIC and smart module enable developers to create solar-powered wireless sensor nodes for battery-less IoT devices.”

S6AE101A came though the firm’s Spansion is sampling now. It is the first of a family with at least two other chips: 102A and 103A, that add linear regulators at the expense of more quiescent current.

Cypress offers a Solar-Powered IoT Device Kit that contains a baseboard with a solar module and a Bluetooth Low Energy-USB bridge. PMIC software support comes through a web tool called Easy DesignSim.

S6AE101A at a glance

• Min solar cell size 1cm2 ( #100 lux min)
• Solar cell input 2.0-5.5 V
• Battery input 2.0-5.5 V
• Output voltage 1.1-5.2 V
• Quiescent 250 nA
• Start-up 1.2 μW
• Six power gating switches
• Over-voltage protection
• 3x3mm 10pin SON

 

steve bush

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