VRM 9.1 DC-DC Converter Design Guidelines
Table Of Contents
- 1 Electrical Specifications
- 1.1 Output Requirements
- 1.1.1 Voltage and Current - REQUIRED
- 1.1.2 Maximum Ratings - EXPECTED
- 1.1.3 Output Voltage Tolerance - REQUIRED
- 1.1.4 No-Load Operation - REQUIRED
- 1.1.5 Turn-on Response Time - EXPECTED
- 1.1.6 Overshoot and Undershoot at Turn-On or Turn-Off - REQUIRED
- 1.1.7 Converter Stability - REQUIRED
- 1.1.8 Current Sharing - REQUIRED
- 1.2 Input Voltage and Current
- 1.3 Control Inputs - REQUIRED
- 1.4 Remote Sense (VO-sen+, VO-sen-) - EXPECTED
- 1.5 Power Good Output (PWRGD) - REQUIRED
- 1.6 VRM Present (VRM-pres) - EXPECTED
- 1.7 Efficiency - PROPOSED
- 1.8 Isolation - PROPOSED
- 1.9 Fault Protection
- 1.1 Output Requirements
- 2 Module Layout Guidelines
- 3 Environmental Conditions
- 3.1 Operating Temperature - PROPOSED
- 3.2 VRM Board Temperature - REQUIRED
- 3.3 Non-Operating Temperature - PROPOSED
- 3.4 Humidity - PROPOSED
- 3.5 Altitude - PROPOSED
- 3.6 Electrostatic Discharge - PROPOSED
- 3.7 Shock and Vibration - PROPOSED
- 3.8 Electromagnetic Compatibility - PROPOSED
- 3.9 Reliability - PROPOSED
- 3.10 Safety - PROPOSED
VRM 9.1 DC-DC Converter Design Guidelines 5
Revision History
NOTE: Not all revisions may be published.
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Document
Number
Revision
Number
Description Date
306826 001 • Initial release of this document March 2005
Applications and Terminology
This document defines one or more DC-to-DC converters to meet the power requirements of computer
systems using Intel microprocessors. It does not attempt to define a specific voltage regulator module (VRM)
implementation. VRM requirements will vary according to the needs of different computer systems, including
the range of processors a specific VRM is expected to support in a system. The “VRM” designation refers to a
voltage regulator module that is plugged into a system board.
The VRM 9.1 definition is specifically intended to meet the needs of Intel® Xeon™ processors using the
603-pin socket, and the cache regulator requirement for 64-bit Intel Xeon processor MP using the 604-pin
socket, in multiprocessor platforms.
Each guideline is placed into one of three categories. The category immediately follows the section heading
and is one of the following:
REQUIRED
An essential part of the design -- necessary to meet processor voltage and
current specifications and follow processor layout guidelines.
EXPECTED
Part of Intel’s processor power definitions; necessary for consistency
among the designs of many systems and power devices. May be specified
or expanded by system OEMs.
PROPOSED
Normally met by this type of DC-to-DC converter and, therefore, included
as a design target. May be specified or expanded by system OEMs.