Affected PCB version: E1, E2, E3

Severity: High

On the Starter Kit, LDO0 supplies VDDAR_CORE (0.85V core voltage domain). The 4.7uF point-of-load capacitors are overly conservative and can be reduced to 1uF, bringing the total output capacitance seen by LDO0 more in line with the CLDO_OUT max specification.

On the Starter Kit, LDO1 supplies the AM64x 1V8 analog domain and capacitance requirements far in excess of LDO1’s CLDO_OUT max specification, mostly due to large 22uF point-of-load capacitor on VDDA_1P8_SERDES0. TI is taking a multipronged approach to resolving this issue and publishing final capacitor value recommendations in the future. First, LP8733xx CLDO_OUT max spec is overly conservative and is revised higher in the data sheet. Second, system-level simulations are being conducted to assess actual decoupling capacitor requirements on VDDA_1P8_SERDES0. Because this work is ongoing, TI recommends to not copy this power solution for a production system.

For customers desiring an integrated PMIC solution, Texas Instruments is currently developing a PMIC that meets the needs of the AM64x processor family, and are featured on an upcoming AM64x Starter Kit revision.