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Power management

Low quiescent current (IQ)

Extend battery and shelf life without compromising system performance

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Why does quiescent current matter?

In battery-operated systems, the need to achieve high efficiency at no- or light-load conditions requires power solutions to tightly regulate the output while maintaining ultra-low supply current. With TI’s portfolio of ultra-low IQ technologies and products, you can maximize your battery run time and enable low power consumption in your next design. 

Overcoming Low-IQ Challenges in Low-Power Applications

Designers of ultra-low-power electronics make constant trade-offs between higher performance and longer battery life. In this paper, we examine solutions to reduce IQ and address the fundamental challenge of how to achieve higher performance for longer periods of time.

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Benefits of TI technologies for low IQ

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Low, always-on power

Long battery run times, enabled by ultra-low leakage process technologies and novel control topologies.

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Fast response times

Fast wake-up comparators and zero-IQ feedback control enable fast dynamic responses without compromising low power consumption.

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Reduced form factor

Area reduction techniques for resistors and capacitors facilitate integration into space-constrained applications while not affecting quiescent power.

How to extend battery life with low-IQ technologies

This video series provides a primer on key current specifications, the benefits of low IQ in a battery-powered systems, and specific examples of applications that are facing increased demand for low-IQ designs.

Watch the video series

Featured low quiescent current products

Boost converters (integrated switch) TPS61094 ACTIVE 60-nA quiescent current bi-directional buck/boost converter with bypass mode
NEW Ideal diode/ORing controllers LM74720-Q1 ACTIVE Automotive, low IQ ideal diode controller with active rectification and load dump protection
NEW Buck converters (integrated switch) LMQ66430 ACTIVE 36-V, 3-A low EMI synchronous step-down converter with 1.5-µA IQ
NEW Series voltage references REF35 ACTIVE 650-nA quiescent current, 12-ppm/°C drift, ultra-low-power precision voltage reference

Featured reference designs for low quiescent current

Reference design
Low-power option for smart meter wireless module using primary cells reference design
This reference design showcases three different power architectures for smart flow meters with lithium manganese dioxide (LiMnO2) primary batteries and commercial off-the-shelf narrowband modules for Internet of Things (IoT)-related applications. The three power solutions are combined with the (...)
Reference design
Ultra-low Standby Power Reference Design for Wireless Earbud Battery

New, completely wireless earbuds are charged by the battery inside their carrying case—a unique design that requires small solution sizes and efficient power components. Additionally, the large demands in this market are increasing the need to deliver equivalent functionality more (...)
Reference design
Automotive Bluetooth® Low Energy car access satellite node reference design
This reference design is intended for Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) car access systems that utilize Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) technology to determine the location of a key fob. The design exhibits how a vehicle BLE satellite node can be implemented to calculate the angle of arrival (...)

Learn more about these other power trends

Power density

Achieve more power in smaller spaces, enhancing system functionality at reduced system costs.

Isolation

Increase safety with the highest working voltage and reliability.

Low EMI

Lower system costs and quickly meet EMI standards by reducing emissions.

Low noise & precision

Enhance power and signal integrity to improve system-level protection and accuracy.