MAXIM MAX1973

19-2547; Rev 0; 7/02
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
Features
The MAX1973/MAX1974 are constant-frequency
1.4MHz pulse-width-modulated (PWM) current-mode
step-down regulators. The output voltage can be set as
low as 0.75V using an external voltage-divider, or it can
be set to preset outputs of 1V, 1.5V (MAX1974), 1.8V,
or 2.5V (MAX1973) without requiring external resistors.
The MAX1973 also includes a voltage-margining feature that offsets the output voltage up or down 4% to
facilitate board-level production testing.
♦ Tiny Circuit Footprint of 0.19in2
A fixed 1.4MHz operating frequency ensures operation
outside the DSL frequency band, provides fast transient
response, and allows the use of small external components. Only 4.7µF input and output ceramic capacitors
are needed for 1A applications. Forced PWM operation
ensures a constant switching frequency over all load
conditions.
Output voltage accuracy is ±1% over load, line, and
temperature operating ranges. The MAX1973 features
voltage margining; the MAX1974 provides a POK output to indicate when the output has reached 90% of its
nominal regulation voltage. Both devices are available
in small 10-pin µMAX packages.
♦ Built-In ±4% Logic-Controlled Voltage Margining
(MAX1973)
♦ Ultra-Low Circuit Height of 1.8mm
♦ 4.7µF Ceramic Input and Output Capacitors
♦ 2.6V to 5.5V Input Voltage
♦ 1A Output Current
♦ 1% Accurate
♦ Preset 1V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.5V, or 0.75V to VIN
Adjustable Output
♦ Fixed-Frequency PWM Current-Mode Operation
♦ 1.4MHz Switching Frequency, Operate Outside
DSL Band
♦ 100% Duty-Cycle Dropout Capability
♦ Small External Components
Applications
Network Equipment
Ordering Information
TEMP RANGE
PIN-PACKAGE
Cellular Base Stations
MAX1973EUB
PART
-40°C to +85°C
10 µMAX
DSL and Wireless Modems/Routers
MAX1974EUB
-40°C to +85°C
10 µMAX
Optical Modules
Central-Office DSL and Telecom
Pin Configurations
DSP/ASIC Core and IO supplies
TOP VIEW
Selector Guide appears at end of data sheet.
Typical Operating Circuit
OUTPUT
1.25V TO VIN
1A
INPUT
2.6V TO 5.5V
IN
LX
FBSEL 1
COMP
2
FB
3
SS
GND
10 CTL1
9
IN
8
LX
4
7
PGND
5
6
CTL2
MAX1973
µMAX
COMP
FB
FBSEL 1
FBSEL MAX1973
SS
CTL1
CTL2
GND
PGND
MAX1974 OUTPUT DOWN TO 0.75V
VOLTAGE
MARGINING
ON/OFF
10 ON
COMP
2
FB
3
SS
4
7
PGND
GND
5
6
POK
MAX1974
9
IN
8
LX
µMAX
________________________________________________________________ Maxim Integrated Products
For pricing, delivery, and ordering information, please contact Maxim/Dallas Direct! at
1-888-629-4642, or visit Maxim’s website at www.maxim-ic.com.
1
MAX1973/MAX1974
General Description
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
IN, POK, CTL1, CTL2, FBSEL, ON to GND ..............-0.3V to +6V
COMP, FB, SS to GND ................................-0.3V to (VIN + 0.3V)
PGND to GND .......................................................-0.3V to +0.3V
LX Current (Note 1) ...............................................-2.4A to +2.4A
Continuous Power Dissipation (TA = +70°C)
10-Pin µMAX (derate 5.6mW/°C above +70°C) .......... 444mW
Operating Temperature Range ...........................-40°C to +85°C
Storage Temperature Range .............................-65°C to +150°C
Lead Temperature (soldering, 10s) .................................+300°C
Note 1: LX has internal clamp diodes to IN and PGND. Applications that forward bias these diodes should take care not to exceed
the IC package power dissipation limit.
Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only, and functional
operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated in the operational sections of the specifications is not implied. Exposure to
absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VIN = VCTL_ = 3.3V, FB = OUT, TA = 0°C to +85°C, unless otherwise noted. Typical values are at TA = +25°C.)
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
5.5
V
2.35
2.5
V
4.0
7.5
mA
3
5
mA
0.1
10
µA
IN
IN Voltage Range
IN Undervoltage Lockout
Threshold
2.6
Rising and falling, hysteresis is 25mV (typ)
Supply Current
Switching with no load
Supply Current in Dropout
VOUT set for 3.6V
Shutdown Supply Current
VIN = 5.5V
2.2
FB
Output Voltage Range
MAX1973
1.25
VIN
MAX1974
0.75
VIN
MAX1973
FB Regulation Voltage
MAX1974
FBSEL not connected
1.2375
1.25
1.2625
FBSEL = GND
1.7820
1.8
1.8180
FBSEL = IN
2.4750
2.5
2.5250
FBSEL not connected
0.7425
0.75
0.7575
FBSEL = GND
0.99
1.00
1.01
FBSEL = IN
1.485
1.500
1.515
V
V
FB Regulation Voltage
Positive Voltage Margining
MAX1973, CTL1 = GND, CTL2 = IN
+3
+4
+5
%
FB Regulation Voltage
Negative Voltage Margining
MAX1973, CTL1 = IN, CTL2 = GND
-3
-4
-5
%
10
30
70
kΩ
-0.1
0.01
+0.1
µA
FB Input Resistance to GND in
Preset Output Modes
FB Input Bias Current
FBSEL not connected
SS (REFERENCE OUTPUT)
SS Voltage
2
MAX1974
0.75
MAX1973
1.25
_______________________________________________________________________________________
V
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
MAX1973/MAX1974
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)
(VIN = VCTL_ = 3.3V, FB = OUT, TA = 0°C to +85°C, unless otherwise noted. Typical values are at TA = +25°C.)
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
SS Source Current
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
-25
-20
-15
µA
SS Sink Current
10
20
35
µA
SS to GND Resistance in
Shutdown
5
40
100
Ω
FBSEL
Low Input Threshold
0.3
V
High Input Threshold
Input Bias Current
FBSEL = GND or IN, VIN = 5.5V
VIN 0.3
V
-20
10
+20
µA
Transconductance from FB to
COMP
40
60
80
µS
COMP to GND Resistance in
Shutdown
5
40
100
Ω
COMP
Clamp Voltage Low
0.6
0.9
1.2
V
Clamp Voltage High
1.35
1.75
2.15
V
LX
On-Resistance High
VIN = 3.3V
0.23
0.46
Ω
On-Resistance Low
VIN = 3.3V
0.16
0.32
Ω
Current-Sense Transresistance
0.275
0.335
0.425
V/A
Positive Current-Limit Threshold
1.1
1.6
1.75
A
Negative Current-Limit Threshold
-1.2
-0.8
-0.4
A
VLX = VIN = 5.5V
LX Shutdown Leakage Current
LX = GND, VIN = 5.5V
Switching Frequency
20
-20
1.2
1.4
µA
1.6
MHz
1.6
V
+1
µA
mV
CTL1, CTL2 (MAX1973), ON (MAX1974)
Logic-Low Input Threshold
0.6
V
Logic-High Input Threshold
Logic Input Current
-1
POK (MAX1974 only)
Output Low Voltage
Output Valid Threshold for POK
POK sinking 1mA
Percentage of nominal
regulation voltage
10
100
Rising
90
92.5
95
Falling
88
90
92
%
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS (continued)
(VIN = VCTL_ = 3.3V, FB = OUT, TA = 0°C to +85°C, unless otherwise noted. Typical values are at TA = +25°C.)
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
THERMAL SHUTDOWN
Thermal-Shutdown Threshold
+170
°C
Thermal-Shutdown Hysteresis
20
°C
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VIN = VFB = VCTL_ = 3.3V, TA = -40°C to +85°C, unless otherwise noted.) (Note 2)
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
2.6
5.5
V
2.2
2.5
V
7.5
mA
IN
IN Voltage Range
IN Undervoltage Lockout
Threshold
Rising and falling, hysteresis is 25mV (typ)
Supply Current
Switching with no load
Supply Current in Dropout
VOUT set for 3.6V
5
mA
Shutdown Supply Current
VIN = 5.5V
10
µA
FB
Output Voltage Range
MAX1973
1.25
VIN
MAX1974
0.75
VIN
FBSEL not connected
1.2375
1.2625
MAX1973
FB Regulation Voltage
MAX1974
FBSEL = GND
1.7820
1.8180
FBSEL = IN
2.4750
2.5250
FBSEL not connected
0.7425
0.7575
FBSEL = GND
0.99
1.01
FBSEL = IN
1.485
1.515
V
V
FB Regulation Voltage
Positive Voltage Margining
MAX1973, CTL1 = GND, CTL2 = IN
3
5
%
FB Regulation Voltage
Negative Voltage Margining
MAX1973, CTL1 = IN, CTL2 = GND
-3
-5
%
10
70
kΩ
-0.15
+0.15
µA
SS Source Current
-25
-15
µA
SS Sink Current
10
35
µA
FB Input Resistance to GND in
Preset Output Modes
FB Input Bias Current
FBSEL not connected
SS (REFERENCE OUTPUT)
4
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
MAX1973/MAX1974
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(VIN = VCTL_ = 3.3V, FB = OUT, TA = -40°C to +85°C, unless otherwise noted.) (Note 2)
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
SS to GND Resistance
in Shutdown
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
5
40
100
Ω
FBSEL
Low Input Threshold
0.3
V
VIN 0.4
V
-20
+20
µA
Transconductance
from FB to COMP
40
80
µS
COMP to GND Resistance
in Shutdown
5
100
Ω
Clamp Voltage Low
0.6
1.2
V
Clamp Voltage High
1.3
2.2
V
0.46
Ω
High Input Threshold
Input Bias Current
FBSEL = GND or IN, VIN = 5.5V
COMP
LX
On-Resistance High
VIN = 3.3V
On-Resistance Low
VIN = 3.3V
0.32
Ω
Current-Sense Transresistance
0.275
0.425
V/A
Positive Current-Limit Threshold
1.10
1.85
A
-1.20
-0.35
A
Negative Current-Limit Threshold
VLX = VIN = 5.5V
LX Shutdown Leakage Current
LX = GND, VIN = 5.5V
Switching Frequency
20
-20
1.2
1.6
µA
MHz
CTL1, CTL2 (MAX1973), ON (MAX1974)
Logic-Low Input Threshold
0.6
Logic-High Input Threshold
Logic Input Current
-1
V
1.6
V
1
µA
100
mV
POK (MAX1974 only)
Output Low Voltage
POK sinking 1mA
Output Valid Threshold
for POK
Percentage of nominal
regulation voltage
Rising
90
95
Falling
88
92
%
Note 2: Specifications to -40°C are guaranteed by design and not production tested.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5
Typical Operating Characteristics
(Circuits of Figure 2, 3, and 4; TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
EFFICIENCY vs. LOAD CURRENT
VOUT = 1.8V
40
70
60
50
40
30
30
20
20
10
0
VIN = 5V
0
0.01
0.1
1
0.1
NO-LOAD CURRENT vs. INPUT VOLTAGE
FB VOLTAGE vs. LOAD CURRENT
4
1.250
1.249
1.248
1.247
MAX1973
VIN = 5V
R1 = 22kΩ
R2 = 13kΩ
1.246
2
1.245
VOUT = 2.5V
0
1
2
3
4
0.2
0.4
0.6
LOAD CURRENT (A)
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.0
0.5
VOUT = 1.8V
0
-0.5
2.5V
-1.0
1V
-1.5
-2.0
-2.5
-3.0
VIN = 5V
0.01
0.1
1
SWITCHING FREQUENCY
vs. SUPPLY VOLTAGE
MAX1973/74 toc07
1.40
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (MHz)
TA = +85°C
1.35
1.30
TA = +25°C
1.25
TA = -40°C
1.20
1.15
1.10
2
3
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
LOAD CURRENT (A)
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
4
5
6
SUPPLY VOLTAGE (V)
6
0.8
-4.0
0
5
0.10
-3.5
1.244
0
VOUT = 3.3V
0
MAX1973/74 toc05
1.251
FB VOLTAGE (V)
6
0.15
CHANGE IN OUTPUT VOLTAGE
vs. LOAD CURRENT
1.252
MAX1973/74 toc04
8
0.20
1
LOAD CURRENT (A)
10
VOUT = 2.5V
0.25
0
0.01
LOAD CURRENT (A)
12
0.30
0.05
10
VIN = 3.3V
MAX1973/74 toc03
VOUT = 2.5V
MAX1973/74 toc06
60
50
80
DROPOUT VOLTAGE (V)
VOUT = 1V
70
VOUT = 3.3V
90
EFFICIENCY (%)
EFFICIENCY (%)
80
DROPOUT VOLTAGE vs. LOAD CURRENT
0.35
CHANGE IN OUTPUT VOLTAGE (mV)
MAX1973/74 toc01
VOUT = 2.5V
90
100
MAX1973/74 toc02
EFFICIENCY vs. LOAD CURRENT
100
NO-LOAD CURRENT (mA)
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
_______________________________________________________________________________________
100
1000
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
MAX1974
STARTUP WAVEFORMS
MAX1973
HIGH-CURRENT SWITCHING WAVEFORMS
MAX1973/74 toc08
MAX1973/74 toc09
10V/div
0
2V/div
0
ON
POK
20mV/div
VOUT
VLX
5V/div
1V/div
VOUT
0
0
200mA/div
500mA/div
IL
IIN
0
0
VIN = 5V, 100kΩ PULLUP RESISTOR POK TO VOUT
500ns/div
VIN = 5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT = 800mA
MAX1973
LOW-CURRENT SWITCHING WAVEFORMS
MAX1973
LOAD TRANSIENT
MAX1973/74 toc11
MAX1973/74 toc10
VOUT
20mV/div
20mV/div
VOUT
5V/div
VLX
0
500mA/div
IL
500mA/div
IL
0
0
500ns/div
VIN = 5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT = 10mA
500ns/div
VIN = 5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT = 400mA TO 800mA
MAX1973
LOAD TRANSIENT
MAX1973
LINE TRANSIENT
MAX1973/74 toc13
MAX1973/74 toc12
200mV/div
VOUT
IL
500mA/div
50mV/div
VOUT
VIN
2V/div
0
0
20µs/div
VIN = 5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT = 600mA TO 800mA
200µs/div
VIN = 3.3V TO 5V TO 3.3V, IOUT = 800mA
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7
MAX1973/MAX1974
Typical Operating Characteristics (continued)
(Circuits of Figure 2, 3, and 4; TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
Typical Operating Characteristics (continued)
(Circuits of Figure 2, 3, and 4; TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)
MAX1974
POK AND INPUT VOLTAGE
MAX1973
VOLTAGE MARGIN STEP CHANGE RESPONSE
MAX1973/74 toc15
MAX1973/74 toc14
VOUT
1V/div
VPOK
2V/div
VCTL1
0
10V/div
0
10V/div
0
VCTL2
IIN
500mA/div
0
VOUT
1V/div
VIN
0
2V/div
0
1ms/div
VIN = 5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT = 800mA, -4% TO +4% TO -4%
0
20ms/div
MAX1974 WITH 100kΩ PULLUP RESISTOR
FROM POK TO IN, ILOAD = 100mA
Pin Description
PIN
FUNCTION
MAX1974
1
FBSEL
FBSEL
Feedback-Mode Selector. Connect FBSEL to GND to set the output voltage to 1.8V
(MAX1973) or 1V (MAX1974). Connect FBSEL to IN to set the output voltage to 2.5V
(MAX1973) or 1.5V (MAX1974). Leave FBSEL unconnected to set the output voltage
using a resistor-divider at FB.
2
COMP
COMP
Compensation. Connect a series RC network to GND. COMP is internally pulled to
GND when the device is in shutdown or in undervoltage lockout (see the Compensation Components section).
3
FB
FB
Feedback Input. Connect to the output if a preset voltage is used, or to a resistordivider from the output to GND for an adjustable output voltage.
SS
SS
Soft-Start Pin and Reference Output. Bypass to GND with at least 0.01µF. Connect
0.1µF to GND for a soft-start ramp time of 6.25ms for the MAX1973, or 3.75ms for the
MAX1974. SS is internally pulled to GND when the device is shut down or in
undervoltage lockout.
4
5
GND
GND
CTL2
—
—
POK
7
PGND
PGND
8
LX
LX
Inductor Connection. Connect an inductor from LX to the output.
9
IN
IN
Input Supply Voltage. Input voltage range is 2.6V to 5.5V. Connect a 4.7µF capacitor
from IN to PGND.
CTL1
—
Control Input 1. Controls Enable/Disable and voltage margining (see Table 1).
—
ON
Enable Input. Connect to IN or drive high for normal operation. Drive low to put device
in shutdown.
6
10
8
NAME
MAX1973
Ground
Control Input 2. Controls enable/disable and voltage margining (see Table 1).
Power-OK Output. Open-drain output goes low when output is below 90% of nominal
output. POK is also low when the device is shut down or in undervoltage lockout.
Power Ground
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
The MAX1973/MAX1974 are 1.4MHz fixed-frequency
PWM current-mode step-down DC/DC converters. A
high 1.4MHz switching frequency allows use of small
inductors and small capacitors for filtering and decoupling. An internal synchronous rectifier improves efficiency and eliminates the need for an external Schottky
freewheeling diode. On-chip current sensing uses the
on-resistance of the internal MOSFETs, eliminating current-sensing resistors and improving efficiency.
The input voltage range is 2.6V to 5.5V. The output voltage is selectable to one of two presets, or adjustable by
using a resistor-divider. The output voltage of the
MAX1973 is preset to 1.8V or 2.5V by connecting FBSEL
to GND or IN, respectively. The MAX1974 is preset to
1.0V or 1.5V by connecting FBSEL to GND or IN, respectively. In adjustable mode (see the Output Voltage
Selection section), the output voltage is programmable
down to 0.75V on the MAX1974, and down to 1.25V on
the MAX1973.
PWM Control Scheme
The MAX1973/MAX1974 use a fixed-frequency PWM
current-mode control scheme. The heart of the PWM
current-mode controller is an open-loop comparator
that compares the integrated voltage feedback signal
against the sum of the amplified current-sense signal
and the slope compensation ramp (see Figure 1). At
each rising edge of the internal clock, the internal highside MOSFET turns on until the PWM comparator trips.
During this on-time, current ramps up through the
inductor, sourcing current to the output and storing
energy in a magnetic field.
The current-mode feedback system regulates the peak
inductor current as a function of the output voltage error
signal. Because the average inductor current is nearly
the same as the peak inductor current (assuming that
the inductor value is relatively high to minimize ripple
current), the circuit acts as a switch-mode transconductance amplifier. It pushes the output LC filter pole, normally found in a voltage-mode PWM, to a higher
frequency. To preserve inner loop stability and eliminate
inductor staircasing, an internal slope-compensation
ramp is summed into the main PWM comparator.
During the second half of the switching cycle (off-time),
the internal high-side MOSFET turns off and the internal
low-side N-channel MOSFET turns on. The inductor
releases the stored energy as its current ramps down
while still providing current to the output. The output
capacitor stores charge when the inductor current
exceeds the load current and discharges when the
inductor current is lower, smoothing the voltage across
the load. Under overload conditions, when the inductor
current exceeds the current limit, the high-side MOSFET
is not turned on at the rising edge of the clock, and the
low-side MOSFET remains on to let the inductor current
ramp down.
100% Duty-Cycle Operation
The MAX1973/MAX1974 can operate at 100% duty
cycle. In this state, the high-side P-channel MOSFET is
turned on (not switching). The dropout voltage in 100%
duty-cycle operation is the output current multiplied by
the sum of the on-resistance of the P-channel MOSFET
(RDS(ON)P) and the inductor resistance (RL).
VDROPOUT = IOUT ✕ ( RDS(ON)P + RL )
Current Sense and Current Limit
The current-sense circuit amplifies the current-sense
voltage generated by the high-side MOSFET’s on-resistance and the inductor current (RDS(ON) ✕ INDUCTOR).
This amplified current-sense signal and the internal
slope compensation signal are summed together at the
PWM comparator’s inverting input. The PWM comparator turns off the internal high-side MOSFET when this
sum exceeds the integrated feedback voltage.
The internal high-side MOSFET has a current limit of
1.6A (typ). If the current flowing out of LX exceeds this
maximum, the high-side MOSFET turns off and the synchronous rectifier MOSFET turns on. This lowers the
duty cycle and causes the output voltage to droop until
the current limit is no longer exceeded. There is also a
synchronous rectifier current limit of -0.85A, to protect
the device from current flowing into LX. If this negative
current limit is exceeded, the synchronous rectifier
turns off, and the inductor current continues to flow
through the high-side MOSFET body diode back to the
input until the beginning of the next cycle, or until the
inductor current drops to zero.
Soft-Start
To reduce the supply inrush current, soft-start circuitry
ramps up the output voltage during startup by charging
the SS capacitor with a 20µA current source. When SS
reaches its nominal value, the output is in full regulation. The soft-start time (tSS) is determined from:
V
t SS = SS × CSS
ISS
where VSS is the soft-start (reference) voltage (1.25V for
the MAX1973; 0.75V for the MAX1974), I SS is 20µA,
and CSS is the value of the capacitor connected to SS.
Soft-start occurs when power is first applied and when
the device exits shutdown. The part also goes through
_______________________________________________________________________________________
9
MAX1973/MAX1974
Detailed Description
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
MAX1974
ONLY
VOLTAGE
CLAMP
POK
COMP
OUT
IN
PMOS
CURRENT SENSE
FEEDBACK
SELECT
FB
CTL1
VOLTAGE
MARGINING
MAX1973
ONLY
LX
ERROR
AMP
PWM
LOGIC BLOCK
CTL2
PWM
COMPARATOR
ON
SOFT-START
Σ
NMOS
CURRENT LIMIT
MAX1974
ONLY
PGND
SS
REFERENCE
GND
1.4MHz
OSCILLATOR
SLOPE
COMP
REFERENCE
READY
MAX1973
MAX1974
CHIP
ENABLE
BIAS
IN
UNDERVOLTAGE
LOCK OUT
Figure 1. Functional Diagram
soft-start when coming out of undervoltage lockout
(UVLO) or thermal-overload protection.
Undervoltage Lockout (UVLO)
If VIN drops below 2.35V (typ), the MAX1973/MAX1974
assume that the supply voltage is too low to provide a
valid output voltage, and the UVLO circuit inhibits
switching. Once VIN rises above 2.4V, UVLO is disabled and the soft-start sequence begins.
10
Thermal-Overload Protection
Thermal-overload protection limits total power dissipation and protects the IC from damage in case of an
overload or short-circuit condition. When the IC junction
temperature (TJ) exceeds +170°C, the device shuts
down. The part turns on again after the junction temperature cools by 20°C. This results in a pulsed output during continuous thermal-overload conditions.
______________________________________________________________________________________
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
A shutdown feature is included on both the MAX1973
and the MAX1974. Shutdown turns off the IC and
reduces the supply current about 0.1µA. For the
MAX1974, drive ON high for normal operation, or low
for shutdown. For the MAX1973, drive both CTL1 and
CTL2 high for normal operation, or drive both low for
shutdown. For a simple enable/shutdown function with
no voltage margining on the MAX1973, connect CTL1
to CTL2 and drive as one input.
Power-OK Output (POK)
A power-OK output (POK) is provided on the MAX1974.
This is an open-drain output indicating when the output
voltage is in regulation. If the output voltage falls below
90% of its nominal value, POK goes low. POK remains
low until the output voltage rises to 92.5% of its nominal
value. At that point, POK goes high impedance. To use
POK as a logic output, connect a 10kΩ to 100kΩ pullup
resistor from POK to the power supply of the logic
receiving the POK signal. POK continues to function in
shutdown or UVLO. Note that a minimum voltage of 1V
at IN is required to ensure that POK provides a valid
output. When VIN drops to zero, POK is high impedance. See the Typical Operating Characteristics.
Applications Information
Output Voltage Selection
The output voltage can be set to one of two preset values, or can be set by an external resistor-divider. For
preset output voltages, connect FB to the output as
shown in Figures 2 and 3. Connect FBSEL to GND or IN
to select the desired preset output voltage (see Table 2).
To set the output voltage to a value other than the preset
values, FBSEL is not connected, and FB is connected to
a voltage-divider as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Select a
value for R2 in the 1kΩ to 22kΩ range, and then calculate the value of R1 from the following equation:
V

R1 = R2 ×  OUT − 1
 VFB

Table 1. CTL_ Input Functions (MAX1973)
CTL1
CTL2
GND
GND
GND
IN
IN
GND
IN
IN
FUNCTION
Shutdown
Positive voltage margining,
regulation voltage increased 4% from
normal operation
Negative voltage margining,
regulation voltage lowered 4% from
normal operation
Normal operation
Table 2. Preset Output Voltages
FBSEL
OUTPUT VOLTAGE
MAX1973
MAX1974
GND
1.8V
1V
IN
2.5V
1.5V
Not Connected
Adjustable down
to 1.25V
Adjustable down to
0.75V
For the MAX1973, VFB = 1.25V, allowing its output to be
set down to 1.25V. For the MAX1974, VFB = 0.75V,
allowing its output to be set down to 0.75V
The MAX1973/MAX1974 PWM circuitry is capable of a
stable minimum duty cycle of 17%. This limits the minimum output voltage that can be generated to 0.17 ✕
VIN. Instability may result for VIN/VOUT ratios below 0.17.
Inductor Selection
A 2.2µH to 4.7µH inductor with a saturation current of at
least 1.25A is recommended for full-load (1mA) applications. For lower load currents, the inductor current rating
can be reduced. For most applications, use an inductor
with a current rating 1.25 times the maximum required
output current. For best efficiency, the inductor’s DC
resistance should be as small as possible. See Table 3
for recommended inductors and manufacturers.
For most designs, the inductor value (L INIT) can be
derived from the following equation:
LINIT =
VOUT (VIN − VOUT )
VIN × LIR × IOUT(MAX) × fSW
______________________________________________________________________________________
11
MAX1973/MAX1974
Voltage Margining and Shutdown
A voltage-margining feature is provided on the
MAX1973 to shift the output voltage up or down by 4%.
Voltage margining is useful for the automatic testing of
systems at high and low supply conditions to find
potential failures. See Table 1 for the MAX1973 voltage
margining and shutdown truth table.
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
3.3µH
VIN = 2.6V TO 5.5V
4.7µF
IN
LX
COMP
FB
1.8V
36kΩ
4.7µF
VIN = 2.6V TO 5.5V
4.7µF
LX
COMP
FB
RC
CC
470pF
MAX1973
3.3µH
IN
MAX1973
CTL1
FBSEL
SS
CTL2
SS
CTL2
GND
PGND
GND
PGND
FBSEL
1.25V TO VIN
R1
4.7µF
CTL1
R2
0.1µF
0.1µF
Figure 2. MAX1973 with 1.8V Preset Output
VIN = 2.6V TO 5.5V
4.7µF
Figure 4. MAX1973 with Adjustable Output Voltage Set by R1
and R2
3.3µH
IN
LX
COMP
FB
1.5V
43kΩ
330pF IN
4.7µF
VIN = 2.6V TO 5.5V
4.7µF
IN
FB
0.75V TO VIN
R1
4.7µF
IN
MAX1974
IN
ON
R2
POK
POK
GND
COMP
RC
FBSEL
100kΩ
SS
LX
CC
ON
FBSEL MAX1974
0.1µF
3.3µH
IN
SS
POK
100kΩ
0.1µF
PGND
GND
PGND
POK
Figure 3. MAX1974 with Preset 1.5V Output
Figure 5. MAX1974 with Adjustable Output Voltage Set by R1
and R2
where fSW is the switching frequency (1.4✕106 Hz), and
LIR is the inductor ripple current as a percentage of the
maximum load current. Keep LIR between 20% and
40% for best compromise of cost, size, and performance. The peak inductor current is approximately:
capacitor must meet the ripple current requirement
(IRMS) imposed by the switching currents defined by
the following equation:
 LIR 
IL(PEAK) = 1 +
 × IOUT(MAX)
2 

Input Capacitor
A 4.7µF ceramic input capacitor is recommended for
most applications because of its low equivalent series
resistance (ESR), equivalent series inductance (ESL),
and cost. To ensure stability over a wide temperature
range, an X5R or X7R dielectric is recommended.
The input capacitor reduces peak currents drawn from
the power source and reduces noise and voltage ripple
on the input caused by the circuit’s switching. The input
12
I
IRMS = OUT VOUT (VIN − VOUT )
VIN
Choose a capacitor that exhibits less than 10°C temperature rise at the maximum operating RMS current for
optimum long-term reliability.
Output Capacitor
A 4.7µF ceramic output capacitor is recommended for
most applications because of its low ESR, ESL, and
lower cost. To ensure stability over a wide temperature
range, an X5R or X7R dielectric is recommended.
Key selection parameters for a ceramic output capacitor
are capacitance, ESR, and voltage rating. These affect
the overall stability, output ripple voltage, and transient
______________________________________________________________________________________
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
PART
INDUCTANCE (µH)
ESR (mΩ)
SATURATION
CURRENT (A)
DIMENSIONS
L ✕ W ✕ H (mm)
Coilcraft
LPO1704-32M
3.3
160
1.3
5.5 ✕ 6.6 ✕ 1
Sumida
CDRD3D16-R3
3.3
85
1.1
4 ✕ 4 ✕ 1.8
Toko
A682AY-3R3M
3.3
134
0.97
4.4 ✕ 4.4 ✕ 3.1
MANUFACTURER
response of the DC-DC converter. With ceramic capacitors, the voltage ripple from ESL is negligible.
Output ripple is generated by variations in the charge
stored in the output capacitance, and the voltage drop
across the capacitor ESR.
VRIPPLE = VRIPPLE(C) + VRIPPLE(ESR)
The output voltage ripple due to the output capacitance is:
IP−P
VRIPPLE(C) =
8 × COUT × fSW
The output voltage ripple due to capacitor ESR is:
VRIPPLE(ESR) = IP−P × ESR
IP-P is the peak-to-peak inductor current:
V −V
V
IP−P = IN OUT × OUT
fSW × L
VIN
These equations are suitable for initial capacitor selection, but final values should be set by testing a prototype or evaluation circuit. As a rule, a smaller ripple
current results in less output voltage ripple. Because
the inductor ripple current is inversely proportional to
inductor value, output voltage ripple decreases with
larger inductance.
Load transient response depends on the selected output
capacitor. During a load transient, the output voltage
instantly changes by ESR ✕ ∆ILOAD. Before the controller
can respond, the output deviates further, depending on
the inductor and output capacitor values. After a short
time (see the Typical Operating Characteristics), the
controller responds by regulating the output voltage
back to its nominal state. The controller response time
depends on the closed-loop bandwidth. With a higher
bandwidth the response time is faster. However, to maintain stable operation, the bandwidth should not be set
above fSW/10.
Compensation Components
An internal transconductance error amplifier compensates the control loop. Connect a series resistor and
capacitor between COMP and GND to form a pole-zero
pair. The external inductor, output capacitor, compensation resistor, and compensation capacitor determine
the loop bandwidth and stability. The inductor and output capacitor are chosen based on performance, size,
and cost. Additionally, the compensation resistor and
capacitor are selected to optimize the control loop.
Table 4 and Table 5 list typical component values. The
rest of this section is a more detailed discussion on calculating compensation components.
The controller uses a current-mode control scheme that
regulates the output voltage by forcing the required
current through the external inductor. The voltage
across the internal high-side MOSFET’s on-resistance
is used to sense inductor current. Current-mode control
eliminates the double pole caused by the inductor and
output capacitor found in other control schemes.
Simple Type 1 compensation with a single resistor (RC)
and capacitor (CC) is all that is needed to provide a
stable and high-bandwidth loop.
Use the formula below to calculate the value of C C,
then use the nearest standard value:
CC =
1
1
VFB
×
× gm ×
0.5 × IOUT(MAX) RCS
2π × fC
where VFB is 1.25V for the MAX1973 and 0.75V for the
MAX1974, the current-sense transresistance (RCS) is
0.26Ω (typ), and the transconductance from FB to
COMP (g m ) is 50µS (typ). For best stability and
response performance, the closed-loop unity-gain frequency (fC) should be approximately 140kHz (onetenth the switching frequency).
Use the following equation to calculate RC:
RC =
COUT
CC
×
VOUT
0.5 × IOUT(MAX)
Below is a numerical example of calculating compensation values for a circuit using the MAX1973 with 2.5V
output and maximum output current of 1A:
MAX1973
______________________________________________________________________________________
13
MAX1973/MAX1974
Table 3. Recommended Inductors
MAX1973/MAX1974
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
VOUT = 2.5V
IOUT(MAX) = 1A
COUT = 4.7µF
PC Board Layout
A properly designed PC board layout is important in
any switching regulator. The switching power stage
requires particular attention. Follow these guidelines for
good PC board layout:
1) Place decoupling capacitors as close to IC pins as
possible. Keep the power ground plane (connected
to PGND) and signal ground plane (connected to
GND) separate. Connect the two ground planes with
a single connection from PGND to GND.
2) Input and output capacitors are connected to the
power ground plane; all other capacitors are connected to the signal ground plane.
3) Keep the high-current paths as short and wide as
possible.
VFB = 1.25V
RCS = 0.26Ω
gm = 50µS
fC = 140kHz
CC =
=
VFB
0.5 × IOUT(MAX)
1.25
×
1
1
× gm ×
RCS
1
2π × fC
1
×
× 50 × 10−6 ×
= 547pF
0.5 × 1 0.26
2π × 140000
4) If possible, connect IN, LX, and PGND separately to
a large land area to help cool the IC to further
improve efficiency and long-term reliability.
5) Ensure all feedback connections are short and
direct. Place feedback resistors (if used) as close to
the IC as possible.
6) Route high-speed switching nodes (LX) away from
sensitive analog areas (FB, COMP, SS).
Select the nearest standard value: CC = 560pF
RC =
COUT
CC
4.7 × 10−6
560 × 10
−12
×
×
VOUT
0.5 × IOUT(MAX)
2.5
0.5 × 1
=
= 41.9kΩ
Select the nearest standard value: RC = 43kΩ
Table 4. Recommended Components for the MAX1973
VOUT (V)
CIN (µF)
COUT (µF)
CC (pF)
RC (kΩ)
2.5
4.7
4.7
560
43
1.8
4.7
4.7
560
30
Table 5. Recommended Components for the MAX1974
VOUT (V)
CIN (µF)
COUT (µF)
CC (pF)
RC (kΩ)
1.5
4.7
4.7
330
43
1.0
4.7
4.7
330
27
Selector Guide
PART
FEATURES
OUTPUT PRESET
MAX1973EUB
Voltage Margining
1.8V or 2.5V
MAX1974EUB
Power-OK Output
1V or 1.5V
14
Chip Information
TRANSISTOR COUNT: 1998
PROCESS: BiCMOS
______________________________________________________________________________________
Smallest 1A, 1.4MHz Step-Down Regulators
10LUMAX.EPS
e
4X S
10
INCHES
10
H
ÿ 0.50±0.1
0.6±0.1
1
1
0.6±0.1
BOTTOM VIEW
TOP VIEW
D2
MILLIMETERS
MAX
DIM MIN
0.043
A
0.006
0.002
A1
A2
0.030
0.037
0.116
0.120
D1
0.114
0.118
D2
0.116
E1
0.120
E2
0.114
0.118
H
0.187
0.199
L
0.0157 0.0275
L1
0.037 REF
b
0.007
0.0106
e
0.0197 BSC
c
0.0035 0.0078
0.0196 REF
S
α
0∞
6∞
MAX
MIN
1.10
0.05
0.15
0.75
0.95
3.05
2.95
3.00
2.89
3.05
2.95
2.89
3.00
4.75
5.05
0.40
0.70
0.940 REF
0.177
0.270
0.500 BSC
0.090
0.200
0.498 REF
0∞
6∞
E2
GAGE PLANE
A2
c
A
b
D1
A1
α
E1
L
L1
FRONT VIEW
SIDE VIEW
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
TITLE:
PACKAGE OUTLINE, 10L uMAX/uSOP
APPROVAL
DOCUMENT CONTROL NO.
21-0061
REV.
I
1
1
Maxim cannot assume responsibility for use of any circuitry other than circuitry entirely embodied in a Maxim product. No circuit patent licenses are
implied. Maxim reserves the right to change the circuitry and specifications without notice at any time.
Maxim Integrated Products, 120 San Gabriel Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 408-737-7600 ____________________ 15
© 2002 Maxim Integrated Products
Printed USA
is a registered trademark of Maxim Integrated Products.
MAX1973/MAX1974
Package Information
(The package drawing(s) in this data sheet may not reflect the most current specifications. For the latest package outline information,
go to www.maxim-ic.com/packages.)