The BD71631QWZ battery charger IC from Rohm Semiconductor is designed to provide low-voltage charging of wearables (e.g., wireless ear buds) and thin, compact IoT devices (e.g., smart displays) powered by rechargeable batteries.

In recent years, the need for safer, higher density rechargeable batteries has led to the development of new battery types. This includes all-solid / semi-solid models using novel materials for the electrode part and batteries that adopt different terminal compositions. However, many of the latest rechargeable batteries are small and thin, requiring low-voltage charging in the 2V to 3V range. Moreover, there are currently no battery charger ICs that can handle a wide voltage range.

Based on this market demand, ROHM has developed a battery charger IC that supports low-voltage charging of not only lithium-ion, but also new types of rechargeable batteries such as all-solid and semi-solid state. The BD71631QWZ achieves low-voltage charging over a wide range from 2.0V to 4.7V by improving the stability of the internal circuit.

Unlike general battery charger ICs that provide a fixed voltage, ROHM’s new product allows the charge voltage to be easily set by simply changing the external resistor, reducing design load when changing batteries. Additionally, original package technology results in a compact package just 0.4mm thick, which is 60% lower than conventional products in the market. This is contributing to smaller, thinner devices. In addition, each charging characteristic (e.g., charge/termination current) can be set for CC/CV charging, providing an optimal charging environment for thin, compact IoT and wearable devices utilizing the latest rechargeable batteries.