Keith Szolusha
Linear Technology

The latest DSPs and microcontrollers found in automotive electronics, industrial supplies, and even wall-transformers typically require power supplies with output voltages of both 1.8V and 3.3V and output current capability of 1A or greater. DSL and cable modems also require multiple supplies, usually a combination of a single 5V supply rail and either a 3.3V or 1.8V rail. PCI Express and motherboard interconnect devices supply 3.3V or 5V in addition to a 12V intermediary source. In all of these cases, the supplies must follow a specific start-up sequence or track each other to avoid system latch up or worse.