Industrial and medical power rails share a nasty combination: wide input range, always-on duty, and a board that is too small for the usual solution. A patient monitor's auxiliary rail, an industrial sensor's 24 V input, a GPS tracker's battery input — all want the same thing, a small, cool, wide-input buck that never turns off.
The AWK6942 from Analogwin is a 36 V, 2 A synchronous step-down regulator with a 30 µA quiescent current, in a TSOT23-8 package smaller than a fingernail clipping. Here is what the Rev 1.3 datasheet actually says and where this part earns its place.
The short answer
The AWK6942 is the right regulator when you need 36 V input headroom, 2 A output, near-zero standby drain and minimal board area — the standard recipe for industrial sensor nodes, medical auxiliary supplies, battery-powered tools and GPS trackers.
Verified key parameters
From the Rev 1.3 datasheet:
| Parameter | Value | Condition / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Input voltage | 3.0 – 36 V | Wide-range single-supply |
| Output current | 2 A | Integrated MOSFETs, peak current-mode control |
| Output voltage range | 0 – 24 V | Resistor-programmed |
| Switching frequency | 410 kHz typ | 350–470 kHz range |
| Quiescent current | 20 µA typ non-switching | 8 µA shutdown |
| Reference accuracy | ±1.5% over −40 to +125 °C | 1.0 V reference |
| Peak efficiency | >95% | 12 V in, 5 V out |
| Minimum on-time | 40 ns typ | High step-down ratios |
| Protection | Cycle-by-cycle limit, hiccup, thermal shutdown | Auto-recovery |
| Package | TSOT23-8, 2.9 × 2.8 mm | |
| Junction temperature | −40 to +125 °C |
What makes it useful in industrial and medical designs
TSOT23-8 in a 2 A role. Traditional 36 V-class 2 A regulators come in SOIC-8 or larger with an exposed pad and demanding thermal layout. The AWK6942's 2.9 × 2.8 mm TSOT23-8 fits the same footprint as commodity small bucks, which means you can get wide-input robustness without re-spinning the board for thermal relief.
30 µA always-on drain. Industrial meters, smoke detectors, medical wearable accessories and GPS trackers spend most of their life asleep, but their input regulator stays connected to the rail. At 20 µA non-switching (8 µA shutdown), the regulator's share of a 10-year battery budget is negligible.
40 ns minimum on-time. 24 V industrial inputs stepping down to 3.3 V need a 12:1 ratio. At 410 kHz, 40 ns on-time keeps the loop in clean PWM instead of pulse-skipping at the duty floor.
Full protection set without external parts. Cycle-by-cycle current limit, hiccup mode on persistent overload, thermal shutdown with auto-recovery, precision enable and power-good signalling — all internal. For a medical accessory that must fail safe and self-recover, hiccup + auto-recovery is the protection pattern certification teams like to see.
Architecture comparison for the same rail
Three ways to build a 36 V-class, 2 A rail:
- Controller + external FETs — highest performance ceiling, but BOM count, layout sensitivity and qualification effort go up. Justified above 3 A or for multi-rail power trees.
- Commodity 24 V buck with a TVS front end — cheaper per unit, but the input rating relies on external protection, which is a weak point under repeated surge testing.
- Integrated 36 V synchronous buck like the AWK6942 — one part, integrated compensation and protection, smallest solution size. The sweet spot for 0.5–2 A auxiliary and sensor rails.
For industrial and medical auxiliary power, option 3 is where most designs converge.
Where it fits and where it does not
Good fit:
- Industrial sensor nodes and PLC auxiliary rails from 24 V
- Medical device auxiliary and standby supplies
- Battery-powered tools, appliances and GPS trackers
- Robotic vacuum and drone sub-rails
Wrong fit:
- Above 2 A — step up to the AWK6943 (3 A, QFN-8) or AWK6613 (3 A, ESOP8L)
- Below the 3.0 V minimum input — this is not a 1.8 V-input part
- Outputs above 24 V
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the AWK6942 and the AWK6943?
Current capability and package. The AWK6942 delivers 2 A in a TSOT23-8; the AWK6943 delivers 3 A in a QFN-8 and adds AEC-Q100 qualification for automotive use. Electrically both are 36 V, 410 kHz, 30 µA-class parts from the same family.
Can it survive automotive load dump?
The AWK6942 is rated for 36 V continuous input, but it is not AEC-Q100 qualified. For thrown-away-transient automotive environments, use the AWK6943, which carries the AEC-Q100 qualification.
What efficiency should I expect at light load?
The datasheet specifies peak efficiency above 95% for a 12 V to 5 V conversion near rated load. At light loads the part's low 20 µA quiescent current keeps standby losses minimal; for exact light-load efficiency curves, request the typical performance graphs from the datasheet package.
Does the output voltage need external programming?
Yes, a standard resistor divider sets the output from 0.8 V up to 24 V, with a feedforward capacitor option documented in the application section.
Sourcing note
The AWK6942 ships with the Rev 1.3 datasheet, application notes and layout guidance through Mandu. Send your input rail, output target and annual volume for pricing and availability.