Sequencers and voltage supervisors explicitly implement timing and voltage thresholds for each rail.
A multichannel power sequencer controls the timing and order in which power rails are enabled and disabled.
A multichannel power sequencer can hold off the next rail until the current rail is within a defined window of its target voltage, then apply a controlled delay before enabling the next rail. This helps ensure monotonic, glitch-free ramping.
Analog Devices offers a broad portfolio of power-sequencing integrated circuits (ICs) with supervision, including the MAX16050, MAX16165, and MAX16025
A voltage supervisor, on the other hand, continuously monitors the voltage of a rail and determines whether it remains within an acceptable operating window.
High-quality supervisors offer multivoltage monitoring with threshold accuracy as tight as ±0.3% while supporting power-on reset, proper sequencing, and continuous monitoring by asserting reset signals whenever any rail falls outside the specified range.3,4 In practice, supervisors can trigger a controlled FPGA reset or safe shutdown during undervoltage or overvoltage to prevent erratic behavior. When combined with a sequencer, they ensure the correct startup order and provide continuous system health supervision across all rails.
ADI’s ADM6840, a configurable sequencer with integrated supervision that supports up to eight power rails, purpose-built for advanced FPGA and system on a chip (SoC) platforms. By managing all eight rails in one device, it reduces external components and complexity compared with typical 4-channel solutions.
Related Topics:
Why Do FPGAs Need Multirail Power Sequencing?
Reliable Power Up and Power Down Sequence
What Is Power-Down Sequencing and why it is as Important as Power-Up?
Why an 8-Channel Power Sequencer is Better Than Multiple 4-Channel Devices?
How does the ADM6840 help ensure consistent power-up timing in FPGA?
Applicable Part Numbers
| DigiKey Part Number | Manufacturer Part Number |
|---|---|
| MAX16050ETI+TTR-ND,MAX16050ETI+TCT-ND,MAX16050ETI+TDKR-ND | MAX16050ETI+T |
| MAX16050ETI±ND | MAX16050ETI+ |
| 175-MAX16165ATPH+TTR-ND,175-MAX16165ATPH+TCT-ND,175-MAX16165ATPH+TDKR-ND | MAX16165ATPH+T |
| 505-MAX16165ATPH±ND | MAX16165ATPH+ |
| MAX16025TE±ND | MAX16025TE+ |
| MAX16025TE+TTR-ND,MAX16025TE+TCT-ND,MAX16025TE+TDKR-ND | MAX16025TE+T |
| 175-ADM6840EAWABFH+TTR-ND, 175-ADM6840EAWABFH+TCT-ND, 175-ADM6840EAWABFH+TDKR-ND | ADM6840EAWABFH+T |