INTERSIL ISL6527ACB

ISL6527
®
Data Sheet
April 8, 2005
Single Synchronous Buck Pulse-Width
Modulation (PWM) Controller
The ISL6527 makes simple work out of implementing a
complete control and protection scheme for a DC-DC
stepdown converter. Designed to drive N-Channel
MOSFETs in a synchronous buck topology, the ISL6527
integrates the control, output adjustment, monitoring and
protection functions into a single package.
The ISL6527 provides simple, single feedback loop, voltagemode control with fast transient response. The output voltage
can be regulated to as low as the provided external reference.
A fixed frequency oscillator reduces design complexity, while
balancing typical application cost and efficiency.
The error amplifier features a 15MHz gain-bandwidth
product and 6V/µs slew rate which enables high converter
bandwidth for fast transient performance. The resulting
PWM duty cycles range from 0% to 100%.
Protection from overcurrent conditions is provided by
monitoring the rDS(ON) of the upper MOSFET to inhibit PWM
operation appropriately. This approach simplifies the
implementation and improves efficiency by eliminating the
need for a current sense resistor.
FN9056.7
Features
• Operates from 3.3V to 5V input
• Utilizes an external reference
• Drives N-Channel MOSFETs
• Simple single-loop control design
- Voltage-mode PWM control
• Fast transient response
- High-bandwidth error amplifier
- Full 0% to 100% duty cycle
• Lossless, programmable overcurrent protection
- Uses upper MOSFET’s rDS(ON)
• Converter can source and sink current
• Small converter size
- Internal fixed frequency oscillator
- ISL6527: 300kHz
- ISL6527A: 600kHz
- Internal soft-start
- 14 Lead SOIC or 16 Lead, 5x5 QFN
• QFN Package:
- Compliant to JEDEC PUB95 MO-220 QFN - Quad Flat
No Leads - Package Outline
- Near Chip Scale Package footprint, which improves
PCB efficiency and has a thinner profile
• Pb-Free Available (RoHS Compliant)
Applications
• Power supplies for microprocessors
- PCs
- Embedded controllers
• Subsystem power supplies
- PCI/AGP/GTL+ busses
- ACPI power control
- DDR SDRAM bus termination supply
• Cable modems, set top boxes, and DSL modems
• DSP and core communications processor supplies
• Memory supplies
• Personal computer peripherals
• Industrial power supplies
• 3.3V-input DC-DC regulators
• Low-voltage distributed power supplies
1
CAUTION: These devices are sensitive to electrostatic discharge; follow proper IC Handling Procedures.
1-888-INTERSIL or 1-888-352-6832 | Intersil (and design) is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.
Copyright Intersil Americas Inc. 2003-2005. All Rights Reserved
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
ISL6527
Ordering Information
Pinouts
TEMP
PART NUMBER* RANGE (°C)
PACKAGE
PKG
DWG. #
ISL6527ACB*
0 to 70
14 Ld SOIC
M14.15
ISL6527ACBZ*
(Note)
0 to 70
14 Ld SOIC
(Pb-free)
M14.15
ISL6527ACBZA*
(Note)
0 to 70
14 Ld SOIC
(Pb-free)
M14.15
ISL6527ACR*
0 to 70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527ACRZ*
(Note)
0 to 70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
(Pb-free)
L16.5x5B
ISL6527AIBZ*
(Note)
-40 to 85
14 Ld SOIC
(Pb-free)
M14.15
ISL6527AIR*
-40 to 85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527AIRZ*
(Note)
-40 to 85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
(Pb-free)
L16.5x5B
12 PHASE
CT1 4
11 VCC
CT2 5
10 CPGND
OCSET/SD 6
9 REF_IN
FB 7
8 COMP
16 LEAD 5X5 (QFN)
TOP VIEW
ISL6527CB*
0 to 70
14 Ld SOIC
M14.15
ISL6527CBZ*
(Note)
0 to 70
14 Ld SOIC
(Pb-free)
M14.15
BOOT
M14.15
13 BOOT
CPVOUT 3
UGATE
14 Ld SOIC
14 UGATE
GND
-40 to 85
GND 1
LGATE 2
LGATE
ISL6527AIB*
14 LEAD (SOIC)
TOP VIEW
ISL6527CR*
0 to 70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
16
15
14
13
ISL6527CRZ*
(Note)
0 to 70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
(Pb-free)
L16.5x5B
ISL6527IB*
-40 to 85
14 Ld SOIC
M14.15
ISL6527IBZ*
(Note)
-40 to 85
14 Ld SOIC
(Pb-free)
M14.15
ISL6527IR*
-40 to 85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527IRZ*
(Note)
-40 to 85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
(Pb-free)
L16.5x5B
ISL6527AEVAL1
ISL6527A SOIC Evaluation Board
ISL6527AEVAL2
ISL6527A QFN Evaluation Board
CT2 3
10 CPGND
OCSET/SD 4
9
5
6
7
8
REF_IN
ISL6527 QFN Evaluation Board
11 VCC
COMP
ISL6527EVAL2
CT1 2
FB
ISL6527 SOIC Evaluation Board
12 PHASE
NC
ISL6527EVAL1
CPVOUT 1
NC
NOTE: Intersil Pb-free products employ special Pb-free material
sets; molding compounds/die attach materials and 100% matte tin
plate termination finish, which are RoHS compliant and compatible
with both SnPb and Pb-free soldering operations. Intersil Pb-free
products are MSL classified at Pb-free peak reflow temperatures that
meet or exceed the Pb-free requirements of IPC/JEDEC J STD-020.
*Add “-T” suffix for tape and reel.
2
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Typical Application - 3.3V Input
3.3V
VIN
CIN
CBULK
VCC
OCSET/SD
CT1
ROCSET
CPUMP
CPVOUT
CT2
ISL6527
DBOOT
CDCPL
CHF
BOOT
CPGND
CBOOT
UGATE
GND
Q1
PHASE
VREF
REF_IN
LGATE
COMP
Q2
FB
LOUT
VOUT
COUT
CI
RFB
RF
CF
ROFFSET
3
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Typical Application - 5V Input
+5V
VIN
CBULK
VCC
OCSET/SD
CT1
ROCSET
CPVOUT
N/C
ISL6527
CT2
DBOOT
CIN
CHF
BOOT
CPGND
CBOOT
UGATE
GND
Q1
PHASE
VREF
REF_IN
LGATE
COMP
Q2
FB
LOUT
VOUT
COUT
CI
RFB
RF
CF
ROFFSET
Block Diagram
VCC
CT1
CPVOUT
CHARGE
PUMP
CT2
POWER-ON
RESET (POR)
CPGND
BOOT
+
-
OCSET/SD
SOFTSTART
OC
COMPARATOR
20µA
UGATE
ERROR
AMP
+
-
REF_IN
PWM
COMPARATOR
+
-
INHIBIT
PHASE
GATE
CONTROL
LOGIC
PWM
LGATE
FB
OSCILLATOR
COMP
FIXED 300kHz or 600kHz
GND
4
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Functional Pin Description
UGATE
14 LEAD (SOIC)
TOP VIEW
14 UGATE
GND 1
13 BOOT
LGATE 2
12 PHASE
CPVOUT 3
CT1 4
11 VCC
CT2 5
10 CPGND
OCSET/SD 6
9 REF_IN
FB 7
8 COMP
Connect this pin to the upper MOSFET’s gate. This pin
provides the PWM-controlled gate drive for the upper
MOSFET. This pin is also monitored by the adaptive shootthrough protection circuitry to determine when the upper
MOSFET has turned off.
BOOT
This pin provides ground referenced bias voltage to the
upper MOSFET driver. A bootstrap circuit is used to create a
voltage suitable to drive a logic-level N-channel MOSFET.
LGATE
Connect this pin to the lower MOSFET’s gate. This pin
provides the PWM-controlled gate drive for the lower
MOSFET. This pin is also monitored by the adaptive shootthrough protection circuitry to determine when the lower
MOSFET has turned off.
LGATE
GND
UGATE
BOOT
16 LEAD 5X5 (QFN)
TOP VIEW
16
15
14
13
CPVOUT 1
OCSET/SD
12 PHASE
CT1 2
11 VCC
CT2 3
10 CPGND
5
6
7
8
FB
COMP
REF_IN
9
NC
OCSET/SD 4
NC
VCC
This pin provides the bias supply for the ISL6527. Connect a
well-decoupled 3.3V supply to this pin.
COMP and FB
Connect a resistor (ROCSET) from this pin to the drain of the
upper MOSFET (VIN). ROCSET, an internal 20µA current
source (IOCSET), and the upper MOSFET on-resistance
(rDS(ON)) set the converter overcurrent (OC) trip point
according to the following equation:
I OCSET xR OCSET
I PEAK = ------------------------------------------------r DS ( ON )
An overcurrent trip cycles the soft-start function.
Pulling OCSET/SD to a voltage level below 0.8V disables
the controller. Disabling the ISL6527 causes the oscillator to
stop, the LGATE and UGATE outputs to be held low, and the
soft-start circuitry to re-arm.
COMP and FB are two of the three available external pins of
the error amplifier. The FB pin is the inverting input of the
internal error amplifier and the COMP pin is the error
amplifier output. These pins are used to compensate the
voltage-control feedback loop of the converter.
CT1 and CT2
REF_IN
This pin represents the output of the charge pump. The
voltage at this pin is the bias voltage for the IC. Connect a
decoupling capacitor from this pin to ground. The value of
the decoupling capacitor should be at least 10x the value of
the charge pump capacitor. This pin may be tied to the
bootstrap circuit as the source for creating the BOOT
voltage.
This pin is the third available external pin of the error
amplifier and represents the non-inverting input to the error
amplifier. Connect the desired reference voltage to this pin.
Voltage applied to this pin must not exceed 1.5V.
GND
This pin represents the signal and power ground for the IC.
Tie this pin to the ground island/plane through the lowest
impedance connection available.
PHASE
These pins are the connections for the external charge
pump capacitor. A minimum of a 0.1µF ceramic capacitor is
recommended for proper operation of the IC.
CPVOUT
CPGND
This pin represents the signal and power ground for the
charge pump. Tie this pin to the ground island/plane through
the lowest impedance connection available.
Connect this pin to the upper MOSFET’s source. This pin is
used to monitor the voltage drop across the upper MOSFET
for overcurrent protection.
5
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Absolute Maximum Ratings
Thermal Information
Supply Voltage, VCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+7V
Absolute Boot Voltage, VBOOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +15.0V
Absolute Error Amplifier Input, VEA+ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +1.5V
Upper Driver Supply Voltage, VBOOT - VPHASE . . . . . . . . . . . +6.0V
Input, Output or I/O Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . GND -0.3V to VCC +0.3V
ESD Classification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Class 2
Thermal Resistance
Operating Conditions
θJA (oC/W)
θJC (oC/W)
SOIC Package (Note 1) . . . . . . . . . . . .
67
N/A
QFN Package (Note 2). . . . . . . . . . . . .
35
5
Maximum Junction Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150oC
Maximum Storage Temperature Range . . . . . . . . . . -65oC to 150oC
Maximum Lead Temperature (Soldering 10s) . . . . . . . . . . . . 300oC
(SOIC - Lead Tips Only)
For Recommended soldering conditions see Tech Brief TB389.
Supply Voltage, VCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +3.3V ±10%
Ambient Temperature Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -40oC to 85oC
Junction Temperature Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -40oC to 125oC
CAUTION: Stresses above those listed in “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. This is a stress only rating and operation of the
device at these or any other conditions above those indicated in the operational sections of this specification is not implied.
NOTE:
1. θJA is measured with the component mounted on a high effective thermal conductivity test board in free air. See Tech Brief TB379 for details.
2. θJA is measured in free air with the component mounted on a high effective thermal conductivity test board with “direct attach” features. θJC, the
“case temp” is measured at the center of the exposed metal pad on the package underside. See Tech Brief TB379.
Electrical Specifications
Recommended Operating Conditions, unless otherwise noted VCC = 3.3V±5% and TA = 25°C
SYMBOL
TEST CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
PARAMETER
UNITS
VCC SUPPLY CURRENT
Nominal Supply
2.6
IVCC
3.3
3.8
mA
POWER-ON RESET
Rising CPVOUT POR Threshold
POR
Commercial
4.25
4.30
4.42
V
Industrial
4.10
4.30
4.50
V
0.3
0.6
0.9
V
IC = ISL6527C, Commercial
275
300
325
kHz
IC = ISL6527I, Industrial
250
300
340
kHz
IC = ISL6527AC, Commercial
575
600
625
kHz
IC = ISL6527AI, Industrial
550
600
640
kHz
-
1.5
-
VP-P
-
5.1
-
V
-
2
-
%
CPVOUT POR Threshold Hysteresis
OSCILLATOR
Frequency
fOSC
∆VOSC
Ramp Amplitude
Charge Pump
Nominal Charge Pump Output
VCPVOUT
VVCC = 3.3V, No Load
Charge Pump Output Regulation
ERROR AMPLIFIER
DC Gain
Guaranteed By Design
Gain-Bandwidth Product
Slew Rate
Non-Inverting Input Voltage
-
88
-
dB
GBWP
-
15
-
MHz
SR
-
6
-
V/µs
VREF_IN
-
-
1.5
V
Commercial; VREF_IN = 1.5V
6.2
-
7.3
ms
Industrial; VREF_IN = 1.5V
6.2
-
7.6
ms
-
-1
-
A
SOFT-START
Soft-start Slew Rate
GATE DRIVERS
IUGATE-SRC VBOOT - VPHASE = 5V, VUGATE = 4V
IUGATE-SNK
Upper Gate Source Current
Upper Gate Sink Current
Lower Gate Source Current
-
1
-
A
-
-1
-
A
-
2
-
A
Commercial
18
20
22
µA
Industrial
16
20
22
µA
-
-
0.8
V
ILGATE-SRC VVCC = 3.3V, VLGATE = 4V
ILGATE-SNK
Lower Gate Sink Current
PROTECTION / DISABLE
OCSET Current Source
IOCSET
Disable Threshold
VOCSET/SD
6
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Functional Description
Initialization
The ISL6527 automatically initializes upon receipt of power.
Special sequencing of the input supplies is not necessary.
The Power-On Reset (POR) function continually monitors the
the output voltage of the Charge Pump. During POR, the
Charge Pump operates on a free running oscillator. Once the
POR level is reached, the Charge Pump oscillator is synched to
the PWM oscillator. The POR function also initiates the softstart operation after the Charge Pump Output Voltage exceeds
its POR threshold.
Soft-Start
The POR function initiates the digital soft-start sequence. The
PWM error amplifier reference is clamped to a level
proportional to the soft-start voltage. As the soft-start voltage
slews up, the PWM comparator generates PHASE pulses of
increasing width that charge the output capacitor(s). This
method provides a rapid and controlled output voltage rise. The
soft-start sequence typically takes about 6.5ms when VREF_IN
is 1.5V
If VREF_IN is less that 1.5V, the soft-start rise time will be
proportionally smaller:
V REFIN
RiseTime = t SS × --------------------1.5V
Figure 1 shows the soft-start sequence for a typical
application. At T0, the +3.3V VCC voltage starts to ramp. At
time T1, the Charge Pump begins operation and the +5V
CPVOUT IC bias voltage starts to ramp up. Once the voltage
on CPVOUT crosses the POR threshold at time T2, the output
begins the soft-start sequence. The triangle waveform from
the PWM oscillator is compared to the rising error amplifier
output voltage. As the error amplifier voltage increases, the
pulse-width on the UGATE pin increases to reach the steadystate duty cycle at time T3..
effectively shorting the input voltage to ground. To protect the
regulator from a shoot-through condition, the ISL6527
incorporates specialized circuitry which insures that the
complementary MOSFETs are not ON simultaneously.
The adaptive shoot-through protection utilized by the ISL6527
looks at the lower gate drive pin, LGATE, and the upper gate
drive pin, UGATE, to determine whether a MOSFET is ON or
OFF. If the voltage from UGATE or from LGATE to GND is
less than 0.8V, then the respective MOSFET is defined as
being OFF and the complementary MOSFET is turned ON.
This method of shoot-through protection allows the regulator
to sink or source current.
Since the voltage of the lower MOSFET gate and the upper
MOSFET gate are being measured to determine the state of
the MOSFET, the designer is encouraged to consider the
repercussions of introducing external components between
the gate drivers and their respective MOSFET gates before
actually implementing such measures. Doing so may interfere
with the shoot-through protection.
Output Voltage Selection
The output voltage can be programmed to any level between
VIN and the supplied external reference. An external resistor
divider is used to scale the output voltage relative to the
reference voltage and feed it back to the inverting input of the
error amplifier, see Figure 2. However, since the value of R1
affects the values of the rest of the compensation
components, it is advisable to keep its value less than 5kΩ.
R4 can be calculated based on the following equation:
R1 × V REF
R4 = ---------------------------------------V OUT1 – V REF
If the output voltage desired is VREF, simply route the output
back to the FB pin through R1, but do not populate R4.
+3.3V
VIN
VCC
CPVOUT
(1V/DIV)
CPVOUT (5V)
D1
BOOT
C4
VCC (3.3V)
Q1
UGATE
ISL6527
LOUT
PHASE
Q2
LGATE
VOUT (2.50V)
VOUT
+
COUT
FB
0V
C1
COMP
T0
T1
T2
R1
C3
R3
T3
TIME
C2
R2
R4
FIGURE 1. SOFT-START INTERVAL
Shoot-Through Protection
A shoot-through condition occurs when both the upper
MOSFET and lower MOSFET are turned on simultaneously,
7
REF_IN
VREF
FIGURE 2. OUTPUT VOLTAGE SELECTION
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Overcurrent Protection
The overcurrent function protects the converter from a shorted
output by using the upper MOSFET on-resistance, rDS(ON), to
monitor the current. This method enhances the converter’s
efficiency and reduces cost by eliminating a current sensing
resistor.
The overcurrent function cycles the soft-start function in a
hiccup mode to provide fault protection. A resistor (ROCSET)
programs the overcurrent trip level (see Typical Application
diagrams on pages 2 and 3). An internal 20µA (typical) current
sink develops a voltage across ROCSET that is referenced to
VIN. When the voltage across the upper MOSFET (also
referenced to VIN) exceeds the voltage across ROCSET, the
overcurrent function initiates a soft-start sequence.
Figure 3 illustrates the protection feature responding to an
overcurrent event. At time T0, an overcurrent condition is
sensed across the upper MOSFET. As a result, the regulator
is quickly shutdown and the internal soft-start function begins
producing soft-start ramps. The delay interval seen by the
output is equivalent to three soft-start cycles. The fourth
internal soft-start cycle initiates a normal soft-start ramp of the
output, at time t1. The output is brought back into regulation
by time t2, as long as the overcurrent event has cleared..
The overcurrent function will trip at a peak inductor current
(IPEAK) determined by:
I OCSET x R OCSET
I PEAK = ----------------------------------------------------r DS ( ON )
where IOCSET is the internal OCSET current source (20µA
typical). The OC trip point varies mainly due to the MOSFET
rDS(ON) variations. To avoid overcurrent tripping in the normal
operating load range, find the ROCSET resistor from the
equation above with:
1. The maximum rDS(ON) at the highest junction
temperature.
2. The minimum IOCSET from the specification table.
( ∆I )
3. Determine IPEAK for I PEAK > I OUT ( MAX ) + --------2 ,
where ∆I is the output inductor ripple current.
For an equation for the ripple current see the section under
component guidelines titled Output Inductor Selection.
A small ceramic capacitor should be placed in parallel with
ROCSET to smooth the voltage across ROCSET in the
presence of switching noise on the input voltage.
Current Sinking
The ISL6527 incorporates a MOSFET shoot-through
protection method which allows a converter to sink current
as well as source current. Care should be exercised when
designing a converter with the ISL6527 when it is known that
the converter may sink current.
VOUT (2.5V)
0V
INTERNAL SOFT-START FUNCTION
DELAY INTERVAL
T1
T0
T2
TIME
FIGURE 3. OVERCURRENT PROTECTION RESPONSE
Had the cause of the overcurrent still been present after the
delay interval, the overcurrent condition would be sensed
and the regulator would be shut down again for another
delay interval of three soft-start cycles. The resulting hiccup
mode style of protection would continue to repeat indefinitely
8
When the converter is sinking current, it is behaving as a
boost converter that is regulating its input voltage. This
means that the converter is boosting current into the input
rail of the regulator. If there is nowhere for this current to go,
such as to other distributed loads on the rail or through a
voltage limiting protection device, the capacitance on this rail
will absorb the current. This situation will allow the voltage
level of the input rail to increase. If the voltage level of the rail
is boosted to a level that exceeds the maximum voltage
rating of any components attached to the input rail, then
those components may experience an irreversible failure or
experience stress that may shorten their lifespan. Ensuring
that there is a path for the current to flow other than the
capacitance on the rail will prevent this failure mode.
External Reference
The ISL6527 allows the designer to determine the reference
voltage that is used. This allows the ISL6527 to be used in
many specialized applications, such as the VTT termination
voltage in a DDR Memory power supply, which must track
the VDDQ voltage by 50%. Care must be taken to insure that
this voltage does not exceed 1.5V.
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Layout Considerations
Layout is very important in high frequency switching
converter design. With power devices switching efficiently at
300kHz or 600kHz, the resulting current transitions from one
device to another cause voltage spikes across the
interconnecting impedances and parasitic circuit elements.
These voltage spikes can degrade efficiency, radiate noise
into the circuit, and lead to device over-voltage stress.
Careful component layout and printed circuit board design
minimizes the voltage spikes in the converters.
As an example, consider the turn-off transition of the PWM
MOSFET. Prior to turn-off, the MOSFET is carrying the full
load current. During turn-off, current stops flowing in the
MOSFET and is picked up by the lower MOSFET. Any
parasitic inductance in the switched current path generates
a large voltage spike during the switching interval. Careful
component selection, tight layout of the critical
components, and short, wide traces minimizes the
magnitude of voltage spikes.
There are two sets of critical components in a DC-DC
converter using the ISL6527. The switching components are
the most critical because they switch large amounts of
energy, and therefore tend to generate large amounts of
noise. Next are the small signal components which connect
to sensitive nodes or supply critical bypass current and
signal coupling.
A multi-layer printed circuit board is recommended. Figure 4
shows the connections of the critical components in the
converter. Note that capacitors CIN and COUT could each
represent numerous physical capacitors. Dedicate one solid
layer, usually a middle layer of the PC board, for a ground
plane and make all critical component ground connections
with vias to this layer. Dedicate another solid layer as a
power plane and break this plane into smaller islands of
common voltage levels. Keep the metal runs from the
PHASE terminals to the output inductor short. The power
plane should support the input power and output power
nodes. Use copper filled polygons on the top and bottom
circuit layers for the phase nodes. Use the remaining printed
circuit layers for small signal wiring. The wiring traces from
the GATE pins to the MOSFET gates should be kept short
and wide enough to easily handle the 1A of drive current.
The switching components should be placed close to the
ISL6527 first. Minimize the length of the connections between
the input capacitors, CIN, and the power switches by placing
them nearby. Position both the ceramic and bulk input
capacitors as close to the upper MOSFET drain as possible.
Position the output inductor and output capacitors between
the upper MOSFET and lower MOSFET and the load.
The critical small signal components include any bypass
capacitors, feedback components, and compensation
9
components. Position the bypass capacitor, CBP, close to
the VCC pin with a via directly to the ground plane. Place the
PWM converter compensation components close to the FB
and COMP pins. The feedback resistors for both regulators
should also be located as close as possible to the relevant
FB pin with vias tied straight to the ground plane as required.
+3.3V VIN
ISL6527
VCC
CVCC
CPVOUT
CBP
GND
CIN
D1
BOOT
CBOOT
Q1
UGATE
LOUT
PHASE
PHASE
Q2
LGATE
COMP
VOUT
COUT
LOAD
Application Guidelines
C2
C1
R2
R1
FB
R4
C3 R3
KEY
ISLAND ON POWER PLANE LAYER
ISLAND ON CIRCUIT PLANE LAYER
VIA CONNECTION TO GROUND PLANE
FIGURE 4. PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD POWER PLANES
AND ISLANDS
Feedback Compensation
Figure 5 highlights the voltage-mode control loop for a
synchronous-rectified buck converter. The output voltage
(VOUT) is regulated to the Reference voltage level. The
error amplifier (Error Amp) output (VE/A) is compared with
the oscillator (OSC) triangular wave to provide a pulsewidth modulated (PWM) wave with an amplitude of VIN at
the PHASE node. The PWM wave is smoothed by the output
filter (LO and CO).
The modulator transfer function is the small-signal transfer
function of VOUT/VE/A . This function is dominated by a DC
Gain and the output filter (LO and CO), with a double pole
break frequency at FLC and a zero at FESR . The DC Gain of
the modulator is simply the input voltage (VIN) divided by the
peak-to-peak oscillator voltage ∆VOSC .
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
PWM
COMPARATOR
LO
+
DVOSC
Compensation Break Frequency Equations
VIN
DRIVER
OSC
DRIVER
VOUT
PHASE
1
F P1 = -------------------------------------------------------- C 1 x C 2
2π x R 2 x  ----------------------
 C1 + C2 
1
F Z2 = ------------------------------------------------------2π x ( R 1 + R 3 ) x C 3
1
F P2 = -----------------------------------2π x R 3 x C 3
CO
ESR
(PARASITIC)
ZFB
1
F Z1 = ---------------------------------2π × R 2 × C 2
VE/A
ZIN
ERROR
AMP
REFERENCE
DETAILED COMPENSATION COMPONENTS
ZFB
C1
C2
VOUT
ZIN
C3
R2
R3
R1
COMP
FB
+
ISL6527
REFERENCE
FIGURE 5. VOLTAGE-MODE BUCK CONVERTER
COMPENSATION DESIGN
Modulator Break Frequency Equations
1
F LC = -----------------------------------------2π x L O x C O
1
F ESR = ------------------------------------------2π x ESR x C O
The compensation network consists of the error amplifier
(internal to the ISL6527) and the impedance networks ZIN
and ZFB. The goal of the compensation network is to provide
a closed loop transfer function with the highest 0dB crossing
frequency (f0dB) and adequate phase margin. Phase margin
is the difference between the closed loop phase at f0dB and
180 degrees. The equations below relate the compensation
network’s poles, zeros and gain to the components (R1 , R2 ,
R3 , C1 , C2 , and C3) in Figure 5. Use these guidelines for
locating the poles and zeros of the compensation network:
1. Pick gain (R2/R1) for desired converter bandwidth.
2. Place first zero below filter’s double pole (~75% FLC).
3. Place second zero at filter’s double pole.
4. Place first pole at the ESR zero.
Figure 6 shows an asymptotic plot of the DC-DC converter’s
gain vs frequency. The actual modulator gain has a high gain
peak due to the high Q factor of the output filter and is not
shown in Figure 6. Using the above guidelines should give a
compensation gain similar to the curve plotted. The open loop
error amplifier gain bounds the compensation gain. Check the
compensation gain at FP2 with the capabilities of the error
amplifier. The closed loop gain is constructed on the graph of
Figure 6 by adding the modulator gain (in dB) to the
compensation gain (in dB). This is equivalent to multiplying
the modulator transfer function to the compensation transfer
function and plotting the gain.
The compensation gain uses external impedance networks
ZFB and ZIN to provide a stable, high bandwidth (BW) overall
loop. A stable control loop has a gain crossing with
-20dB/decade slope and a phase margin greater than 45
degrees. Include worst-case component variations when
determining phase margin.
FZ1
FZ2
FP1
FP2
100
OPEN LOOP
ERROR AMP GAIN
 V IN 
20 log  ------------------
 V OSC
80
60
GAIN (dB)
+
40
COMPENSATION
GAIN
20
0
-20
-40
-60
R2
20 log  --------
 R1
MODULATOR
GAIN
10
100
FLC
1K
LOOP GAIN
FESR
10K
100K
1M
10M
FREQUENCY (Hz)
FIGURE 6. ASYMPTOTIC BODE PLOT OF CONVERTER GAIN
5. Place second pole at half the switching frequency.
Component Selection Guidelines
6. Check gain against error amplifier’s open-loop gain.
Charge Pump Capacitor Selection
7. Estimate phase margin; repeat if necessary.
A capacitor across pins CT1 and CT2 is required to create
the proper bias voltage for the ISL6527 when operating the
IC from 3.3V. Selecting the proper capacitance value is
important so that the bias current draw and the current
required by the MOSFET gates do not overburden the
10
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
capacitor. A conservative approach is presented in the
following equation.
I BiasAndGate
C PUMP = ------------------------------------ × 1.5
V CC × f s
Output Capacitor Selection
An output capacitor is required to filter the output and supply
the load transient current. The filtering requirements are a
function of the switching frequency and the ripple current.
The load transient requirements are a function of the slew
rate (di/dt) and the magnitude of the transient load current.
These requirements are generally met with a mix of
capacitors and careful layout.
Modern digital ICs can produce high transient load slew
rates. High frequency capacitors initially supply the transient
and slow the current load rate seen by the bulk capacitors.
The bulk filter capacitor values are generally determined by
the ESR (Effective Series Resistance) and voltage rating
requirements rather than actual capacitance requirements.
High frequency decoupling capacitors should be placed as
close to the power pins of the load as physically possible. Be
careful not to add inductance in the circuit board wiring that
could cancel the usefulness of these low inductance
components. Consult with the manufacturer of the load on
specific decoupling requirements.
Use only specialized low-ESR capacitors intended for
switching-regulator applications for the bulk capacitors. The
bulk capacitor’s ESR will determine the output ripple voltage
and the initial voltage drop after a high slew-rate transient. An
aluminum electrolytic capacitor’s ESR value is related to the
case size with lower ESR available in larger case sizes.
However, the Equivalent Series Inductance (ESL) of these
capacitors increases with case size and can reduce the
usefulness of the capacitor to high slew-rate transient loading.
Unfortunately, ESL is not a specified parameter. Work with
your capacitor supplier and measure the capacitor’s
impedance with frequency to select a suitable component. In
most cases, multiple electrolytic capacitors of small case size
perform better than a single large case capacitor.
Output Inductor Selection
The output inductor is selected to meet the output voltage
ripple requirements and minimize the converter’s response
time to the load transient. The inductor value determines the
converter’s ripple current and the ripple voltage is a function
of the ripple current. The ripple voltage and current are
approximated by the following equations:
∆I =
VIN - VOUT
fs x L
x
VOUT
VIN
∆VOUT = ∆I x ESR
Increasing the value of inductance reduces the ripple current
and voltage. However, the large inductance values reduce
the converter’s response time to a load transient.
11
One of the parameters limiting the converter’s response to
a load transient is the time required to change the inductor
current. Given a sufficiently fast control loop design, the
ISL6527 will provide either 0% or 100% duty cycle in
response to a load transient. The response time is the time
required to slew the inductor current from an initial current
value to the transient current level. During this interval the
difference between the inductor current and the transient
current level must be supplied by the output capacitor.
Minimizing the response time can minimize the output
capacitance required.
The response time to a transient is different for the application
of load and the removal of load. The following equations give
the approximate response time interval for application and
removal of a transient load:
tRISE =
L x ITRAN
VIN - VOUT
tFALL =
L x ITRAN
VOUT
where: ITRAN is the transient load current step, tRISE is the
response time to the application of load, and tFALL is the
response time to the removal of load. The worst case
response time can be either at the application or removal of
load. Be sure to check both of these equations at the
minimum and maximum output levels for the worst case
response time.
Input Capacitor Selection
Use a mix of input bypass capacitors to control the voltage
overshoot across the MOSFETs. Use small ceramic
capacitors for high frequency decoupling and bulk capacitors
to supply the current needed each time Q1 turns on. Place the
small ceramic capacitors physically close to the MOSFETs
and between the drain of Q1 and the source of Q2 .
The important parameters for the bulk input capacitor are the
voltage rating and the RMS current rating. For reliable
operation, select the bulk capacitor with voltage and current
ratings above the maximum input voltage and largest RMS
current required by the circuit. The capacitor voltage rating
should be at least 1.25 times greater than the maximum input
voltage and a voltage rating of 1.5 times is a conservative
guideline. The RMS current rating requirement for the input
capacitor of a buck regulator is approximately 1/2 the DC load
current.
The maximum RMS current required by the regulator may be
closely approximated through the following equation:
I RMS
MAX
=
2
V OUT 
2
1  V IN – V OUT V OUT 
---------------- ×  I OUT
+ ------ ×  -------------------------------- × ---------------- 
L × fs
V IN
V IN  
12 
MAX

For a through hole design, several electrolytic capacitors may
be needed. For surface mount designs, solid tantalum
capacitors can be used, but caution must be exercised with
regard to the capacitor surge current rating. These capacitors
must be capable of handling the surge-current at power-up.
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Some capacitor series available from reputable manufacturers
are surge current tested.
MOSFET Selection/Considerations
The ISL6527 requires two N-Channel power MOSFETs. These
should be selected based upon rDS(ON) , gate supply
requirements, and thermal management requirements.
In high-current applications, the MOSFET power dissipation,
package selection and heatsink are the dominant design
factors. The power dissipation includes two loss components;
conduction loss and switching loss. The conduction losses are
the largest component of power dissipation for both the upper
and the lower MOSFETs. These losses are distributed between
the two MOSFETs according to duty factor. The switching
losses seen when sourcing current will be different from the
switching losses seen when sinking current. When sourcing
current, the upper MOSFET realizes most of the switching
losses. The lower switch realizes most of the switching losses
when the converter is sinking current (see the equations
below). These equations assume linear voltage-current
transitions and do not adequately model power loss due the
reverse-recovery of the upper and lower MOSFET’s body
diode. The gate-charge losses are dissipated by the ISL6527
and don't heat the MOSFETs. However, large gate-charge
increases the switching interval, tSW which increases the
MOSFET switching losses. Ensure that both MOSFETs are
within their maximum junction temperature at high ambient
temperature by calculating the temperature rise according to
package thermal-resistance specifications. A separate heatsink
may be necessary depending upon MOSFET power, package
type, ambient temperature and air flow.
Losses while Sourcing current
2
1
P UPPER = Io × r DS ( ON ) × D + --- ⋅ Io × V IN × t SW × f s
2
PLOWER = Io2 x rDS(ON) x (1 - D)
Losses while Sinking current
PUPPER = Io2 x rDS(ON) x D
2
1
P LOWER = Io × r DS ( ON ) × ( 1 – D ) + --- ⋅ Io × V IN × t SW × f s
2
Where: D is the duty cycle = VOUT / VIN ,
tSW is the combined switch ON and OFF time, and
fs is the switching frequency.
Given the reduced available gate bias voltage (5V), logiclevel or sub-logic-level transistors should be used for both NMOSFETs. Caution should be exercised with devices
exhibiting very low VGS(ON) characteristics. The shootthrough protection present aboard the ISL6527 may be
circumvented by these MOSFETs if they have large parasitic
impedances and/or capacitances that would inhibit the gate
of the MOSFET from being discharged below its threshold
level before the complementary MOSFET is turned on.
12
Bootstrap Component Selection
External bootstrap components, a diode and capacitor, are
required to provide sufficient gate enhancement to the upper
MOSFET. The internal MOSFET gate driver is supplied by
the external bootstrap circuitry as shown in Figure 7. The
boot capacitor, CBOOT, develops a floating supply voltage
referenced to the PHASE pin. This supply is refreshed each
cycle, when DBOOT conducts, to a voltage of CPVOUT less
the boot diode drop, VD, plus the voltage rise across
QLOWER.
CPVOUT
DBOOT
+
VD
-
VIN
BOOT
CBOOT
ISL6527
UGATE
QUPPER
PHASE
+
LGATE
NOTE:
VG-S ≈ VCC -VD
QLOWER
NOTE:
VG-S ≈ VCC
GND
FIGURE 7. UPPER GATE DRIVE BOOTSTRAP
Just after the PWM switching cycle begins and the charge
transfer from the bootstrap capacitor to the gate capacitance
is complete, the voltage on the bootstrap capacitor is at its
lowest point during the switching cycle. The charge lost on
the bootstrap capacitor will be equal to the charge
transferred to the equivalent gate-source capacitance of the
upper MOSFET as shown:
Q GATE = C BOOT × ( V BOOT1 – V BOOT2 )
where QGATE is the maximum total gate charge of the upper
MOSFET, CBOOT is the bootstrap capacitance, VBOOT1 is
the bootstrap voltage immediately before turn-on, and
VBOOT2 is the bootstrap voltage immediately after turn-on.
The bootstrap capacitor begins its refresh cycle when the
gate drive begins to turn-off the upper MOSFET. A refresh
cycle ends when the upper MOSFET is turned on again,
which varies depending on the switching frequency and duty
cycle.
The minimum bootstrap capacitance can be calculated by
rearranging the previous equation and solving for CBOOT.
Q GATE
C BOOT ≥ ----------------------------------------------------V BOOT1 – V
BOOT2
Typical gate charge values for MOSFETs considered in
these types of applications range from 20 to 100nC. Since
the voltage drop across QLOWER is negligible, VBOOT1 is
simply VCPVOUT - VD. A schottky diode is recommended to
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Small Outline Plastic Packages (SOIC)
M14.15 (JEDEC MS-012-AB ISSUE C)
N
INDEX
AREA
0.25(0.010) M
H
14 LEAD NARROW BODY SMALL OUTLINE PLASTIC
PACKAGE
B M
E
INCHES
-B-
1
2
3
L
SEATING PLANE
-A-
A
D
h x 45o
-C-
µα
e
A1
B
0.25(0.010) M
C A M
SYMBOL
MIN
MAX
MIN
MAX
NOTES
A
0.0532
0.0688
1.35
1.75
-
A1
0.0040
0.0098
0.10
0.25
-
B
0.013
0.020
0.33
0.51
9
C
0.0075
0.0098
0.19
0.25
-
D
0.3367
0.3444
8.55
8.75
3
E
0.1497
0.1574
3.80
4.00
4
e
C
0.10(0.004)
B S
0.050 BSC
1. Symbols are defined in the “MO Series Symbol List” in Section 2.2 of
Publication Number 95.
1.27 BSC
-
H
0.2284
0.2440
5.80
6.20
-
h
0.0099
0.0196
0.25
0.50
5
L
0.016
0.050
0.40
1.27
6
N
NOTES:
MILLIMETERS
α
14
0o
14
8o
0o
7
8o
Rev. 0 12/93
2. Dimensioning and tolerancing per ANSI Y14.5M-1982.
3. Dimension “D” does not include mold flash, protrusions or gate burrs.
Mold flash, protrusion and gate burrs shall not exceed 0.15mm (0.006
inch) per side.
4. Dimension “E” does not include interlead flash or protrusions. Interlead
flash and protrusions shall not exceed 0.25mm (0.010 inch) per side.
5. The chamfer on the body is optional. If it is not present, a visual index
feature must be located within the crosshatched area.
6. “L” is the length of terminal for soldering to a substrate.
7. “N” is the number of terminal positions.
8. Terminal numbers are shown for reference only.
9. The lead width “B”, as measured 0.36mm (0.014 inch) or greater
above the seating plane, shall not exceed a maximum value of
0.61mm (0.024 inch).
10. Controlling dimension: MILLIMETER. Converted inch dimensions
are not necessarily exact.
13
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005
ISL6527
Quad Flat No-Lead Plastic Package (QFN)
Micro Lead Frame Plastic Package (MLFP)
L16.5x5B
16 LEAD QUAD FLAT NO-LEAD PLASTIC PACKAGE
(COMPLIANT TO JEDEC MO-220VHHB ISSUE C)
MILLIMETERS
SYMBOL
MIN
NOMINAL
A
0.80
A1
-
A2
-
A3
b
NOTES
0.90
1.00
-
-
0.05
-
-
1.00
9
0.20 REF
0.28
D
0.33
9
0.40
5, 8
5.00 BSC
D1
D2
MAX
-
4.75 BSC
2.95
3.10
9
3.25
7, 8
E
5.00 BSC
-
E1
4.75 BSC
9
E2
2.95
e
3.10
3.25
7, 8
0.80 BSC
-
k
0.25
-
-
-
L
0.35
0.60
0.75
8
L1
-
-
0.15
10
N
16
2
Nd
4
3
Ne
4
3
P
-
-
0.60
9
θ
-
-
12
9
Rev. 1 10/02
NOTES:
1. Dimensioning and tolerancing conform to ASME Y14.5-1994.
2. N is the number of terminals.
3. Nd and Ne refer to the number of terminals on each D and E.
4. All dimensions are in millimeters. Angles are in degrees.
5. Dimension b applies to the metallized terminal and is measured
between 0.15mm and 0.30mm from the terminal tip.
6. The configuration of the pin #1 identifier is optional, but must be
located within the zone indicated. The pin #1 identifier may be
either a mold or mark feature.
7. Dimensions D2 and E2 are for the exposed pads which provide
improved electrical and thermal performance.
8. Nominal dimensions are provided to assist with PCB Land Pattern
Design efforts, see Intersil Technical Brief TB389.
9. Features and dimensions A2, A3, D1, E1, P & θ are present when
Anvil singulation method is used and not present for saw
singulation.
10. Depending on the method of lead termination at the edge of the
package, a maximum 0.15mm pull back (L1) maybe present. L
minus L1 to be equal to or greater than 0.3mm.
All Intersil U.S. products are manufactured, assembled and tested utilizing ISO9000 quality systems.
Intersil Corporation’s quality certifications can be viewed at www.intersil.com/design/quality
Intersil products are sold by description only. Intersil Corporation reserves the right to make changes in circuit design, software and/or specifications at any time without
notice. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned to verify that data sheets are current before placing orders. Information furnished by Intersil is believed to be accurate and
reliable. However, no responsibility is assumed by Intersil or its subsidiaries for its use; nor for any infringements of patents or other rights of third parties which may result
from its use. No license is granted by implication or otherwise under any patent or patent rights of Intersil or its subsidiaries.
For information regarding Intersil Corporation and its products, see www.intersil.com
14
FN9056.7
April 8, 2005