_______________________________________________________________ Maxim Integrated Products 1

For pricing, delivery, and ordering information, please contact Maxim Direct at 1-888-629-4642,

or visit Maxim’s website at www.maxim-ic.com.

Dual-Output, 3-Phase + 1 Phase Quick-PWM

Controller for VR12/IMVP-7

General Description

The MAX17039 is a dual-output, step-down, constant-

on-time controller for VR12/IMVP-7 CPU core supplies.

The controller consists of two high-current-switching

power supplies for the CPU and GPU cores. The CPU

regulator (regulator A) is a three-phase constant-on-time

architecture. The optional 3rd phase is configured with

an external MAX8791 or MAX17491 driver. The second

GPU regulator (regulator B) is also a constant-on-time

architecture with only single phase.

Both regulators A and B include true differential voltage

and current sensing to improve load-line and current-

limit accuracy. Switching frequencies are independently

programmable, allowing 100kHz to 600kHz per phase

operation. Output overvoltage protection (OVP), under-

voltage protection (UVP), and thermal protection ensure

effective and highly reliable operation. When any of

these protection features detect a fault, the controller

shuts down both channels.

Regulator A includes transient-phase overlap, which

speeds up the response time, reducing the total output

capacitance. Regulator A also includes active overshoot

suppression to further reduce the required output decou-

pling capacitance.

Both controllers are fully compliant with Intel’s VR12/

IMVP-7 serial VID communication and control speci-

fications. CPU and GPU outputs are controlled inde-

pendently by writing the appropriate data into a func-

tion-mapped register file. A slew-rate controller allows

controlled transitions between VID codes, controlled

soft-start. The SVID interface also allows each regulator

to be individually set into a low-power pulse-skipping

state. Individual phases can be shut down based on the

processors’ operating conditions to optimize efficiency.

The MAX17039 is available in a lead-free, 56-pin, 7mm x

7mm TQFN package.

Applications

VR12/IMVP-7 CPU Core Power Supplies

Voltage-Positioned Step-Down Converters

Notebooks/Desktops/Servers

Features

S

Supports all Required IMVP-7 Functions

S

Three-Phase Quick-PWM™ CPU Core (Regulator A)

Two Internal Drivers and One External Driver

Active Overshoot Suppression

Transient-Phase Overlap Mode

Dynamic Phase Selection

Phase-Good Fault Detection (Internal)

S

One-Phase Quick-PWM with Internal Driver

(Regulator B)

S

Intel VR12/IMVP-7-Compliant 25MHz Serial Interface

S

8-Bit IMVP-7 DAC

S

Temperature

S

Active Voltage Positioning with Programmable Gain

S

Accurate Lossless Current Balance

S

Accurate Droop and Current Limit

S

Remote Output and Ground Sense

S

Power-Good Window Comparators (VR__READY)

S

Output Current Monitors (IMON_)

S

4.5V to 26V Battery-Input Range

S

Drives Large Synchronous Rectifier MOSFETs

S

Programmable 100kHz to 600kHz Switching

Frequency

S

External Thermal-Fault Detection (VR_HOT#) Output

S

Overvoltage, Undervoltage, and Thermal-Fault

Protection

S

Soft-Start and Soft-Shutdown

S

Integrated Boost Switches

S

Low-Profile 56-Lead TQFN Package

XX-XXXX; Rev 0; 7/09

Ordering Information

+Denotes a lead(Pb)-free/RoHS-compliant package.

Pin Configuration appears at end of data sheet.

Quick-PWM is a trademark of Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

PART

TEMP

RANGE

PIN-

PACKAGE

FEATURE

MAX17039GTN+

-40NC to

+105NC

56 TQFN

3-phase +

1 phase

(1 external

driver)