PCA9451A-EVK - PMIC Eval Kit for i.MX 93x | NXP Semiconductors
MPN: PCA9451A-EVK β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $139.51 | $139.51 |
| 10 | $132.53 | $1,325.30 |
| 100 | $125.56 | $12,556.00 |
| 500 | $118.58 | $59,290.00 |
| 1,000 | $111.61 | $111,610.00 |
PCA9451A-EVK Overview
A power management IC (PMIC) is an integrated circuit that consolidates multiple voltage regulators, load switches, and supervisory functions into one device, sitting at the top of the power management IC hierarchy alongside voltage regulators and battery management ICs. In battery-powered and adapter-powered embedded systems, a PMIC replaces a multi-chip power tree, reducing board area, bill-of-materials count, and power-sequencing complexity for application processors such as the NXP i.MX 93x family.
The PCA9451A-EVK provides out-of-the-box access to the underlying PCA9451A features: six high-efficiency step-down (buck) regulators, three LDOs, one 400 mA load switch, a 2-channel level translator, and a 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator driver. The board supports both 1-cell Li-ion and Li-polymer battery applications and 5 V adapter (non-portable) applications, mirroring the two power scenarios targeted by the PMIC.
Technically, the kit ships with an FTDI cable that acts as an I2C-to-USB communication interface, allowing engineers to read and write the PMIC configuration registers from a PC using the companion PCA9451A GUI software. This enables interactive adjustment of regulator output voltages, sequencing order, and protection thresholds without soldering or firmware changes, dramatically shortening power-tree bring-up time on i.MX 93x based designs.
Typical applications include evaluating the PCA9451A before board spin for portable i.MX 93x products, prototyping power sequencing for industrial and consumer microcontroller/microprocessor systems, and validating battery-charger and load-switch behavior under real firmware control.
A key design consideration: configuration changes made through the GUI reside in PMIC registers; final production designs should implement the validated register map in hardware OTP or host firmware, not rely on the EVK configuration path.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, evaluation-kit alternatives, and practical bring-up design notes not found together in the manufacturer documentation.
Drop-in alternatives for PCA9451A-EVK β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PCA9451CHNEVK
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9450BHNEVK
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9451AHN
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9451A-EVK Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation Kit (EVK) |
| Target Device | PCA9451A PMIC |
| Supported Processor Family | NXP i.MX 93x |
| Buck Regulators on Device | 6 step-down converters |
| LDOs on Device | 3 |
| Load Switch | 1 channel, 400 mA |
| Level Translator | 2-channel |
| Oscillator Driver | 32.768 kHz crystal oscillator driver |
| Power Source Options | 1-cell Li-ion / Li-polymer battery or 5 V adapter |
| Host Interface | USB to I2C via included FTDI cable |
| Configuration Software | PCA9451A GUI |
| Feature Access | Full access to all PCA9451A features |
| Application Markets | Consumer and industrial |
PCA9451A-EVK Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for PCA9451A-EVK. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
PCA9451A-EVK is suitable for 6 applications: i.MX 93x Power Tree Bring-Up, Portable Battery-Powered Device Prototyping, 5 V Adapter Industrial and Consumer Systems, PMIC Register Configuration and OTP Validation, Educational and Training Platforms, Reference Design Reuse for Custom Carriers.
i.MX 93x Power Tree Bring-Up
The PCA9451A-EVK is the fastest path to validating the complete power tree of an i.MX 93x based design. Because the PCA9451A is NXP's out-of-the-box PMIC for all i.MX 93x versions, the EVK's default register map already implements a processor-compatible sequencing order across its six bucks and three LDOs. Engineers connect the FTDI cable, adjust rail voltages in the PCA9451A GUI, and measure startup order, voltage accuracy, and transient response on real hardware. This catches sequencing violations and rail-tolerance issues before the first PCB spin, typically saving one or more board revisions. Estimated benefit: bring-up effort drops from weeks of firmware-driven iteration to hours of interactive register tuning.
Recommended
Portable Battery-Powered Device Prototyping
The PCA9451A supports 1-cell Li-ion and Li-polymer battery applications, and the EVK lets engineers exercise those battery scenarios directly. By driving the board from a single-cell pack, designers evaluate the six high-efficiency bucks and three LDOs across the real battery discharge curve, observing dropout behavior and efficiency at light and heavy loads. The 400 mA load switch and 2-channel level translator can be toggled through the GUI to model peripheral power gating, which is central to extending battery life in handheld and wearable products. Measured results on the EVK translate directly into firmware power-management policies for the production PCA9451A configuration.
Recommended
5 V Adapter Industrial and Consumer Systems
For non-portable products powered from a 5 V adapter, the PCA9451A-EVK validates the same PMIC in wall-powered mode. The i.MX 93x processor family spans consumer and industrial markets, and this application scenario covers smart-home hubs, HMIs, and embedded controllers. Engineers verify that the six step-down regulators hold regulation under sustained processor and peripheral loads, and use the GUI to adjust sequencing for cold-start conditions at low adapter voltage. Because the register changes take effect immediately over I2C, worst-case adapter sag and brown-out sequences can be replayed repeatedly and captured on an oscilloscope, de-risking the production power design.
Recommended
PMIC Register Configuration and OTP Validation
A primary workflow on the PCA9451A-EVK is developing the final PMIC register map. Using the FTDI USB-to-I2C bridge and the PCA9451A GUI, engineers iterate output voltages, sequencing order, and protection thresholds interactively. Once a configuration is proven on the bench, the same register values are transferred to the production strategy - either host firmware writes at boot or PMIC OTP programming. This application dramatically reduces integration risk because the validated configuration has already been exercised on real silicon with the real load profile. Estimated time saving: one to two firmware engineering weeks per project compared to trial-and-error register tuning on custom hardware.
Recommended
Educational and Training Platforms
The PCA9451A-EVK serves as an excellent teaching platform for modern power management concepts. Because every rail - six bucks, three LDOs, load switch - is accessible and controllable through the GUI, students and new engineers can visualize concepts like sequencing, ripple, load regulation, and I2C-based power control on real hardware. The included FTDI cable removes soldering barriers, so the kit works out of the box with only a PC. Universities and corporate training programs covering embedded systems and the i.MX ecosystem can build lab exercises around measuring efficiency curves and demonstrating why power-tree architecture matters in processor-based designs.
Recommended
Reference Design Reuse for Custom Carriers
Teams designing custom i.MX 93x carrier boards use the PCA9451A-EVK as the golden reference for their PMIC section. The board layout demonstrates best practices for buck converter placement, loop area minimization, and thermal spreading for the PMIC package, which can be mirrored in the production PCB. Combined with NXP's hardware design guide for the i.MX 93x, the EVK clarifies decoupling requirements, rail test points, and strapping configurations. Schematics and layout files published on the NXP design page let engineers copy verified circuits directly, shortening custom carrier development while keeping the proven PCA9451A power architecture intact.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PCA9451A-EVK β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PCA9451CHNEVK | PCA9450BHNEVK | PCA9451AHN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | Evaluation kit board (not a packaged IC) | Evaluation kit board - same form factor | Evaluation kit board - same form factor | IC package (device soldered on EVK) |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Target Processor | i.MX 93x family | i.MX 93x family (variant PMIC) | i.MX 8M family | i.MX 93x family (silicon level) |
| Buck Regulators | 6 step-down | 6 step-down | 6 step-down (different rail map) | 6 step-down |
| Host Interface | FTDI USB-to-I2C cable + GUI | FTDI USB-to-I2C cable + GUI | USB-to-I2C bridge + GUI | I2C only (no bridge included) |
Key Differentiators
- Out-of-the-box i.MX 93x power solution (vs PCA9450BHNEVK)
- Full-feature register control via bundled FTDI cable (vs PCA9451AHN)
- Complete peripheral set in one platform (vs PCA9451CHNEVK)
Design Notes
Never place an evaluation kit on a production BOM. The PCA9451A-EVK is a development tool; production designs must order the PCA9451A PMIC integrated circuit. Additionally, register configurations applied through the GUI are volatile - the final validated register map must be implemented in host firmware boot code or PMIC OTP, otherwise the production board will power up with default settings that may not match your validated sequencing.
When evaluating battery operation, source the board from a current-limited supply or a real single-cell Li-ion pack rather than a stiff bench supply. The six buck converters and 400 mA load switch produce inrush and load-step profiles that a bench supply masks. Use the GUI to step loads and observe transient recovery on each rail with an oscilloscope; estimated regulator transient response should be verified at the extremes of the 1-cell battery range (approximately 3.0 V to 4.2 V).
Use the EVK layout as a template for your production PMIC section. Follow its buck converter placement: short input loops, solid ground plane under the power stage, and thermal copper pour around the PMIC. NXP publishes EVK design files on the product design page - replicating proven layout geometry avoids EMI and thermal issues that schematic-only reuse cannot catch, and simplifies review against NXP's i.MX 93x hardware development guide checklist.
Compliance Information
Compliance data for the evaluation kit was not present in the provided verified web data. Development boards are typically RoHS-compliant but this must be confirmed on the NXP product page.
