Solutions Search - Step-Down (Buck) Regulators
High Efficiency, 15V Rail-to-Rail Output Synchronous Step-Down Regulator Can Source or Sink 5A
Jan 23rd 2017
Design Note 560: Introduction
The LTC®3623 is a high efficiency, monolithic synchronous step-down regulator capable of sourcing or sinking up to 5A of continuous output current from an input voltage range of 4V to 15V. Its compact 3mm × 5mm QFN package incorporates an abundance of features including a low EMI Silent ...
Switch Mode Power Supply Current Sensing - Part 3: Current Sensing Methods
Nov 22nd 2016
The three commonly employed current sensing methods for switch mode power supplies are: are using a sense resistor, using the MOSFET RDS(ON) and using the DC resistance (DCR) of the inductor. Each method offers advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when selecting one method over another.
Sense Resistor ...
Switch Mode Power Supply Current Sensing - Part 1: The Basics
Nov 20th 2016
Current mode control is widely used for switching mode power supplies due to its high reliability, simple loop compensation design, and simple and reliable load sharing capability. The current sense signal is an essential part of a current mode switch mode power supply design; it is used to regulate the output and also provides ...
60V Input Monolithic Converter Powers Critical Circuits without Supercaps or Other Additional Components
Nov 15th 2016
Design Note DN1040: Introduction
The LTC3649 is a monolithic step-down regulator capable of operating from an input voltage range of 3.1V to 60V, and efficiently producing a (single) resistorprogrammable output voltage at up to 4A of output current. These features alone make it a compelling industrial or automotive supply for ...
Hybrid Wide Dimming Ratio Linear LED Current Controller Using LT8614 & LT3083/LT6015
Oct 17th 2016
Many applications for LED illumination require wide dimming ratios. This can be accomplished simply via an adjustable current source as show below. The current source can be varied by a number of different means, and a large LED current range can be achieved. The primary problem with this technique is that the power dissipation ...
6A Monolithic Synchronous DC/DC Step-Down Converter with Digital Power System Management
Aug 10th 2016
Design Note 554: Introduction
Digital Power System Management (PSM) controllers usually target high current point-of-load (POL) applications. Lower current applications, with up to 6A load current, can also benefit from PSM features. The LTC®3815 is a 6A monolithic synchronous stepdown converter with digital power monitoring ...
95% Efficient at 2MHz 42V Sync Buck
Jun 24th 2016
Linear Technology’s family of high voltage synchronous step-down DC/DC switching regulators offer up to 95% efficiency. Switching at 2MHz, these low EMI parts utilize the Silent Switcher technology. Other features include spread spectrum frequency modulation, ultra-low quiescent current and are available with single, dual, ...
60V, 4A Synchronous Monolithic Step-Down Regulator Has Rail-to Rail Operation
Apr 5th 2016
Design Note 550: Introduction
The LTC3649 is a high efficiency synchronous monolithic step-down regulator, which integrates top and bottom N-channel MOSFETs on the die. This regulator features a wide input voltage range, 3.1V to 60V, and a wide output voltage range from 0V to (VIN − 0.5V). This extremely wide range of ...
Powering Altera Arria 10 FPGA and Arria 10 SoC: Tested and Verified Power Management Solutions
Feb 19th 2016
Design Note DN549: Introduction
FPGA development kits allow system developers to evaluate an FPGA without having to design a complete system. Figures 1 and 2 show Altera’s new 20nm Arria 10 FPGAs and Arria 10 SoCs (System-on-Chip) development boards. These boards are tested and verified by Altera, exemplifying best design ...
VID Controller with Phase Extender Provides 120A Power Supply for Latest Generation of FPGAs, ASICs and Processors
Jan 12th 2016
DN547: Introduction
The current drawn by FPGAs, ASICs and processors for high performance servers, network and computing systems continues to rise, and load currents of 100A or greater are becoming common. Meanwhile, the chip's operating voltages are dropping to 0.9V and below with tighter voltage regulation requirements. For ...
42V High Power Density Buck Regulators in a Tiny QFN Package
Dec 7th 2015
Design Note 1038: Introduction
Power dissipation is a significant problem facing the designers of DC/DC converters in industrial and automotive applications, where high currents are required, but space is limited. It is possible to produce a highly efficient regulator from high performance discrete components, but expense and ...
Ultrathin Dual 2.5A or Single 5A μModule Regulator Fits on the Backside of PCBs, Allowing Space on the Topside for Digital ICs
Nov 23rd 2015
Design Note 546: Introduction
The top side of a typical system board, such as a PCIe card, is densely populated with FPGAs/ASICs/ microprocessors, transceivers, connectors, memory ICs and DC/DC regulators, while the backside is often unused. This is a common side effect of the significant difference in top vs back side height ...
Spread Spectrum Frequency Modulation Reduces EMI
Nov 4th 2015
Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR), Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and Electromagnetic Compliance (EMC) are terms that pertain to energy from electrically charged particles and the associated magnetic fields that can potentially interfere with circuit performance and signal transmissions. With the proliferation of wireless ...
42V Quad Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down Regulator with 30μA Quiescent Current
Sep 21st 2015
Design Note 544: Introduction
Industrial and automotive applications require robust, easy-to-use, compact DC/DC converters to produce a variety of low voltage power supplies. The LT8602 monolithic quad synchronous step-down converter in a 6mm × 6mm package is capable of providing four outputs from a wide input range of ...
Signal Level Shifting with μModule Regulator for Positive-to-Negative Inverting Appliications
Sep 3rd 2015
Introduction
Linear μModule regulators are perfect for point-of-load supplies because their easy-to-drop-in, compact, all-in-one design. They fit tight spaces with minimal engineering effort—only a few components are required in addition to the µModule package itself. Any step-down µModule ...
Positive to Negative Converter with Variable Output Using LTC3630 and LT6015/LT6016
Sep 1st 2015
There was a window of time in the 1950s and early ’60s when negative voltage rails were commonplace, when germanium PNP transistors were prevalent—like those used in an old “transistor radio”, now worth a fortune on Ebay. Nowadays, NPN transistors are more prevalent, since they basically work ...
Data Backup Solution for 1mm, Low Profile Industrial Applications
Aug 25th 2015
Introduction
Data backup and retention during a power interruption is required in a wide variety of industrial and automotive applications, where emergency backup power supplies (such as a UPS) may be unfeasible. For example, a vehicle may need to transmit geographical coordinates and the vehicle ID during an abrupt battery ...
Robust 140V VIN, 400mA Step-Down Regulator for Industrial, Telecom and Automotive Environments
Aug 20th 2015
Design Note 543: Introduction
The LTC®7138 is a 400mA step-down regulator that can operate over an input voltage range of 4V to 140V, ideal for industrial, telecom, automotive and other applications subject to harsh line transients. Due to the regulator’s hysteretic architecture, no external compensation is required. ...
Dual 9A, Step-Down μModule Regulator with Digital Power System Management
Jul 16th 2015
Design Note 542: Introduction
The LTM4675 is a dual 9A or single 18A step-down μModule® (micromodule) DC/DC regulator featuring remote configurability and telemetry monitoring of power system management (PSM) parameters over PMBus—an open standard I2C-based digital interface protocol. Its 6mm × 11.9mm × ...
Linduino PSM
Mar 12th 2015
While many engineers use a dongle and tools to configure Power System Management devices via PMBus, a growing number of designs are adding Board Management Controllers, or connecting their PMBus to an existing microcontroller or application processer. At LTC, the dongle/tool option is comprised of a DC1613 and LTpowerPlay, and ...
LTC3890 & LTC4000 60V Input DC/DC Power Supply with Battery Backup
Feb 27th 2015
Introduction
Circuitry presented in this article can be very useful for designing compact power supplies and extremely beneficial for system functioning in conditions of input power interruptions. The presented solution can be embedded into uninterruptible power systems or small standalone modules. It can be successfully employed ...
LTC3810 - High Efficiency Switching Surge Stopper
Feb 23rd 2015
The LTC®3810 high efficiency input limiter protects its load from excessive input voltage. At normal input voltages (<60V), it operates open loop at a very high duty cycle (>95%) to pass the input to the output at up to 5A with minimal voltage drop. When the input rises to an undesirable point (up to 75V), the ...
17V Input, Dual 1A Output Synchronous Step-Down Regulator with Ultralow Quiescent Current
Feb 13th 2015
Design Note DN537: Introduction
The LTC®3622 dual 1A synchronous monolithic stepdown regulator enables compact, high efficiency supplies for battery powered systems and portable devices as well as general purpose point-of-load regulation. The tiny 14-pin, 3mm × 4mm DFN package takes input voltages from 2.7V to 17V, ...
High Efficiency 100mA Synchronous Buck Converter with Wide Input Range from 4V to 150V
Sep 17th 2014
Introduction
The wide 4V to 150V input range of the LTC®3639 stepdown DC/DC converter allows automotive, avionics and distributed power systems to:
Cover extensive transient requirements
Enable multiple wide-ranging input power sources, such as a high voltage DC bus with a low voltage battery backup
Create a ...
High Efficiency 6-Phase 80A Step-Down Regulator using LTM4630 (x3)
Jul 31st 2014
The LTM®4630 is a dual 18A or single 36A output switching mode step-down DC/DC μModule® (micromodule) regulator. Included in the package are the switching controllers, power FETs, inductors, and all supporting components. Operating from an input voltage range of 4.5V to 15V, the LTM4630 supports two outputs each with ...
LTC Power System Management Tips for Success
Jul 28th 2014
Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of Linear Technology's Power System Management (PSM) products by using them the way they were intended. Follow these rules to stay out of trouble. Rule #1: When Sharing is Good
a) Always connect SHARE_CLK pins together. This keeps all LTC PSM devices on a common ...
TechClip Videos – Real, Repeatable Performance
Jun 23rd 2014
With the advent of internet services like YouTube, product videos have become an important means for manufacturers to demonstrate the capabilities of their wares to customers, consumers and businesses alike. However, much like the products themselves, the quality and content of all product videos is not the same.
Inspired by ...
Dual Phase Buck Controller Drives High Density 1.2V/60A Supply with Submilliohm DCR Sensing
May 30th 2014
Introduction
Designers of low output voltage rails for communication, networking, server and industrial systems are challenged to achieve greater load currents and higher efficiency in diminishing board space. The LTC®3774 dual output buck controller eases this burden by interfacing easily with DrMOS devices, providing ...
10A μModule Step-Down Regulator with Advanced Input and Load Protection
May 7th 2014
Introduction
Bus voltage surges pose a danger not only to the DC/DC converter, but also to the load. Traditional overvoltage protection schemes involving a fuse are not necessarily fast enough, nor dependable enough to protect loads such as FPGAs, ASICs and microprocessors. A better solution is to accurately and quickly detect ...
LTM8050 TechClips - 58V, 2A Step-Down μModule Regulator
Apr 30th 2014
Inverting (Negative) Outputs
With a relatively wide input voltage and output voltage range, the LTM8050 is well suited for Inverting applications when a negative output voltage is desired. Watch the LTM8050 deliver a -12V output at 1.5A from a 24V Input with 83% efficiency and just a 54°C temperature rise over ambient.
Highly ...
The Low Output Voltage Ripple Zeta DC/DC Converter Topology
Apr 28th 2014
In the world of switching DC/DC converters the Zeta topology is a lesser known relative of the SEPIC topology. Both converters provide a positive output voltage that can be greater than, equal to or less than VIN while avoiding the complexity and cost of a buck-boost converter. The Zeta converter however, has the advantage of ...
LTM4644 TechClips - Efficiency and Thermal Performance
Apr 13th 2014
The LTM4644 is a quad 4A step-down µModule regulator configurable as a quad, triple, dual or single output power supply in a small 9 x 15 x 5.01mm BGA. The high number of output options available in one package caters to the needs of FPGAs, ASICs and image sensors. Configured as a quad output, observe how the LTM4644 ...
LTM4624 TechClips - Efficiency, Thermal and Load Transient Performance
Apr 13th 2014
The LTM4624 is a 4A step-down µModule regulator in a tiny 6.25 x 6.25 x 5.01mm package. Requiring just two 1206 case size ceramic capacitors and a 0603 resistor for operation, the LTM4624 step-down solution requires less than one square centimeter on a single sided PCB. Watch the LTM4624 deliver greater than 80% efficiency ...
How to Probe the Switch Node of a μModule Regulator
Mar 4th 2014
A common step in verifying if a power management circuit functions properly is to probe the switch node. But how does one perform that task on a power µModule regulator since the switch node is often not accessible? Using the LTM4611 as an example, Alan Chern explains how starting at the 42 second mark in this video he ...
LTM4620 TechClips - Dual 13A or Single 26A DC/DC μModule Regulator
Mar 4th 2014
LTM4620 Current Sharing
Two LTM4620 µModule regulators sharing current during start up, steady state and shut down.
LTM4620 Efficiency
With 20V input and 1.2V output, the efficiency is measured across a range of load current. At 100A load current, the efficiency is measured at 83%.
LTM4620 ...
Dual 13A μModule Regulator with Digital Interface for Remote Monitoring & Control of Power
Jan 15th 2014
Digital Power System Management: Set, Monitor, Change and Log Power
Managing power and implementing flexibility in a high rail count circuit board can be challenging, requiring hands-on probing with digital voltmeters and oscilloscopes, and often rework of PCB components. To simplify power management, especially from a remote ...
Reduce EMI and Improve Efficiency with Silent Switcher Designs
Dec 17th 2013
Switching regulators replace linear regulators in areas where low heat dissipation and efficiency are valued. The switching regulator is typically the first active component on the input power bus line, and therefore has a significant impact on the EMI performance of the complete converter circuit.
Modern input filter components ...
LTM4611 TechClips - Ultralow VIN, 15A DC/DC μModule Regulator
Nov 5th 2013
15A High Efficiency Output from a Low Input Voltage
The LTM4611 is a switch mode, step-down DC/DC μModule® regulator in a compact 15mm × 15mm × 4.32mm LGA surfacemount package. The switching controller, MOSFETs, inductor and supporting components are housed in the package. With a built-in differential remote ...
Versatile Industrial Power Supply Takes High Voltage Input and Yields from Eight 1A to Two 4A Outputs
Nov 1st 2013
Introduction
Today’s industrial electronic systems contain many of the same components as consumer electronics— microcontrollers, FPGAs, system-on-chip ASICs and other electronics—requiring multiple low voltage rails at widely varied load currents. Industrial applications can also demand a pushbutton interface, ...
Bench Comparison of Two Overvoltage Protection (Crowbar) Methods: MOSFET vs. Silicon Controlled Rectifier
Oct 10th 2013
Introduction
As electronic sub-systems play a significant role in the reliable and safe operation of the overall product, adding an overvoltage protection circuit around the DC/DC step-down regulator may be advisable to prevent damage to the latest digital logic processors considering their absolute maximum voltage (<2V ...
36V Input, Low Output Noise, 5A μModule Regulator for Precision Data Acquisition Systems
Sep 1st 2013
Introduction
Low output noise, fast transient response and high efficiency are just a few of the stringent power supply demands made by applications featuring high data rate FPGA I/O channels and high bit count data converters. The power supply designer faces the difficult task of meeting all of these requirements with as few ...
High Performance Single Phase DC/DC Controller with Power System Management
Aug 1st 2013
Design Note 517: Introduction
The LTC®3883 is a single phase synchronous stepdown DC/DC controller featuring a PMBus interface for digital control and monitoring of key regulator parameters. It has integrated MOSFET gate drivers and can function either standalone or in a digitally managed system with other Linear Technology ...
Prevent Your Next High Flying Product Launch From Being Grounded
May 7th 2013
A small investment in over-voltage protection for high value FPGAs, ASICs, and micro processors could pay dividends in reliability, safety and warranty costs
The widening gap between the 24V-28V intermediate bus commonly found in industrial, aerospace and defense systems and the input supply voltages of modern digital processors ...
LTM8028 TechClips - 36VIN, UltraFast, Low Output Noise 5A μModule Regulator
May 1st 2013
The LTM8028 is a 1mV output ripple μModule (micromodule) regulator designed to power data converters and high speed transceivers. The low output ripple minimizes random jitter in high speed data transceivers for superior bit error rate (BER) performance. When powering an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), tests showed a 13dB ...
The Right Power Supply Can Simplify Automotive ECU Design
Apr 30th 2013
In my last entry, I boiled down the design of automotive electronic modules or ECUs to the ability to meet three essential requirements:
Can handle high voltage situations like load dumps or double-battery jumps.
Can ride-through low voltage cold crank conditions
Draw minimal current in standby conditions, a.k.a. low quiescent ...
65V, 500mA Step-Down Converter Fits Easily into Automotive and Industrial Applications
Mar 1st 2013
Introduction
The trend in automobiles and industrial systems is to replace mechanical functions with electronics, thus multiplying the number of microcontrollers, signal processors, sensors and other electronic devices throughout. The issue is that 24V truck electrical systems and industrial equipment use relatively high voltages ...
LTM4641 TechClips - Efficiency, Output Overvoltage Protection, Overcurrent Protection and More
Feb 6th 2013
The LTM4641 is a 4.5V to 38V input, 0.6V to 6V output, 10A step-down μModule® regulator with comprehensive electrical and thermal protection for loads such as processors, ASICs and high-end FPGAs. The LTM4641 μModule regulator monitors input voltage, output voltage and temperature conditions. If any user-adjustable ...
20V, 2.5A Monolithic Synchronous Buck SWITCHER+ with Input Current, Output Current and Temperature Sensing/Limiting Capabilities
Feb 1st 2013
Introduction
The LTC®3626 synchronous buck regulator with current and temperature monitoring is the first of Linear’s SWITCHER+™ line of monolithic regulators. It is a high efficiency, monolithic synchronous step-down switching regulator capable of delivering a maximum output current of 2.5A from an input voltage ...
1.5A Rail-to-Rail Output Synchronous Step-Down Regulator Adjusts with a Single Resistor
Sep 1st 2012
Introduction
A new regulator architecture the LTC3600 (first introduced with the LT3080 linear regulator) has wider output range and better regulation than traditional regulators. Using a precision 50μA current source and a voltage follower, the output is adjustable from “0V” to close to VIN. Normally, the lowest ...
Dual Controller Provides 2μs Step Response and 92% Efficiency for 1.5V Rails
Aug 1st 2012
Introduction
The LTC®3838 is a dual output, dual phase buck controller that employs a controlled constant on-time, valley current mode architecture to provide fast load step response, high switching frequency and low duty cycle capability. The switching frequency range is 200kHz to 2MHz—its phase-locked loop keeps ...
42V, 2.5A Synchronous Step-Down Regulator with 2.5μA Quiescent Current
Jul 1st 2012
Introduction
The LT®8610 and LT8611 are 42V, 2.5A synchronous step-down regulators that meet the stringent high input voltage and low output voltage requirements of automotive, industrial and communications applications. To minimize external components and solution size, the top and bottom power switches are integrated ...
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