NSC LM3487MMX

LM3487
High Efficiency High-Side N-Channel Controller for
Switching Regulator
General Description
Features
The LM3487 is a high-side N-channel MOSFET switching
regulator controller. It can be used in topologies requiring a
high side MOSFET such as buck, inverting (buck-boost) and
zeta regulators. The LM3487's internal push pull driver allows
compatibility with a wide range of MOSFETs. A wide input
voltage range and an adjustable current limit allow the
LM3487 to be optimized for a wide variety of applications.
The LM3487 has an adjustable switching frequency which
can also be synchronized to an external clock. Current-mode
control requires only a single resistor and capacitor for frequency compensation. The current mode architecture also
yields superior line and load regulation and cycle-by-cycle
current limiting. A 7µA shutdown state can be used for power
savings and for power supply sequencing. Other features include external soft-start to reduce inrush current and output
over voltage protection.
■ Adjustable/synchronizable switching frequency from
■
■
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■
■
■
■
■
■
100kHz to 1.4MHz
Adjustable cycle by cycle current limit
Wide 3V-35V input voltage range
Thermal shutdown
Frequency compensation optimized with a single
capacitor and resistor
External softstart
Current mode operation
Undervoltage lockout with hysteresis
10-lead Mini-SO10 (MSOP-10) package
Automotive grade including AEC-Q100 is available
Applications
■
■
■
■
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ADSL Modems
Local Voltage Regulation
Distributed Power
Notebook and Palmtop Computers
Internet Appliances
Printers and Office Automation
Battery operated Devices
Cable Modems
Battery Chargers
Typical Application Circuit
20049233
Typical High Efficiency Step-Down (Buck) Converter
© 2008 National Semiconductor Corporation
200492
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LM3487 High Efficiency High-Side N-Channel Controller for Switching Regulator
February 19, 2008
LM3487
Connection Diagram
20049202
10-Lead Mini SO10 Package (MSOP-10 Package)
Package Marking and Ordering
Information
Order Number
Package Type
Package Marking
LM3487MM
Supplied As:
1000 units on Tape and Reel
LM3487MMX
MSOP-10
LM3487QMM
S38B
LM3487QMMX
3500 units on Tape and Reel
1000 units on Tape and Reel
3500 units on Tape and Reel
For automotive grade including AEC-Q100 use ‘Q’ versions.
Pin Descriptions
Pin Name
Pin Number
ISEN
1
Current sense input pin. Voltage generated across an external sense resistor is fed
into this pin.
Description
SS/SD
2
Soft-Start and Shutdown pin. Connect a capacitor from this pin to ground to achieve
soft-start. Pull this pin below 0.7V (typical) to shutdown the device.
COMP
3
Compensation pin. A resistor-capacitor combination connected to this pin provides
compensation for the control loop.
FB
4
Feedback pin. The output voltage should be adjusted using a resistor divider to provide
1.260V (typical) at this pin.
GND
5
Ground pin.
FA/SYNC
6
Frequency adjust and synchronization pin. Connect a resistor from this pin to ground
to set the switching frequency. Connect a high impedance clock signal to this pin to
synchronize the switching frequency with the rising edge of the clock.
SW
7
Switch Node. Source of the external MOSFET is connected to this node.
DR
8
Drive pin. The gate of the external MOSFET should be connected to this pin.
CB
9
Boot-strap pin. A capacitor must be connected between this pin and SW pin (pin 5) for
proper operation. The voltage developed across this capacitor provides the gate drive
for the external MOSFET.
VIN
10
Power Supply Input pin.
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2
If Military/Aerospace specified devices are required,
please contact the National Semiconductor Sales Office/
Distributors for availability and specifications.
VIN (Note 2)
Peak Driver Output Current (<10ns)
FA/SYNC
SW
FB
CB
ISEN
Power Dissipation (Note 3)
Storage Temperature Range
45V
1.0A
5.5V
VIN
2.5V
7.2V + VSW
(Vin-500mV) to Vin
.5W
−65°C to +150°C
Electrical Characteristics
Operating Ratings
+150°C
2kV
200V
215°C
220°C
(Note 1)
2.97V ≤ VIN ≤ 35V
Supply Voltage
Junction Temperature
Range
−40°C ≤ TJ ≤ +125°C
(Note 5)
Specifications in Standard type face are for TJ = 25°C, and in bold type face apply over the full Operating Temperature
Range. Unless otherwise specified, VIN = 12V.
Symbol
VFB
Parameter
Feedback Voltage
ΔVLINE
Feedback Voltage Line Regulation
ΔVLOAD
VUVLO
VUVLO(HYS)
FS
Conditions
Vcomp = 0.7V
2.97V ≤ VIN ≤ 35V
Typical
Limit
Units
1.210
1.290
V
V(min)
V(max)
1.260
0.001
%/V
Output Voltage Load Regulation
±0.5
%/V (max)
Input Undervoltage Lock-out
2.80
Input Undervoltage Lock-out
Hysteresis
Nominal Maximum Switching
Frequency
2.97
V
V(max)
100
235
mV
mV (min)
mV (max)
1.25
1.66
MHz
MHz(min)
MHz(max)
180
RFA = 9.76K
1.45
RDRIVE
Driver Switch On Resistance (Source) IDR = 0.2A, VIN= 5V
7
Ω
RDRIVE
Driver Switch On Resistance (Sink)
9
Ω
Dmax
Maximum Duty Cycle
(Note 6)
100
%
Tmin (on)
Minimum On Time
130
nsec
ISUPPLY
Supply Current (switching)
IQ
VCL(O)
VCL(100)
VSC
IDR = 0.2A
SS/SD=open DR=open
Quiescent Current in Shutdown Mode VIN = 5V, SS/SD=0V
Current Limit Voltage at 0% Duty Cycle VIN = 5V
Current Limit Voltage at 100% Duty
Cycle
VIN = 5V
Short-Circuit Current Limit Sense
Voltage
VIN = 5V
2.4
6
mA
mA (max)
10
µA
µA (max)
90
200
mV
mV (min)
mV (max)
60
120
mV
mV (min)
mV (max)
270
420
mV
mV (min)
mV (max)
7.3
155
118
350
VSL
Internal Compensation Ramp Voltage VIN = 5V
Height
65
VOVP
Output Over-voltage Protection (with
respect to feedback voltage) (Note 7)
50
VCOMP = 0.7V
3
mV
40
110
mV
mV(min)
mV(max)
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LM3487
Junction Temperature
ESD Susceptibility (Note 4)
Human Body Model
Machine Model
Lead Temperature for MSOP Package
Vapor Phase (60 sec.)
Infrared (15 sec.)
Absolute Maximum Ratings (Note 1)
LM3487
Symbol
VOVP(HYS)
Gm
IEAO
Parameter
Conditions
Output Over-Voltage Protection
Hysteresis(Note 7)
VCOMP = 0.7V
Error Amplifier Transconductance
VCOMP = 0.7V
Error Amplifier Output Current (Source/ Source, VCOMP = 0.7V, VFB =
Sink)
0V
VEAO
Error Amplifier Output Voltage Swing
Typical
Limit
Units
20
110
mV
mV(min)
mV(max)
500/300
1000/1300
µmho
µmho (min)
µmho (max)
60
750
103
µA
Sink, VCOMP = 0.7V, VFB = 1.4V
138
µA
Upper Limit
VFB = 0V
COMP Pin = Floating
1.5
V
V(min)
V(max)
Lower Limit
VFB = 1.4V
0.4
V
V(min)
V(max)
VSD
Shutdown Threshold (Note 8)
0.7
V
VSYNC
FA/SYNC Threshold Voltage
2.5
V
ISS
SS Source Current
2.4
µA
TSD
Thermal Shutdown
165
°C
TSH
Thermal Shutdown Hysteresis
θJA
Thermal Resistance
VSD = 0V
MM Package
10
°C
200
°C/W
Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are limits beyond which damage to the device may occur. Operating Ratings are conditions under which operation of the
device is intended to be functional. For guaranteed specifications and test conditions, see the Electrical Characteristics.
Note 2: The Absolute Maximum VIN rating of 45V is for non-operational (storage) conditions only. The maximum operating voltage is 35V.
Note 3: The maximum allowable power dissipation is calculated by using PDMAX= (TJMAX-TA)/θJA, where TJMAX is the maximum junction temperature, TA is the
ambient temperature and θJA is the junction to ambient thermal resistance of the package. The 0.5W rating results from using 125°C, 25°C, and 200°C/W for
TJMAX, TA, and θJA respectively. A θJA of 200°C/W represents the worst case condition of no heat sinking of the MSOP-10 package.
Note 4: The human body model is a 100 pF capacitor discharged through a 1.5kΩ resistor into each pin. The machine model is 200 pF capacitor discharged
directly into each pin.
Note 5: All limits are guaranteed at room temperature (standard type face) and at temperature extremes (bold type face). All room temperature limits are 100%
tested. All limits at temperature extremes are guaranteed via correlation using standard Statistical Quality Control (SQC) methods. All limits are used to calculate
Average Outgoing Quality Level (AOQL).
Note 6: 100% duty cycle can be achieved only for a limited number of cycles before the CB voltage collapses and the device shuts down.
Note 7: The over-voltage protection is specified with respect to the feedback voltage. The overvoltage protection threshold is given by adding the feedback
voltage, VFB to the over-voltage protection specification.
Note 8: The SS/SD pin must be pulled below this limit to turn the regulator off.
Typical Performance Characteristics
Unless otherwise specified, VIN = 12V, TJ = 25°C.
IQ (Shutdown) vs Temperature & Supply Voltage
ISupply vs Temperature & Supply Voltage (Non-Switching)
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20049214
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LM3487
ISupply vs Temperature & Supply Voltage (Switching)
Frequency vs Temperature
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20049215
VCB−VSW vs Supply Voltage
Error Amplifier Gain
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Error Amplifier Phase Shift
COMP Pin Source Current vs Temperature
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20049209
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LM3487
Slope Compensation Ramp vs Slope Compensation Resistor
Efficiency vs Load Current (VOUT = 2.5V, 500kHz)
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200492n8
Efficiency vs Load Current (VOUT = 5V, 500kHz)
Softstart Source Current vs Temperature
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VFB vs Temperature
Short Circuit Threshold Voltage
vs Temperature
200492o2
200492o3
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LM3487
Functional Description
Functional Block Diagram
20049201
quency than in PWM mode (see OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION section).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The LM3487 is a switching regulator controller for topologies
incorporating a high side switch. The most common of these
topologies is the step-down, or buck, converter. Other topologies such as the inverting (buck-boost) and inverse SEPIC
(zeta) converters can also be realized. This datasheet will focus on buck converter applications.
The LM3487 employs current mode control architecture.
Among the many benefits of this architecture are superior line
and load regulation, cycle-by-cycle current limiting, and simple loop compensation. A patented adjustable slope compensation scheme enables flexible inductor selection. The
LM3487 has a combination of features that allow its use in a
wide variety of applications. The input voltage can range from
2.97V to 35V, with the output voltage being positive or negative depending on the topology. The current limit can be
scaled to safely drive a wide range of loads. An external softstart is used to limit initial in-rush current. Output over voltage
and input under voltage protection ensure safe operation of
the LM3487.
200492j2
REGIONS OF OPERATION
Pulse width modulation (PWM) is the normal mode of operation. In PWM, the output voltage is well regulated and has a
ripple frequency equal to the switching frequency. In low load
conditions, the part operates in hysteretic mode. In this mode,
the output voltage is regulated between a high and low value
that results in a higher ripple magnitude and lower ripple fre-
FIGURE 1. Operating Regions of the LM3487
Figure 1 shows the operating regions of the LM3487. The device will enter hysteretic mode below minimum duty cycle, or
at low loads below the VHYS threshold. Above the VCL threshold, the device is in current limit. VSC is the current limit ceiling.
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LM3487
Above this ceiling, the device enters short circuit protection
mode (see the SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT LIMIT section).
The voltages in Figure 1 can be referred to the switch current
by dividing through by RSN. The LM3487 has a low hysteretic
threshold voltage VHYS, and thus will operate in PWM mode
for a large load range. Typically, VHYS = 11mV for the LM3487.
OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION
The LM3487 has over voltage protection (OVP) for the output
voltage. OVP is sensed at and is in respect to the feedback
pin (pin 4). If at anytime the voltage at the feedback pin rises
to VFB + VOVP, OVP is triggered. See ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS section for limits on VFB and VOVP.
OVP will cause the drive pin to go low, forcing the power
MOSFET off. With the MOSFET off, the output voltage will
drop. The LM3487 will begin switching again when the feedback voltage reaches VFB + (VOVP - VOVP(HYS)). See ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS for limits on VOVP(HYS).
OVP can be triggered by any event that causes the output
voltage to rise out of regulation. There are several common
circumstances in which this can happen, and it is beneficial
for a designer to be aware of these for debugging purposes,
since the mode of operation changes from the normal Pulse
Width Modulation (PWM) mode to the hysteretic mode. In the
hysteretic mode the output voltage is regulated within the
OVP hysteresis window, which results in a higher ripple magnitude and lower ripple frequency than in the PWM mode, see
Figure 4.
It is useful to plot the operational boundaries in order to illustrate the point at which the device switches into hysteretic
mode. In Figure 4, the limits shown are with respect to the
peak voltage across the sense resistor RSEN, (VSENpk); they
can be referred to the peak inductor current by dividing
through by RSEN. In normal circumstances VSENpk is within the
shaded region, and the LM3487 will operate in the PWM
mode. If operating conditions are chosen such that VSENpk
would not normally fall in the shaded regions (for example,
under light load), then the mode of operation is changed so
that VSENpk will be forced into the shaded region, and the part
will operate in the hysteretic mode. The LM3487 will not allow
VSENpk to be outside of the shaded regions, so the duty cycle
is adjusted accordingly.
FREQUENCY ADJUST/SYNCHRONIZATION
The switching frequency of the LM3487 can be adjusted between 100kHz and 1.4MHz using a single external resistor.
This resistor must be connected from FA/SYNC pin to ground
as shown in Figure 2. See Figure 3 to determine the required
resistance to set a switching frequency. To ensure stable operation, a 10nF capacitor should be placed in parallel with the
resistor as shown. The LM3487's switching frequency can also be synchronized to an external signal. A switching period
is initialized at every rising edge of the applied external signal.
The synchronizing signal should transition between 0V and at
least 2.5V, but no greater than 5.5V. The signal must have a
pulse width of at least 100 ns.
200492m9
FIGURE 2. Programming the Switching Frequency
200492c1
FIGURE 4. The Feedback Voltage is related to the Output
Voltage. See different Ripple Components in PWM and
Hysteretic Modes
If the load current becomes too low, and VSENpk falls below
VHYS, the LM3487 will increase the duty cycle, causing the
voltage to rise and trigger the OVP.
Another way OVP can be tripped is if the input voltage rises
higher than the LM3487 is able to regulate in pulse width
modulation (PWM) mode. The output voltage is related to the
input voltage by the duty cycle as: VOUT = VIN*D. Minimum
200492n7
FIGURE 3. Frequency vs RFA
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LM3487
duty cycle can be calculated as DMIN = TON(MIN)*fSW. Where
TON(MIN) is the minimum on time of 130ns (typical). If the input
voltage increases such that the duty cycle wants to be less
than DMIN, the duty cycle will hold at DMIN and the output voltage will increase with the input voltage until it trips OVP.
An output voltage transient response overshoot can also trigger OVP. As discussed in the OUTPUT CAPACITOR section,
if the capacitance is too low or ESR too high, the output voltage overshoot can rise high enough to trigger OVP. However,
as long as there is room for the duty cycle to adjust (the converter is not near DMIN or DMAX), the LM3487 will return to
PWM mode after a few cycles of hysteretic mode operation.
There is one last way that OVP can be triggered. If the unregulated input voltage crosses 7.2V, the output voltage will
react as shown in Figure 5. The internal bias of the LM3487
switches on at 7.2V input. When this happens, a sudden small
change in bias voltage is seen by all the internal blocks of the
LM3487. The control voltage, VC, shifts because of the bias
change, and the PWM comparator tries to keep regulation. To
the PWM comparator, the scenario is identical to a step
change in the load current, so the response at the output voltage is the same as would be observed in a step load change.
Hence, the output voltage overshoot here can also trigger
OVP. The LM3487 will regulate in hysteretic mode for several
cycles, or may not recover and simply stay in hysteretic mode
until the load current drops. Note that the output voltage is still
regulated in hysteric mode. Predicting whether or not the
LM3487 will come out of hysteretic mode in this scenario is a
difficult task, however it is largely a function of the output current and the output capacitance. Triggering hysteretic mode
in this way is only possible at higher load currents. To avoid
this condition, increase the output capacitance.
200492c2
FIGURE 6. The Current Sensing Loop and Corresponding
Waveforms
As a brief explanation, consider Figure 6. The top portion
shows a schematic of the current sensing loop. The bottom
portion shows the pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator
waveforms for two switching cycles. The two solid waveforms
shown are the waveforms compared at the internal pulse
width modulator, used to generate the MOSFET drive signal.
The top waveform with the slope Se is the internally generated
control waveform VC. The bottom waveform with slopes Sn
and Sf is the sensed inductor current waveform VSEN. VSEN is
fed back to the PWM comparator, where it is compared to
VC. The output of the comparator in combination with the R/
S latch determine if the MOSFET is on or off, which effectively
controls the amount of current the inductor receives. While
VC is higher than VSEN, the PWM comparator outputs a high
signal, driving the external power MOSFET on. When MOSFET is on, the inductor current rises at a constant slope,
generating the sensed voltage VSEN. When VSEN equals VC,
the PWM comparator turns the MOSFET off, and the sensed
inductor current decreases with a slope Sf. The process begins again when RS latch is set by an internal oscillator.
The subharmonic oscillation phenomenon occurs when a
load excursion is experienced. It is analyzed by calculating
how the inductor current settles after such an excursion. Take
for example the case when the inductor current experiences
a step increase in its average current, shown as the dotted
line in Figure 6. In the switching period that the excursion occurs, the inductor current will change by ΔI0. In the following
switching period, the inductor current will have a difference
ΔI1 from its original starting value. Thus the original excursion
is being propagated each switching cycle. Whether or not
there are subharmonic oscillations depends on whether this
propagation is converging or diverging. The difference in the
inductor current from one cycle to the next (ΔIn) is a function
of Sn, Sf, and Se, as follows:
200492j6
FIGURE 5. The Feedback Voltage Experiences an
Oscillation if the Input Voltage Crosses the 7.2V Internal
Bias Threshold
DEFAULT/ADJUSTABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION
The LM3487 uses a current mode control scheme. There are
many advantages in a current mode architecture including inherent cycle-by-cycle current limiting and simple compensation of the control loop. However, there are consequences to
using current mode control that one must be aware of while
selecting circuit components. One of these consequences is
the inherent possibility of subharmonic oscillations in the inductor current. This is a form of instability and should be
avoided.
Hence, if the quantity (Sf - Se)/(Sn + Se) is greater than 1, the
inductor current diverges and subharmonic oscillations result.
Notice that as Se increases, the factor decreases. Also, when
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LM3487
the duty cycle is greater than 50%, and as the inductance
decreases, the factor increases.
The LM3487 internally generates enough slope compensation Se to allow for the use of reasonable inductances. The
height of the compensation slope ramp VSL can be found in
the ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS section. The
LM3487 incorporates a patented scheme to increase Se if
there is need to use a smaller inductor. With the use of a single
resistor R SL, S e can be increased indefinitely. RSL increases
the compensation slope by the amount:
Therefore,
200492n1
When excursions of the inductor current are divergent, the
current sensing control loop is unstable and produces a subharmonic oscillation in the inductor current. This oscillation is
viewed as a resonance in the outer voltage control loop at half
the switching frequency. In the inductor design section, calculations for minimum inductance and necessary slope resistance RSL are carried out based on this resonant peaking.
FIGURE 7. Soft Start Thresholds
INPUT UNDER VOLTAGE LOCKOUT (UVLO)
The input under voltage lockout, which is sensed at VIN, is
set at 2.80V (typical). If the input voltage falls below this
threshold, the FET will be turned off and the soft-start capacitor will be discharged. As the input voltage rises above 3.0V
(typical) the LM3487 will restart from the soft-start phase.
SOFT-START/SHUTDOWN
The softstart time of the LM3487 is programmed by an external capacitor connected from the SS/SD pin to ground, as
shown in Figure 7. When the input voltage is applied to the
device, a 2µA current source charges the capacitor at a constant rate. When the capacitor develops 0.75V (typical), the
LM3487 begins switching the power MOSFET at low duty cycles. The softstart period continues until the softstart capacitor reaches 2V. Therefore, the turn-on delay period between
0 - 0.75V is:
CURRENT LIMIT PROTECTION
Current limit is sensed as the voltage across the sense resistor. When this voltage exceeds the VCL threshold, current limit
is activated and the LM3487 will immediately shut off the FET
until the next cycle. This will cause the duty cycle and output
voltage to drop. The current limit threshold can be adjusted
using the sense resistor (see the SETTING CURRENT LIMIT section). In current limit operation, the FET will turn on each
cycle and will remain on during the leading edge minimum on
time (130nsec typical). During this minimum on time, inductor
current may become excessive under short circuit conditions.
In this case, a secondary current limit, Short Circuit Protection, is enabled.
and the softstart period between 0.75V - 2V is:
SHORT CIRCUIT PROTECTION
When the voltage across the sense resistor (measured as the
VIN − ISEN differential voltage) exceeds VSC, short-circuit
current limit gets activated. In the short-circuit protection
mode, the external MOSFET is turned off. When the short is
removed, the external MOSFET is held off for up to four cycles
before resuming normal operation. The short circuit protection voltage VSC is specified in the ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS section.
The time from when voltage is applied to the LM3487 to when
the output voltage reaches its target can be approximated as
tDELAY + tSS. A minimum value of 2.2nF is recommended for
Css. During softstart, both current limit and OVP are enabled.
However, since the feedback reference voltage ramps up with
softstart voltage, the OVP threshold will ramp up along with
it.
The LM3487 will not start up if the output voltage is held above
200mV. If the slope resistor (Rsl) is used, the hysteretic
threshold will be lowered and up to 100mA of pre-load may
be required for startup.
The LM3487 may be disabled by pulling the voltage at the SS/
SD pin below 0.7V (typical). In this shutdown mode, the device consumes only 15µA (max). This is typically accomplished by presenting a low impedance path from the SS/
SD pin to ground using a transistor as shown in Figure 7.
Driving this impedance high will engage the softstart procedure and enable the device.
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Design Section
GENERAL
Power supply design involves making tradeoffs. The LM3487
provides many degrees of flexibility in choosing external components to accommodate various performance/component
selection optimizations. For example, the internal slope compensation can be externally increased to allow smaller inductances to be used. The design procedures that follow provide
instruction on how to select the external components in a typical LM3487 buck circuit in continuous conduction mode, as
well as aid in the optimization of performance and/or compo-
10
DMIN = TMIN* fs
This will not limit how high the input voltage can rise, since
the LM3487 will operate in hysteretic mode once the operating duty cycle decreases to the minimum duty cycle.
SETTING CURRENT LIMIT AND HYSTERETIC
THRESHOLD
The current limit is the point at which the LM3487 begins to
limit the peak switch current. The adjustable current limit of
the LM3487 is set by the sense resistor RSN. The voltage
across RSN is compared to an internal control voltage VC. The
onset of current limiting is when VSEN(PEAK) equals VC(MAX), or
VCL (current limit voltage). VSEN is defined here as the differential voltage from the VIN pin to the ISEN pin. VCL decreases
as the duty cycle increases, as shown in Figure 9. Therefore,
it is important to know both VSEN(PEAK) and VCL(MIN) at the
maximum operating duty cycle, or lowest VIN condition.
200492m8
FIGURE 8. LM3487 Buck Converter Reference Schematic
PROGRAMMING THE OUTPUT VOLTAGE
The output voltage can be programmed using a resistor divider between the output and the feedback pins, as shown in
Figure 8. The resistors are selected such that the voltage at
the feedback pin is 1.26V. RFB1 and RFB2 can be selected using the equation:
VOUT = 1.26*(1+ RFB1/RFB2)
CALCULATING THE DUTY CYCLE
In buck converter applications, the duty cycle of the LM3487
may be calculated as:
200492k3
FIGURE 9. Current Limit and Hysteretic Threshold vs
Duty Cycle
Where
VD = forward drop of the power diode ≊ 0.5V
VQ = VDS of the MOSFET when it is conducting ≊ IOUT*RDSON
VSEN = Voltage across the sense resistor = IOUT x RSEN
This is the fraction of the switching period that the switch is
on. The switch is off for the remainder of the period. This fraction is expressed as:
VCL(MIN) = VCL(0)(MIN) − D(MAX) (VCL(0)(MIN) − VCL(100)(MIN))
D' = 1 − D
where DMAX is the duty cycle at the lowest VIN condition.
To avoid current limit,
The LM3487 has limits for the maximum and minimum duty
cycle (see ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS). The
LM3487 can operate at 100% duty cycle, but only for a few
periods (during transients). The gate voltage of the N channel
MOSFET must be higher than VIN in order for it to be on. The
LM3487 provides this drive voltage through the voltage developed across CBOOT, which is charged when the SW pin
goes low (i.e. when the MOSFET is off and the diode is conducting). In this configuration, the drive voltage can not be
maintained with a continuous 100% duty cycle. If the off time
is too short to allow Cboot to recharge, the device will automatically shut down and enter softstart mode when VCBOOT
falls below approximately 1.5V. There is also a second level
VSEN(PEAK) < VCL(MIN)
Therefore,
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LM3487
of protection, whereby if the FET stays on for more than typically 450µs, the LM3487 will restart regardless of the Cboot
voltage. To avoid this condition, either decrease the duty cycle or lower the operating frequency.
The minimum duty cycle of the LM3487 corresponds to the
minimum on time, or blank out time (see ELECTRICAL
CHARACTERISTICS).
nent selection. See Figure 8 for component reference and
typical circuit. The LM3487 may also be designed to operate
in discontinuous conduction mode.
LM3487
Example: VIN(MIN) = 4.5V, VOUT = 2.5V, IOUT(MAX) = 3A, L =
3.3µH, fs = 500kHz
where MAX(VHYS − 50x10-6 x RSL x DMAX, 0) is the larger of
the two values in the parenthesis. RSL can be used creatively
to intentionally lower the hysteretic threshold, allowing for
better performance at lower loads. However, when RSL is
used, there may be a minimum load requirement (see
START-UP/SOFT-START section).
Hysteretic threshold is the switch current at which the LM3487
enters the hysteretic mode of operation (see OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION section). Hysteretic threshold is derived
in a similar manner to current limit threshold, the only difference being that VSEN(PEAK) is compared VC(MIN) (VHYS). Notice
that VHYS does not vary with the duty cycle. The hysteretic
threshold is predetermined by the selection of RSN above. The
hysteretic threshold is:
POWER INDUCTOR SECTION
1. Select Inductor Value
The LM3487 operates at high switching frequencies up to 1.4
MHz, which allows the use of small inductors. As the switching
frequency (fs) increases, the inductance required for a given
output voltage ripple decreases. This is made apparent in the
following set of equations used to calculate the output voltage
ripple.
ΔVOUT(Pk-Pk) ≊ ΔiL(Pk-Pk) x RESR (V)
Continuing with the example above,
Use the equations above for ΔVOUT and ΔiL to select an inductance value.
The maximum voltage ripple in steady-state, PWM operation
can be controlled by limiting ΔiL which in turn is set by the
inductance value. Alternatively, one can simply choose ΔiL as
a percentage of the maximum output current. Clearly, the size
of the output capacitor ESR, RESR, will have an affect on which
criteria is used to choose the inductance. When the ESR is
relatively low (less than 100mΩ), such as in ceramic, OSCON, and some low ESR tantalum capacitors, it is convenient
to choose the inductance based on setting ΔiL to 30% of Iout
(max). If the ESR is high, then it may be necessary to restrict
ΔiL to a lower value so that the output voltage ripple is not too
high. Generally speaking, the former suggestion of setting
ΔiL to 30% of IOUT(MAX) is recommended.
2. Verify Stability
The inductance also affects the stability of the converter. The
slopes Sn and Sf in Figure 6 are functions of the inductance,
while the compensation ramp, Se, is fixed by default. Therefore if the inductance is too small, the converter may experience sub-harmonic oscillations. The LM3487 provides sufficient internal slope compensation to allow for inductances
chosen according to the ΔiL = 0.3 x IOUT guideline in most
cases. Still, one should check to make sure the inductance is
not too low before continuing the design process. If it is found
that the selected inductance is too low, a patented scheme to
increase the compensation ramp, Se, is provided in the
LM3487 (see DEFAULT/ADJUSTABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION section). In the calculations that follow, if it is found
that the chosen inductance is too small, RSL can be used to
increase so that the inductance can be used.
In a current mode control architecture, there is an inherent
resonance at half the switching frequency (see DEFAULT/
ADJUSTABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION section). A convenient indicator of how much resonance exists is the quality
factor Q. If Q is too high, subharmonic oscillations could occur, if Q is too low, the current mode architecture begins to
act like a voltage mode architecture and the necessary compensation becomes more complex. This is discussed in more
detail in the COMPENSATION section, but here it is important
to calculate Q to be sure the selected inductance will not
If the peak switch current decreases below this threshold,
the LM3487 will operate in hysteretic mode (see OVER
VOLTAGE PROTECTION section). In some designs, it will be
desired to use RSL so that lower valued inductors can be used
(see DEFAULT/ADJUSTABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION
section and Inductor section). Using RSL will lower the current
limit and the hysteretic threshold. See Figure 10. RSL effectively adds an additional slope to the existing slope of the
VC waveform.
200492k4
FIGURE 10. Current Limit and Hysteretic Threshold vs
Duty Cycle with RSL
When RSL is used, the following equations apply:
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12
Output Capacitor Considerations
Skip to the "Calculations for the output capacitor" subsection
if a quick design is desired. While it is generally desired to use
as little output capacitance as possible to keep costs down,
the output capacitor should be chosen with care as it directly
affects the ripple component of the output voltage as well as
other components in the design. The output voltage ripple is
directly proportional to the ESR of the output capacitor (see
POWER INDUCTOR section). Therefore, designs requiring
low output voltage ripple should have an output capacitor with
low ESR. Choosing a capacitor with low ESR has the additional benefit of requiring one less component in the compensation network, as discussed in the Compensation section.
In addition to the output voltage ripple, the output capacitor
directly affects the output voltage overshoot in a load transient. Two transients are possible: an unloading transient and
a loading transient. An unloading transient occurs when the
load current transitions to a higher current, and charge is unloaded from the output capacitor. A loading transient is when
the load transitions to a lower current, and charge is loaded
to the output capacitor. How the output voltage reacts during
these transitions is known as the transient response. Both the
capacitance and the ESR of the output capacitor will affect
the transient response.
Where,
D' = 1−D
VQ = VDS of the MOSFET when it is conducting IOUT*RDS(ON).
VSEN = Voltage across the sense resistor ≊ IOUT x RSN
Back solving for L gives a range for acceptable inductances
based on a range for Q:
200492b9
It is recommended that:
Q(max) = 2, and
Q(min) = 0.15
Values for VSL can be found in the ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS section.
Note: Adding slope compensation with RSL will decrease the
current limit. An iterative process may be needed to meet
current limit and stability requirements, see PROGRAMMING
CURRENT LIMIT/HYSTERETIC THRESHOLD section.
FIGURE 11. A Loading Transient
The control loop of the LM3487 can be made fast enough to
saturate the duty cycle when the worst case lode transient
occurs. This means the duty cycle jumps to DMIN or DMAX,
depending on the type of load transient. In a loading transient,
as shown in Figure 11, the duty cycle drops to DMIN while the
inductor current falls to match the load current. During this
time, the regulator is heavily dependent on the output capacitors to handle the load transient. The initial overshoot is
caused by the ESR of the output capacitors. How the output
voltage recovers after that initial excursion depends on how
fast the inductor current falls and how large the output capacitance is. See Figure 12.
OUTPUT CAPACITANCE SELECTION
A capacitance between 47µF - 100µF is typically used. Skip
to "Calculations for the Output Capacitance" for minimum capacitance calculations.
Type of output capacitors
Different type of capacitors often have different combinations
of capacitance, equivalent series resistance (ESR), and voltage ratings. High-capacitance multi-layer ceramic capacitors
(MLCCs) have a very low ESR, typically 12mΩ, but also relatively low capacitance and low voltage ratings. Tantalum
capacitors can have fairly low ESR, such as 18mΩ, and high
capacitance (up to 1mF) at higher voltage ratings than MLCCs. Aluminum capacitors offer high capacitance and relatively low ESR and are available in high voltage ratings.
OSCON capacitors can achieve ESR values that are even
lower than those of MLCCs and with higher capacitance, but
the voltage ratings are low. Other tradeoffs in capacitor technology include temperature stability, surge current capability,
and capacitance density (physical size vs. capacitance).
200492b5
FIGURE 12. Output Voltage Overshoot Violation
The ESR and the capacitance of the output capacitor must be
carefully chosen so that the output voltage overshoot is within
13
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LM3487
cause problems to the stability of the converter. The calculations below call for an inductance that results in Q between
0.15 and 2. See the COMPENSATION section if the chosen
inductance enforces Q to be out of this range. By default, no
extra slope compensation is needed, so RSL = 0. In general,
a Q between 0.5 and 1 is optimal.
LM3487
the design's specification VOS(MAX). If the total combined ESR
of the output capacitors is not low enough, the initial output
voltage excursion will violate the specification, see ΔVC1. If
the ESR is low enough, but there is not enough output capacitance, the output voltage will travel outside the specification window due to the extra charge being dumped into the
capacitor, see ΔVC2. The LM3487 has output over voltage
protection (OVP) which could trigger if the transient overshoot
is high enough. If this happens, the controller will operate in
hysteretic mode (see OVER VOLTAGE PROTECTION section) for a few cycles before the output voltage settles to its
steady state. If this behavior is not desired, substitute VOVP
(referred to the output) for VOS(MAX) (VOVP is found in the
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS table) to find the minimum capacitance and maximum ESR of the output capacitor.
200492b6
FIGURE 13. Output Voltage Overshoot Peak
The intention is to find the capacitance value that will yield, at
tpeak, a ΔVC that equals VOS(max). Substituting tpeak for t and
equating ΔVC to VOS(max) gives the following solution for COUT
(MIN):
Calculations for the Output Capacitor
During a loading transient, the delta output voltage ΔVc has
two changing components. One is the voltage difference
across the ESR (ΔVr), the other is the voltage difference
caused by the gained charge (ΔVq). This gives:
ΔVc = ΔVr + ΔVq
The chosen output capacitance should not be less than 47µF,
even if the solution for COUT(MIN) is less than 47µF. Notice it is
already assumed that the total ESR is no greater than RESR
(MAX), otherwise the term under the square root will be a negative number.
The design objective is to keep ΔVc lower than some maximum overshoot (VOS(MAX)). VOS(MAX) is chosen based on the
output load requirements.
Both voltages ΔVr and ΔVqwill change with time. For ΔVr the
equation is:
POWER MOSFET SELECTION
The drive pin of LM3487 must be connected to the gate of an
external MOSFET. In a buck topology, the drain of the external N-Channel MOSFET is connected to the input and the
source is connected to the inductor. The CB pin voltage provides the gate drive needed for an external N-Channel MOSFET. The gate drive voltage depends on the input voltage
(see TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS). In
most applications, a logic level MOSFET can be used. For
very low input voltages, a sub-logic level MOSFET should be
used.
The selected MOSFET directly controls the efficiency. The
critical parameters for selection of a MOSFET are:
1. Minimum threshold voltage, VTH(MIN)
2. On-resistance, RDS(ON)
3. Total gate charge, Qg
4. Reverse transfer capacitance, CRSS
5. Maximum drain to source voltage, VDS(MAX)
6. Maximum drain current, ID(MAX)
The off-state voltage of the MOSFET is approximately equal
to the input voltage. VDS(MAX) of the MOSFET must be greater
than the input voltage. Also, the ID rating must be greater than
the maximum peak load current.
The power losses in the MOSFET can be categorized into
conduction losses and ac switching or transition losses. RDS
(ON) is needed to estimate the conduction losses. The conduction loss, PCOND, is the I2R loss across the MOSFET. The
maximum conduction loss is given by:
where,
RESR = the output capacitor ESR
ΔIOUT = the difference between the load current change IOUT
(MAX) − IOUT(MIN)
DMIN = Minimum duty cycle of device (TMIN • fs)
Evaluating this equation at t = 0 gives ΔVr(max). Substituting
VOS(MAX) for ΔVr(MAX) and solving for RESR gives:
The expression for ΔVq is:
From Figure 13 it can be seen that ΔVC will reach its peak
value at some point in time and then decrease. The larger the
output capacitance is, the earlier the peak will occur. To find
the peak position, let the derivative of ΔVC go to zero, and the
result is:
where DMAX is the maximum operating duty cycle:
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14
must be able to dissipate the power. PD(CIN) must be lower
than the rated power dissipation of the selected input capacitor. In many cases, several capacitors have to be paralleled
to handle the rms current. In that case, the power dissipated
in each capacitor is given by:
PD(CIN) = (I2RMS_CINRESR_CIN)/n2, where n is the total number
of capacitors paralleled at the input.
A 0.1µF or 1µF ceramic bypass capacitor is also recommended on the VIN pin of the IC. This capacitor must be connected
very close to the pin.
IG = Qg.FS
The required gate drive power to turn the MOSFET on is equal
to the switching frequency times the energy required to deliver
the charge to bring the gate charge voltage to VDR (see
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS and TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS for the drive voltage specification).
COMPENSATION
PDrive = FS.Qg.VDR
It is sometimes helpful or necessary to slow down the turn on
transition of the FET so that less switching noise appears at
the ISEN pin. This can be done by inserting a drive resistor
RDR in series with the boot-strap capacitor (see Figure 8). This
can help reduce sensing noise that may be preventing designs from operating at or near the LM3487's minimum duty
cycle limit. Gate drive resistors from 2.2Ω to 51Ω are recommended.
20049291
CALCULATING POWER DISSIPATION
Although most of the power loss in a switching regulator is
dissipated in the FETs, it can also be useful to know the power
used by the IC. The electrical characteristics table shows a
typical value for Iq, however this does not include the FET
drive current. The following equation gives an accurate estimate of power lost in the device during switching: Where IG is
the average drive current defined above, and VDR is the FET
drive voltage, typically 6.1V.
FIGURE 14. Control Block Diagram of a Current Mode
Controlled Buck Converter
The LM3487 is a current mode controller, therefore the control
block diagram representation involves 2 feedback loops (see
Figure 14). The inner feedback loop derives its feedback from
the sensed inductor current, while the outer loop monitors the
output voltage. This section will not give a rigorous analysis
of current mode control, but rather a simplified but accurate
method to determine the compensation network. The first part
reveals the results of the model, giving expressions for solving
for component values in the compensation network.
The compensation network is designed around the power
components, or the power stage. An isolated schematic of the
error amplifier and the various compensation components is
shown in Figure 15. The error amplifier in conjunction with the
compensation network makes up the compensator block in
Figure 14. The purpose of the compensator block is to stabilize the control loop and achieve high performance in terms
of the transient response, audio susceptibility and output
impedance.
PD = VinIq + (Vin - VDR) IG
POWER DIODE SELECTION
The output current commutates through the diode when the
external MOSFET turns off. The three most important parameters for the diode are the peak current, peak inverse voltage,
and average power dissipation. Exceeding these ratings can
cause damage to the diode. The average current through the
diode is given by:
ID(AVG) = IOUT x (1-D)
where D is the duty cycle and IOUT is the output current. The
diode must be rated to handle this current.
The off-state voltage across the diode in a buck converter is
approximately equal to the input voltage. The peak inverse
voltage rating of the diode must be greater than the off-state
voltage of the diode. To improve efficiency, a low forward drop
schottky diode is recommended.
INPUT CAPACITOR SELECTION
In a buck converter, the high side switch draws large ripple
currents from the input capacitor. The input capacitor must be
rated to handle this RMS current.
The power dissipated in the input capacitor is given by:
PD(CIN)=IRMS_CIN2RESR_CIN,
where RESR_CIN is the ESR of the input capacitor. The input
capacitor must be selected to handle the rms current and
15
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LM3487
The turn-on and turn-off transition times of a MOSFET from
the MOSFET specifications require tens of nano-seconds.
CRSS and Qg are needed from the MOSFET specifications to
estimate the large instantaneous power loss that occurs during these transitions.
The average amount of gate current required to turn the
MOSFET on can be calculated using the formula:
LM3487
Se = fS(VSL + 50x10−6 RSL)
20049290
FIGURE 15. LM3487 Compensation Components
Figure 16 shows a bode plot of a typical current mode buck
regulator. It is an estimate of the actual plot using the asymptotic approach. The three plots shown are of the compensator,
powerstage, and loop gain, which is the product of the power
stage, compensator, and feedback gain. The loop gain determines both static and dynamic performance of the converter. The power stage response is fixed by the selection of
the power components, therefore the compensator is designed around the powerstage response to achieve a good
loop response. Specifically, the compensator is added to increase low frequency magnitude, extend the 0dB frequency
(crossover frequency), and improve the phase characteristic.
With the power stage known, a compensator can be designed
to achieve improved performance and stability. The LM3487
will typically require only a single resistor and capacitor for
compensation, but depending on the power stage it could require three or four external components.
It is a good idea to check that Q is between 0.15 and 2, if it
was not already done when selecting the inductor. If Q is less
than 0.15 or greater than 2, skip to the SAMPLING POLE
QUALITY FACTOR section below before continuing with the
compensator design.
First, a target crossover frequency (fc) for the loop gain must
be selected. The crossover frequency is the bandwidth of the
converter. A higher bandwidth generally corresponds to faster
response times and lower overshoots to load transients. However, the bandwidth should not be much higher than 1/10 the
switching frequency.
The schematic of the LM3487 compensator is shown in Figure 15. The default design uses Rc and CC1 to form a lag (type
2) compensator. The CC2 capacitor can be added to form an
additional pole that is typically used to cancel out the ESR
zero of the output capacitor. Finally, if extra phase margin is
needed, the Cff capacitor can be added (this does not help at
low output voltages, see below).
The strategy taken here for choosing Rc and CC1 is to set the
crossover frequency with Rc, and set the compensator zero
with CC1. Using the selected target crossover frequency, fC,
set RC to:
200492j4
FIGURE 16. Typical Loop, Compensator, and Power
Stage Bode Plots for LM3487 Buck Circuits. Poles, Zeros
and Important Measurements are Labeled
There are several different types of compensation that can be
used to improve the frequency response of the control loop.
To determine which compensation scheme to use, some information about the power stage is needed.
Use VIN = VIN(MIN) and R = RMIN (IOUT(MAX)) when calculating
compensation components.
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fC = Crossover frequency in Hertz (fS/20 - fS/10 is recommended)
16
LM3487
RGM = 50x103Ω
GM = 1000x10−6 A/V
The compensator zero, fZ1, is set with CC1. When fast transient responses are desired, fZ1 should be placed as high as
possible, however it should not be higher than the selected
crossover frequency fC. The guideline proposed here is to
choose CC1 such that fZ1 falls somewhere between the power
pole fP1 and ½ decade before the selected crossover frequency:
One can plot the magnitude and phase of the open loop response to analyze the frequency response.
Example: Compensation Design
4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 5.5V
VOUT = 2.5V
IOUT = 3A (R = 0.83Ω)
RSEN = 0.02Ω
L = 3.3µH
RSL = 0Ω
COUT = 100µF
RESR = 0.01Ω
fs = 500kHz
First, calculate the power stage parameters using VIN(MIN) and
R(MIN):
In this compensation scheme, the pole created by CC2 is used
to cancel out the zero created by the ESR of the output capacitor. In other schemes such as the methods discussed in
the SAMPLING POLE QUALITY FACTOR subsection, the
ESR zero is used. For the typical case, use CC2 if:
PLOTTING THE OPEN LOOP RESPONSE
The open loop response is expressed as:
T = ADC x ACM x H x Fp(s) x Fc(s)
Where ADC and H are given above and
ACM = GM x RGM
In this example, a crossover frequency of 20kHz is chosen,
so: fC = 20000. RC is now calculated using the power stage
information and the target crossover frequency fC:
Selecting RC = 910Ω sets the high frequency gain of the compensator such that a crossover frequency of fC is obtained.
The capacitor CC1 sets the compensator zero, fZ2. Set fZ2 between the power pole fP1 and ½ decade before the target
crossover frequency fC:
Choosing CC1 = 70nF will set fZ2 = fP1, canceling out the power
pole and insuring a −20dB/decade slope in the low frequency
17
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LM3487
18 shows how the power stage bode plot is affected as Q is
varied from 0.01 to 10. The resonance is caused by two complex poles at half the switching frequency. If mc is too low, the
resonant peaking could become severe coinciding with subharmonic oscillations in the inductor current. If mc is too high,
the two complex poles split and the converter begins to act
like a voltage mode converter and the compensation scheme
used above should be changed.
magnitude response. In other words, the phase margin below
the crossover frequency will always be higher than the phase
margin at the crossover frequency.
If better transient response times are desired, set fz2 closer to
1/2 decade before fc (smaller capacitor). This trades more low
frequency gain for less phase margin, which translates to
faster but more oscillatory step responses. We pick CC1 =
47nF.
If the esr zero of the output capacitor (fESR) is too low or if
more phase margin is required, additional components may
be added to increase the flexibility of the compensator.
Use CC2 if fESR < ½ fS, that is if:
For this example, fESR = 159 kHz, so use CC2.
In general, Cc2 should be kept as small as possible to prevent
the gain and phase margins from dropping too low.
The equations used here for RC, CC1, and CC2 are approximations valid when CC2 << CC1. For exact equations, see
Plotting Open Loop Response earlier in this section. In some
cases, the desired inductance is several times higher than the
optimal inductance set by the internal slope compensation.
This results in a Q lower than 0.15, in which case additional
methods of compensating are presented (see SAMPLING
POLE QUALITY FACTOR section).
200492j5
FIGURE 18. The Quality Factor Q of the Two Complex
Poles is used to qualify how much resonant peaking is
observed in the Power Stage Bode Plot
If Q>2, the sampling poles are imaginary and are approaching
the right half of the imaginary plane (the system is becoming
unstable). In this case, Q must be decreased by either increasing the inductance, or more preferably, adding more
slope compensation through the RSL resistor (see DEFAULT/
ADJUSTABLE SLOPE COMPENSATION section).
If Q<0.15, it means that one of the sampling poles is decreasing in frequency towards the dominant power pole, fp1. There
are three ways to compensate for this. Decrease the
crossover frequency, add a phase lead network, or use the
output capacitor's ESR to cancel out the low frequency sampling pole.
One option is to decrease the crossover frequency so that the
phase margin is not as severely decreased by the sampling
pole. Decreasing the crossover frequency to between 1kHz
to 10kHz is advisable here. As a result, there will be a decrease in transient response performance.
Another option is the use of the feed-forward capacitor, Cff
(see Figure 15. This will provide a positive phase shift (lead)
which can be used to increase phase margin. However, it is
important to note that the effectiveness of Cff decreases with
output voltage. This is due to the fact that the frequencies of
the zero fzff and pole fpff get closer together as the output voltage is reduced.
The frequency of the feed-forward zero and pole are:
200492j3
FIGURE 17. Open Loop Frequency Response for LM3487
Compensation Design Example
SAMPLING POLE QUALITY FACTOR
In a current mode control architecture, there is an inherent
resonance at half the switching frequency. The LM3487 internally compensates for this by adding a negative slope to
the PWM control waveform (see DEFAULT/ADJUSTABLE
SLOPE COMPENSATION section). The factor in the power
stage equations above, Q, describes how much resonance
will be observed. Q is a function of duty cycle and mc. Figure
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18
LM3487
A third option is to strategically place the ESR zero fESR of the
output capacitor to cancel out the sampling pole. In this case,
the capacitor CC2 will not be used to cancel out fESR. fESR
should be placed around the crossover frequency fc, but this
will depend on how low Q is.
CURRENT SENSE FILTERING AND LAYOUT
High side current sensing like that used in the LM3487 buck
circuit is subject to high frequency noise at the turn on of the
MOSFET. The noise will appear in the current sense signal
and could cause duty cycle jittering. This will produce undesirable spectrum noise. The LM3487 uses a 130 ns blanking
time at the beginning of every cycle to ignore this noise, but
the noise may be prevalent after the blanking time. Because
the noise spike increases with input voltage and load current,
duty cycle jitter occurs more commonly at input voltages
above 15V and loads above 2A. Current sense filtering is
necessary to reduce the noise at the ISEN pin and stabilize the
jitter.
The schematic in Figure 19 shows the current sense circuit
with the recommended RC filter. The layout of the filter components is very important. Grounding should be very good for
the input bypass capacitor, and the components at the Vin
node should be kept very close together. An example layout
is shown in Figure 19. The better the layout, the less delay
necessary in the RC filter. The RC time constant of the filter
should be in the range of 10ns to 300ns. The resistor in the
RC filter should be less than 100 ohm to avoid adding appreciable slope compensation.
It is important to keep the RC time constant at a minimum
because the delay of the filter has a side effect of increasing
the hysteretic threshold current (see PROGRAMMING THE
CURRENT LIMIT/HYSTERETIC THRESHOLD section).
When creating a PCB layout, a few important guidelines
should be followed. First, the switch node should be kept as
small as possible. Also, the catch diode, input capacitors, and
output capacitors should be grounded to a large ground
plane, with the input cap grounded at a point close to the catch
diode anode. Keeping the feedback trace short and away
from the inductor is also important. See Application Note
AN-1229 for more specific information regarding PCB layout.
200492n5
FIGURE 19. Current Sense Filter Schematic and Local
Layout Recommendation
19
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LM3487
Physical Dimensions inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted
10 Lead Mini SO-10 Package
NS Package Number MUB10A
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LM3487
Notes
21
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LM3487 High Efficiency High-Side N-Channel Controller for Switching Regulator
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SYSTEMS WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND GENERAL
COUNSEL OF NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION. As used herein:
Life support devices or systems are devices which (a) are intended for surgical implant into the body, or (b) support or sustain life and
whose failure to perform when properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided in the labeling can be reasonably expected
to result in a significant injury to the user. A critical component is any component in a life support device or system whose failure to perform
can be reasonably expected to cause the failure of the life support device or system or to affect its safety or effectiveness.
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brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Copyright© 2008 National Semiconductor Corporation
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