Enhanced Linear Regulators

DC Buck Voltage Regulators

The low noise, compactness, and simplicity of a linear regulator — at dramatically higher efficiency. Entirely linear, so switching EMI never enters your design.

Overview

Linear regulation, past the efficiency ceiling

Polaris buck regulators eliminate the EMI effects associated with switching alternatives, simplifying circuit design and PCB layout and reducing the risk of a costly redesign. They support the most demanding low-noise applications — RF circuits, precision sensing, scientific instrumentation, low-noise imaging, medical devices — and radiation-tolerant versions suit harsh environments.

The inductorless, switching-free topology uses photons generated within proprietary optocoupler chips to unlock much higher efficiency than conventional LDOs — simplifying thermal design and cutting electrical losses without noise or footprint trade-offs.

Buck Enhanced Linear Regulator efficiency versus input voltage at a 1.8 V output: the Polaris regulator holds 54–65% across a 4.5–5.5 V input while a conventional LDO falls from 40% to 32% — roughly a 70% efficiency increase. — FIG.01 — Buck ELR vs. conventional LDO efficiency (1.8 V output): up to ~70% more efficient on a deep step, with the gain widening as the drop increases

Core values

Why engineers design these in

Efficiency

Smashing efficiency limits

Typically 1.2× to >2× higher efficiency than a linear regulator, depending on voltage step — expanding where linear regulation can go, slashing heat and current consumption.

Power integrity

Ultra-high PSRR & low noise

Proprietary photonic technology keeps the clean, ripple-free output of a linear regulator at much higher efficiency — matching the noise specs of the best available LDOs.

SWaP

Minimal footprint and BoM

No inductors, only a handful of small passives. Compact QFN packages (36–49 mm², 0.8 mm profile) for space-constrained, power-integrity-critical designs.

Product families

Three buck families — pick by current, noise, or radiation

Full datasheets are available on request and every product ships on an evaluation board. Don't see your spec? We also offer custom configurations.

Three Polaris buck evaluation boards side by side: the BK29 Reliable Workhorse and BK19 Mission Critical on red boards, and the BK30 Ultra-Low Noise on a green board with on-board noise monitors. — The buck line on evaluation boards — BK29 "Reliable Workhorse" · BK30 "Ultra-Low Noise" · BK19 "Mission Critical"

Buck regulator family — key performance attributes
Device family	Max Iout (mA)	Max Vin (V)	Min Vout (V)	PSRR @ 1 kHz	TID krad(Si)
BK19	900	20	1.2	75 dB	200
BK29	1000	26	1.2	65 dB	200
BK30	500	15	0	>100 dB	200

TID ratings denote device-level radiation tolerance; the BK19 is additionally built on a QML-V radiation-hardness-assured LDO core (RH1965).

Full parametric selection table

Selection guide

Reading a Polaris part number

BK29

Series · BK buck / BT boost

Device code

Output-voltage code

Input-voltage range

Output-voltage code (buck): 18 ⇒ outputs up to 2 V · 33 ⇒ up to 4 V · 50 ⇒ up to 5 V (up to 6 V on BK301D50H). Outputs are adjustable: BK19 and BK29 devices down to 1.2 V, BK30 devices down to 0 V — see the selection table for each part's exact range.

Input-voltage range: L lowest · M medium · H high · E extended — IDs ending in V select between two ranges via board-level pin connections. Every device also runs as a conventional LDO by shorting two pins ("LDO mode").

Boost (BT) parts share the same grammar but regulate up to 5 V — see the BT29 series page for output behavior.

Step 1

Choose the product family

Each family pairs a distinct LDO core with our PV-output optocouplers: BK19 for radiation tolerance on a QML-V rad-hard core (RH1965), BK29 for high current (MIC29152), BK30 for ultra-low noise (LT3045).

Step 2

Select the output range

Adjustable outputs by family: BK19 covers 1.2–2 V, BK29 spans 1.2–5 V, and BK30 reaches 0–6 V. Within each range, variants are optimized for noise, output current, and radiation.

Step 3