LINER LTC3713

LTC3713
Low Input Voltage,
High Power, No RSENSETM
Synchronous Buck DC/DC Controller
U
FEATURES
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
DESCRIPTIO
The LTC®3713 is a high current, high efficiency synchronous buck switching regulator controller optimized for
use with very low input supply voltages. It operates from
inputs as low as 1.5V and provides a regulated output
voltage from 0.8V up to (0.9)VIN. The controller uses
a valley current control architecture to enable high operating frequencies without requiring a sense resistor.
Operating frequency is selected by an external resistor and
is compensated for variations in VIN and VOUT. The LTC3713
uses a pair of standard 5V logic-level N-channel external
MOSFETs, eliminating the need for expensive P-channel
or low threshold devices.
Very Low VIN(MIN): 1.5V
True Current Mode Control
5V Drive for N-Channel MOSFETs Eliminates
Auxillary 5V Supply
No Sense Resistor Required
Uses Standard 5V Logic-Level N-Channel MOSFETs
Adjustable Current Limit
Adjustable Frequency
Switch tON(MIN) < 100ns
2% to 90% Duty Cycle at 200kHz
0.8V ±1% Reference
Power Good Output Voltage Monitor
Programmable Soft-Start
Output Overvoltage Protection
Optional Short-Circuit Shutdown Timer
Small 24-Lead SSOP Package
Discontinuous mode operation provides high efficiency
operation at light loads. A forced continuous control
pin reduces noise and RF interference, and can assist
secondary winding regulation by disabling discontinuous
operation when the main output is lightly loaded. Fault
protection is provided by internal foldback current limiting, an output overvoltage comparator and an optional
short-circuit shutdown timer.
U
APPLICATIO S
■
■
■
Telecom Card 3.3V, 2.5V, 1.8V Step-Down
Bus Termination (DDR memory, SSTL)
Synchronous Buck with General Purpose Boost
Low VIN Synchronous Boost
, LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
No RSENSE is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation.
U
■
TYPICAL APPLICATIO
VIN
1.8V TO 3.3V
CMDSH-3
SHDN
BOOST
330k
10k
100
M1
ION
TG
LTC3713
SW1
VFB1
L1
1.8µH
+
SENSE+
680pF
BG
20k
ITH
M2
PGOOD
VIN1
SGND
VIN2
10µF
12.1k
80
VIN = 2.5V
A
B
70
60
50
40
30
20
3713 F01a
4.7µF
VFB2
B340A
COUT
270µF
×2
90
VOUT
1.25V
10A
PGND
SENSE –
RUN/SS INTVCC
0.1µF
Efficiency vs Load Current
0.33µF
EFFICIENCY (%)
5.6k
22µF
×2
SW2
37.4k
MBR0520
4.7µH
COUT: PANASONIC EEFUEOD271R
L1: (A) PANASONIC ETQP6FIR8BFA
(B) TOKO D104C-1.8µH
M1, M2: (A) IRF7822, (B) IRF7811A
10
0
0.01 0.04 0.10 0.40 1
7
3
LOAD CURRENT (A)
12
15
3713 F01b
Figure 1. High Efficiency Step-Down Converter from 1.8V to 3.3V Input
3713fa
1
LTC3713
W W
W
AXI U
U
ABSOLUTE
RATI GS
U
U
W
PACKAGE/ORDER I FOR ATIO
(Note 1)
Input Supply Voltage (VIN2) .......................10V to – 0.3V
Boosted Topside Driver Supply Voltage
(BOOST) ............................................... 42V to – 0.3V
VIN1, ION, SW1, SENSE+ Voltages ............. 36V to – 0.3V
RUN/SS, PGOOD Voltages ......................... 7V to – 0.3V
FCB, VON, VRNG Voltages .......... INTVCC + 0.3V to – 0.3V
ITH, VFB1, SENSE– Voltages ..................... 2.7V to – 0.3V
SW2 Voltage ............................................. 36V to – 0.4V
VFB2 Voltage ................................................. VIN2 + 0.3V
SHDN Voltage ......................................................... 10V
TG, BG, INTVCC Peak Currents .................................. 2A
TG, BG, INTVCC RMS Currents ............................ 50mA
Operating Ambient Temperature
Range (Note 4) ................................... – 40°C to 85°C
Junction Temperature (Note 2) ............................ 125°C
Storage Temperature Range ................. – 65°C to 150°C
Lead Temperature (Soldering, 10 sec).................. 300°C
ORDER PART
NUMBER
TOP VIEW
RUN/SS
1
24 BOOST
VON
2
23 TG
PGOOD
3
22 SW1
VRNG
4
21 SENSE +
FCB
5
20 SENSE –
ITH
6
19 PGND1
SGND1
7
18 BG
ION
8
17 INTVCC
VFB1
9
16 VIN1
SHDN 10
15 VIN2
SGND2 11
VFB2 12
LTC3713EG
14 PGND2
13 SW2
G PACKAGE
24-LEAD PLASTIC SSOP
TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 130°C/ W
Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges.
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The ● denotes specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are TA = 25°C. VIN1 = 15V, VIN2 = 1.5V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
Buck Regulator
IQ(VIN1)
Input DC Supply Current (VIN1)
Normal
Shutdown Supply Current
VFB1
Feedback Reference Voltage
IFB1
Feedback Current
∆VFB1(LINEREG) Feedback Voltage Line Regulation
∆VFB1(LOADREG) Feedback Voltage Load Regulation
gm(EA)
Error Amplifier Transconductance
VFCB
Forced Continuous Threshold
IFCB
Forced Continuous Pin Current
tON
On-Time
tON(MIN)
tOFF(MIN)
VSENSE(MAX)
Minimum On-Time
Minimum Off-Time
Maximum Current Sense Threshold
VPGND – VSW
VSENSE(MIN)
Minimum Current Sense Threshold
VPGND – VSW
∆VFB1(OV)
∆VFB1(UV)
VRUN/SS(ON)
VRUN/SS(LE)
VRUN/SS(LT)
Output Overvoltage Fault Threshold
Output Undervoltage Fault Threshold
RUN Pin Start Threshold
RUN Pin Latchoff Enable Threshold
RUN Pin Latchoff Threshold
CONDITIONS
ITH = 1.2V (Note 3)
(Note 3)
VIN1 = 4V to 30V, ITH = 1.2V (Note 3)
ITH = 0.5V to 1.9V (Note 3)
ITH = 1.2V (Note 3)
MIN
●
●
●
●
VFCB = 0.8V
ION = 60µA, VON = 1.5V
ION = 30µA, VON = 1.5V
ION = 180µA
VRNG = 1V, VFB1 = 0.76V
VRNG = 0V, VFB1 = 0.76V
VRNG = INTVCC, VFB1 = 0.76V
VRNG = 1V, VFB1 = 0.84V
VRNG = 0V, VFB1 = 0.84V
VRNG = INTVCC, VFB1 = 0.84V
RUN/SS Pin Rising
RUN/SS Pin Falling
0.792
1.4
0.76
200
400
●
●
●
113
79
158
●
5.5
520
0.8
TYP
MAX
UNITS
900
15
0.800
–5
0.002
– 0.05
1.7
0.8
–1
250
500
50
250
133
93
186
– 67
– 47
– 93
7.5
600
1.5
4
3.5
2000
30
0.808
±50
µA
µA
V
nA
%/V
%
mS
V
µA
ns
ns
ns
ns
mV
mV
mV
mV
mV
mV
%
mV
V
V
V
– 0.3
2
0.84
–2
300
600
100
400
153
107
214
9.5
680
2
4.5
4.2
3713fa
2
LTC3713
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The ● denotes specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are TA = 25°C. VIN1 = 15V, VIN2 = 1.5V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
IRUN/SS(C)
Soft-Start Charge Current
VRUN/SS = 0V
– 0.5
– 1.2
–3
µA
IRUN/SS(D)
Soft-Start Discharge Current
VRUN/SS = 4.5V, VFB = 0V
0.8
1.8
3
µA
UVLO
VIN1 Undervoltage Lockout
VIN1 Falling
●
3.4
3.9
V
UVLOR
VIN1 Undervoltage Lockout Release
VIN1 Rising
●
3.5
4
V
TG RUP
TG Driver Pull-Up On Resistance
TG High
2
3
Ω
TG RDOWN
TG Driver Pull-Down On Resistance
TG Low
2
3
Ω
BG RUP
BG Driver Pull-Up On Resistance
BG High
3
4
Ω
BG RDOWN
BG Driver Pull-Down On Resistance
BG Low
1
2
TG t r
TG Rise Time
CLOAD = 3300pF
20
ns
TG t f
TG Fall Time
CLOAD = 3300pF
20
ns
BG tr
BG Rise Time
CLOAD = 3300pF
20
ns
BG tf
BG Fall Time
CLOAD = 3300pF
20
ns
Ω
Internal VCC Regulator
VINTVCC
Internal VCC Voltage
6V < VIN < 30V
∆VLDO(LOADREG)
Internal VCC Load Regulation
ICC = 0mA to 20mA
∆VFB1H
PGOOD Upper Threshold
VFB1 Rising
5.5
7.5
9.5
%
∆VFB1L
PGOOD Lower Threshold
VFB1 Falling
– 5.5
– 7.5
– 9.5
%
∆VFB(HYS)
PGOOD Hysteresis
VFB1 Returning
1
2
%
VPGL
PGOOD Low Voltage
IPGOOD = 5mA
0.15
0.4
V
0.9
1.5
V
10
V
3
0.01
4.5
1
mA
µA
1.23
1.255
1.260
●
4.7
5
5.3
V
–0.1
±2
%
PGOOD Output
Boost Regulator
VIN2(MIN)
Minimum Operating Voltage
VIN2(MAX)
Maximum Operating Voltage
IQ(VIN2)
Input DC Supply Current (VIN2)
Normal
Shutdown
VFB2
VFB2 Feedback Voltage
0°C to 70°C
–40°C to 85°C
●
IVFB2
VFB2 Pin Bias Current
∆VFB2(LINEREG)
BOOST Reference Line Regulation
1.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 10V
fBOOST
BOOST Switching Frequency
0°C to 70°C
–40°C to 85°C
1.205
1.200
●
DCBOOST(MAX)
BOOST Maximum Duty Cycle
ILIM(BOOST)
BOOST Switch Current Limit
(Note 5)
VCESAT(BOOST)
BOOST Switch VCESAT
ISW = 300mA
ISWLKG(BOOST)
BOOST Switch Leakage Current
VSW = 5V
VSHDN(HIGH)
SHDN Input Voltage High
VSHDN(LOW)
SHDN Input Voltage Low
ISHDN
SHDN Pin Bias Current
●
1.0
0.9
27
80
nA
0.02
0.2
%/V
1.4
1.8
1.9
MHz
MHz
82
86
%
500
800
mA
300
350
mV
0.01
1
µA
1
VSHDN = 3V
VSHDN = 0V
Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are those values beyond which the life
of a device may be impaired.
Note 2: TJ is calculated from the ambient temperature TA and power
dissipation PD as follows:
LTC3713EG: TJ = TA + (PD • 130°C/W)
Note 3: The LTC3713 is tested in a feedback loop that adjusts VFB to
V
V
V
25
0.01
0.3
V
50
0.1
µA
µA
achieve a specified error amplifier output voltage (ITH).
Note 4: The LTC3713E is guaranteed to meet performance specifications
from 0°C to 70°C. Specifications over the –40°C to 85°C operating
temperature range are assured by design, characterization and correlation
with statistical process controls.
Note 5: Current limit guaranteed by design and/or correlation to static test.
3713fa
3
LTC3713
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Transient Response
(Discontinuous Mode)
Transient Response
VOUT
100mV/DIV
VOUT
100mV/DIV
IL
5A/DIV
IL
5A/DIV
50µs/DIV
LOAD STEP 0A TO 6A
VIN = 3.3V
VOUT = 1.25V
FCB = 0V
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT
IL
5A/DIV
50µs/DIV
LOAD STEP 600mA TO 6A
VIN = 3.3V
VOUT = 1.25V
FCB = INTVCC
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT
500µs/DIV
3713 G02
Boost Converter Current Limit
vs Duty Cycle
1000
50
TA = 25°C
1.50
VIN = 1.5V
1.25
1.00
0.75
0.50
900
40
CURRENT LIMIT (mA)
SHDN PIN BIAS CURRENT (µA)
VIN = 5V
1.75
30
20
10
0.25
800
70°C
700
600
25°C
500
–40°C
400
300
0
–50
0
–25
0
25
50
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
200
0
100
1
2
3
4
SHDN PIN VOLTAGE (V)
10
5
1.25
80
EFFICIENCY (%)
VOLTAGE
70
80
90
80
VIN = 2.5V
EFFICIENCY (%)
1.24
70
100
90
VIN = 3.3V
60
70
VIN = 2.5V
VIN = 3.3V
60
50
40
30
50
20
1.21
40
10
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT (B)
1.20
–50
40
50
60
DUTY CYCLE (%)
Efficiency vs Load Current
(Force Continuous)
100
1.22
30
3713 G06
Efficiency vs Load Current
(Discontinuous Mode)
VFB2, Feedback Pin Voltage
1.23
20
3713 G05
3713 G04
FEEDBACK PIN VOLTAGE (V)
3713 G03
VIN = 3.3V
VOUT = 1.25V
L = 1.8µH
COUT = 540µF
LOAD = 0.2Ω
SHDN Pin Current vs VSHDN
2.00
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (MHz)
VOUT
500mV/DIV
3713 G01
Boost Converter Oscillator
Frequency vs Temperature
Start-Up from Shutdown
–25
0
25
50
TEMPERATURE (°C)
75
100
3713 G07
30
0.01 0.04 0.07 0.1 0.4 0.7 1
4
LOAD CURRENT (A)
7
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT (B)
10
1713 G09
0
0.01
0.05
0.8
0.09 0.4
3
LOAD CURRENT (A)
7
3713 G10
3713fa
4
LTC3713
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
On-Time vs ION Current
Frequency vs Input Voltage
Load Regulation
0
350
–0.1
300
–0.2
250
10k
VVON = 0V
–0.3
–0.4
–0.5
LOAD = 0A
200
150
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT
0
1.5
–0.7
0
1
2
3 4 5 6
7
LOAD CURRENT (A)
8
9
10
10
4.0
2.5 3.0 3.5
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
2.0
4.5
On-Time vs VON Voltage
Current Limit Foldback
On-Time vs Temperature
300
IION = 30µA
IION = 30µA
250
ON-TIME (ns)
800
600
400
200
150
100
200
0
50
2
1
VON VOLTAGE (V)
0
0
–50 –25
3
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
3713 G14
150
100
50
0.75
1.0
1.25
1.5
VRNG VOLTAGE (V)
100
75
50
25
0
0
125
1.75
2.0
3713 G17
0.2
0.4
VFB (V)
0.6
150
Maximum Current Sense
Threshold vs Temperature
VRNG = 1V
125
100
75
50
25
0
1.5
2
2.5
3
RUN/SS VOLTAGE (V)
0.8
3713 G16
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
200
VRNG = 1V
125
Maximum Current Sense
Threshold vs RUN/SS Voltage
250
0.5
150
3713 G15
Maximum Current Sense
Threshold vs VRNG Voltage
300
100
3713 G13
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
1000
10
ION CURRENT (µA)
1
5.0
3713 G12
3713 G11
MAXIMUM CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
100
100
FIGURE 1 CIRCUIT
0
1k
50
–0.6
ON-TIME (ns)
ON-TIME (ns)
FREQUENCY (kHz)
∆VOUT (%)
LOAD = 6A
3.5
3713 G18
150
VRNG = 1V
140
130
120
110
100
–50
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3713 G19
3713fa
5
LTC3713
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Feedback Reference Voltage vs
Temperature
gm (mS)
0.81
0.80
2.0
0
1.8
–0.1
∆INTVCC (%)
0.82
FEEDBACK REFERENCE VOLTAGE (V)
INTVCC Load Regulation
Error Amplifier gm vs
Temperature
1.6
1.4
–0.3
0.79
1.2
0.78
–50 –25
75
0
25
50
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
–0.4
1.0
–50
125
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3713 G20
VRNG =
200
FCB PIN CURRENT (µA)
0.7V
0.5V
0
–100
–200
3
–0.25
2
–0.50
–0.75
–1.00
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
ITH VOLTAGE (V)
2.5
3.0
–1.50
–50 –25
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3713 G23
UNDERVOLTAGE LOCKOUT THRESHOLD (V)
RUN/SS THRESHOLD (V)
4.5
LATCHOFF ENABLE
4.0
3.5
LATCHOFF THRESHOLD
75
0
25
50
TEMPERATURE (°C)
0
PULL-UP CURRENT
100
125
–2
–50 –25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
100
125
3713 G25
Undervoltage Lockout Threshold
vs Temperature
5.0
–25
PULL-DOWN CURRENT
1
3713 G24
RUN/SS Latchoff Thresholds vs
Temperature
3.0
–50
50
–1
–1.25
0
10
30
40
20
INTVCC LOAD CURRENT (mA)
RUN/SS Pin Current vs
Temperature
0
2V
1V
0
3713 G22
FCB Pin Current vs Temperature
1.4V
100
–0.5
125
FCB PIN CURRENT (µA)
300
100
3713 G21
Current Sense Threshold vs ITH
Voltage
CURRENT SENSE THRESHOLD (mV)
–0.2
125
3713 G26
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
–50 –25
75
0
25
50
TEMPERATURE (C)
100
125
3713 G27
3713fa
6
LTC3713
U
U
U
PI FU CTIO S
RUN/SS (Pin 1): Run Control and Soft-Start Input. A
capacitor to ground at this pin sets the ramp time to full
output current (approximately 3s/µF) and the time delay
for overcurrent latchoff (see Applications Information).
Forcing this pin below 0.8V shuts down the device.
VON (Pin 2): On-Time Voltage Input. Voltage trip point for
the on-time comparator. Tying this pin to the output
voltage makes the on-time proportional to VOUT. The
comparator input defaults to 0.7V when the pin is grounded,
2.4V when the pin is tied to INTVCC.
PGOOD (Pin 3): Power Good Output. Open-drain logic
output that is pulled to ground when the output voltage is
not within ±7.5% of the regulation point.
VFB2 (Pin 12): Boost Converter Feedback. The VFB2 pin is
connected to INTVCC through a resistor divider to set the
voltage on INTVCC. Set INTVCC voltage according to:
VINTVCC = 1.23V(1 + RF4/RF3)
SW2 (Pin 13): Boost Converter Switch Pin. Connect
inductor/diode for boost converter portion here. Minimize
trace area at this pin to keep EMI down.
PGND (Pins 14, 19): Power Ground. Connect these pins
closely to the source of the bottom N-channel MOSFET,
the (–) terminal of CVCC and the (–) terminal of CIN.
VIN2 (Pin 15): Input Supply Pin for Boost Converter
Portion of LTC3713. Must be locally bypassed.
VRNG (Pin 4): Sense Voltage Range Input. The voltage at
this pin is ten times the nominal sense voltage at maximum output current and can be set from 0.5V to 2V by a
resistive divider from INTVCC. The nominal sense voltage
defaults to 70mV when this pin is tied to ground, 140mV
when tied to INTVCC.
VIN1 (Pin 16): Main Input Supply. Decouple this pin to
PGND with an RC filter (1Ω, 0.1µF).
FCB (Pin 5): Forced Continuous Input. Tie this pin to
ground to force continuous synchronous operation at low
load, to INTVCC to enable discontinuous mode operation
at low load or to a resistive divider from a secondary output
when using a secondary winding.
BG (Pin 18): Bottom Gate Drive. Drives the gate of the
bottom N-channel MOSFET between ground and INTVCC.
ITH (Pin 6): Current Control Threshold and Error Amplifier
Compensation Point. The current comparator threshold
increases with this control voltage. The voltage ranges
from 0V to 2.4V with 0.8V corresponding to zero sense
voltage (zero current).
SGND (Pins 7, 11): Signal Ground. All small-signal components and compensation components should connect to
this ground, which in turn connects to PGND at one point.
ION (Pin 8): On-Time Current Input. Tie a resistor from VIN
to this pin to set the one-shot timer current and thereby set
the switching frequency.
VFB1 (Pin 9): Error Amplifier Feedback Input. This pin
connects the error amplifier input to an external resistive
divider from VOUT.
SHDN (Pin 10): Shutdown, Active Low. Tie to 1V or more
to enable boost converter portion of the LTC3713. Ground
to shut down.
INTVCC (Pin 17): Internal Regulator Output. The driver and
control circuits are powered from this voltage. Decouple
this pin to power ground with a minimum of 4.7µF low ESR
tantalum or ceramic capacitor.
SENSE – (Pin 20): Negative Current Sense Comparator
Input. The (–) input to the current comparator is normally
connected to power ground unless using a resistive divider from INTVCC (see Applications Information).
SENSE + (Pin 21): Positive Current Sense Comparator
Input. The (+) input to the current comparator is normally
connected to the SW1 node unless using a sense resistor
(see Applications Information).
SW1 (Pin 22): Switch Node. The (–) terminal of the
bootstrap capacitor CB connects here. This pin swings
from a diode voltage drop below ground up to VIN.
TG (Pin 23): Top Gate Drive. Drives the top N-channel
MOSFET with a voltage swing equal to INTVCC superimposed on the switch node voltage SW1.
BOOST (Pin 24): Boosted Floating Driver Supply. The (+)
terminal of the bootstrap capacitor CB connects here. This
pin swings from a diode voltage drop below INTVCC up to
VIN + INTVCC.
3713fa
7
LTC3713
W
FU CTIO AL DIAGRA S
U
U
RON
VIN
VON
2
8 ION
16 VIN1
5 FCB
+
4.7V
CIN
0.7V
+
1µA
2.4V
–
0.8V
REF
0.8V
5V
REG
+
–
F
tON =
24
VVON
(10pF)
IION
R
S
Q
FCNT
SW1
22
SENSE+
SWITCH
LOGIC
IREV
L1
VOUT
DB
21
–
–
M1
23
+
ICMP
CB
TG
ON
20k
+
BOOST
INTVCC
17
SHDN
1.4V
+
OV
COUT
CVCC
BG
M2
18
VRNG
PGND1
4
×
19
SENSE –
20
0.7V
PGOOD
3
3.3µA
R2
1
240k
+
1V
Q2 Q4
0.74V
UV
–
Q6
ITHB
VFB1
9
Q3 Q1
R1
+
Q5
SGND1
OV
+
–
7
–
0.8V
–
×4
SS
0.86V
RUN
SHDN
+
1.2µA
EA
+
–
6V
–
+
0.6V
6 ITH
0.8V
RC
CC1
0.6V
1 RUN/SS CSS
3713 FD01
VIN2 15
R5
40k
R6
40k
VOUT2
13 SW2
+
A1
gm
R7
(EXTERNAL)
VFB2
FB2 12
–
–
Q1
R8
(EXTERNAL)
Q2
x10
RAMP
GENERATOR
Σ
+
A2
R
FF
S
DRIVER
Q3
Q
+
CC
R3
30k
R4
140k
11 SGND2
RC
COMPARATOR
0.15Ω
–
1.4MHz
OSCILLATOR
SHDN
10
SHUTDOWN
14 PGND2
3713 FD02
3713fa
8
LTC3713
U
OPERATIO
Main Control Loop
The LTC3713 is a current mode controller for DC/DC
step-down converters designed to operate from low input
voltages. It incorporates a boost converter with a buck
regulator.
Buck Regulator Operation
In normal operation, the top MOSFET is turned on for a
fixed interval determined by a one-shot timer OST. When
the top MOSFET is turned off, the bottom MOSFET is
turned on until the current comparator ICMP trips, restarting the one-shot timer and initiating the next cycle. Inductor current is determined by sensing the voltage between
the SENSE+ and SENSE– pins using the bottom MOSFET
on-resistance . The voltage on the ITH pin sets the comparator threshold corresponding to inductor valley current. The error amplifier EA adjusts this voltage by comparing the feedback signal VFB1 from the output voltage
with an internal 0.8V reference. If the load current increases, it causes a drop in the feedback voltage relative to
the reference. The ITH voltage then rises until the average
inductor current again matches the load current.
At low load currents, the inductor current can drop to zero
and become negative. This is detected by current reversal
comparator IREV which then shuts off M2, resulting in
discontinuous operation. Both switches will remain off
with the output capacitor supplying the load current until
the ITH voltage rises above the zero current level (0.8V) to
initiate another cycle. Discontinuous mode operation is
disabled by comparator F when the FCB pin is brought
below 0.8V, forcing continuous synchronous operation.
The operating frequency is determined implicitly by the
top MOSFET on-time and the duty cycle required to
maintain regulation. The one-shot timer generates an ontime that is proportional to the ideal duty cycle, thus
holding frequency approximately constant with changes
in VIN. The nominal frequency can be adjusted with an
external resistor RON.
Overvoltage and undervoltage comparators OV and UV
pull the PGOOD output low if the output feedback voltage
exits a ±7.5% window around the regulation point.
Furthermore, in an overvoltage condition, M1 is turned off
and M2 is turned on and held on until the overvoltage
condition clears.
Foldback current limiting is provided if the output is
shorted to ground. As VFB1 drops, the buffered current
threshold voltage ITHB is pulled down by clamp Q3 to a 1V
level set by Q4 and Q6. This reduces the inductor valley
current level to one sixth of its maximum value as VFB1
approaches 0V.
Pulling the RUN/SS pin low forces the controller into its
shutdown state, turning off both M1 and M2. Releasing
the pin allows an internal 1.2µA current source to charge
up an external soft-start capacitor CSS. When this voltage
reaches 1.5V, the controller turns on and begins switching, but with the ITH voltage clamped at approximately
0.6V below the RUN/SS voltage. As CSS continues to
charge, the soft-start current limit is removed.
INTVCC Power
Power for the top and bottom MOSFET drivers and most
of the internal controller circuitry is derived from the
INTVCC pin. The top MOSFET driver is powered from a
floating bootstrap capacitor CB. This capacitor is recharged from INTVCC through an external Schottky diode
DB when the top MOSFET is turned off.
Boost Regulator Operation
The 5V power source for INTVCC can be provided by a
current mode, internally compensated fixed frequency
step-up switching regulator that has been incorporated
into the LTC3713.
Operation can be best understood by referring to the
Functional Diagrams. Q1 and Q2 form a bandgap reference core whose loop is closed around the output of the
regulator. The voltage drop across R5 and R6 is low
enough such that Q1 and Q2 do not saturate, even when
VIN2 is 1V. When there is no load, VFB2 rises slightly above
1.23V, causing VC (the error amplifier’s output) to decrease. Comparator A2’s output stays high, keeping switch
Q3 in the off state. As increased output loading causes the
VFB2 voltage to decrease, A1’s output increases. Switch
current is regulated directly on a cycle-by-cycle basis by
the VC node. The flip-flop is set at the beginning of each
3713fa
9
LTC3713
U
OPERATIO
switch cycle, turning on the switch. When the summation
of a signal representing switch current and a ramp generator (introduced to avoid subharmonic oscillations at
duty factors greater than 50%) exceeds the VC signal,
comparator A2 changes state, resetting the flip-flop and
turning off the switch. More power is delivered to the
output as switch current is increased. The output voltage,
attenuated by external resistor divider R7 and R8, appears
at the VFB2 pin, closing the overall loop. Frequency compensation is provided internally by RC and CC. Transient
response can be optimized by the addition of a phase lead
capacitor CPL in parallel with R7 in applications where
large value or low ESR output capacitors are used.
As the load current is decreased, the switch turns on for
a shorter period each cycle. If the load current is further
decreased, the boost converter will skip cycles to maintain output voltage regulation. If the VFB2 pin voltage is
increased significantly above 1.23V, the boost converter
will enter a low power state.
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
A typical LTC3713 application circuit is shown in
Figure 1. External component selection is primarily determined by the maximum load current and begins with
the selection of the sense resistance and power MOSFET
switches. The LTC3713 uses the on-resistance of the
synchronous power MOSFET for determining the inductor current. The desired amount of ripple current and
operating frequency largely determines the inductor value.
Finally, CIN is selected for its ability to handle the large
RMS current into the converter and COUT is chosen with
low enough ESR to meet the output voltage ripple and
transient specification.
Maximum Sense Voltage and VRNG Pin
Inductor current is determined by measuring the voltage
across a sense resistance that appears between the
SENSE + and SENSE – pins. The maximum sense voltage
is set by the voltage applied to the VRNG pin and is equal
to approximately (0.133)VRNG. The current mode control
loop will not allow the inductor current valleys to exceed
(0.133)VRNG/RSENSE. In practice, one should allow some
margin for variations in the LTC3713 and external component values and a good guide for selecting the sense
resistance is:
RSENSE =
VRNG
10 • IOUT (MAX)
An external resistive divider from INTVCC can be used to
set the voltage of the VRNG pin between 0.5V and 2V
resulting in nominal sense voltages of 50mV to 200mV.
Additionally, the VRNG pin can be tied to SGND or INTVCC
in which case the nominal sense voltage defaults to 70mV
or 140mV, respectively. The maximum allowed sense
voltage is about 1.33 times this nominal value.
Connecting the SENSE + and SENSE – Pins
The LTC3713 can be used with or without a sense resistor.
When using a sense resistor, it is placed between the
source of the bottom MOSFET M2 and ground. Connect
the SENSE + and SENSE – pins as a Kelvin connection to the
sense resistor with SENSE + at the source of the bottom
MOSFET and the SENSE – pin to PGND1. Using a sense
resistor provides a well defined current limit, but adds cost
and reduces efficiency. Alternatively, one can eliminate the
sense resistor and use the bottom MOSFET as the current
sense element by simply connecting the SENSE + pin to the
drain and the SENSE – pin to the source of the bottom
MOSFET. This improves efficiency, but one must carefully
choose the MOSFET on-resistance as discussed in a later
section.
Applications Requiring Symmetric Current Limit
The ITH voltage has a range of 0V to 2.4V with 0.8V
corresponding to 0A. In applications in which the output
will only be sourcing current, this allows the output to sink
one third of the maximum source current. For applications
in which the output will be sourcing and sinking current,
it might be desirable to have a symmetrical output current
3713fa
10
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
SENSE+
WITHOUT
RSENSE
The gate drive voltage is set by the 5V INTVCC supply.
Consequently, logic-level threshold MOSFETs must be
used in LTC3713 applications.
SENSE –
VOUT
VOS
+
ROS2
–
RSENSE
ROS1
3713 F02
Figure 2. Sense Voltage Offset
range with respect to zero current. This can be accomplished by introducing an offset into the sense voltage as
shown in Figure 2.
The first step in calculating the amount of required offset
voltage is to determine the maximum sense voltage.
VSENSE = IOUT(MAX) • RSENSE
A good rule of thumb is to set the maximum sense voltage
for a current limit that is 30% greater than the maximum
source current.
The voltage on pin VRNG should be set based on the value
of VSENSE.
VRNG = VSENSE/0.133
VOS can be calculated using the following formula:
VOS = 0.6VSENSE
The offset voltage is added as shown in Figure 2 and can
be set by choosing the values of ROS1 and ROS2:
VOS
When the bottom MOSFET is used as the current sense
element, particular attention must be paid to its
on-resistance. MOSFET on-resistance is typically specified with a maximum value RDS(ON)(MAX) at 25°C. In this
case, additional margin is required to accommodate the
rise in MOSFET on-resistance with temperature:
RDS(ON)(MAX) =
2.0
Power MOSFET Selection
The LTC3713 requires two external N-channel power
MOSFETs, one for the top (main) switch and one for the
bottom (synchronous) switch. Important parameters for
the power MOSFETs are the breakdown voltage V(BR)DSS,
threshold voltage V(GS)TH, on-resistance RDS(ON), reverse
transfer capacitance CRSS and maximum current IDS(MAX).
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
– 50
V
•R
= OUT OS1
ROS1 + ROS2
The offset voltage must be scaled to VOUT to avoid interfering with the internal current limit foldback.
RSENSE
ρT
The ρT term is a normalization factor (unity at 25°C)
accounting for the significant variation in on-resistance
with temperature, typically about 0.4%/°C as shown in
Figure 3. For a maximum junction temperature of 100°C,
using a value ρT = 1.3 is reasonable.
ρT NORMALIZED ON-RESISTANCE
SENSE+
50
100
0
JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (°C)
150
3713 F03
Figure 3. RDS(ON) vs Temperature
The power dissipated by the top and bottom MOSFETs
strongly depends upon their respective duty cycles and
the load current. When the LTC3713 is operating in
continuous mode, the duty cycles for the MOSFETs are:
VOUT
VIN
V –V
= IN OUT
VIN
D TOP =
DBOT
3713fa
11
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
The resulting power dissipation in the MOSFETs at maximum output current are:
PTOP = DTOP IOUT(MAX)2 ρT(TOP) RDS(ON)(MAX)
+ k VIN2 IOUT(MAX) CRSS f
PBOT = DBOT IOUT(MAX)2 ρT(BOT) RDS(ON)(MAX)
Both MOSFETs have I2R losses and the top MOSFET
includes an additional term for transition losses, which are
largest at high input voltages. The constant k = 1.7A–1 can
be used to estimate the amount of transition loss. The
bottom MOSFET losses are greatest when the bottom duty
cycle is near 100%, during a short-circuit or at high input
voltage.
f=
[ ]
VOUT
Hz
VVONRON (10pF )
To hold frequency constant during output voltage changes,
tie the VON pin to VOUT. The VON pin has internal clamps
that limit its input to the one-shot timer. If the pin is tied
below 0.7V, the input to the one-shot is clamped at 0.7V.
Similarly, if the pin is tied above 2.4V, the input is clamped
at 2.4V.
Because the voltage at the ION pin is about 0.7V, the
current into this pin is not exactly inversely proportional to
VIN, especially in applications with lower input voltages.
To account for the 0.7V drop on the ION pin, the following
equation can be used to calculate the frequency:
Operating Frequency
The choice of operating frequency is a tradeoff between
efficiency and component size. Low frequency operation
improves efficiency by reducing MOSFET switching losses
but requires larger inductance and/or capacitance in order
to maintain low output ripple voltage.
The operating frequency of LTC3713 applications is determined implicitly by the one-shot timer that controls the
on-time tON of the top MOSFET switch. The on-time is set
by the current into the ION pin and the voltage at the VON
pin according to:
tON =
VVON
(10pF )
IION
Tying a resistor RON from VIN to the ION pin yields an ontime inversely proportional to VIN. For a step-down
converter, this results in approximately constant frequency operation as the input supply varies:
f=
(VIN – 0.7V)VOUT
VVON • VIN • RON (10pF )
To correct for this error, an additional resistor RON2
connected from the ION pin to the 5V INTVCC supply will
further stabilize the frequency.
RON2 =
5V
RON
0.7V
Changes in the load current magnitude will also cause
frequency shift. Parasitic resistance in the MOSFET
switches and inductor reduce the effective voltage across
the inductance, resulting in increased duty cycle as the
load current increases. By lengthening the on-time slightly
as current increases, constant frequency operation can be
maintained. This is accomplished with a resistive divider
from the ITH pin to the VON pin and VOUT. The values
required will depend on the parasitic resistances in the
RVON1
30k
RVON1
3k
VON
VOUT
CVON
0.01µF
RVON2
100k
LTC3713
RC
ITH
VOUT
10k
RVON2
10k
CVON
0.01µF
INTVCC
LTC3713
RC
Q1
2N5087
ITH
CC
CC
(4a)
VON
3713 F04
(4b)
Figure 4. Adjusting Frequency Shift with Load Current Changes
3713fa
12
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
specific application. A good starting point is to feed about
25% of the voltage change at the ITH pin to the VON pin as
shown in Figure 4a. Place capacitance on the VON pin to
filter out the ITH variations at the switching frequency. The
resistor load on ITH reduces the DC gain of the error amp
and degrades load regulation, which can be avoided by
using the PNP emitter follower of Figure 4b.
Inductor L1 Selection
Given the desired input and output voltages, the inductor
value and operating frequency determine the ripple
current:
V
 V

∆IL =  OUT   1 − OUT 
VIN 
 fL  
Lower ripple current reduces cores losses in the inductor,
ESR losses in the output capacitors and output voltage
ripple. Highest efficiency operation is obtained at low
frequency with small ripple current. However, achieving
this requires a large inductor. There is a tradeoff between
component size, efficiency and operating frequency.
A reasonable starting point is to choose a ripple current
that is about 40% of IOUT(MAX). The largest ripple current
occurs at the highest VIN. To guarantee that ripple current
does not exceed a specified maximum, the inductance
should be chosen according to:
 VOUT  
VOUT 
L=
  1−

 f ∆IL(MAX)   VIN(MAX) 
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,
molypermalloy or Kool Mµ® cores. A variety of inductors
designed for high current, low voltage applications are
available from manufacturers such as Sumida, Panasonic,
Coiltronics, Coilcraft and Toko.
Schottky Diode D1 Selection
The Schottky diode D1 shown in Figure 1 conducts during
the dead time between the conduction of the power
MOSFET switches. It is intended to prevent the body diode
of the bottom MOSFET from turning on and storing charge
during the dead time, which can cause a modest (about
1%) efficiency loss. The diode can be rated for about one
half to one fifth of the full load current since it is on for only
a fraction of the duty cycle. In order for the diode to be
effective, the inductance between it and the bottom MOSFET
must be as small as possible, mandating that these
components be placed adjacently. The diode can be omitted if the efficiency loss is tolerable.
CIN and COUT Selection
The input capacitance CIN is required to filter the square
wave current at the drain of the top MOSFET. Use a low
ESR capacitor sized to handle the maximum RMS current.
IRMS ≅ IOUT (MAX)
VOUT
VIN
VIN
–1
VOUT
This formula has a maximum at VIN = 2VOUT, where
IRMS = IOUT(MAX) / 2. This simple worst-case condition is
commonly used for design because even significant
deviations do not offer much relief. Note that ripple
current ratings from capacitor manufacturers are often
based on only 2000 hours of life which makes it advisable
to derate the capacitor.
The selection of COUT is primarily determined by the ESR
required to minimize voltage ripple and load step
transients. The output ripple ∆VOUT is approximately
bounded by:

1 
∆VOUT ≤ ∆IL  ESR +

8fC OUT 

Since ∆IL increases with input voltage, the output ripple is
highest at maximum input voltage. Typically, once the ESR
requirement is satisfied, the capacitance is adequate for
filtering and has the necessary RMS current rating.
Multiple capacitors placed in parallel may be needed to
meet the ESR and RMS current handling requirements.
Dry tantalum, special polymer, aluminum electrolytic and
ceramic capacitors are all available in surface mount
packages. Special polymer capacitors offer very low ESR
but have lower capacitance density than other types.
Kool Mµ is a registered trademark of Magnetics, Inc.
3713fa
13
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
Tantalum capacitors have the highest capacitance density
but it is important to only use types that have been surge
tested for use in switching power supplies. Aluminum
electrolytic capacitors have significantly higher ESR, but
can be used in cost-sensitive applications providing that
consideration is given to ripple current ratings and long
term reliability. Ceramic capacitors have excellent low
ESR characteristics but can have a high voltage coefficient and audible piezoelectric effects. The high Q of
ceramic capacitors with trace inductance can also lead to
significant ringing. When used as input capacitors, care
must be taken to ensure that ringing from inrush currents
and switching does not pose an overvoltage hazard to the
power switches and controller. To dampen input voltage
transients, add a small 5µF to 50µF aluminum electrolytic
capacitor with an ESR in the range of 0.5Ω to 2Ω. High
performance through-hole capacitors may also be used,
but an additional ceramic capacitor in parallel is recommended to reduce the effect of their lead inductance.
Top MOSFET Driver Supply (CB, DB)
An external bootstrap capacitor CB connected to the BOOST
pin supplies the gate drive voltage for the topside MOSFET.
This capacitor is charged through diode DB from INTVCC
when the switch node is low. When the top MOSFET turns
on, the switch node rises to VIN and the BOOST pin rises
to approximately VIN + INTVCC. The boost capacitor needs
to store about 100 times the gate charge required by the
top MOSFET. In most applications a 0.1µF to 0.47µF X5R
or X7R dielectric capacitor is adequate.
Discontinuous Mode Operation and FCB Pin
The FCB pin determines whether the bottom MOSFET
remains on when current reverses in the inductor. Tying
this pin above its 0.8V threshold enables discontinuous
operation where the bottom MOSFET turns off when
inductor current reverses. The load current at which
current reverses and discontinuous operation begins
depends on the amplitude of the inductor ripple current
and will vary with changes in VIN. Tying the FCB pin below
the 0.8V threshold forces continuous synchronous operation, allowing current to reverse at light loads and maintaining high frequency operation.
Fault Conditions: Current Limit and Foldback
The maximum inductor current is inherently limited in a
current mode controller by the maximum sense voltage. In
the LTC3713, the maximum sense voltage is controlled by
the voltage on the VRNG pin. With valley current control,
the maximum sense voltage and the sense resistance
determine the maximum allowed inductor valley current.
The corresponding output current limit is:
ILIMIT =
VSNS(MAX)
1
+ ∆IL
RDS(ON)ρT 2
The current limit value should be checked to ensure that
ILIMIT(MIN) > IOUT(MAX). The minimum value of current limit
generally occurs with the largest VIN at the highest ambient temperature, conditions that cause the largest power
loss in the converter. Note that it is important to check for
self-consistency between the assumed MOSFET junction
temperature and the resulting value of ILIMIT which heats
the MOSFET switches.
Caution should be used when setting the current limit
based upon the RDS(ON) of the MOSFETs. The maximum
current limit is determined by the minimum MOSFET onresistance. Data sheets typically specify nominal and
maximum values for RDS(ON), but not a minimum. A
reasonable assumption is that the minimum RDS(ON) lies
the same amount below the typical value as the maximum
lies above it. Consult the MOSFET manufacturer for further
guidelines.
To further limit current in the event of a short circuit to
ground, the LTC3713 includes foldback current limiting. If
the output falls by more than 25%, then the maximum
sense voltage is progressively lowered to about one sixth
of its full value.
Minimum Off-time and Dropout Operation
The minimum off-time tOFF(MIN) is the smallest amount of
time that the LTC3713 is capable of turning on the bottom
MOSFET, tripping the current comparator and turning the
MOSFET back off. This time is generally about 250ns. The
minimum off-time limit imposes a maximum duty cycle of
tON/(tON + tOFF(MIN)). If the maximum duty cycle is reached,
3713fa
14
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
due to a dropping input voltage for example, then the
output will drop out of regulation. The minimum input
voltage to avoid dropout is:
VIN(MIN) = VOUT
tON + tOFF(MIN)
tON
Output Voltage Programming
A resistor divider connected between VFB1 and VOUT sets
the output voltage according to the following equation:

R 
VOUT = 0.8V 1 + F2 
RF1 

External Gate Drive Buffers
The LTC3713 drivers are adequate for driving up to about
30nC into MOSFET switches with RMS currents of 50mA.
Applications with larger MOSFET switches or operating at
frequencies requiring greater RMS currents will benefit
from using external gate drive buffers such as the LTC1693.
Alternately, the external buffer circuit shown in Figure 5
can be used. Note that the bipolar devices reduce the
signal swing at the MOSFET gate.
INTVCC
BOOST
Q3
FMMT619
Q1
FMMT619
10Ω
GATE
OF M1
TG
Q2
FMMT720
SW
10Ω
GATE
OF M2
BG
Q4
FMMT720
PGND
tDELAY =
(
)
1.5V
C SS = 1.3s/µF C SS
1.2µA
When the voltage on RUN/SS reaches 1.5V, the LTC3713
begins operating with a clamp on ITH of approximately
0.9V. As the RUN/SS voltage rises to 3V, the clamp on ITH
is raised until its full 2.4V range is available. This takes an
additional 1.3s/µF, during which the maximum load current is reduced. During start-up the maximum load current
is reduced until either the RUN/SS pin rises to 3V or the
output reaches 75% of its final value. The pin can be driven
from logic as shown in Figure 6. Diode D1 reduces the start
delay while allowing CSS to charge up slowly for the softstart function.
After the controller has been started and given adequate
time to charge up the output capacitor, CSS is used as a
short-circuit timer. After the RUN/SS pin charges above
4V, if the output voltage falls below 75% of its regulated
value, then a short-circuit fault is assumed. A 1.8µA current then begins discharging CSS. If the fault condition
persists until the RUN/SS pin drops to 3.5V, then the controller turns off both power MOSFETs, shutting down the
converter permanently. The RUN/SS pin must be actively
pulled down to ground in order to restart operation.
The overcurrent protection timer requires that the softstart timing capacitor CSS be made large enough to guarantee that the output is in regulation by the time CSS has
reached the 4V threshold. In general, this will depend upon
the size of the output capacitance, output voltage and load
current characteristic. A minimum soft-start capacitor can
3713 F05
INTVCC
Figure 5. Optional External Gate Driver
RSS*
VIN
Soft-Start and Latchoff with the RUN/SS Pin
The RUN/SS pin provides a means to shut down the
LTC3713 as well as a timer for soft-start and overcurrent
latchoff. Pulling the RUN/SS pin below 0.8V puts the
LTC3713 into a low quiescent current shutdown
(IQ < 30µA). Releasing the pin allows an internal 1.2µA
current source to charge up the external timing capacitor
CSS. If RUN/SS has been pulled all the way to ground,
there is a delay before starting of about:
3.3V OR 5V
D1
RUN/SS
RSS*
D2*
RUN/SS
CSS
CSS
3713 F06
*OPTIONAL TO OVERRIDE
OVERCURRENT LATCHOFF
(6a)
(6b)
Figure 6. RUN/SS Pin Interfacing with Latchoff Defeated
3713fa
15
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
be estimated from:
CSS > COUT • VOUT • RSENSE (10 – 4 [F/V s])
converter. To ensure that the ripple current doesn’t exceed
a specified amount, the inductance can be chosen according to the following equation:
Generally 0.1µF is more than sufficient.
Overcurrent latchoff operation is not always needed or
desired. Load current is already limited during a shortcircuit by the current foldback circuitry and latchoff
operation can prove annoying during troubleshooting.
The feature can be overridden by adding a pull-up current
greater than 5µA to the RUN/SS pin. The additional
current prevents the discharge of CSS during a fault and
also shortens the soft-start period. Using a resistor to V IN
as shown in Figure 6a is simple, but slightly increases
shutdown current. Connecting a resistor to INTV CC as
shown in Figure 6b eliminates the additional shutdown
current, but requires a diode to isolate CSS. Any pull-up
network must be able to pull RUN/SS above the 4.2V
maximum threshold of the latchoff circuit and overcome
the 4µA maximum discharge current.
INTVCC Supply
The 5V supply that powers the drivers and internal circuitry within the LTC3713 can be supplied by either an
internal P-channel low dropout regulator if VIN is greater
than 5V or the internal boost regulator if VIN is less than 5V.
The INTVCC pin can supply up to 50mA RMS and must be
bypassed to ground with a minimum of 4.7µF tantalum or
other low ESR capacitor. Good bypassing is necessary to
supply the high transient currents required by the MOSFET
gate drivers. Applications using large MOSFETs with a
high input voltage and high frequency of operation may
cause the LTC3713 to exceed its maximum junction temperature rating or RMS current rating. In continuous mode
operation, this current is IGATECHG = f(Qg(TOP) + Qg(BOT)).
The junction temperature can be estimated from the
equations given in Note 2 of the Electrical Characteristics.
Inductor Selection for Boost Converter
For the boost converter, the inductance should be 4.7µH
for input voltages less then 3.3V and 10µH for inputs
above 3.3V. The inductor should have a saturation current
rating of approximately 0.5A or greater. A guide for selecting an inductor for the boost converter is to choose a ripple
current that is 40% of the current supplied by the boost

VIN2(MAX) 
VIN2(MIN)  1 –

 VOUT (BOOST) 
L=
∆I • f
Diode D3 Selection
A Schottky diode is recommended for use in the boost
converter section. The Motorola MBR0520 is a very good
choice.
Boost Converter Output Capacitor
Because the LTC3713’s boost converter is internally compensated, loop stability must be carefully considered when
choosing its output capacitor. Small, low cost tantalum
capacitors have some ESR, which aids stability. However,
ceramic capacitors are becoming more popular, having
attractive characteristics such as near-zero ESR, small size
and reasonable cost. Simply replacing a tantalum output
capacitor with a ceramic unit will decrease the phase margin,
in some cases to unacceptable levels. With the addition of
a phase-lead capacitor and isolating resistor, the boost
converter portion of the LTC3713 can be used successfully with ceramic output capacitors.
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. Although all dissipative
elements in the circuit produce losses, four main sources
account for most of the losses in LTC3713 circuits:
1. DC I2R losses. These arise from the resistances of the
MOSFETs, inductor and PC board traces and cause the
efficiency to drop at high output currents. In continuous
mode the average output current flows through L, but is
chopped between the top and bottom MOSFETs. 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 and the board traces to obtain the DC I2R
3713fa
16
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
loss. For example, if RDS(ON) = 0.01Ω and RL = 0.005Ω, the
loss will range from 1% up to 10% as the output current
varies from 1A to 10A for a 1.5V output.
2. Transition loss. This loss arises from the brief amount
of time the top MOSFET spends in the saturated region
during switch node transitions. It depends upon the input
voltage, load current, driver strength and MOSFET capacitance, among other factors. The loss is significant at input
voltages above 20V and can be estimated from:
Transition Loss ≅ (1.7A–1) VIN2 IOUT CRSS f
3. INTVCC current. This is the sum of the MOSFET driver
and control currents.
4. CIN loss. The input capacitor has the difficult job of
filtering the large RMS input current to the regulator. It
must have a very low ESR to minimize the AC I2R loss and
sufficient capacitance to prevent the RMS current from
causing additional upstream losses in fuses or batteries.
Other losses, including COUT ESR loss, Schottky diode D1
conduction loss during dead time and inductor core loss
generally account for less than 2% additional loss.
When making adjustments to improve efficiency, the input
current is the best indicator of changes in efficiency. If you
make a change and the input current decreases, then the
efficiency has increased. If there is no change in input
current, then there is no change in efficiency.
Checking Transient Response
The regulator loop response can be checked by looking
at the load transient response. Switching regulators take
several cycles to respond to a step in load current. When
a load step occurs, VOUT immediately shifts by an amount
equal to ∆ILOAD (ESR), where ESR is the effective series
resistance of COUT. ∆ILOAD also begins to charge or
discharge COUT generating a feedback error signal used
by the regulator to return VOUT to its steady-state value.
During this recovery time, VOUT can be monitored for
overshoot or ringing that would indicate a stability
problem. The ITH pin external components shown in
Figure 1 will provide adequate compensation for most
applications. For a detailed explanation of switching
control loop theory see Application Note 76.
Design Example
As a design example, take a supply with the following
specifications: VIN = 1.8V to 3.3V, VOUT = 1.25V ±100mV,
IOUT(MAX) = 6A, f = 300kHz. First, calculate the timing
resistor with VON = VOUT:
RON =
(2.5V – 0.7V)
= 240k
(2.5V)(300kHz)(10pF )
Next, use a standard value of 237k and choose the inductor
for about 40% ripple current at the maximum VIN:
L=
 1.25V 
1.25V
1–
 = 1.08µH
(300kHz)(0.4)(6A) 
3.3V 
Selecting a standard value of 1µH results in a maximum
ripple current of:
∆IL =
 1.25V 
1.25V
1–
 = 2.6A
(300kHz)(1µH) 
3.3V 
Next, choose the synchronous MOSFET switch. Choosing
an IRF7811A (RDS(ON) = 0.013Ω, CRSS = 60pF, θJA =
50°C/W) yields a nominal sense voltage of:
VSNS(NOM) = (6A)(1.3)(0.013Ω) = 101.4mV
Tying VRNG to 1V will set the current sense voltage range
for a nominal value of 100mV with current limit occurring
at 133mV. To check if the current limit is acceptable,
assume a junction temperature of about 10°C above a
50°C ambient with ρ60°C = 1.15:
ILIMIT ≥
133mV
1
+ (2.6A) = 10.2A
(1.15)(0.013Ω) 2
and double check the assumed TJ in the MOSFET:
2
PBOT
3.3V – 1.25V  10.2A 
=

 (1.15)(0.013Ω)
3.3V
 2 
= 0.24 W
TJ = 50°C + (0.24W)(50°C/W) = 62°C
Now check the power dissipation of the top MOSFET at
current limit with ρ80°C = 1.3:
3713fa
17
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
PTOP
(
However, a 0A to 6A load step will cause an output change
of up to:
) (1.3)(0.013Ω)
2
+ (1.7)(3.3V )(10.2A ) (60pF )(300kHz )
1.25V
10.2A
=
3.3V
2
∆VOUT(STEP) = ∆ILOAD (ESR) = (6A) (0.005Ω) = 30mV
The inductor for the boost converter is selected by first
choosing an allowable ripple current. The boost converter
will be operating in discontinous mode. If we select a ripple
current of 170mA for the boost converter, then:
= 0.68W
TJ = 50°C + (0.68W)(50°C/W) = 84°C
CIN is chosen for an RMS current rating of about 6A at
temperature. The output capacitors are chosen for a low
ESR of 0.005Ω to minimize output voltage changes due to
inductor ripple current and load steps. The ripple voltage
will be only:
L=
CSS
0.1µF
1
2
3
PGOOD
RR1
10k
C1
680pF
RR2
39.2k
4
5
RC
20k
6
C2
100pF 7
RON
237k
8
RF2
5.6k
9
RF1
10k
10
11
12
RF3
12.1k
RF5
10k
RUN/SS
BOOST
VON
TG
SW1
PGOOD
VRNG
FCB
SENSE –
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
PGND2
VFB2
SW2
RF4
37.4k
CIN
22µF
×2
M1
IRF7811A
VIN
1.8V TO 3.3V
22
20
INTVCC
CB
0.33µF
23
21
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
SGND2
= 4.7µH
DB
CMDSH-3
24
SENSE +
ITH
ION
(170mA)(1.4MHz)
The complete circuit is shown in Figure 7.
∆VOUT(RIPPLE) = ∆IL(MAX) (ESR)
= (2.6A) (0.005Ω) = 13mV
RPG
100k
 3.3V 
3.3V 1 −

5V 

L1
1µH
+
19
18
CVCC
10µF
6V
X5R
17
16
M2
IRF7811A
D2
B340A
VOUT
1.25V
6A
COUT
270µF
×2
15
14
13
CIN2
4.7µF
D3
MBR0520
3713 F07
L2
4.7µH
CIN: TAIYO YUDEN JMK325BJ226MM
CIN2: TAIYO YUDEN JMK212BJ475M6
CVCC: TAIYO YUDEN JMK316BJ106ML
COUT: PANASONIC EEFUEDD271R
L1: TOKO D104C-1µH
L2: PANASONIC ELJPC4R7MF
CF4
1000pF
Figure 7. Design Example: 1.25V/6A at 300kHz from 1.8V to 3.3V
3713fa
18
LTC3713
U
W
U U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
• Flood all unused areas on all layers with copper.
Flooding with copper will reduce the temperature rise
of power component. You can connect the copper
areas to any DC net (VIN, VOUT, GND or to any other DC
rail in your system).
PC Board Layout Checklist
When laying out a PC board follow one of the two
suggested approaches. The simple PC board layout
requires a dedicated ground plane layer. Also, for higher
currents, it is recommended to use a multilayer board to
help with heat sinking power components.
When laying out a printed circuit board, without a ground
plane, use the following checklist to ensure proper operation of the controller. These items are also illustrated in
Figure 8.
• The ground plane layer should not have any traces and
it should be as close as possible to the layer with power
MOSFETs.
• Place CIN, COUT, MOSFETs, D1 and inductor all in one
compact area. It may help to have some components
on the bottom side of the board.
• Segregate the signal and power grounds. All small
signal components should return to the SGND pin at
one point which is then tied to the PGND pin close to
the source of M2.
• Place LTC3713 chip with Pins 13 to 24 facing the
power components. Keep the components connected
to Pins 1 to 12 close to LTC3713 (noise sensitive
components).
• Place M2 as close to the controller as possible, keeping the PGND, BG and SW traces short.
• Connect the input capacitor(s) CIN close to the power
MOSFETs. This capacitor carries the MOSFET AC
current.
• Use an immediate via to connect the components to
ground plane including SGND and PGND of LTC3713.
Use several bigger vias for power components.
• Keep the high dV/dt SW, BOOST and TG nodes away
from sensitive small-signal nodes.
• Use a compact plane for switch node (SW) to improve
cooling of the MOSFETs and to keep EMI down.
• Connect the INTVCC decoupling capacitor CVCC closely
to the INTVCC and PGND pins.
• Use planes for VIN and VOUT to maintain good voltage
filtering and to keep power losses low.
• Connect the top driver boost capacitor CB closely to
the BOOST and SW pins.
CSS
1
2
3
4
5
C1
RC
6
C2
RON
7
8
RF2
9
RF1
10
11
12
RF3
RF5
RUN/SS
VON
TG
PGOOD
VRNG
FCB
BOOST
SW1
SENSE +
SENSE
–
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
ITH
ION
INTVCC
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
SGND2
VFB2
PGND2
SW2
+
24
CB
23
22
VIN
M1
CIN
DB
L1
21
VOUT
20
COUT
19
M2
D2
18
17
CVCC
–
16
15
3713 F08
14
13
CIN2
L2
BOLD LINES INDICATE HIGH CURRENT PATHS
D3
RF4
Figure 8. LTC3713 Layout Diagram
3713fa
19
LTC3713
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO S
1.25V/±6A Bus Terminator
CSS
0.1µF
RPG
100k
1
2
3
PGOOD
4
5
C1 680pF RC
20k
6
C2
100pF 7
RON
330k
8
RF2
5.6k
9
RF1
10k
10
11
12
RF3
12.1k
RF5
10k
RUN/SS
BOOST
VON
TG
SW1
PGOOD
21
FCB
SENSE –
20
INTVCC
ION
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
SGND2
PGND2
VFB2
SW2
RF4
37.4k
M1
IRF7811A
+
D1
B340A
CIN1A
22µF
X5R
6.3V
×2
22
SENSE +
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
CB
0.33µF
23
VRNG
ITH
DB
CMDSH-3
24
L1
1.8µH
+
19
18
CVCC
10µF
6.3V
X5R
17
16
M2
IRF7811A
R8
1.15k
D2
B340A
COUT
270µF
×2
VIN
2.5V
TO 3.3V
CIN1B
330µF
VOUT
1.25V
±6A
R7
68Ω
15
14
13
CIN2
4.7µF
XR5
6.3V
D3
MBR0520
3713 TA01
L2
4.7µH
CINIA: TAIYO YUDEN JMK325BJ226MM
CINIB: AVX TSPE337K010R0060
CIN2: TAIYO YUDEN JMK212BJ475MG
CVCC: TAIYO YUDEN JMK316BJ106ML
COUT: PANASONIC EEFUEOD271R
L1: TOKO D104C-1.8µH
L2: PANASONIC ELJPC4R7MF
CF4
1000pF
3713fa
20
LTC3713
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO S
One-Half VIN/±6A Bus Terminator
CSS
0.1µF
1
RPG
100k
2
3
PGOOD
4
R1
10k
R3
5k
D3
MBR0520
+
R2
10k
5
LT1738
6
C2
100pF
–
7
RF2
10k
8
RON
330k
C1
330pF
9
10
RF1
1.62k
11
12
RF3
12.1k
RF5
10k
RUN/SS
BOOST
VON
TG
SW1
PGOOD
VRNG
FCB
SENSE –
20
INTVCC
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
PGND2
VFB2
SW2
RF4
37.4k
DB
CMDSH-3
CB
0.33µF
VIN
CINB 1.8V TO 3.3V
470µF
×2
M1
IRF7811A
D2
B340A
22
21
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
SGND2
23
SENSE +
ITH
ION
24
+
CINA
22µF
X5R
6.3V, ×3
L1
1µH
VOUT
0.9V TO 1.65V
±6A
19
18
17
16
+
M2
IRF7811A
R8
4.7k
R7
68Ω
D1
B340A
COUT
470µF
×2
15
14
CIN2, 4.7µF
X5R, 6.3V
L2
4.7µH
13
CVCC1
D3
10µF
X5R MBR0520
6.3V
3713 TA04
CINA: TAIYO YUDEN JMK325BJ226MM
CINB: SANYO POSCAP 4TPB470M
CIN2: TAIYO YUDEN JMK212BJ475MG
CVCC1: TAIYO YUDEN JMK316BJ106ML
COUT: SANYO POSCAP 4TPB470M
L1: TOKO D104C-1µH
L2: PANASONIC ELJPC4R7MF
CF4
1000pF
3713fa
21
LTC3713
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO S
Dual Output 1.25V/10A Buck Converter and 5V to 12V/130mA Boost Converter
CSS
0.1µF
RPG
100k
1
2
3
PGOOD
4
C1
680pF
5
RC
20k
6
C2
100pF 7
RON
330k
8
RF2
5.6k
9
RF1
10k
10
11
12
RF3
12.3k
RF5
10k
RUN/SS
BOOST
VON
TG
SW1
PGOOD
VRNG
FCB
SENSE –
20
ION
INTVCC
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
SGND2
PGND2
VFB2
SW2
M1
IRF7811A
L1
1.8µH
+
19
1Ω
M2
IRF7811A
×2
18
17
16
CVCC
4.7µF
X5R
6.3V
D2
B340A
COUT1
270µF
×2
15
14
13
CIN2
22µF
X5R
10V
VOUT1
1.25V
10A
CF
0.1µF
L2
D3
10µH MBR0520
VIN2
5V
COUT2
4.7µF
X5R
16V
RF4
107k
VOUT2
12V
130mA
CF4
200pF
CINIA, CIN2: TAIYO YUDEN JMK325BJ226MM
CINIB: AVX TSPE337K010R0060
COUT1: PANASONIC EEFUEOD271R
COUT2: TAIYO YUDEN EMK316BJ475ML
CVCC: TAIYO YUDEN JMK212BJ475MG
L1: TOKO D104C-1.8µH
L2: PANASONIC ELJPC4R7MF
VIN1
5V TO 24V
CINIA
22µF
X5R
6.3V
×2
22
21
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
CB
0.33µF
23
SENSE +
ITH
DB
CMDSH-3
RF
1Ω
24
3713 TA02
3713fa
22
LTC3713
U
PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO
G Package
24-Lead Plastic SSOP (5.3mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1640)
7.90 – 8.50*
(.311 – .335)
24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13
1.25 ±0.12
7.8 – 8.2
5.3 – 5.7
7.40 – 8.20
(.291 – .323)
0.42 ±0.03
0.65 BSC
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
5.00 – 5.60**
(.197 – .221)
2.0
(.079)
0° – 8°
0.09 – 0.25
(.0035 – .010)
0.55 – 0.95
(.022 – .037)
NOTE:
1. CONTROLLING DIMENSION: MILLIMETERS
MILLIMETERS
2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN
(INCHES)
0.65
(.0256)
BSC
0.22 – 0.38
(.009 – .015)
0.05
(.002)
G24 SSOP 0802
3. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
*DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH
SHALL NOT EXCEED .152mm (.006") PER SIDE
**DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE INTERLEAD FLASH. INTERLEAD
FLASH SHALL NOT EXCEED .254mm (.010") PER SIDE
3713fa
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.
23
LTC3713
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO
3.3V to 5V Synchronous Boost Converter
CSS
0.1µF
RPG
100k
1
2
3
PGOOD
4
RF2
52.5k
5
+
RF1
10k
R2
52.5k
RC3
20k
6
LTC1789
–
7
CC2
150pF RC2
47.5k
RON
330k
8
9
10
R1
10k
11
12
RUN/SS
BOOST
VON
TG
SW1
PGOOD
VRNG
FCB
SENSE –
20
INTVCC
ION
VFB1
VIN1
SHDN
VIN2
SGND2
PGND2
VFB2
RF5
RF3 10k
12.1k
SW2
CINIA
22µF
×2
22
21
PGND1
LTC3713
BG
SGND1
CB
0.33µF
23
SENSE +
ITH
L1
1.8µH
DB
CMDSH-3
24
D1
B340A
+
VOUT
5V
2A
COUT1
470µF
M2
IRF7811A
×2
18
16
CINIB
330µF
M1
IRF7811A
19
17
+
VIN
3.3V
CVCC
4.7µF
6V
X5R
15
14
CIN2
4.7µF
COUT2
10µF
X7R
10V
L2
4.7µH
13
RF4
37.4k
CF4
1000pF
D2
MBR0520
3713 TA03
CINIA: TAIYO YUDEN JMK325BJ226MM
CINIB: AVX TSPE337K010R0060
CIN2, CVCC: TAIYO YUDEN JMK212BJ475MG
COUT1: SANYO POSCAP 4TPB470M
COUT2: TAIYO YUDEN LMK325BJ106MN
L1: TOKO D104C-1.8µH
L2: PANASONIC ELJPC4R7MF
RELATED PARTS
PART NUMBER
®
DESCRIPTION
COMMENTS
TM
LT 1613
ThinSOT Step-Up DC/DC Converter
1.4MHz, 1.1V < VIN < 10V
LTC1649
High Power Synchronous Step-Down Controller
3.3V Input, 1.265V ≤ VOUT ≤ 2.xV, IOUT Up to 20A
LTC1735
High Efficiency Synchronous Switching Regulator
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 6V, SSOP-16
LTC1772
ThinSOT Current Mode Step-Down Controller
Small Solution, 2.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 9.8V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN
LTC1773
Synchronous Current Mode Step-Down Controller
2.65V ≤ VIN ≤ 8.5V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN,
550kHz Operation, > 90% Efficiency
LTC1778
No RSENSE Synchronous Step-Down Controller
No Sense Resistor Required, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V,
0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN
LTC1876
2-Phase, Dual Synchronous Step-Down Controller with Step-Up Regulator 2.6V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V, Dual Output: 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ (0.9)VIN
LTC3711
5-Bit, Adjustable, No RSENSE Synchronous Step-Down Controller
0.925V ≤ VOUT ≤ 2V, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V
LTC3718
Low VIN DDR Memory and SSTL Termination Power Supply
1.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 3.3V, VOUT = 1/2 VIN, VOUT Tracks VIN
0.6V ≤ VOUT (Termination Voltage)
LTC3778
No RSENSE Synchronous Step-Down Controller
Optional Sense Resistor, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V,
0.6V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN
ThinSOT is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation.
24 Linear Technology Corporation
3713fa
LT/TP 1002 1K REV A • PRINTED IN USA
1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417
(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507
●
www.linear.com
 LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2001