LINER LTC3826EUH

LTC3826
30µA IQ, Dual, 2-Phase
Synchronous Step-Down Controller
DESCRIPTION
FEATURES
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Wide Output Voltage Range: 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 10V
Ultralow Operating IQ: 30μA (One Channel On)
Out-of-Phase Controllers Reduce Required Input
Capacitance and Power Supply Induced Noise
OPTI-LOOP® Compensation Minimizes COUT
±1% Output Voltage Accuracy
Wide VIN Range: 4V to 36V Operation
Phase-Lockable Fixed Frequency 140kHz to 650kHz
Selectable Continuous, Pulse Skipping or Low Ripple
Burst Mode® Operation at Light Loads
Dual N-Channel MOSFET Synchronous Drive
Very Low Dropout Operation: 99% Duty Cycle
Adjustable Output Voltage Soft-Start or Tracking
Output Current Foldback Limiting
Power Good Output Voltage Monitor
Output Overvoltage Protection
Low Shutdown IQ: 4μA
Internal LDO Powers Gate Drive from VIN or VOUT
Small 5mm × 5mm QFN Package
APPLICATIONS
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Automotive Systems
Battery-Operated Digital Devices
Distributed DC Power Systems
The LTC®3826 is a high performance dual step-down
switching regulator controller that drives all N-channel
synchronous power MOSFET stages. A constant frequency
current mode architecture allows a phase-lockable frequency of up to 650kHz. Power loss and noise due to the
ESR of the input capacitor are minimized by operating the
two controller output stages out of phase.
The 30μA no-load quiescent current extends operating
life in battery powered systems. OPTI-LOOP compensation allows the transient response to be optimized over
a wide range of output capacitance and ESR values. The
LTC3826 features a precision 0.8V reference and a power
good output indicator. A wide 4V to 36V input supply range
encompasses all battery chemistries.
Independent TRACK/SS pins for each controller ramp the
output voltage during start-up. Current foldback limits
MOSFET heat dissipation during short-circuit conditions.
The PLLIN/MODE pin selects among Burst Mode operation, pulse skipping mode, or continuous inductor current mode at light loads. For a leaded package version
(28-lead SSOP), see the LTC3826-1 data sheet.
L, LT, LTC and LTM are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
Burst Mode and OPTI-LOOP are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Protected by U.S. Patents,
including 5481178, 5929620, 6177787, 6144194, 5408150, 6580258, 6304066, 5705919.
TYPICAL APPLICATION
High Efficiency Dual 8.5V/3.3V Step-Down Converter
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Load Current
VIN
4V TO 36V
INTVCC
TG2
0.1μF
BOOST2
SW1
SW2
BG1
BG2
LTC3826
7.2μH
PGND
SENSE1+
SENSE2+
SENSE1–
SENSE2–
150μF
220pF
20k
15k
VFB1
VFB2
ITH1
ITH2
TRACK/SS1 SGND TRACK/SS2
0.1μF
0.1μF
60
100
50
40
10
20
0.015Ω
62.5k
70
30
0.015Ω
VOUT1
3.3V
5A
1000
80
0.1μF
POWER LOSS (mW)
BOOST1
10000
90
EFFICIENCY (%)
TG1
3.3μH
100
22μF
50V
4.7μF
VIN
1
10
192.5k
220pF
20k
VOUT2
8.5V
3.5A
150μF
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
0
0.1
0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01
0.1
1
10
OUTPUT CURRENT (A)
3826 TA01b
15k
3826 TA01
3826fc
1
LTC3826
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
PIN CONFIGURATION
(Note 1)
SW1
TG1
PGOOD1
PGOOD2
TRACK/SS1
ITH1
VFB1
SENSE1+
TOP VIEW
32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25
SENSE1– 1
24 BOOST1
PLLLPF 2
23 BG1
PHASMD 3
22 VIN
CLKOUT 4
21 PGND
33
PLLIN/MODE 5
20 EXTVCC
SGND 6
19 INTVCC
RUN1 7
18 BG2
17 BOOST2
RUN2 8
TG2
SW2
FOLDDIS
TRACK/SS2
ITH2
VFB2
SENSE2+
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
SENSE2–
Input Supply Voltage (VIN) ......................... 36V to –0.3V
Top Side Driver Voltages
(BOOST1, BOOST2) ............................... 42V to –0.3V
Switch Voltage (SW1, SW2) ......................... 36V to –5V
(BOOST1-SW1), (BOOST2-SW2) ............. 8.5V to –0.3V
RUN1, RUN2 ............................................... 7V to –0.3V
SENSE1+, SENSE2+, SENSE1–,
SENSE2– Voltages ................................ 11V to –0.3V
PLLIN/MODE, PLLLPF, Voltages ........... INTVCC to –0.3V
PHASMD, FOLDDIS, TRACK/SS1, TRACK/SS2
Voltages ........................................... INTVCC to –0.3V
EXTVCC ...................................................... 10V to –0.3V
ITH1, ITH2, VFB1, VFB2 Voltages ................. 2.7V to –0.3V
PGOOD1, PGOOD2 Voltages ..................... 8.5V to –0.3V
Peak Output Current <10μs (TG1, TG2, BG1, BG2) .....3A
Operating Temperature Range (Note 2).... –40°C to 85°C
Junction Temperature (Note 3) ............................. 125°C
Storage Temperature Range .................. –65°C to 125°C
UH PACKAGE 32-LEAD (5mm s 5mm) PLASTIC QFN
TJMAX = 125°C, QJA = 34°C/W
EXPOSED PAD (PIN 33) IS SGND, MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB
ORDER INFORMATION
LEAD FREE FINISH
TAPE AND REEL
PART MARKING*
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
TEMPERATURE RANGE
LTC3826EUH#PBF
LTC3826EUH#TRPBF
3826
32-Lead (5mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 85°C
LTC3826IUH#PBF
LTC3826IUH#TRPBF
3826
32-Lead (5mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 85°C
LEAD BASED FINISH
TAPE AND REEL
PART MARKING*
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
TEMPERATURE RANGE
LTC3826EUH
LTC3826EUH#TR
3826
32-Lead (5mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 85°C
LTC3826IUH
LTC3826IUH#TR
3826
32-Lead (5mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 85°C
Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges. *The temperature grade is identified by a label on the shipping container.
For more information on lead free part marking, go to: http://www.linear.com/leadfree/
For more information on tape and reel specifications, go to: http://www.linear.com/tapeandreel/
3826fc
2
LTC3826
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VIN = 12V, VRUN/SS1, 2 = 5V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
0.792
0.800
0.808
V
Main Control Loops
VFB1, 2
Regulated Feedback Voltage
(Note 4); ITH1, 2 Voltage = 1.2V
IVFB1, 2
Feedback Current
(Note 4)
VREFLNREG
Reference Voltage Line Regulation
VIN = 4V to 30V (Note 4)
VLOADREG
Output Voltage Load Regulation
(Note 4)
Measured in Servo Loop; ΔITH Voltage = 1.2V to 0.7V
Measured in Servo Loop; ΔITH Voltage = 1.2V to 2V
l
l
l
–5
–50
nA
0.002
0.02
%/V
0.1
–0.1
0.5
–0.5
%
%
gm1, 2
Transconductance Amplifier gm
ITH1, 2 = 1.2V; Sink/Source 5mA (Note 4)
0.5
IQ
Input DC Supply Current
Sleep Mode (Channel 1 On)
Sleep Mode (Channel 2 On)
Shutdown
Sleep Mode (Both Channels)
(Note 5)
RUN1 = 5V, RUN2 = 0V, VFB1 = 0.83V (No Load)
RUN1 = OV, RUN2 = 5V, VFB2 = 0.83V (No Load)
VRUN1, 2 = 0V
RUN1,2 = 5V, VFB1 = VFB2 = 0.83V
30
30
4
50
UVLO
Undervoltage Lockout
VIN Ramping Down
VOVL
Feedback Overvoltage Lockout
Measured at VFB1, 2, Relative to Regulated VFB1, 2
ISENSE
Sense Pins Total Source Current
(Each Channel) VSENSE1–, 2– = VSENSE1+, 2+ = 0V
DFMAX
Maximum Duty Factor
In Dropout
ITRACK/SS1, 2 Soft-Start Charge Current
VTRACK1, 2 = 0V
VRUN1, 2 ON
VRUN1, VRUN2 Rising
RUN Pin ON Threshold
VSENSE(MAX) Maximum Current Sense Threshold
VFB1, 2 = 0.7V, VSENSE1–, 2– = 3.3V
l
8
mmho
50
50
10
75
3.7
4
V
10
12
%
–220
l
μA
μA
μA
μA
98
99.4
0.75
1
μA
%
1.35
μA
0.5
0.7
0.9
V
85
100
115
mV
TG1, 2 tr
TG1, 2 tf
TG Transition Time:
Rise Time
Fall Time
(Note 6)
CLOAD = 3300pF
CLOAD = 3300pF
50
50
90
90
ns
ns
BG1, 2 tr
BG1, 2 tf
BG Transition Time:
Rise Time
Fall Time
(Note 6)
CLOAD = 3300pF
CLOAD = 3300pF
40
40
90
80
ns
ns
TG/BG t1D
Top Gate Off to Bottom Gate On Delay CLOAD = 3300pF Each Driver
Synchronous Switch-On Delay Time
70
ns
BG/TG t2D
Bottom Gate Off to Top Gate On Delay CLOAD = 3300pF Each Driver
Top Switch-On Delay Time
70
ns
tON(MIN)
Minimum On-Time
230
ns
(Note 7)
INTVCC Linear Regulator
VINTVCCVIN
Internal VCC Voltage
8.5V < VIN < 30V, VEXTVCC = 0V
VLDOVIN
INTVCC Load Regulation
ICC = 0mA to 20mA, VEXTVCC = 0V
VINTVCCEXT
Internal VCC Voltage
VEXTVCC = 8.5V
VLDOEXT
INTVCC Load Regulation
ICC = 0mA to 20mA, VEXTVCC = 8.5V
VEXTVCC
EXTVCC Switchover Voltage
EXTVCC Ramping Positive
VLDOHYS
EXTVCC Hysteresis
5.0
7.2
4.5
5.25
5.5
V
0.2
1.0
%
7.5
7.8
V
0.2
1.0
%
4.7
V
0.2
V
Oscillator and Phase-Locked Loop
fNOM
Nominal Frequency
VPLLLPF = Floating; PLLIN/MODE = DC Voltage
350
fLOW
Lowest Frequency
VPLLLPF = 0V; PLLIN/MODE = DC Voltage
220
250
280
kHz
fHIGH
Highest Frequency
VPLLLPF = INTVCC; PLLIN/MODE = DC Voltage
475
530
585
kHz
fSYNCMIN
Minimum Synchronizable Frequency
PLLIN/MODE = External Clock; VPLLLPF = 0V
115
140
kHz
fSYNCMAX
Maximum Synchronizable Frequency
PLLIN/MODE = External Clock; VPLLLPF = 2V
650
390
800
430
kHz
kHz
3826fc
3
LTC3826
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VIN = 12V, VRUN/SS1, 2 = 5V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
IPLLLPF
Phase Detector Output Current
Sinking Capability
Sourcing Capability
fPLLIN/MODE < fOSC
fPLLIN/MODE > fOSC
–5
5
0.1
MAX
UNITS
μA
μA
PGOOD Output
VPGL
PGOOD Voltage Low
IPGOOD = 2mA
IPGOOD
PGOOD Leakage Current
VPGOOD = 5V
VPG
PGOOD Trip Level
VFB with Respect to Set Regulated Voltage
VFB Ramping Negative
VFB Ramping Positive
Note 1: Stresses beyond those listed under Absolute Maximum Ratings
may cause permanent damage to the device. Exposure to any Absolute
Maximum Rating condition for extended periods may affect device
reliability and lifetime.
Note 2: The LTC3826E is guaranteed to meet performance specifications
from 0°C to 85°C. Specifications over the –40°C to 85°C operating
temperature range are assured by design, characterization and correlation
with statistical process controls. The LTC3826I is guaranteed to meet
performance specifications over the full –40°C to 85°C operating
temperature range.
Note 3: TJ is calculated from the ambient temperature TA and power
dissipation PD according to the following formulas:
TJ = TA + (PD • 34 °C/W)
–12
8
–10
10
0.3
V
±1
μA
–8
12
%
%
Note 4: The LTC3826 is tested in a feedback loop that servos VITH1, 2 to a
specified voltage and measures the resultant VFB1, 2.
Note 5: Dynamic supply current is higher due to the gate charge being
delivered at the switching frequency. See Applications Information.
Note 6: Rise and fall times are measured using 10% and 90% levels. Delay
times are measured using 50% levels.
Note 7: The minimum on-time condition is specified for an inductor
peak-to-peak ripple current ≥40% of IMAX (see minimum on-time
considerations in the Applications Information section).
3826fc
4
LTC3826
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Output Current
100
10000
1000
50
10
40
30
1
20
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 3.3V
0
0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01
0.1
OUTPUT CURRENT (A)
1
EFFICIENCY (%)
100
60
96
94
70
60
50
40
90
88
86
20
10
0.1
10
92
30
0
0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01
0.1
OUTPUT CURRENT (A)
3826 G01
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
VOUT = 3.3V
80
POWER LOSS (mW)
EFFICIENCY (%)
90
98
EFFICIENCY (%)
Burst Mode OPERATION
PULSE SKIPPING MODE
FORCED
80
CONTINUOUS
70
90
10
Efficiency vs Input Voltage
Efficiency vs Output Current
100
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
Load Step
(Burst Mode Operation)
84
VIN = 12V
VIN = 5V
1
82
10
3826 G02
0
VOUT
100mV/DIV
AC
COUPLED
VOUT
100mV/DIV
AC
COUPLED
IL
2A/DIV
IL
2A/DIV
IL
2A/DIV
3826 G04
Inductor Current at Light Load
20μs/DIV
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
VOUT = 3.3V
3826 G05
Soft-Start-Up
35
40
3826 G03
20μs/DIV
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
VOUT = 3.3V
3826 G06
Tracking Start-Up
FORCED
CONTINUOUS
MODE
2A/DIV
Burst Mode
OPERATION
PULSE
SKIPPING
MODE
2μs/DIV
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
VOUT = 3.3V
ILOAD = 100μA
15 20 25 30
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
Load Step
(Pulse Skipping Mode)
VOUT
100mV/DIV
AC
COUPLED
20μs/DIV
10
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
Load Step
(Forced Continuous Mode)
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
VOUT = 3.3V
5
VOUT2
2V/DIV
VOUT2
2V/DIV
VOUT1
2V/DIV
VOUT1
2V/DIV
3826 G07
20ms/DIV
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
3826 G08
20ms/DIV
3826 G09
FIGURE 13 CIRCUIT
3826fc
5
LTC3826
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Total Input Supply Current
vs Input Voltage
EXTVCC Switchover and INTVCC
Voltages vs Temperature
250
200
150
300μA LOAD
100
NO LOAD
50
5.4
5.6
INTVCC
5.4
5.2
5.0
EXTVCC RISING
4.8
4.6
EXTVCC FALLING
4.4
5.3
5.2
5.1
4.2
0
5
10
25
20
15
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
4.0
–45
35
30
–25
35
15
–5
55
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3826 G10
30
0
40
20
0
–30
–60
–90
–120
–150
–180
–210
–240
–20
10% DUTY CYCLE
–40
0
0.2
1.0
0.4 0.6 0.8
ITH PIN VOLTAGE (V)
1.2
1.4
–270
–300
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
VSENSE COMMON MODE VOLTAGE (V)
42
100
80
60
40
20
0
40
20
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
DUTY CYCLE (%)
3826 G15
SENSE Pins Total Input
Bias Current vs ITH
4
PLLIN/MODE = 0V
VSENSE = 3.3V
40
INPUT CURRENT (μA)
QUIESCENT CURRENT (μA)
100
40
120
10
44
TRACK/SS = 1V
35
3826 G12
Quiescent Current vs Temperature
60
15 20 25 30
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
3826 G14
Foldback Current Limit
80
10
0
0
3826 G13
120
5
Maximum Current Sense
Threshold vs Duty Cycle
60
INPUT BIAS CURRENT (μA)
60
0
Sense Pins Total Input
Bias Current
PULSE SKIPPING
FORCED CONTINUOUS
Burst Mode OPERATION
(RISING)
Burst Mode OPERATION
(FALLING)
80
5.0
95
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE VOLTAGE (mV)
100
75
3826 G11
Maximum Current Sense Voltage
vs ITH Voltage
CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
INTVCC VOLTAGE (V)
EXTVCC AND INTVCC VOLTAGE (V)
SUPPLY CURRENT (μA)
5.5
5.8
300
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE VOLTAGE (mV)
INTVCC Line Regulation
6.0
350
38
36
34
32
30
3
2
1
28
26
0
0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
FEEDBACK VOLTAGE (V)
3826 G16
24
–45 –30 –15
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
0
75
90
3826 G17
0
0.2
0.4
0.6 0.8 1.0
ITH VOLTAGE (V)
1.2
1.4
3826 G18
3826fc
6
LTC3826
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
TRACK/SS Pull-Up Current
vs Temperature
Shutdown (RUN) Threshold
vs Temperature
1.00
808
REGULATED FEEDBACK VOLTAGE (mV)
1.20
0.95
1.15
0.90
1.10
RUN PIN VOLTAGE (V)
TRACK/SS CURRENT (μA)
Regulated Feedback Voltage
vs Temperature
1.05
1.00
0.95
0.90
0.85
0.80
0.75
0.70
0.65
0.60
0.85
0.55
0.80
–45 –30 –15
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
0.50
–45 –30 –15
90
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
3826 G19
794
VOUT = 3.3V
–90
–120
–150
VOUT = 0V
–210
600
4
3
2
VPLLLPF = INTVCC
500
VPLLLPF = FLOAT
400
300
VPLLLPF = GND
200
100
–270
0
90
5
10
15
20
25
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
30
3826 G22
0
–45
35
–25
35
15
–5
55
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3826 G23
Undervoltage Lockout Threshold
vs Temperature
75
95
3827 G24
Shutdown Current
vs Temperature
Oscillator Frequency
vs Input Voltage
4.2
90
75
700
1
–240
75
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
800
FREQUENCY (kHz)
VOUT = 10V
INPUT CURRENT (μA)
INPUT CURRENT (μA)
796
Oscillator Frequency
vs Temperature
5
0
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
798
3826 G21
6
–300
–45 –30 –15
800
Shutdown Current
vs Input Voltage
60
–180
802
792
–45 –30 –15
90
30
–60
804
3826 G20
Sense Pins Total Input Bias
Current vs Temperature
–30
806
392
6
390
5
INTVCC VOLTAGE (V)
4.0
3.9
RISING
3.8
3.7
3.6
FALLING
3.5
3.4
SHUTDOWN CURRENT (μA)
OSCILLATOR FREQUENCY (kHz)
4.1
388
386
384
382
4
3
2
1
3.3
3.2
–45 –30 –15
380
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
90
3826 G25
5
10
25
20
15
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
30
35
3826 G26
0
–45 –30 –15
0 15 30 45 60
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
90
3826 G27
3826fc
7
LTC3826
PIN FUNCTIONS
SENSE1–, SENSE2– (Pins 1, 9): The (–) Input to the
Differential Current Comparators.
PLLLPF (Pin 2): The phase-locked loop’s lowpass filter is
tied to this pin when synchronizing to an external clock.
Alternatively, tie this pin to GND, INTVCC or leave floating to
select 250kHz, 530kHz or 390kHz switching frequency.
PHASMD (Pin 3): Control Input to Phase Selector which
determines the phase relationships between controller 1,
controller 2 and the CLKOUT signal.
CLKOUT (Pin 4): Output Clock Signal available to daisychain other controller ICs for additional MOSFET driver
stages/phases.
PLLIN/MODE (Pin 5): External Synchronization Input to
Phase Detector and Forced Continuous Control Input. When
an external clock is applied to this pin, the phase-locked
loop will force the rising TG1 signal to be synchronized
with the rising edge of the external clock. In this case, an
R-C filter must be connected to the PLLLPF pin. When
not synchronizing to an external clock, this input, which
acts on both controllers, determines how the LTC3826
operates at light loads. Pulling this pin below 0.7V selects
Burst Mode operation. Tying this pin to INTVCC forces
continuous inductor current operation. Tying this pin to
a voltage greater than 0.9V and less than INTVCC –1.2V
selects pulse skipping operation.
SGND (Pins 6, 33): Small Signal Ground common to both
controllers, must be routed separately from high current
grounds to the common (–) terminals of the CIN capacitors. The Exposed Pad is SGND. It must be soldered to
PCB ground for rated thermal performance.
RUN1, RUN2 (Pins 7, 8): Digital Run Control Inputs for
Each Controller. Forcing either of these pins below 0.7V
shuts down that controller. Forcing both of these pins below
0.7V shuts down the entire LTC3826, reducing quiescent
current to approximately 4μA.
FOLDDIS (Pin 14): Foldback Current Disable Input Pin.
Driving this pin high (to INTVCC) disables foldback current
limiting during short-circuit or overcurrent conditions.
INTVCC (Pin 19): Output of the Internal Linear Low Dropout
Regulator. The driver and control circuits are powered
from this voltage source. Must be decoupled to power
ground with a minimum of 4.7μF tantalum or other low
ESR capacitor.
EXTVCC (Pin 20): External Power Input to an Internal LDO
Connected to INTVCC. This LDO supplies INTVCC power,
bypassing the internal LDO powered from VIN whenever
EXTVCC is higher than 4.7V. See EXTVCC Connection in
the Applications Information section. Do not exceed 10V
on this pin.
PGND (Pin 21): Driver Power Ground. Connects to the
sources of bottom (synchronous) N-channel MOSFETs,
anodes of the Schottky rectifiers and the (–) terminal(s)
of CIN.
VIN (Pin 22): Main Supply Pin. A bypass capacitor should
be tied between this pin and the signal ground pin.
BG1, BG2 (Pins 23, 18): High Current Gate Drives for Bottom (Synchronous) N-Channel MOSFETs. Voltage swing
at these pins is from ground to INTVCC.
BOOST1, BOOST2 (Pins 24, 17): Bootstrapped Supplies
to the Top Side Floating Drivers. Capacitors are connected
between the BOOST and SW pins and Schottky diodes are
tied between the BOOST and INTVCC pins. Voltage swing
at the BOOST pins is from INTVCC to (VIN + INTVCC).
SW1, SW2 (Pins 25, 16): Switch Node Connections to
Inductors. Voltage swing at these pins is from a Schottky
diode (external) voltage drop below ground to VIN.
TG1, TG2 (Pins 26, 15): High Current Gate Drives for
Top N-Channel MOSFETs. These are the outputs of floating drivers with a voltage swing equal to INTVCC – 0.5V
superimposed on the switch node voltage SW.
PGOOD1 (Pin 27): Open-Drain Logic Output. PGOOD1 is
pulled to ground when the voltage on the VFB1 pin is not
within ±10% of its set point.
3826fc
8
LTC3826
PIN FUNCTIONS
PGOOD2 (Pin 28): Open-Drain Logic Output. PGOOD2
is pulled to ground when the voltage on VFB2 pin is not
within ±10% of its set point.
VFB1, VFB2 (Pins 31, 11): Receives the remotely sensed
feedback voltage for each controller from an external
resistive divider across the output.
TRACK/SS1, TRACK/SS2 (Pins 29, 13): External Tracking and Soft-Start Input. The LTC3826 regulates the
VFB1,2 voltage to the smaller of 0.8V or the voltage on the
TRACK/SS1,2 pin. An internal 1μA pull-up current source
is connected to this pin. A capacitor to ground at this
pin sets the ramp time to final regulated output voltage.
Alternatively, a resistor divider on another voltage supply
connected to this pin allows the LTC3826 output to track
the other supply during startup.
SENSE1+, SENSE2+ (Pins 32, 10): The (+) Input to the
Differential Current Comparators. The ITH pin voltage and
controlled offsets between the SENSE– and SENSE+ pins in
conjunction with RSENSE set the current trip threshold.
Exposed Pad (Pin 33): SGND. Must be soldered to the
PCB.
ITH1, ITH2 (Pins 30, 12): Error Amplifier Outputs and
Switching Regulator Compensation Points. Each associated channel’s current comparator trip point increases
with this control voltage.
3826fc
9
LTC3826
BLOCK DIAGRAM
PLLIN/MODE
FIN
INTVCC
PHASE DET
5
DUPLICATE FOR SECOND
CONTROLLER CHANNEL
100k
PHASMD
3
PLLLPF
2
DROP
OUT
DET
CLK1
RLP
OSCILLATOR
CLK2
CLP
–
CLKOUT
4
S
Q
R
Q
TOP
BOT
FC
TOP ON
SWITCH
LOGIC
VFB1
PGOOD1
27
BURSTEN
+
0.72V
–
0.88V
0.4V
+
B
CIN
D
BG
23, 18
COUT
VOUT
21
SHDN
RSENSE
L
VFB2
–
+
INTVCC-0.5V
ICMP
0.72V
FC
0.8V
+
–
++
–
–
IR
SENSE+
32, 10
+
6mV
0.45V
2(VFB)
–
PLLIN/MODE
+
–
–
+
SENSE–
1, 9
SLOPE
COMP
BURSTEN
–
EA
+
OV
VIN
22
EXTVCC
20
+
–
6V
SHDN
RST
2(VFB)
INTERNAL
SUPPLY
RUN
7, 8
RB
RA
+
0.88V
ITH
30,12
CC
CC2
FOLDBACK
RC
1μA
TRACK/SS
29, 13
19
6, 33
TRACK/SS
0.80V
0.5μA
5.25V/
7.5V
LDO
INTVCC
SGND
VFB
31, 11
VFB
–
4.7V
+
CB
PGND
SLEEP
–
TG
26, 15
+
PGOOD2
28
VIN
INTVCC
BOT
–
DB
SW
25, 16
0.88V
+
VIN
BOOST
24, 17
SHDN
CSS
14 FOLDDIS
3826 FD
3826fc
10
LTC3826
OPERATION
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
Main Control Loop
The LTC3826 uses a constant frequency, current mode
step-down architecture with the two controller channels
operating 180 degrees out of phase. During normal operation, each external top MOSFET is turned on when the clock
for that channel sets the RS latch, and is turned off when
the main current comparator, ICMP, resets the RS latch.
The peak inductor current at which ICMP trips and resets
the latch is controlled by the voltage on the ITH pin, which
is the output of the error amplifier EA. The error amplifier
compares the output voltage feedback signal at the VFB
pin, (which is generated with an external resistor divider
connected across the output voltage, VOUT, to ground) to
the internal 0.800V reference voltage. When the load current increases, it causes a slight decrease in VFB relative
to the reference, which causes the EA to increase the ITH
voltage until the average inductor current matches the
new load current.
After the top MOSFET is turned off each cycle, the bottom
MOSFET is turned on until either the inductor current starts
to reverse, as indicated by the current comparator IR, or
the beginning of the next clock cycle.
INTVCC/EXTVCC Power
Power for the top and bottom MOSFET drivers and most
other internal circuitry is derived from the INTVCC pin.
When the EXTVCC pin is left open or tied to a voltage less
than 4.7V, an internal 5.25V low dropout linear regulator
supplies INTVCC power from VIN. If EXTVCC is taken above
4.7V, the 5.25V regulator is turned off and a 7.5V low
dropout linear regulator is enabled that supplies INTVCC
power from EXTVCC. If EXTVCC is less than 7.5V (but
greater than 4.7V), the 7.5V regulator is in dropout and
INTVCC is approximately equal to EXTVCC. When EXTVCC
is greater than 7.5V (up to an absolute maximum rating
of 10V), INTVCC is regulated to 7.5V. Using the EXTVCC
pin allows the INTVCC power to be derived from a high
efficiency external source such as one of the LTC3826
switching regulator outputs.
Each top MOSFET driver is biased from the floating bootstrap capacitor CB, which normally recharges during each
off cycle through an external diode when the top MOSFET
turns off. If the input voltage VIN decreases to a voltage
close to VOUT , the loop may enter dropout and attempt
to turn on the top MOSFET continuously. The dropout
detector detects this and forces the top MOSFET off for
about one twelfth of the clock period every tenth cycle to
allow CB to recharge.
Shutdown and Start-Up (RUN1, RUN2 and TRACK/
SS1, TRACK/SS2 Pins)
The two channels of the LTC3826 can be independently
shut down using the RUN1 and RUN2 pins. Pulling either
of these pins below 0.7V shuts down the main control
loop for that controller. Pulling both pins low disables
both controllers and most internal circuits, including the
INTVCC regulator, and the LTC3826 draws only 4μA of
quiescent current.
Releasing either RUN pin allows an internal 0.5μA current
to pull up the pin and enable that controller. Alternatively,
the RUN pin may be externally pulled up or driven directly
by logic. Be careful not to exceed the Absolute Maximum
rating of 7V on this pin.
The start-up of each controller’s output voltage VOUT is
controlled by the voltage on the TRACK/SS1 and TRACK/
SS2 pin. When the voltage on the TRACK/SS pin is less
than the 0.8V internal reference, the LTC3826 regulates
the VFB voltage to the TRACK/SS pin voltage instead of the
0.8V reference. This allows the TRACK/SS pin to be used
to program a soft start by connecting an external capacitor
from the TRACK/SS pin to SGND. An internal 1μA pull-up
current charges this capacitor creating a voltage ramp on
the TRACK/SS pin. As the TRACK/SS voltage rises linearly
from 0V to 0.8V (and beyond), the output voltage VOUT
rises smoothly from zero to its final value.
Alternatively the TRACK/SS pin can be used to cause the
start-up of VOUT to “track” that of another supply. Typically, this requires connecting to the TRACK/SS pin an
3826fc
11
LTC3826
OPERATION
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
external resistor divider from the other supply to ground
(see Applications Information section).
When the corresponding RUN pin is pulled low to disable
a controller, or when VIN drops below its undervoltage
lockout threshold of 3.5V, the TRACK/SS pin is pulled low
by an internal MOSFET. When in undervoltage lockout,
both controllers are disabled and the external MOSFETs
are held off.
Light Load Current Operation (Burst Mode Operation,
Pulse Skipping, or Continuous Conduction)
(PLLIN/MODE Pin)
The LTC3826 can be enabled to enter high efficiency
Burst Mode operation, constant frequency pulse skipping
mode, or forced continuous conduction mode at low load
currents. To select Burst Mode operation, tie the PLLIN/
MODE pin to a DC voltage below 0.7V (e.g., SGND). To
select forced continuous operation, tie the PLLIN/MODE
pin to INTVCC. To select pulse-skipping mode, tie the
PLLIN/MODE pin to a DC voltage greater than 0.9V and
less than INTVCC – 1.2V.
When a controller is enabled for Burst Mode operation,
the peak current in the inductor is set to approximately
one-tenth of the maximum sense voltage even though the
voltage on the ITH pin indicates a lower value. If the average inductor current is lower than the load current, the
error amplifier EA will decrease the voltage on the ITH pin.
When the ITH voltage drops below 0.4V, the internal sleep
signal goes high (enabling “sleep” mode) and both external
MOSFETs are turned off. The ITH pin is then disconnected
from the output of the EA and “parked” at 0.425V.
In sleep mode, much of the internal circuitry is turned off,
reducing the quiescent current that the LTC3826 draws.
If one channel is shut down and the other channel is in
sleep mode, the LTC3826 draws only 30μA of quiescent
current. If both channels are in sleep mode, the LTC3826
draws only 50μA of quiescent current. In sleep mode,
the load current is supplied by the output capacitor. As
the output voltage decreases, the EA’s output begins to
rise. When the output voltage drops enough, the ITH pin
is reconnected to the output of the EA, the sleep signal
goes low, and the controller resumes normal operation
by turning on the top external MOSFET on the next cycle
of the internal oscillator.
When a controller is enabled for Burst Mode operation,
the inductor current is not allowed to reverse. The reverse
current comparator (IR) turns off the bottom external
MOSFET just before the inductor current reaches zero,
preventing it from reversing and going negative. Thus, the
controller operates in discontinuous operation.
In forced continuous operation, the inductor current is
allowed to reverse at light loads or under large transient
conditions. The peak inductor current is determined by
the voltage on the ITH pin, just as in normal operation.
In this mode, the efficiency at light loads is lower than
in Burst Mode operation. However, continuous has the
advantages of lower output ripple and less interference
to audio circuitry. In forced continuous mode, the output
ripple is independent of load current.
When the PLLIN/MODE pin is connected for pulse-skipping
mode or clocked by an external clock source to use the
phase-locked loop (see Frequency Selection and PhaseLocked Loop section), the LTC3826 operates in PWM
pulse skipping mode at light loads. In this mode, constant
frequency operation is maintained down to approximately
1% of designed maximum output current. At very light
loads, the current comparator ICMP may remain tripped for
several cycles and force the external top MOSFET to stay
off for the same number of cycles (i.e., skipping pulses).
The inductor current is not allowed to reverse (discontinuous operation). This mode, like forced continuous
operation, exhibits low output ripple as well as low audio
noise and reduced RF interference as compared to Burst
Mode operation. It provides higher low current efficiency
than forced continuous mode, but not nearly as high as
Burst Mode operation.
Frequency Selection and Phase-Locked Loop (PLLLPF
and PLLIN/MODE Pins)
The selection of switching frequency is a tradeoff between
efficiency and component size. Low frequency operation increases efficiency by reducing MOSFET switching
3826fc
12
LTC3826
OPERATION
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
losses, but requires larger inductance and/or capacitance
to maintain low output ripple voltage.
The switching frequency of the LTC3826’s controllers can
be selected using the PLLLPF pin.
If the PLLIN/MODE pin is not being driven by an external
clock source, the PLLLPF pin can be floated, tied to INTVCC,
or tied to SGND to select 390kHz, 530kHz, or 250kHz,
respectively.
A phase-locked loop (PLL) is available on the LTC3826
to synchronize the internal oscillator to an external clock
source that is connected to the PLLIN/MODE pin. In this
case, a series R-C should be connected between the
PLLLPF pin and SGND to serve as the PLL’s loop filter.
The LTC3826 phase detector adjusts the voltage on the
PLLLPF pin to align the turn-on of controller 1’s external
top MOSFET to the rising edge of the synchronizing signal.
Thus, the turn-on of controller 2’s external top MOSFET is
180 degrees out of phase to the rising edge of the external
clock source.
The typical capture range of the LTC3826’s phase-locked
loop is from approximately 115kHz to 800kHz, with a
guarantee over all manufacturing variations to be between
140kHz and 650kHz. In other words, the LTC3826’s PLL
is guaranteed to lock to an external clock source whose
frequency is between 140kHz and 650kHz.
The typical input clock thresholds on the PLLIN/MODE
pin are 1.6V (rising) and 1.2V (falling).
PolyPhase Applications (CLKOUT and PHASMD Pins)
The LTC3826 features two pins (CLKOUT and PHASMD)
that allow other controller ICs to be daisy-chained with
the LTC3826 in PolyPhase® applications. The clock output
signal on the CLKOUT pin can be used to synchronize
additional power stages in a multiphase power supply
solution feeding a single, high current output or multiple
separate outputs. The PHASMD pin is used to adjust the
phase of the CLKOUT signal as well as the relative phases
between the two internal controllers, as summarized in
Table 1. The phases are calculated relative to the zero
degrees phase being defined as the rising edge of the top
gate driver output of controller 1 (TG1).
Table 1
VPHASMD
CONTROLLER 2 PHASE
CLKOUT PHASE
GND
180°
60°
Floating
180°
90°
INTVCC
240°
120°
Output Overvoltage Protection
An overvoltage comparator guards against transient overshoots as well as other more serious conditions that may
overvoltage the output. When the VFB pin rises by more
than 10% above its regulation point of 0.800V, the top
MOSFET is turned off and the bottom MOSFET is turned
on until the overvoltage condition is cleared.
Power Good (PGOOD1 and PGOOD2) Pins
Each PGOOD pin is connected to an open drain of an
internal N-channel MOSFET. The MOSFET turns on and
pulls the PGOOD pin low when the corresponding VFB pin
voltage is not within ±10% of the 0.8V reference voltage.
The PGOOD pin is also pulled low when the corresponding
RUN pin is low (shut down). When the VFB pin voltage
is within the ±10% requirement, the MOSFET is turned
off and the pin is allowed to be pulled up by an external
resistor to a source of up to 8.5V.
Foldback Current (FOLDDIS Pin)
When the output voltage falls to less than 70% of its
nominal level, foldback current limiting is activated, progressively lowering the peak current limit in proportion to
the severity of the overcurrent or short-circuit condition.
Foldback current limiting is disabled during the soft-start
interval (as long as the VFB voltage is keeping up with the
TRACK/SS voltage) or when the FOLDDIS pin is pulled
high to INTVCC.
PolyPhase is a registered trademark of Linear Technology Corporation.
3826fc
13
LTC3826
OPERATION
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
THEORY AND BENEFITS OF 2-PHASE OPERATION
Why the need for 2-phase operation? Up until the 2-phase
family, constant-frequency dual switching regulators
operated both channels in phase (i.e., single-phase
operation). This means that both switches turned on at
the same time, causing current pulses of up to twice the
amplitude of those for one regulator to be drawn from the
input capacitor and battery. These large amplitude current
pulses increased the total RMS current flowing from the
input capacitor, requiring the use of more expensive input
capacitors and increasing both EMI and losses in the input
capacitor and battery.
With 2-phase operation, the two channels of the dualswitching regulator are operated 180 degrees out of phase.
This effectively interleaves the current pulses drawn by the
switches, greatly reducing the overlap time where they add
together. The result is a significant reduction in total RMS
input current, which in turn allows less expensive input
capacitors to be used, reduces shielding requirements for
EMI and improves real world operating efficiency.
Figure 1 compares the input waveforms for a representative single-phase dual switching regulator to the LTC3826
2-phase dual switching regulator. An actual measurement of the RMS input current under these conditions
shows that 2-phase operation dropped the input current
from 2.53ARMS to 1.55ARMS. While this is an impressive
reduction in itself, remember that the power losses are
proportional to IRMS2, meaning that the actual power wasted
is reduced by a factor of 2.66. The reduced input ripple
voltage also means less power is lost in the input power
5V SWITCH
20V/DIV
3.3V SWITCH
20V/DIV
INPUT CURRENT
5A/DIV
INPUT VOLTAGE
500mV/DIV
IIN(MEAS) = 2.53ARMS
(a)
3826 F01a
IIN(MEAS) = 1.55ARMS
3826 F01b
(b)
Figure 1. Input Waveforms Comparing Single-Phase (a) and 2-Phase (b) Operation for Dual Switching Regulators
Converting 12V to 5V and 3.3V at 3A Each. The Reduced Input Ripple with the 2-Phase Regulator Allows
Less Expensive Input Capacitors, Reduces Shielding Requirements for EMI and Improves Efficiency
3826fc
14
LTC3826
OPERATION
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
path, which could include batteries, switches, trace/connector resistances and protection circuitry. Improvements
in both conducted and radiated EMI also directly accrue as
a result of the reduced RMS input current and voltage.
Of course, the improvement afforded by 2-phase operation is a function of the dual switching regulator’s relative
duty cycles which, in turn, are dependent upon the input
voltage VIN (Duty Cycle = VOUT/VIN). Figure 2 shows how
the RMS input current varies for single-phase and 2-phase
operation for 3.3V and 5V regulators over a wide input
voltage range.
It can readily be seen that the advantages of 2-phase operation are not just limited to a narrow operating range,
for most applications is that 2-phase operation will reduce
the input capacitor requirement to that for just one channel
operating at maximum current and 50% duty cycle.
The schematic on the first page is a basic LTC3826 application circuit. External component selection is driven
by the load requirement, and begins with the selection of
RSENSE and the inductor value. Next, the power MOSFETs
are selected. Finally, CIN and COUT are selected.
3.0
SINGLE PHASE
DUAL CONTROLLER
INPUT RMS CURRENT (A)
2.5
2.0
1.5
2-PHASE
DUAL CONTROLLER
1.0
0.5
0
V01 = 5V/3A
V02 = 3.3V/3A
0
10
20
30
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
40
3826 F02
Figure 2. RMS Input Current Comparison
3826fc
15
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
RSENSE Selection for Output Current
Inductor Value Calculation
RSENSE is chosen based on the required output current.
The current comparator has a maximum threshold of
100mV/RSENSE and an input common mode range of
SGND to 10V. The current comparator threshold sets the
peak of the inductor current, yielding a maximum average
output current IMAX equal to the peak value less half the
peak-to-peak ripple current, ΔIL.
The operating frequency and inductor selection are interrelated in that higher operating frequencies allow the use
of smaller inductor and capacitor values. So why would
anyone ever choose to operate at lower frequencies with
larger components? The answer is efficiency. A higher
frequency generally results in lower efficiency because
of MOSFET gate charge losses. In addition to this basic
trade-off, the effect of inductor value on ripple current and
low current operation must also be considered.
Allowing a margin for variations in the IC and external
component values yields:
80mV
RSENSE =
IMAX
When using the controller in very low dropout conditions,
the maximum output current level will be reduced due to the
internal compensation required to meet stability criterion
for buck regulators operating at greater than 50% duty
factor. A curve is provided in the Typical Performance Characteristics section to estimate this reduction in peak output
current level depending upon the operating duty factor.
Operating Frequency and Synchronization
The choice of operating frequency, is a trade-off between
efficiency and component size. Low frequency operation
improves efficiency by reducing MOSFET switching losses,
both gate charge loss and transition loss. However, lower
frequency operation requires more inductance for a given
amount of ripple current.
The internal oscillator for each of the LTC3826’s controllers
runs at a nominal 390kHz frequency when the PLLLPF pin
is left floating and the PLLIN/MODE pin is a DC low or high.
Pulling the PLLLPF to INTVCC selects 530kHz operation;
pulling the PLLLPF to SGND selects 250kHz operation.
Alternatively, the LTC3826 will phase-lock to a clock
signal applied to the PLLIN/MODE pin with a frequency
between 140kHz and 650kHz (see Phase-Locked Loop
and Frequency Synchronization).
The inductor value has a direct effect on ripple current.
The inductor ripple current ΔIL decreases with higher
inductance or frequency and increases with higher VIN:
IL =
V 1
VOUT 1– OUT VIN (f)(L)
Accepting larger values of ΔIL allows the use of low
inductances, but results in higher output voltage ripple
and greater core losses. A reasonable starting point for
setting ripple current is ΔIL = 0.3(IMAX). The maximum
ΔIL occurs at the maximum input voltage.
The inductor value also has secondary effects. The transition to Burst Mode operation begins when the average
inductor current required results in a peak current below
10% of the current limit determined by RSENSE. Lower
inductor values (higher ΔIL) will cause this to occur at
lower load currents, which can cause a dip in efficiency in
the upper range of low current operation. In Burst Mode
operation, lower inductance values will cause the burst
frequency to decrease.
Inductor Core Selection
Once the value for L is known, the type of inductor must
be selected. High efficiency converters generally cannot
afford the core loss found in low cost powdered iron cores,
forcing the use of more expensive ferrite or molypermalloy
cores. Actual core loss is independent of core size for a
fixed inductor value, but it is very dependent on inductance
3826fc
16
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
selected. As inductance increases, core losses go down.
Unfortunately, increased inductance requires more turns
of wire and therefore copper losses will increase.
Ferrite designs have very low core loss and are preferred
at high switching frequencies, so design goals can concentrate on copper loss and preventing saturation. Ferrite
core material saturates “hard,” which means that inductance collapses abruptly when the peak design current is
exceeded. This results in an abrupt increase in inductor
ripple current and consequent output voltage ripple. Do
not allow the core to saturate!
Power MOSFET and Schottky Diode (Optional)
Selection
Two external power MOSFETs must be selected for each
controller in the LTC3826: one N-channel MOSFET for the
top (main) switch, and one N-channel MOSFET for the
bottom (synchronous) switch.
The peak-to-peak drive levels are set by the INTVCC voltage.
This voltage is typically 5V during start-up (see EXTVCC Pin
Connection). Consequently, logic-level threshold MOSFETs
must be used in most applications. The only exception
is if low input voltage is expected (VIN < 5V); then, sublogic level threshold MOSFETs (VGS(TH) < 3V) should be
used. Pay close attention to the BVDSS specification for
the MOSFETs as well; most of the logic level MOSFETs are
limited to 30V or less.
Selection criteria for the power MOSFETs include the “ON”
resistance RDS(ON), Miller capacitance CMILLER, input
voltage and maximum output current. Miller capacitance,
CMILLER, can be approximated from the gate charge curve
usually provided on the MOSFET manufacturers’ data
sheet. CMILLER is equal to the increase in gate charge
along the horizontal axis while the curve is approximately
flat divided by the specified change in VDS. This result is
then multiplied by the ratio of the application applied VDS
to the Gate charge curve specified VDS. When the IC is
operating in continuous mode the duty cycles for the top
and bottom MOSFETs are given by:
Main Switch Duty Cycle =
VOUT
VIN
Synchronous Switch Duty Cycle =
VIN – VOUT
VIN
The MOSFET power dissipations at maximum output
current are given by:
VOUT
2
IMAX ) (1+ ) RDS(ON) +
(
VIN
2 I
( VIN ) MAX
(RDR ) (CMILLER ) •
2 1
1 +
( f)
VINTVCC – VTHMIN VTHMIN PMAIN =
PSYNC =
VIN – VOUT
2
IMAX ) (1+ ) RDS(ON)
(
VIN
where δ is the temperature dependency of RDS(ON) and
RDR (approximately 2Ω) is the effective driver resistance
at the MOSFET’s Miller threshold voltage. VTHMIN is the
typical MOSFET minimum threshold voltage.
Both MOSFETs have I2R losses while the topside N-channel
equation includes an additional term for transition losses,
which are highest at high input voltages. For VIN < 20V
the high current efficiency generally improves with larger
MOSFETs, while for VIN > 20V the transition losses rapidly
increase to the point that the use of a higher RDS(ON) device
with lower CMILLER actually provides higher efficiency. The
synchronous MOSFET losses are greatest at high input
voltage when the top switch duty factor is low or during
a short-circuit when the synchronous switch is on close
to 100% of the period.
3826fc
17
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
The term (1 + δ) is generally given for a MOSFET in the
form of a normalized RDS(ON) vs Temperature curve, but
δ = 0.005/°C can be used as an approximation for low
voltage MOSFETs.
The optional Schottky diodes D3 and D4 shown in Figure 14
conduct during the dead-time between the conduction of
the two power MOSFETs. This prevents the body diode of
the bottom MOSFET from turning on, storing charge during
the dead-time and requiring a reverse recovery period that
could cost as much as 3% in efficiency at high VIN. A 1A
to 3A Schottky is generally a good compromise for both
regions of operation due to the relatively small average
current. Larger diodes result in additional transition losses
due to their larger junction capacitance.
CIN and COUT Selection
The selection of CIN is simplified by the 2-phase architecture and its impact on the worst-case RMS current drawn
through the input network (battery/fuse/capacitor). It can be
shown that the worst-case capacitor RMS current occurs
when only one controller is operating. The controller with
the highest (VOUT)(IOUT) product needs to be used in the
formula below to determine the maximum RMS capacitor
current requirement. Increasing the output current drawn
from the other controller will actually decrease the input
RMS ripple current from its maximum value. The out-ofphase technique typically reduces the input capacitor’s RMS
ripple current by a factor of 30% to 70% when compared
to a single phase power supply solution.
In continuous mode, the source current of the top MOSFET
is a square wave of duty cycle (VOUT)/(VIN). To prevent
large voltage transients, a low ESR capacitor sized for the
maximum RMS current of one channel must be used. The
maximum RMS capacitor current is given by:
CIN Required IRMS IMAX 1/2
V
V
–
V
(
)
(
)
OUT
IN
OUT
VIN This formula has a maximum at VIN = 2VOUT, where IRMS
= IOUT/2. This simple worst-case condition is commonly
used for design because even significant deviations do not
offer much relief. Note that capacitor manufacturers’ ripple
current ratings are often based on only 2000 hours of life.
This makes it advisable to further derate the capacitor, or
to choose a capacitor rated at a higher temperature than
required. Several capacitors may be paralleled to meet
size or height requirements in the design. Due to the high
operating frequency of the LTC3826, ceramic capacitors
can also be used for CIN. Always consult the manufacturer
if there is any question.
The benefit of the LTC3826 2-phase operation can be calculated by using the equation above for the higher power
controller and then calculating the loss that would have
resulted if both controller channels switched on at the same
time. The total RMS power lost is lower when both controllers are operating due to the reduced overlap of current
pulses required through the input capacitor’s ESR. This is
why the input capacitor’s requirement calculated above for
the worst-case controller is adequate for the dual controller
design. Also, the input protection fuse resistance, battery
resistance, and PC board trace resistance losses are also
reduced due to the reduced peak currents in a 2-phase
system. The overall benefit of a multiphase design will
only be fully realized when the source impedance of the
power supply/battery is included in the efficiency testing.
The sources of the top MOSFETs should be placed within
1cm of each other and share a common CIN(s). Separating
the sources and CIN may produce undesirable voltage and
current resonances at VIN.
A small (0.1μF to 1μF) bypass capacitor between the chip VIN
pin and ground, placed close to the LTC3826, is also suggested. A 10Ω resistor placed between CIN (C1) and the VIN
pin provides further isolation between the two channels.
The selection of COUT is driven by the effective series
resistance (ESR). Typically, once the ESR requirement
is satisfied, the capacitance is adequate for filtering. The
output ripple (ΔVOUT) is approximated by:
1 VOUT IRIPPLE ESR +
8fCOUT 3826fc
18
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Setting Output Voltage
The LTC3826 output voltages are each set by an external
feedback resistor divider carefully placed across the output, as shown in Figure 3. The regulated output voltage
is determined by:
VOUT
R = 0.8V • 1+ B RA 60
30
0
INPUT BIAS CURRENT (μA)
where f is the operating frequency, COUT is the output
capacitance and IRIPPLE is the ripple current in the inductor. The output ripple is highest at maximum input voltage
since IRIPPLE increases with input voltage.
–30
–60
–90
–120
–150
–180
–210
–240
–270
–300
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
VSENSE COMMON MODE VOLTAGE (V)
10
3826 F04
To improve the frequency response, a feed-forward capacitor, CFF, may be used. Great care should be taken to
route the VFB line away from noise sources, such as the
inductor or the SW line.
Figure 4. SENSE PIns Input Bias Current
vs Common Mode (Output) Voltage
1/2 LTC3826
TRACK/SS
CSS
SGND
SENSE+ and SENSE– Pins
3826 F05
The common mode input range of the current comparator
is from 0V to 10V. Continuous linear operation is provided
throughout this range allowing output voltages from 0.8V
to 10V. The input stage of the current comparator requires
that current either be sourced or sunk from the SENSE pins
depending on the output voltage, as shown in the curve in
Figure 4. If the output voltage is below 1.5V, current will
flow out of both SENSE pins to the main output. In these
cases, the output can be easily pre-loaded by the VOUT
VOUT
1/2 LTC3826
RB
CFF
VFB
RA
3826 F03
Figure 3. Setting the Output Voltage
Figure 5. Using the TRACK/SS Pin to Program Soft-Start
resistor divider to compensate for the current comparator’s
negative input bias current. Since VFB is servoed to the
0.8V reference voltage, RA in Figure 3 should be chosen
to be less than 0.8V/ISENSE, with ISENSE determined from
Figure 4 at the specified output voltage.
Tracking and Soft-Start (TRACK/SS Pins)
The start-up of each VOUT is controlled by the voltage on
the respective TRACK/SS pin. When the voltage on the
TRACK/SS pin is less than the internal 0.8V reference,
the LTC3826 regulates the VFB pin voltage to the voltage
on the TRACK/SS pin instead of 0.8V. The TRACK/SS pin
can be used to program an external soft-start function or
to allow VOUT to “track” another supply during start-up.
Soft-start is enabled by simply connecting a capacitor
from the TRACK/SS pin to ground, as shown in Figure 5.
An internal 1μA current source charges up the capacitor,
providing a linear ramping voltage at the TRACK/SS pin.
3826fc
19
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
The LTC3826 will regulate the VFB pin (and hence VOUT)
according to the voltage on the TRACK/SS pin, allowing
VOUT to rise smoothly from 0V to its final regulated value.
The total soft-start time will be approximately:
tSS = CSS •
Vx VOUT
RB
1/2 LTC3826
VFB
RA
RTRACKB
0.8 V
1µA
TRACK/SS
RTRACKA
Alternatively, the TRACK/SS pin can be used to track two
(or more) supplies during start-up, as shown qualitatively
in Figures 6a and 6b. To do this, a resistor divider should
be connected from the master supply (VX) to the TRACK/
SS pin of the slave supply (VOUT), as shown in Figure 7.
3826 F07
Figure 7. Using the TRACK/SS Pin for Tracking
During start-up VOUT will track VX according to the ratio
set by the resistor divider:
VX
RA
R
+ R TRACKB
=
• TRACKA
VOUT R TRACKA
R A + RB
OUTPUT VOLTAGE
VX (MASTER)
For coincident tracking (VOUT = VX during start-up),
RA = RTRACKA
RB = RTRACKB
VOUT (SLAVE)
INTVCC Regulators
TIME
3826 F06a
(6a) Coincident Tracking
OUTPUT VOLTAGE
VX (MASTER)
VOUT (SLAVE)
TIME
3826 F06b
(6b) Ratiometric Tracking
Figure 6. Two Different Modes of Output Voltage Tracking
The LTC3826 features two separate internal P-channel low
dropout linear regulators (LDO) that supply power at the
INTVCC pin from either the VIN supply pin or the EXTVCC
pin, respectively, depending on the connection of the
EXTVCC pin. INTVCC powers the gate drivers and much of
the LTC3826’s internal circuitry. The VIN LDO regulates
the voltage at the INTVCC pin to 5.25V and the EXTVCC
LDO regulates it to 7.5V. Each of these can supply a peak
current of 50mA and must be bypassed to ground with a
minimum of 4.7μF ceramic capacitor. The ceramic capacitor
placed directly adjacent to the INTVCC and PGND IC pins is
highly recommended. Good bypassing is needed to supply
the high transient currents required by the MOSFET gate
drivers and to prevent interaction between the channels.
High input voltage applications in which large MOSFETs
are being driven at high frequencies may cause the maximum junction temperature rating for the LTC3826 to be
exceeded. The INTVCC current, which is dominated by the
3826fc
20
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
gate charge current, may be supplied by either the 5.25V
VIN LDO or the 7.5V EXTVCC LDO. When the voltage on
the EXTVCC pin is less than 4.7V, the VIN LDO is enabled.
Power dissipation for the IC in this case is highest and is
equal to VIN • INTVCC. The gate charge current is dependent on operating frequency as discussed in the Efficiency
Considerations section. The junction temperature can be
estimated by using the equations given in Note 2 of the
Electrical Characteristics. For example, the LTC3826 INTVCC
current is limited to less than 24mA from a 24V supply when
in the G package and not using the EXTVCC supply:
TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(24V)(95°C/W) = 125°C
To prevent the maximum junction temperature from being
exceeded, the input supply current must be checked while
operating in continuous conduction mode (PLLIN/MODE
= INTVCC) at maximum VIN.
When the voltage applied to EXTVCC rises above 4.7V, the
VIN LDO is turned off and the EXTVCC LDO is enabled. The
EXTVCC LDO remains on as long as the voltage applied to
EXTVCC remains above 4.5V. The EXTVCC LDO attempts
to regulate the INTVCC voltage to 7.5V, so while EXTVCC
is less than 7.5V, the LDO is in dropout and the INTVCC
voltage is approximately equal to EXTVCC. When EXTVCC
is greater than 7.5V up to an absolute maximum of 10V,
INTVCC is regulated to 7.5V.
Using the EXTVCC LDO allows the MOSFET driver and
control power to be derived from one of the LTC3826’s
switching regulator outputs (4.7V ≤ VOUT ≤ 10V) during
normal operation and from the VIN LDO when the output
is out of regulation (e.g., startup, short-circuit). If more
current is required through the EXTVCC LDO than is specified, an external Schottky diode can be added between the
EXTVCC and INTVCC pins. Do not apply more than 10V to
the EXTVCC pin and make sure than EXTVCC ≤ VIN.
Significant efficiency and thermal gains can be realized
by powering INTVCC from the output, since the VIN current resulting from the driver and control currents will be
scaled by a factor of (Duty Cycle)/(Switcher Efficiency). For
5V to 10V regulator outputs, this means connecting the
EXTVCC pin directly to VOUT. Tying the EXTVCC pin to a 5V
supply reduces the junction temperature in the previous
example from 125°C to:
TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(5V)(95°C/W) = 81°C
However, for 3.3V and other low voltage outputs, additional circuitry is required to derive INTVCC power from
the output.
The following list summarizes the four possible connections for EXTVCC:
1. EXTVCC Left Open (or Grounded). This will cause
INTVCC to be powered from the internal 5.25V regulator
resulting in an efficiency penalty of up to 10% at high
input voltages.
2. EXTVCC Connected directly to VOUT . This is the normal
connection for a 5V to 10V regulator and provides the
highest efficiency.
3. EXTVCC Connected to an External supply. If an external
supply is available in the 5V to 10V range, it may be
used to power EXTVCC providing it is compatible with
the MOSFET gate drive requirements.
4. EXTVCC Connected to an Output-Derived Boost Network.
For 3.3V and other low voltage regulators, efficiency
gains can still be realized by connecting EXTVCC to an
output-derived voltage that has been boosted to greater
than 4.7V. This can be done with the capacitive charge
pump shown in Figure 8.
VIN
CIN
1μF
+
BAT85
VIN
0.22μF
BAT85
LTC3826
N-CH
EXTVCC
BAT85
VN2222LL
TG1
RSENSE
VOUT
SW
L1
+
COUT
BG1
N-CH
PGND
3826 F08
Figure 8. Capacitive Charge Pump for EXTVCC
3826fc
21
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Topside MOSFET Driver Supply (CB, DB)
Fault Conditions: Overvoltage Protection (Crowbar)
External bootstrap capacitors CB connected to the
BOOST pins supply the gate drive voltages for the topside MOSFETs. Capacitor CB in the Functional Diagram
is charged though external diode DB from INTVCC when
the SW pin is low. When one of the topside MOSFETs is
to be turned on, the driver places the CB voltage across
the gate-source of the desired MOSFET. This enhances
the MOSFET and turns on the topside switch. The switch
node voltage, SW, rises to VIN and the BOOST pin follows.
With the topside MOSFET on, the boost voltage is above
the input supply: VBOOST = VIN + VINTVCC. The value of the
boost capacitor CB needs to be 100 times that of the total
input capacitance of the topside MOSFET(s). The reverse
breakdown of the external Schottky diode must be greater
than VIN(MAX). When adjusting the gate drive level, the
final arbiter is the total input current for the regulator. If
a change is made and the input current decreases, then
the efficiency has improved. If there is no change in input
current, then there is no change in efficiency.
The overvoltage crowbar is designed to blow a system
input fuse when the output voltage of the regulator rises
much higher than nominal levels. The crowbar causes huge
currents to flow, that blow the fuse to protect against a
shorted top MOSFET if the short occurs while the controller is operating.
A comparator monitors the output for overvoltage conditions. The comparator (OV) detects overvoltage faults
greater than 10% above the nominal output voltage. When
this condition is sensed, the top MOSFET is turned off and
the bottom MOSFET is turned on until the overvoltage
condition is cleared. The bottom MOSFET remains on
continuously for as long as the OV condition persists; if
VOUT returns to a safe level, normal operation automatically resumes. A shorted top MOSFET will result in a high
current condition which will open the system fuse. The
switching regulator will regulate properly with a leaky
top MOSFET by altering the duty cycle to accommodate
the leakage.
Fault Conditions: Current Limit and Current Foldback
Phase-Locked Loop and Frequency Synchronization
The LTC3826 includes current foldback to help limit load
current when the output is shorted to ground. If the output falls below 70% of its nominal output level, then the
maximum sense voltage is progressively lowered from
100mV to 30mV. Under short-circuit conditions with very
low duty cycles, the LTC3826 will begin cycle skipping in
order to limit the short-circuit current. In this situation the
bottom MOSFET will be dissipating most of the power but
less than in normal operation. The short-circuit ripple current is determined by the minimum on-time tON(MIN) of the
LTC3826 (≈230ns), the input voltage and inductor value:
The LTC3826 has a phase-locked loop (PLL) comprised of
an internal voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a phase
detector. This allows the turn-on of the top MOSFET of
controller 1 to be locked to the rising edge of an external
clock signal applied to the PLLIN/MODE pin. The turn-on
of controller 2’s top MOSFET is thus 180 degrees out of
phase with the external clock. The phase detector is an
edge sensitive digital type that provides zero degrees
phase shift between the external and internal oscillators.
This type of phase detector does not exhibit false lock to
harmonics of the external clock.
ΔIL(SC) = tON(MIN) (VIN/L)
The resulting short-circuit current is:
ISC =
30mV 1
– IL(SC)
R SENSE 2
The output of the phase detector is a pair of complementary current sources that charge or discharge the
external filter network connected to the PLLLPF pin. The
relationship between the voltage on the PLLLPF pin and
operating frequency, when there is a clock signal applied
3826fc
22
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
to PLLIN/MODE, is shown in Figure 9 and specified in the
Electrical Characteristics table. Note that the LTC3826 can
only be synchronized to an external clock whose frequency
is within range of the LTC3826’s internal VCO, which is
nominally 115kHz to 800kHz. This is guaranteed to be
between 140kHz and 650kHz. A simplified block diagram
is shown in Figure 10.
acquires lock. Typically RLP = 10k and CLP is 2200pF to
0.01μF.
If the external clock frequency is greater than the internal
oscillator’s frequency, fOSC, then current is sourced continuously from the phase detector output, pulling up the
PLLLPF pin. When the external clock frequency is less
than fOSC, current is sunk continuously, pulling down
the PLLLPF pin. If the external and internal frequencies
are the same but exhibit a phase difference, the current
sources turn on for an amount of time corresponding to
the phase difference. The voltage on the PLLLPF pin is
adjusted until the phase and frequency of the internal and
external oscillators are identical. At the stable operating
point, the phase detector output is high impedance and
the filter capacitor CLP holds the voltage.
Table 2
The loop filter components, CLP and RLP , smooth out
the current pulses from the phase detector and provide a
stable input to the voltage-controlled oscillator. The filter
components CLP and RLP determine how fast the loop
Typically, the external clock (on PLLIN/MODE pin) input high
threshold is 1.6V, while the input low threshold is 1.2V.
Table 2 summarizes the different states in which the
PLLLPF pin can be used.
PLLLPF PIN
PLLIN/MODE PIN
FREQUENCY
DC Voltage
250kHz
0V
Floating
DC Voltage
390kHz
INTVCC
DC Voltage
530kHz
RC Loop Filter
Clock Signal
Phase-Locked to External Clock
Minimum On-Time Considerations
Minimum on-time tON(MIN) is the smallest time duration
that the LTC3826 is capable of turning on the top MOSFET.
It is determined by internal timing delays and the gate
charge required to turn on the top MOSFET. Low duty
cycle applications may approach this minimum on-time
limit and care should be taken to ensure that:
t ON(MIN) <
VOUT
VIN( f)
900
2.4V
800
RLP
FREQUENCY (kHz)
700
CLP
600
PLLIN/
MODE
500
EXTERNAL
OSCILLATOR
400
300
PLLLPF
DIGITAL
PHASE/
FREQUENCY
DETECTOR
OSCILLATOR
200
100
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
PLLLPF VOLTAGE (V)
2
2.5
3826 F09
3826 F10
Figure 10. Phase-Locked Loop Block Diagram
Figure 9. Relationship Between Oscillator Frequency and Voltage
at the PLLLPF Pin When Synchronizing to an External Clock
3826fc
23
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
If the duty cycle falls below what can be accommodated
by the minimum on-time, the controller will begin to skip
cycles. The output voltage will continue to be regulated,
but the ripple voltage and current will increase.
The minimum on-time for the LTC3826 is approximately
230ns. However, as the peak sense voltage decreases
the minimum on-time gradually increases up to about
250ns. This is of particular concern in forced continuous
applications with low ripple current at light loads. If the
duty cycle drops below the minimum on-time limit in this
situation, a significant amount of cycle skipping can occur
with correspondingly larger current and voltage ripple.
Efficiency Considerations
The percent efficiency of a switching regulator is equal to
the output power divided by the input power times 100%.
It is often useful to analyze individual losses to determine
what is limiting the efficiency and which change would
produce the most improvement. Percent efficiency can
be expressed as:
%Efficiency = 100% – (L1 + L2 + L3 + ...)
where L1, L2, etc. are the individual losses as a percentage of input power.
Although all dissipative elements in the circuit produce
losses, four main sources usually account for most of the
losses in LTC3826 circuits: 1) IC VIN current, 2) INTVCC
regulator current, 3) I2R losses, 4) Topside MOSFET
transition losses.
1. The VIN current has two components: the first is the
DC supply current given in the Electrical Characteristics
table, which excludes MOSFET driver and control currents; the second is the current drawn from the 3.3V
linear regulator output. VIN current typically results in
a small (<0.1%) loss.
MOSFETs. Each time a MOSFET gate is switched from
low to high to low again, a packet of charge dQ moves
from INTVCC to ground. The resulting dQ/dt is a current out of INTVCC that is typically much larger than the
control circuit current. In continuous mode, IGATECHG
= f(QT+QB), where QT and QB are the gate charges of
the topside and bottom side MOSFETs.
Supplying INTVCC power through the EXTVCC switch
input from an output-derived source will scale the VIN
current required for the driver and control circuits by
a factor of (Duty Cycle)/(Efficiency). For example, in a
20V to 5V application, 10mA of INTVCC current results
in approximately 2.5mA of VIN current. This reduces
the mid-current loss from 10% or more (if the driver
was powered directly from VIN) to only a few percent.
3. I2R losses are predicted from the DC resistances of the
fuse (if used), MOSFET, inductor, current sense resistor, and input and output capacitor ESR. In continuous
mode the average output current flows through L and
RSENSE, but is “chopped” between the topside MOSFET
and the synchronous MOSFET. If the two MOSFETs have
approximately the same RDS(ON), then the resistance
of one MOSFET can simply be summed with the resistances of L, RSENSE and ESR to obtain I2R losses. For
example, if each RDS(ON) = 30mΩ, RL = 50mΩ, RSENSE
= 10mΩ and RESR = 40mΩ (sum of both input and
output capacitance losses), then the total resistance
is 130mΩ. This results in losses ranging from 3% to
13% as the output current increases from 1A to 5A for
a 5V output, or a 4% to 20% loss for a 3.3V output.
Efficiency varies as the inverse square of VOUT for the
same external components and output power level. The
combined effects of increasingly lower output voltages
and higher currents required by high performance digital
systems is not doubling but quadrupling the importance
of loss terms in the switching regulator system!
2. INTVCC current is the sum of the MOSFET driver and
control currents. The MOSFET driver current results
from switching the gate capacitance of the power
3826fc
24
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
4. Transition losses apply only to the topside MOSFET(s),
and become significant only when operating at high
input voltages (typically 15V or greater). Transition
losses can be estimated from:
Transition Loss = (1.7) VIN2 IO(MAX) CRSS f
Other “hidden” losses such as copper trace and internal
battery resistances can account for an additional 5% to
10% efficiency degradation in portable systems. It is very
important to include these “system” level losses during
the design phase. The internal battery and fuse resistance
losses can be minimized by making sure that CIN has adequate charge storage and very low ESR at the switching
frequency. A 25W supply will typically require a minimum of
20μF to 40μF of capacitance having a maximum of 20mΩ to
50mΩ of ESR. The LTC3728L 2-phase architecture typically
halves this input capacitance requirement over competing
solutions. Other losses including Schottky conduction
losses during dead-time and inductor core losses generally
account for less than 2% total additional loss.
Checking Transient Response
The regulator loop response can be checked by looking at
the load current transient response. Switching regulators
take several cycles to respond to a step in DC (resistive)
load current. When a load step occurs, VOUT shifts by an
amount equal to ΔILOAD (ESR), where ESR is the effective
series resistance of COUT . ΔILOAD also begins to charge or
discharge COUT generating the feedback error signal that
forces the regulator to adapt to the current change and
return VOUT to its steady-state value. During this recovery time VOUT can be monitored for excessive overshoot
or ringing, which would indicate a stability problem.
OPTI-LOOP compensation allows the transient response
to be optimized over a wide range of output capacitance
and ESR values. The availability of the ITH pin not only
allows optimization of control loop behavior but also provides a DC coupled and AC filtered closed loop response
test point. The DC step, rise time and settling at this test
point truly reflects the closed loop response. Assuming a
predominantly second order system, phase margin and/or
damping factor can be estimated using the percentage of
overshoot seen at this pin. The bandwidth can also be
estimated by examining the rise time at the pin. The ITH
external components shown in Figure 13 circuit will provide
an adequate starting point for most applications.
The ITH series RC-CC filter sets the dominant pole-zero
loop compensation. The values can be modified slightly
(from 0.5 to 2 times their suggested values) to optimize
transient response once the final PC layout is done and
the particular output capacitor type and value have been
determined. The output capacitors need to be selected
because the various types and values determine the loop
gain and phase. An output current pulse of 20% to 80%
of full-load current having a rise time of 1μs to 10μs will
produce output voltage and ITH pin waveforms that will
give a sense of the overall loop stability without breaking the feedback loop. Placing a power MOSFET directly
across the output capacitor and driving the gate with an
appropriate signal generator is a practical way to produce
a realistic load step condition. The initial output voltage
step resulting from the step change in output current may
not be within the bandwidth of the feedback loop, so this
signal cannot be used to determine phase margin. This
is why it is better to look at the ITH pin signal which is in
the feedback loop and is the filtered and compensated
control loop response. The gain of the loop will be increased by increasing RC and the bandwidth of the loop
will be increased by decreasing CC. If RC is increased by
the same factor that CC is decreased, the zero frequency
will be kept the same, thereby keeping the phase shift the
3826fc
25
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
same in the most critical frequency range of the feedback
loop. The output voltage settling behavior is related to the
stability of the closed-loop system and will demonstrate
the actual overall supply performance.
A second, more severe transient is caused by switching
in loads with large (>1μF) supply bypass capacitors. The
discharged bypass capacitors are effectively put in parallel
with COUT , causing a rapid drop in VOUT. No regulator can
alter its delivery of current quickly enough to prevent this
sudden step change in output voltage if the load switch
resistance is low and it is driven quickly. If the ratio of
CLOAD to COUT is greater than 1:50, the switch rise time
should be controlled so that the load rise time is limited
to approximately 25 • CLOAD. Thus a 10μF capacitor would
require a 250μs rise time, limiting the charging current
to about 200mA.
Design Example
As a design example for one channel, assume VIN = 12V
(nominal), VIN = 22V (max), VOUT = 1.8V, IMAX = 5A, and
f = 250kHz.
The inductance value is chosen first based on a 30% ripple
current assumption. The highest value of ripple current
occurs at the maximum input voltage. Tie the PLLLPF
pin to GND, generating 250kHz operation. The minimum
inductance for 30% ripple current is:
V
V
IL = OUT 1– OUT (f)(L) VIN VOUT
VIN(MAX )f
=
R SENSE 80mV
0.012
5.84A
Choosing 1% resistors: R1 = 25.5k and R2 = 32.4k yields
an output voltage of 1.816V.
The power dissipation on the top side MOSFET can be easily
estimated. Choosing a Fairchild FDS6982S dual MOSFET
results in: RDS(ON) = 0.035Ω/0.022Ω, CMILLER = 215pF. At
maximum input voltage with T(estimated) = 50°C:
1.8V 2 (5) 1+ (0.005)(50°C – 25°C) •
22V
2 5A (0.035) + (22V ) 2 (4) (215pF ) •
1
1 +
(300kHz ) = 332mW
5 2.3 2.3 PMAIN =
A short-circuit to ground will result in a folded back current of:
ISC =
25mV 1 120ns (22V ) = 2.1A
– 0.01 2 3.3μH with a typical value of RDS(ON) and δ = (0.005/°C)(20) = 0.1.
The resulting power dissipated in the bottom MOSFET is:
22V – 1.8V
2
2.1A ) (1.125) (0.022)
(
22V
= 100mW
PSYNC =
A 4.7μH inductor will produce 23% ripple current and a
3.3μH will result in 33%. The peak inductor current will
be the maximum DC value plus one half the ripple current, or 5.84A, for the 3.3μH value. Increasing the ripple
current will also help ensure that the minimum on-time
of 230ns is not violated. The minimum on-time occurs at
maximum VIN:
t ON(MIN) =
The RSENSE resistor value can be calculated by using the
maximum current sense voltage specification with some
accommodation for tolerances:
which is less than under full-load conditions.
1 . 8V
= 327n s
22V(250kHz)
3826fc
26
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
CIN is chosen for an RMS current rating of at least 3A at
temperature assuming only this channel is on. COUT is
chosen with an ESR of 0.02Ω for low output ripple. The
output ripple in continuous mode will be highest at the
maximum input voltage. The output voltage ripple due to
ESR is approximately:
VORIPPLE = RESR (ΔIL) = 0.02Ω(1.67A) = 33mVP-P
PC Board Layout Checklist
When laying out the printed circuit board, the following
checklist should be used to ensure proper operation of
ITH1
TRACK/SS1
LTC3826
PGOOD2
VFB1
PGOOD1
the IC. These items are also illustrated graphically in the
layout diagram of Figure 11. Figure 12 illustrates the current
waveforms present in the various branches of the 2-phase
synchronous regulators operating in the continuous mode.
Check the following in your layout:
1. Are the top N-channel MOSFETs M1 and M3 located
within 1cm of each other with a common drain connection at CIN? Do not attempt to split the input decoupling
for the two channels as it can cause a large resonant
loop.
RPU2
VPULL-UP
(<8.5V)
PGOOD2
RPU1
VPULL-UP
(<8.5V)
PGOOD1
L1
SENSE1+
TG1
SENSE1–
SW1
VOUT1
CB1
PHASMD
M1
BOOST1
RUN1
COUT1
VIN
CVIN
VIN
SENSE2+
BG2
CINTVCC
+
INTVCC
CIN
COUT2
1μF
CERAMIC
M3
BOOST2
GND
+
EXTVCC
SENSE2–
VFB2
RIN
PGND
RUN2
SGND
+
PLLIN/MODE
D1
1μF
CERAMIC
BG1
CLKOUT
fIN
M2
+
PLLLPF
RSENSE
M4
D2
CB2
ITH2
TRACK/SS2
SW2
RSENSE
TG2
FOLDIS
VOUT2
L2
3826 F11
Figure 11. Recommended Printed Circuit Layout Diagram
3826fc
27
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
2. Are the signal and power grounds kept separate? The
combined IC signal ground pin and the ground return
of CINTVCC must return to the combined COUT (–) terminals. The path formed by the top N-channel MOSFET,
Schottky diode and the CIN capacitor should have short
SW1
leads and PC trace lengths. The output capacitor (–)
terminals should be connected as close as possible
to the (–) terminals of the input capacitor by placing
the capacitors next to each other and away from the
Schottky loop described above.
L1
D1
RSENSE1
VOUT1
COUT1
RL1
VIN
RIN
CIN
SW2
BOLD LINES INDICATE
HIGH SWITCHING
CURRENT. KEEP LINES
TO A MINIMUM LENGTH.
D2
L2
RSENSE2
VOUT2
COUT2
RL2
3826 F12
Figure 12. Branch Current Wavefoms
3826fc
28
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
3. Do the LTC3826 VFB pins’ resistive dividers connect to
the (+) terminals of COUT? The resistive divider must be
connected between the (+) terminal of COUT and signal
ground. The feedback resistor connections should not
be along the high current input feeds from the input
capacitor(s).
4. Are the SENSE– and SENSE+ leads routed together with
minimum PC trace spacing? The filter capacitor between
SENSE+ and SENSE– should be as close as possible
to the IC. Ensure accurate current sensing with Kelvin
connections at the SENSE resistor.
5. Is the INTVCC decoupling capacitor connected close to
the IC, between the INTVCC and the power ground pins?
This capacitor carries the MOSFET drivers current peaks.
An additional 1μF ceramic capacitor placed immediately
next to the INTVCC and PGND pins can help improve
noise performance substantially.
6. Keep the switching nodes (SW1, SW2), top gate nodes
(TG1, TG2), and boost nodes (BOOST1, BOOST2) away
from sensitive small-signal nodes, especially from
the opposites channel’s voltage and current sensing
feedback pins. All of these nodes have very large and
fast moving signals and therefore should be kept on
the “output side” of the LTC3826 and occupy minimum
PC trace area.
7. Use a modified “star ground” technique: a low impedance, large copper area central grounding point on
the same side of the PC board as the input and output
capacitors with tie-ins for the bottom of the INTVCC
decoupling capacitor, the bottom of the voltage feedback
resistive divider and the SGND pin of the IC.
PC Board Layout Debugging
Start with one controller on at a time. It is helpful to use
a DC-50MHz current probe to monitor the current in the
inductor while testing the circuit. Monitor the output
switching node (SW pin) to synchronize the oscilloscope
to the internal oscillator and probe the actual output voltage
as well. Check for proper performance over the operating
voltage and current range expected in the application. The
frequency of operation should be maintained over the input
voltage range down to dropout and until the output load
drops below the low current operation threshold—typically 10% of the maximum designed current level in Burst
Mode operation.
The duty cycle percentage should be maintained from cycle
to cycle in a well-designed, low noise PCB implementation.
Variation in the duty cycle at a subharmonic rate can suggest noise pickup at the current or voltage sensing inputs
or inadequate loop compensation. Overcompensation of
the loop can be used to tame a poor PC layout if regulator bandwidth optimization is not required. Only after
each controller is checked for its individual performance
should both controllers be turned on at the same time.
A particularly difficult region of operation is when one
controller channel is nearing its current comparator trip
point when the other channel is turning on its top MOSFET.
This occurs around 50% duty cycle on either channel due
to the phasing of the internal clocks and may cause minor
duty cycle jitter.
Reduce VIN from its nominal level to verify operation of
the regulator in dropout. Check the operation of the under-voltage lockout circuit by further lowering VIN while
monitoring the outputs to verify operation.
3826fc
29
LTC3826
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Investigate whether any problems exist only at higher output currents or only at higher input voltages. If problems
coincide with high input voltages and low output currents,
look for capacitive coupling between the BOOST, SW, TG,
and possibly BG connections and the sensitive voltage
and current pins. The capacitor placed across the current
sensing pins needs to be placed immediately adjacent to
the pins of the IC. This capacitor helps to minimize the
effects of differential noise injection due to high frequency
capacitive coupling. If problems are encountered with
high current output loading at lower input voltages, look
for inductive coupling between CIN, Schottky and the top
MOSFET components to the sensitive current and voltage
sensing traces. In addition, investigate common ground
path voltage pickup between these components and the
SGND pin of the IC.
An embarrassing problem, which can be missed in an
otherwise properly working switching regulator, results
when the current sensing leads are hooked up backwards.
The output voltage under this improper hookup will still
be maintained but the advantages of current mode control
will not be realized. Compensation of the voltage loop will
be much more sensitive to component selection. This
behavior can be investigated by temporarily shorting out
the current sensing resistor—don’t worry, the regulator
will still maintain control of the output voltage.
3826fc
30
LTC3826
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
CSS1
0.01μF
CITH1A
180pF
CITH1
560pF
39pF
RITH1
34k
RB1
215k
LTC3826
TRACK/SS1
ITH1
RA1
68.1k
PGOOD2
VFB1
C1
470pF
100k
100k
PGOOD1
SENSE1+
TG1
–
SW1
SENSE1
MTOP1 L1
2.2μH
PHASMD
COUT1
150μF
BG1
CLKOUT
MBOT1
D1
PLLIN/MODE
SGND
VIN
VIN
12V
PGND
CIN1
10μF
RUN1
RA2
22.1k
CITH2
330pF
RITH2
52.3k
CITH2A
56pF
RB2
215k
VOUT1
3.3V
5A
CB1 0.47μF
BOOST1
PLLLPF
C2
470pF
RSNS1
12mΩ
RUN2
EXTVCC
SENSE2–
INTVCC
SENSE2+
BG2
VFB2
BOOST2
ITH2
SW2
TRACK/SS2
TG2
CSS2
0.01μF
CINT2
4.7μF
CIN2
10μF
D2
MTOP2 L2
7.2μH
RSNS2
15mΩ
VOUT2
8.5V
COUT2 3.5A
150μF
FOLDDIS
MBOT2
39pF
3826 TA02
MTOP1, MTOP2, MBOT1, MBOT2: Si7848DP
L1: CDEP105-2R2M
L2: CDEP105-7R2M
COUT1, COUT2 = SANYO 10TPD150M
Efficiency vs Output Current
100
90
Start-Up
VOUT = 3.3V
VOUT = 8.5V
SW Node Waveform
VOUT2, 2V/DIV
80
VOUT1, 2V/DIV
EFFICIENCY (%)
70
SW1
5V/DIV
SW2
5V/DIV
60
50
40
3826 F13b
30
3826 F13c
20
10
0
0.000001 0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1
OUTPUT CURRENT (A)
1
10
3826 F13a
Figure 13. High Efficiency Dual 8.5V/3.3V Step-Down Converter
3826fc
31
LTC3826
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
High Efficiency Dual 5V/9.5V Step-Down Converter
CSS1
0.01μF
CITH1A
100pF
CITH1
470pF
RITH1
24.2k
39pF
RB1
365k
LTC3826
ITH1
RA1
69.8k
TRACK/SS1
PGOOD2
VFB1
C1
1nF
PGOOD1
SENSE1+
TG1
SENSE1–
SW1
PLLLPF
PHASMD
SGND
MTOP1 L1
3.3μH
RA2
39.2k
COUT1
150μF
BG1
MBOT1
D1
VIN
VIN
12V
PGND
RUN2
EXTVCC
SENSE2–
INTVCC
SENSE2+
BG2
VFB2
VOUT1
5V
5A
CB1 0.47μF
CIN1
10μF
RUN1
C2
1nF
RSNS1
12mΩ
BOOST1
CLKOUT
PLLIN/MODE
100k
100k
CIN2
10μF
CINT2
4.7μF
D2 CB2
0.47μF
BOOST2
22pF
CITH2
330pF
SW2
RITH2
105k
CITH2A
68pF
ITH2
RB2
432k
TRACK/SS2
TG2
MTOP2
FOLDDIS
CSS2
0.01μF
L2
7.2μH
RSNS2
12mΩ
MBOT2
VOUT2
9.5V
COUT2 3A
150μF
3826 TA03
MTOP1, MTOP2, MBOT1, MBOT2: Si7848DP
L1: CDEP105-3R2M
L2: CDEP105-7R2M
COUT1, COUT2 = SANYO 10TPD150M
Efficiency vs Output Current
100
90
Start-Up
VOUT = 5V
VOUT = 9.5V
SW Node Waveform
VOUT2, 2V/DIV
80
VOUT1, 2V/DIV
SW1
5V/DIV
EFFICIENCY (%)
70
SW2
5V/DIV
60
50
40
3826 F14b
30
3826 F14c
20
10
0
0.000001 0.00001 0.0001 0.001 0.01 0.1
OUTPUT CURRENT (A)
1
10
3827 F14a
3826fc
32
LTC3826
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
High Efficiency Synchronizable Dual 5V/8V Step-Down Converter
CSS1
0.01μF
CITH1A
100pF
CITH1
470pF
RITH1
24.2k
39pF
RB1
365k
RA1
69.8k
10nF
10k
LTC3826
ITH1
TRACK/SS1
PGOOD2
VFB1
C1
1nF
PGOOD1
SENSE1+
TG1
SENSE1–
SW1
PLLLPF
PHASMD
SGND
MTOP1 L1
3.3μH
MBOT1
RA2
39.2k
CITH2
330pF
CITH2A
100pF
RITH2
105k
RB2
353k
BG1
D1
VIN
VIN
12V
PGND
RUN2
EXTVCC
SENSE2–
INTVCC
SENSE2+
BG2
VFB2
BOOST2
ITH2
SW2
TRACK/SS2
TG2
CSS2
0.01μF
VOUT1
5V
5A
COUT1
150μF
D3
CIN1
10μF
RUN1
C2
1nF
RSNS1
12mΩ
CB1 0.47μF
BOOST1
CLKOUT
PLLIN/MODE
100k
100k
CIN2
10μF
CINT2
4.7μF
D2 CB2
0.47μF
FOLDDIS
MTOP2
L2
7.2μH
RSNS2
20mΩ
MBOT2
COUT2
150μF
D4
22pF
VOUT2
8V
2A
3826 TA04
MTOP1, MTOP2, MBOT1, MBOT2: Si7848DP
L1: CDEP105-3R2M
L2: CDEP105-7R2M
COUT1, COUT2 = SANYO 10TPD150M
3826fc
33
LTC3826
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
High Efficiency Dual 1.2V/1V Step-Down Converter
CSS1
0.01μF
CITH1A
100pF
CITH1
1.2nF
RITH1
23.7k
470pF
RB1
25.5k
LTC3826
ITH1
RA1
102k
TRACK/SS1
PGOOD2
VFB1
C1
1nF
PGOOD1
SENSE1+
TG1
SENSE1–
SW1
PLLLPF
PHASMD
SGND
MTOP1 L1
1.8μH
CB1 0.47μF
BG1
RA2
100k
CITH2
1nF
CITH2A
100pF
RITH2
33.2k
RB2
49.9k
CSS2
0.01μF
VOUT1
1.0V
5A
COUT1
220μF
×2
MBOT1
D1
VIN
VIN
12V
PGND
CIN1
10μF
RUN1
C2
1nF
RSNS1
12mΩ
BOOST1
CLKOUT
PLLIN/MODE
100k
100k
RUN2
EXTVCC
SENSE2–
INTVCC
SENSE2+
BG2
VFB2
BOOST2
ITH2
SW2
TRACK/SS2
TG2
CINT2
4.7μF
CIN2
10μF
D2 CB2
0.47μF
MTOP2
FOLDDIS
L2
2.2μH
RSNS2
12mΩ
MBOT2
270pF
VOUT2
1.2V
COUT2
5A
220μF
×2
3826 TA05
MTOP1, MTOP2, MBOT1, MBOT2: Si7848DP
L1: CDEP105-1R8M
L2: CDEP105-2R2M
COUT1, COUT2 = SANYO 10TPD150M
3826fc
34
LTC3826
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
UH Package
32-Lead Plastic QFN (5mm × 5mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1693 Rev D)
0.70 ±0.05
5.50 ±0.05
4.10 ±0.05
3.45 ± 0.05
3.50 REF
(4 SIDES)
3.45 ± 0.05
PACKAGE OUTLINE
0.25 ± 0.05
0.50 BSC
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT
APPLY SOLDER MASK TO AREAS THAT ARE NOT SOLDERED
5.00 ± 0.10
(4 SIDES)
BOTTOM VIEW—EXPOSED PAD
0.75 ± 0.05
R = 0.05
TYP
0.00 – 0.05
PIN 1 NOTCH R = 0.30 TYP
OR 0.35 s 45° CHAMFER
R = 0.115
TYP
31 32
0.40 ± 0.10
PIN 1
TOP MARK
(NOTE 6)
1
2
3.50 REF
(4-SIDES)
3.45 ± 0.10
3.45 ± 0.10
(UH32) QFN 0406 REV D
0.200 REF
NOTE:
1. DRAWING PROPOSED TO BE A JEDEC PACKAGE OUTLINE
M0-220 VARIATION WHHD-(X) (TO BE APPROVED)
2. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
3. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN MILLIMETERS
4. DIMENSIONS OF EXPOSED PAD ON BOTTOM OF PACKAGE DO NOT INCLUDE
MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH, IF PRESENT, SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.20mm ON ANY SIDE
5. EXPOSED PAD SHALL BE SOLDER PLATED
6. SHADED AREA IS ONLY A REFERENCE FOR PIN 1 LOCATION
ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF PACKAGE
0.25 ± 0.05
0.50 BSC
3826fc
Information furnished by Linear Technology Corporation is believed to be accurate and reliable.
However, no responsibility is assumed for its use. Linear Technology Corporation makes no representation that the interconnection of its circuits as described herein will not infringe on existing patent rights.
35
LTC3826
TYPICAL APPLICATION
High Efficiency Dual 3.3V/8V Step-Down Converter
CSS1
0.01μF
CITH1A
150pF
CITH1
560pF
39pF
RITH1
105k
RB1
215k
LTC3826
TRACK/SS1
ITH1
RA1
68.1k
PGOOD2
VFB1
C1
1nF
100k
100k
PGOOD1
SENSE1+
TG1
SENSE1–
SW1
MTOP1 L1
1.2μH
CB1 0.47μF
COUT1
150μF
×2
BOOST1
PLLLPF
PHASMD
BG1
CLKOUT
SGND
MBOT1
VIN
VIN
12V
PGND
CIN1
10μF
RUN1
CITH2
330pF
CSS2
0.01μF
INTVCC
+
BG2
SENSE2
RITH2
105k
CITH2A
68pF
SENSE2–
RB2
353k
VFB2
BOOST2
ITH2
SW2
TRACK/SS2
TG2
22pF
CIN2
10μF
CINT2
4.7μF
EXTVCC
RUN2
RA2
39.2k
VOUT1
3.3V
10A
D1
PLLIN/MODE
C2
1nF
RSNS1
7mΩ
D2 CB2
0.47μF
MTOP2
FOLDDIS
L2
7.2μH
RSNS2
20mΩ
COUT2
150μF
MBOT2
3826 TA06
VOUT2
8V
2A
MTOP1, MTOP2, MBOT1, MBOT2: Si7848DP
L1: CDEP105-1R2M, L2: CDEP105-7R2M
COUT1, COUT2 = SANYO 10TPD150M
RELATED PARTS
PART NUMBER
DESCRIPTION
COMMENTS
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High Efficiency Synchronous Step-Down Switching Regulator
Output Fault Protection, 16-Pin SSOP
LTC1778/LTC1778-1
No RSENSE™ Current Mode Synchronous Step-Down Controllers Up to 97% Efficiency, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ (0.9)(VIN),
IOUT up to 20A
LT1976
High Voltage Step-Down Switching Regulator
LTC3708
Dual, 2-Phase, DC/DC Controller with Output Tracking
3.3V ≤ VIN ≤ 60V, 100μA Quiescent Current
Current Mode, No RSENSE, Up/Down Tracking, Synchronizable
LTC3727/LTC3727A-1 2-Phase Dual Synchronous Controller
0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 14V; 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V
LTC3729
20A to 200A, 550kHz PolyPhase Synchronous Controller
Expandable from 2-Phase to 12-Phase, Uses all Surface Mount
Components, VIN up to 36V
LTC3731
3- to 12-Phase Step-Down Synchronous Controller
60A to 240A Output Current, 0.6V ≤ VOUT ≤ 6V, 4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 32V
LTC3827/LTC3827-1
Low IQ Dual Synchronous Controller
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 10V, 80μA Quiescent Current
LTC3835/LTC3835-1
Low IQ Synchronous Step-Down Controller
Single Channel LTC3827/LTC3827-1
LTC3845
Low IQ Synchronous Step-Down Controller
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 60V, 1.23V ≤ VOUT ≤ 36V, 120μA Quiescent Current
LTC3850
Dual, 550kHz, 2-Phase Synchronous Step-Down Controller
Dual 180° Phased Controllers, VIN 4V to 24V, 97% Duty Cycle,
4x4 QFN-28, SSOP-28
No RSENSE is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation.
3826fc
36 Linear Technology Corporation
LT 0109 REV C • PRINTED IN USA
1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417
(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507
●
www.linear.com
© LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2007