Supertex's dimmable, high voltage EL driver for backlighting laptop keyboards

SUNNYVALE, USA: Supertex Inc. has introduced the HV816, a dimmable, low noise, electroluminescent (EL) lamp driver designed to drive large area EL lamps used in backlighting keyboards of notebooks, netbooks, and electronic organizers, as well as advertising display signs.

HV816 can operate from an input voltage of 2.7V to 5.5V, which is ideally suitable for 3.3V and 5V systems, as well as systems using a single cell lithium battery. It can deliver output voltages to 360V peak-to-peak for high brightness, and adjustable output regulation for brightness control and power saving.

The IC offers flexibility by providing independent lamp and converter frequency settings and adjustable output rise and fall time. It uses a minimum number of external components to minimize the PC board area.

"By using an EL lamp and the HV816, manufacturers can develop thin, dimmable backlit keyboards for notebook and netbook computers that consume less power and offer more uniform brightness without hot spots when compared to other backlighting solutions," states Hernan DeGuzman, VP of Marketing for Supertex.

"This IC has split supply capability for improved efficiency and prolonged battery life and works with input voltages as low as 2.7 volts."

HV816 is available in QFN-16 (HV816K6-G) and SOW-16 (HV816SG-G) packages. HV816SG-G has a heat slug for high power applications. Both packages are RoHS compliant.

Samples for HV816K6-G are available from stock. Samples for HV816SG-G will be available in 3-4 weeks. Lead-time for production quantities is 4-6 weeks ARO. Pricing is $2.07 each for HV816K6-G and $2.63 each for HV816SG-G in 1K quantities.