PCA9460 - 13-Channel PMIC for i.MX 8ULP, 42-WLCSP | NXP
MPN: PCA9460 β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
PCA9460 Overview
A PMIC (power management integrated circuit) is a highly integrated power management device that consolidates multiple voltage regulators, load switches, sequencing logic, and control interfaces into a single die. In the power-system hierarchy, it sits above individual DC-DC converters and LDOs, providing complete multi-rail power solutions that reduce board area, bill-of-materials count, and overall system quiescent power in processor-based designs.
Key features include the four 1 A bucks with high conversion efficiency for core and I/O rails, four dedicated VLDOs for low-noise analog and memory rails, an SVVS LDO for the FlexIO/DPHY supply domain of the i.MX 8ULP, and four integrated 150 mohm load switches for peripheral power gating. Per NXP, the device is optimized where standby power and PMIC power consumption are critical design constraints.
Architecturally, the PCA9460 provides predefined power-tree configurations (PCA9460A/B/C variants) matched to i.MX 8ULP boot and sleep modes, with I2C-based control for dynamic voltage scaling and power sequencing. This removes the need for external sequencing CPLDs or supervisor circuitry, trimming both board area and deep-sleep leakage.
Typical applications include smart home devices, building safety and security systems, wearables, and smart and medium appliances, where small size, high efficiency, and minimal standby current directly determine battery life and compliance targets.
Design consideration: the WLCSP-42 ball pitch demands microvia and blind-via PCB fabrication capability; engineers needing standard via rules should evaluate alternate packaging, as discussed on the NXP Community forums.
This page synthesizes distributor availability data, same-family drop-in variants, and practical design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for PCA9460 β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with PCA9460 (same form factor and footprint) β differing in Target Processor, Mounting Type, Applications Focus, Function, Package.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
PCA9460AUKZ
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View Datasheet βPCA9460BUKZ
β Drop-Inβ In Stock
$2.95 / Unit
View Datasheet βPCA9460BAUKZ
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9460CUKZ
β Drop-In β οΈ εζ°εΎ ιͺθ―π Reference alternative (not in catalog)
PCA9460 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Product Type | 13-channel PMIC for i.MX 8ULP |
| Step-Down Regulators | 4 x 1 A bucks |
| LDOs | 4 VLDOs + 1 SVVS LDO (5 total) |
| Load Switches | 4 channels, 150 mohm on-resistance |
| Total Regulated Channels | 13 |
| Target Processor | NXP i.MX 8ULP family |
| Package | 42-WLCSP (WSCSP42), 2.86 x 2.46 mm |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount (WLCSP ball grid) |
| Control Interface | I2C |
| Configuration Variants | PCA9460A / B / C power-tree presets |
| Applications Focus | Ultra-low power: wearables, smart home, building security, appliances |
PCA9460 42-wlcsp (wscsp42), 2.86 x 2.46 mm Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for PCA9460 (42-wlcsp (wscsp42), 2.86 x 2.46 mm package). This power device features gate, drain, and source terminals. For non-polarized packages, refer to the manufacturer datasheet for exact pin 1 orientation and footprint details. Common applications include power supply design, motor driving, and load switching.
No detailed pinout data available for PCA9460.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
PCA9460 is suitable for 6 applications: Wearable Devices, Smart Home Nodes, Building Safety and Security Systems, Smart and Medium Appliances, Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Hubs, i.MX 8ULP Evaluation and Reference Designs.
Wearable Devices
Wearables such as fitness bands, smart rings, and health monitors are dominated by battery capacity versus board area trade-offs, which is exactly where the PCA9460 is positioned by NXP. Its four high-efficiency 1 A bucks convert battery voltage to the i.MX 8ULP core and memory rails with minimal conversion loss, directly extending run time, while the four 150 mohm load switches power-gate sensors, displays, and radios during sleep. The 2.86 x 2.46 mm WLCSP occupies a fraction of a wearable PCB, and the ultra-low PMIC standby consumption preserves charge in always-on use cases. Layout requires WLCSP-capable microvia PCB fabrication, which most wearable boards already use.
Recommended
Smart Home Nodes
Smart home devices, including voice assistants, doorbell cameras, and sensor hubs, spend most of their life in standby, so NXP optimized the PCA9460 for minimal PMIC standby power alongside the i.MX 8ULP. In a typical node, the four 1 A bucks supply the Cortex-M33/A7-class core rails, the VLDOs power LPDDR and analog peripherals, and the load switches disconnect Wi-Fi modules such as the CYW43455 in deep sleep. The I2C interface lets firmware scale voltages dynamically between active and sleep states. The predefined A/B/C power trees guarantee correct i.MX 8ULP boot sequencing, removing a common source of bring-up failures in multi-rail smart home designs.
Recommended
Building Safety and Security Systems
Building safety and security products, including access-control panels, smoke/CO detectors with displays, and surveillance edge nodes, require dependable multi-rail power with strict standby budgets for battery-backup operation. The PCA9460 provides the complete i.MX 8ULP power tree in one 42-ball WLCSP: four 1 A bucks for core and DDR rails, five LDOs for low-noise analog front ends (sensors, audio), and four load switches to isolate radios and peripherals during alarm sleep states. Its factory-programmed sequencing eliminates external supervisor logic, improving reliability and reducing component count in safety-rated enclosures where board space and long field battery life are critical constraints.
Recommended
Smart and Medium Appliances
Smart appliances, from connected laundry machines to medium appliance HMI panels, increasingly embed i.MX 8ULP-class processors for UI, connectivity, and edge analytics, while remaining plugged into mains with standby-energy regulations. The PCA9460 suits this by collapsing 13 regulated rails into one compact PMIC with very low quiescent draw in standby, helping products meet standby-power limits. The four 1 A bucks drive processor and display memory rails, VLDOs power touch controllers and audio codecs, and load switches gate Wi-Fi and sensor clusters that only wake on demand. I2C-based dynamic voltage scaling lets firmware trade performance against consumption across wash, idle, and display modes.
Recommended
Battery-Powered IoT Sensor Hubs
Battery-powered IoT sensor hubs based on the i.MX 8ULP benefit directly from the PCA9460 architecture, which NXP designed for cases where overall PMIC power consumption is critical. The four 150 mohm load switches enable aggressive peripheral power gating, letting the hub duty-cycle between microamp-class sleep and burst data transmission. The four 1 A bucks maintain high efficiency even at the low-duty average currents typical of sensor hubs, and the SVVS LDO cleanly supplies the i.MX 8ULP FlexIO domain used for camera or display serial interfaces. Because the A/B/C presets encode the processor's required rail sequence, firmware teams avoid custom sequencing hardware and shorten time to market.
Recommended
i.MX 8ULP Evaluation and Reference Designs
The PCA9460 is the reference power solution on NXP i.MX 8ULP evaluation kits, making it the default choice for new i.MX 8ULP board designs to reuse proven sequencing, BOM, and layout. On such boards the PMIC's four bucks, five LDOs, and four load switches reproduce the exact power tree that NXP validated with the 8ULP boot ROM and low-power modes, so firmware power-management code behaves identically from EVK to custom hardware. Engineers should copy the WLCSP fanout, microvia stack-up, and decoupling pattern from the reference design. Teams needing standard-diameter vias instead of the reference microvias should consult NXP hardware guides, as larger-pitch PMIC alternatives require a full redesign.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for PCA9460 β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | PCA9460AUKZ | PCA9460BUKZ | PCA9460BAUKZ | PCA9460CUKZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | 42-WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) | 42-WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) - same | 42-WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) - same | 42-WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) - same | 42-WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) - same |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Buck Regulators | 4 x 1 A | 4 x 1 A | 4 x 1 A | 4 x 1 A | 4 x 1 A |
| LDOs | 4 VLDO + 1 SVVS LDO | 4 VLDO + 1 SVVS LDO | 4 VLDO + 1 SVVS LDO | 4 VLDO + 1 SVVS LDO | 4 VLDO + 1 SVVS LDO |
| Load Switches | 4 x 150 mohm | 4 x 150 mohm | 4 x 150 mohm | 4 x 150 mohm | 4 x 150 mohm |
| Power-Tree Preset | Base/family configuration | Preset A | Preset B | Preset B (AUKZ suffix) | Preset C |
| Target Processor | i.MX 8ULP family | i.MX 8ULP family | i.MX 8ULP family | i.MX 8ULP family | i.MX 8ULP family |
Key Differentiators
- i.MX 8ULP co-designed power tree (vs Generic multi-output PMICs)
- 13 channels in a 2.86 x 2.46 mm footprint (vs PCA9460AUKZ (same size, different preset))
- Integrated 150 mohm load switches (vs Discrete load-switch BOM)
Design Notes
The PCA9460's 42-ball WLCSP (2.86 x 2.46 mm) requires microvia and blind-via PCB fabrication, as highlighted by engineers on the NXP Community forums when designing i.MX 8ULP boards. The NXP i.MX 8ULP hardware design guide specifies via diameters around 0.2 mm in a ~0.4 mm pad for the PMIC fanout. Confirm your fabricator supports the required HDI stack-up and ball pitch escape routing before committing to this PMIC; standard through-via designs will need a different layout strategy or a different PMIC entirely.
Do not assume all PCA9460 order codes are interchangeable: the A, B, and C suffixes encode different factory-programmed power trees (default rail voltages and sequencing) matched to specific i.MX 8ULP derivatives and memory configurations. Ordering the wrong preset produces a board that powers up with incorrect rails even though the silicon and pinout are identical. Cross-check your i.MX 8ULP variant's power requirements against the programming table in the NXP datasheet (Rev. 3.4) before placing the order.
Leverage the four 150 mohm load switches to build a disciplined power-gating scheme: place Wi-Fi/BT modules, sensors, and displays behind separate switches so deep-sleep current is dominated only by the PMIC quiescent draw, which NXP optimized for this device. Use the I2C interface to sequence rails into and out of i.MX 8ULP sleep states per the datasheet power-mode tables rather than gating bucks directly, preserving regulator soft-start behavior and avoiding inrush-related voltage droop on shared rails.
Compliance Information
Compliance status not stated in the provided web data; verify against the NXP product page and datasheet Rev. 3.4 before procurement.
