Door 8 – Power Management
Power Management
Nordic Semiconductor’s power management offering centers around a family of dedicated Power Management ICs (PMICs) designed to maximize energy efficiency, integrate key system functions, and simplify development for battery-powered wireless products. All Nordic’s PMICs are optimized to work seamlessly with the company’s ultra‑low‑power SoCs, especially the nRF52, nRF53, and nRF54L/H Series, nRF91 Series, and can also be used with non‑Nordic host devices.
- Maximum energy efficiency: The devices are designed for ultra‑low power consumption so more of the battery’s energy is converted into useful work, from the battery all the way to the RF front end
- High integration: They combine essential PMIC functions (buck/boost regulation, battery charging, LDOs, load switches) with valuable system features such as fuel gauging, watchdog timers, brown‑out detection, ship/hibernate modes, and LED/GPIO control in compact packages, reducing board space, component count, and BOM cost
- Seamless development: Nordic provides PC tooling (nPM PowerUP within nRF Connect for Desktop) to configure PMIC parameters and evaluate behavior without deep firmware work, helping hardware and software teams get to a working power design faster
The current PMIC portfolio consists of five main products: nPM1100, nPM1300, nPM1304, nPM2100, and nPM6001. Together they cover a wide range of use cases - from tiny wearables and sensor nodes using Li‑ion/LiPo or LiFePO₄ rechargeables, to primary‑cell devices needing an ultra‑efficient boost regulator, to complex multi‑rail systems requiring several independent power domains.
PMIC product portfolio
Advanced battery management in compact packages
Key Features
- Ultra‑Low Power Design Nordic PMICs are engineered for devices with small batteries, offering standby currents as low as 150 nA and ship modes down to 35 nA. This ensures long battery life in compact devices like smart rings, sensors, and medical wearables.
- Integrated System Management Unlike many competitors, Nordic PMICs integrate battery charging, fuel gauging, voltage regulation, and system monitoring into a single chip. This reduces design complexity and board space, while improving reliability.
- Precision Fuel Gauging The latest PMICs (e.g., nPM1304) feature model‑based fuel gauging, which accurately monitors battery state of charge while minimizing energy use. This is critical for devices where battery predictability is essential, such as health trackers.
- Flexible Power Rails Nordic’s PMICs support multiple regulated power rails, enabling designers to power diverse subsystems from one compact IC. This simplifies design and supports more complex IoT devices.
- Compact Form Factor Designed as an ultra-compact IC, Nordic PMICs save space and reduce BOM costs. Their small footprint makes them especially suitable for miniaturized electronics like smart wearables.
- Seamless Ecosystem Integration Nordic PMICs are optimized to work alongside the company’s nRF wireless SoCs, ensuring smooth integration with Bluetooth LE, cellular IoT, and other wireless technologies. This ecosystem approach accelerates time‑to‑market for developers.
Power Management Selection Guide
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Buck regulator |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
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Battery charger |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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LDO |
2 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
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Load Switch |
2 |
2 |
1 |
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Term. Voltage |
4.1-4.2 V or 4.25-4.35 V |
3.5-4.45 V |
3.5-4.65 V |
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Min. charging current |
20 mA |
32 mA |
4 mA |
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Max. charging current |
400 mA |
800 mA |
100 mA |
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Dynamic power-path management |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Thermal protection |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Battery Compatibility |
Battery Compatibility |
LiFePO4, Li-ion, LiPo |
LiFePO4, Li-ion, LiPo |
Primary-cells |
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Input Voltage |
4.1-6.7 V |
4.0-5.5 V |
4.0-5.5 V |
0.7-3.4 V |
3.0-5.5 V |
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USB Compliance |
Yes |
Type-C |
Type-C |
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Regulated output voltage |
1.8-3.0 V |
1.0-3.3 V |
1.0-3.3 V |
0.8-3.3 V |
0.5-3.3 V |
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Max. current per buck |
150 mA |
200 mA, 200 mA |
200 mA, 200 mA |
150 mA |
550 mA, 200 mA, 150 mA, 150 mA |
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Fuel gauge |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Hard system reset |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Timed wake-up |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Watchdog timer |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Ship / Hibernate Mode |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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Brown-out detector |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
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LED drivers, GPIOs |
2,0 |
3,5 |
2,5 |
0,2 |
0,3 |
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Control interface |
Pin-configurable |
TWI |
TWI |
TWI |
TWI |
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Operating Temperature |
-40-85 °C |
-40-85 °C |
-40-85 °C |
-40-85 °C |
-40-85 °C |
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Evaluations Kits |
nPM6001 EK |
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Package Options |
4x4 mm QFN24, 2.1x2.1 mm WLCSP |
5x5 mm QFN32, 3.1x2.4 mm WLCSP |
5x5 mm QFN32, 3.1x2.4 mm WLCSP |
4x4 mm QFN16, 1.9x1.9 mm WLCSP |
2.2x3.6 mm WLCSP |
Participate and Win!
How does the competition work?
You can win a Chipolo LOOP or CARD and a Nordic DevKit of your choice on behalf of your company.
To enter, select which Chipolo finder you would like to receive, as well as which Nordic boards you would like to win (you can select multiple options, and the lottery will decide which one you may win).
Fill out the form now and, with a little luck, you will receive the combination of your wishes: