The ZL9117EVAL1Z evaluation board provides all of the circuitry required to evaluate the features of the ZL9117M digital DC/DC PMBus 17A module. The ZL9117EVAL1Z is a 6-layer board that provides a single-phase power rail up to 17A loads. The board is designed to efficiently transfer heat away from the module with passive cooling.

A USB to SMBus adapter is used to connect the ZL9117EVAL1Z board to a PC. The PMBus command set is accessed by using the PowerNavigator™ evaluation software.

The ZL9117M is a 17A variable output, step-down power supply module. Included in the module is a high-performance digital PWM controller, power MOSFETs, an inductor, and all of the passive components required for a highly integrated DC/DC power solution. This power module has built-in auto-compensation algorithms, which optimize transient response over varying load conditions. The ZL9117M operates over a wide input voltage range and supports an output voltage range of 0.6V to 3.6V, which can be set by external resistors or via the PMBus. This high-efficiency power module is capable of delivering 17A. Only bulk input and output capacitors are needed to finish the design. The output voltage can be precisely regulated to as low as 0.6V with ±1% output voltage regulation.