What does synchronous mean, and how does it benefit the user’s designs? Traditional non-synchronous converters use an external Schottky diode to rectify and conduct the output inductor current during their off time. This technique is simple, very easy to design and control, and has gained wide acceptance for several decades; however, the diode dissipates a lot of heat due to its forward voltage drop. A synchronous converter, on the other hand, replaces the external rectification diode with an integrated low-side power MOSFET. Compared to the diode on the non-synchronous converter, the MOSFET’s low resistance causes a much smaller voltage drop. Therefore, power loss during the conversion is significantly reduced. That means it runs cooler—and more efficiently. Both the rectification low-side MOSFET and the external compensation circuitry are now part of the IC itself. Himalaya also offers multiple default modes, so it is not necessary to add additional components to create them. That means the total converter solution is simpler, with fewer discrete components to take up room on the PC board or time in the user’s schedule.