Date: 15/11/2008

Intelligent lamp ballast controller for fluorescent lamps

Infineon Technologies launched its next-generation lamp ballast controller, ICB2FL01G, that features intelligent digital/mixed signal power control. This new lamp ballast controller integrates Power Factor Correction (PFC), lamp controller and high-voltage half-bridge driver functions into a single, compact, surface-mounted package.

The digital/mixed signal power control technology integrates all of the lamp start, run and protection features required by fluorescent lamp ballasts. Furthermore, the use of this technology allows parameters to be set utilizing only resistors, which avoids the issues with trimming and aging associated with the use of capacitors in existing solutions.
Key features of this product are,

1. Built-in test modes
2. A wide temperature range of -25 °C to +125 °C
3. Intelligent lamp fault detection and restart control
4. High efficiency (up to 90 %) and THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) performance over a wide load range.
5. High-voltage isolation is achieved using Coreless Transformer Technology (CLT).
6. With few additional external components the device supports multi-lamp designs controlling up to four lamps.
7. A wide programmable preheat time spanning from 0 ms to 2500 ms, allows designers to support a wide range of lamps, as well as highly accurate timing and frequency control.

Typical applications include electronic ballasts for compact fluorescent lamps, linear fluorescent T5 and T8 lamps, dimmable fluorescent lamps and emergency lighting.

Availability: The ICB2FL01G lamp ballast controller is sampling now.
Volume production is scheduled for January 2009.
A fully featured demo board is also available.
Packaging: It comes in a standard lead-free DSO package with 19 pins.

For more details visit: www.infineon.com/lighting