The solution supports low-power modes, DVFS, and flexible boot options—making it ideal for rapid evaluation and prototyping in industrial and medical applications.
This reference design serves as a flexible platform for developers working with the i.MX 93 processor and seeking to evaluate alternative power configurations. The hardware supports multiple low-power operating modes and dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS), allowing for efficient power management and thermal control. Additionally, the system offers selectable boot options via DIP switches for SD card or eMMC-based booting, increasing design flexibility for embedded applications.
The TIDA-050087 by Texas Instruments (TI) is a compact, power-efficient reference design developed as a system-on-module (SoM) to support the NXP i.MX 93 application processor. This SoM integrates TI’s power management components—namely the TPS6521940 PMIC, the TPS62A02 step-down DC/DC converter, and the TLV740P low-dropout linear regulator—to deliver a complete power solution. Designed for quick prototyping and evaluation, the SoM also includes 2GB x 32 LPDDR4 SDRAM and 16GB of eMMC memory. It is fully compatible with the MCIMX93-BB base board that comes bundled with the NXP MCIMX93-EVK evaluation kit, enabling streamlined system integration and validation.
The SoM board includes key components such as the processor, memory, and power circuits, while the base board provides critical peripherals and connectivity options. The base board features wired communication interfaces, USB Type-C input and debug ports, RJ45 Ethernet ports, reset and on/off switches, indicator LEDs, and an SD card slot loaded with the software image. Extensive validation has been conducted to ensure full functionality, including verification of power sequencing (power-up/power-down), low-power operation, current and thermal performance on each power rail, I2C communication, and voltage level adjustments for SD card I/O.
At the heart of this design, the TPS6521940 PMIC delivers highly integrated, configurable power suited for Arm Cortex-based processors like the NXP i.MX 93. It is especially effective in systems powered by a 5V supply or Li-Ion battery, offering programmable sequencing and fault management features. The TPS62A02 step-down converter supports high-efficiency operation and a compact footprint ideal for space-constrained designs. Complementing this, the TLV740P LDO provides ultra-low quiescent current and strong transient response, ideal for power-sensitive applications. TIDA-050087 targets a broad range of industrial and medical applications, including human-machine interfaces (HMI), programmable logic controllers (PLC), factory and building automation systems, HVAC, video surveillance, energy infrastructure, data concentrators, and multiparameter patient monitors.
TI has tested this reference design. It comes with a bill of materials (BOM), schematics, assembly drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) layout, and more. The company’s website has additional data about the reference design. To read more about this reference design, click here.
