DATASHEET

ISL6527, ISL6527A
Data Sheet
September 29, 2015
Single Synchronous Buck Pulse-Width
Modulation (PWM) Controller
The ISL6527, ISL6527A make simple work out of
implementing a complete control and protection scheme for
a DC/DC step-down converter. Designed to drive N-Channel
MOSFETs in a synchronous buck topology, the ISL6527,
ISL6527A integrate the control, output adjustment,
monitoring and protection functions into a single package.
The ISL6527, ISL6527A provide simple, single feedback loop,
voltage-mode 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.
FN9056.11
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 Ld SOIC or 16 Ld 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 (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 1-888-468-3774 | Copyright Intersil Americas LLC 2003-2008, 2015. All Rights Reserved
Intersil (and design) is a trademark owned by Intersil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.
All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Ordering Information
PART NUMBER
(Note)
PART MARKING
TEMP
RANGE (°C)
PACKAGE
(Pb-Free)
PKG
DWG. #
ISL6527ACBZ*
6527ACBZ
0 to +70
14 Ld SOIC
M14.15
ISL6527ACRZ*
(No longer available, recommended replacement:
ISL6527ACBZ, ISL6527ACBZ-T)
ISL6527 ACRZ
0 to +70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527AIRZ*
(No longer available, recommended replacement:
ISL6527ACBZ, ISL6527ACBZ-T)
ISL6527 AIRZ
-40 to +85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527CRZ*
(No longer available, recommended replacement:
ISL6527ACBZ, ISL6527ACBZ-T)
ISL6527 CRZ
0 to +70
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527IBZ*
(No longer available, recommended replacement:
ISL6527ACBZ, ISL6527ACBZ-T)
6527IBZ
-40 to +85
14 Ld SOIC
M14.15
ISL6527IRZ*
(No longer available, recommended replacement:
ISL6527ACBZ, ISL6527ACBZ-T)
ISL6527 IRZ
-40 to +85
16 Ld 5x5 QFN
L16.5x5B
ISL6527EVAL1
ISL6527 SOIC Evaluation Board
ISL6527EVAL2
ISL6527 QFN Evaluation Board
ISL6527AEVAL2
ISL6527A QFN Evaluation Board
*Add “-T” suffix for tape and reel. Please refer to TB347 for details on reel specifications.
NOTE: These Intersil Pb-free plastic packaged products employ special Pb-free material sets, molding compounds/die attach materials, and 100%
matte tin plate plus anneal (e3 termination finish, which is 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.
Pinouts
ISL6527, ISL6527A
(16 LD QFN)
TOP VIEW
13 BOOT
GND
UGATE
BOOT
GND 1
LGATE
ISL6527, ISL6527A
(14 LD SOIC)
TOP VIEW
12 PHASE
16
15
14
13
14 UGATE
LGATE 2
CPVOUT 3
CT1 4
11 VCC
CT2 5
10 CPGND
OCSET/SD 6
9 REF_IN
FB 7
8 COMP
CPVOUT 1
CT1 2
CT2 3
ER
NG
O
L
E
BL
A
L
AI
AV
OR
SU
2
D
12 PHASE
11 VCC
10 CPGND
5
6
7
8
FB
COMP
REF_IN
9
NC
OCSET/SD 4
NO
TE
OR
P
P
NC
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Typical Application - 3.3V Input
3.3V
VIN
CIN
CBULK
VCC
OCSET/SD
CT1
ROCSET
CPUMP
CPVOUT
CT2
ISL6527,
ISL6527A
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
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Typical Application - 5V Input
+5V
VIN
CBULK
VCC
OCSET/SD
CT1
ROCSET
CPVOUT
N/C
ISL6527,
ISL6527A
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
SOFT-START
OC
COMPARATOR
20A
UGATE
ERROR
AMP
+
-
REF_IN
PWM
COMPARATOR
+
-
INHIBIT
PHASE
GATE
CONTROL
LOGIC
PWM
LGATE
FB
OSCILLATOR
COMP
FIXED 300kHz or 600kHz
GND
4
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Functional Pin Description
UGATE
14 LD (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
shoot-through 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
shoot-through protection circuitry to determine when the
lower MOSFET has turned off.
LGATE
GND
UGATE
BOOT
16 LD 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, ISL6527A.
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 Equation 1:
I OCSET xR OCSET
I PEAK = ------------------------------------------------r DS  ON 
(EQ. 1)
An overcurrent trip cycles the soft-start function.
Pulling OCSET/SD to a voltage level below 0.8V disables
the controller. Disabling the ISL6527, ISL6527A 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
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
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 . . . . . . . . . . . +7.0V
Input, Output or I/O Voltage . . . . . . . . . . . GND -0.3V to VCC +0.3V
Thermal Resistance
JA (°C/W)
JC (°C/W)
SOIC Package (Note 1) . . . . . . . . . . . .
67
N/A
QFN Package (Notes 2, 3). . . . . . . . . .
35
5
Maximum Junction Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +150°C
Maximum Storage Temperature Range . . . . . . . . . .-65°C to +150°C
Pb-free Reflow Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .see link below
http://www.intersil.com/pbfree/Pb-FreeReflow.asp
Operating Conditions
Supply Voltage, VCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . +3.3V ±10%
Ambient Temperature Range . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-40°C to +85°C
Junction Temperature Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .-40°C to +125°C
CAUTION: Do not operate at or near the maximum ratings listed for extended periods of time. Exposure to such conditions may adversely impact product reliability and
result in failures not covered by warranty.
NOTES:
1. JA is measured with the component mounted on a high effective thermal conductivity test board in free air. See Tech Brief TB379 for details.
2. JA is measured in free air with the component mounted on a high effective thermal conductivity test board with “direct attach” features. See
Tech Brief TB379.
3. For JC, the “case temp” location is the center of the exposed metal pad on the package underside.
Electrical Specifications
Recommended Operating Conditions, unless otherwise noted VCC = 3.3V ±5% and TA = +25°C
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
TEST CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
6.1
7.1
7.7
mA
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
554
600
645
kHz
IC = ISL6527AI, Industrial
524
600
650
kHz
-
1.5
-
VP-P
-
5.1
-
V
-
2
-
%
(Note 4)
-
88
-
dB
GBWP
(Note 4)
-
15
-
MHz
SR
(Note 4)
-
6
-
V/µs
VREF_IN
(Note 4)
-
-
1.5
V
Commercial; VREF_IN = 1.5V
6.2
-
7.3
ms
Industrial; VREF_IN = 1.5V
6.2
-
7.6
ms
VCC SUPPLY CURRENT
Nominal Supply
IBIAS
POWER-ON RESET
Rising CPVOUT POR Threshold
POR
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
Gain-Bandwidth Product
Slew Rate
Non-Inverting Input Voltage
SOFT-START
Soft-start Slew Rate
GATE DRIVERS
Upper Gate Source Current
IUGATE-SRC VBOOT - VPHASE = 5V, VUGATE = 4V
-
-1
-
A
Upper Gate Sink Current
IUGATE-SNK
-
1
-
A
Lower Gate Source Current
ILGATE-SRC VVCC = 3.3V, VLGATE = 4V
-
-1
-
A
Lower Gate Sink Current
ILGATE-SNK
-
2
-
A
6
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Electrical Specifications
Recommended Operating Conditions, unless otherwise noted VCC = 3.3V ±5% and TA = +25°C (Continued)
PARAMETER
SYMBOL
TEST CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
Commercial
18
20
22
µA
Industrial
16
20
22
µA
-
-
0.8
V
PROTECTION/DISABLE
OCSET Current Source
IOCSET
Disable Threshold
VOCSET/SD
NOTE:
4. Limits should be considered typical and are not production tested.
Functional Description
.
(1V/DIV)
Initialization
The ISL6527, ISL6527A automatically initialize 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 soft-start 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 as shown in Equation 2:
V REFIN
RiseTime = t SS  --------------------1.5V
(EQ. 2)
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
steady-state duty cycle at time t3.
7
CPVOUT (5V)
VCC (3.3V)
VOUT (2.50V)
0V
t0
t1
t2
t3
TIME
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,
effectively shorting the input voltage to ground. To protect the
regulator from a shoot-through condition, the ISL6527,
ISL6527A incorporate specialized circuitry, which insures that
the complementary MOSFETs are not ON simultaneously.
The adaptive shoot-through protection utilized by the
ISL6527, ISL6527A 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.
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
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 5k. R4
can be calculated based on Equation 3:
R 1  V REF
R 4 = ---------------------------------------V OUT1 – V REF
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.
VOUT (2.5V)
(EQ. 3)
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
0V
VIN
VCC
CPVOUT
INTERNAL SOFT-START FUNCTION
D1
BOOT
C4
Q1
UGATE
ISL6527,
ISL6527A
DELAY INTERVAL
LOUT
PHASE
Q2
LGATE
VOUT
+
COUT
t1
t0
t2
TIME
FB
C1
COMP
R1
C3
R3
R2
C2
R4
REF_IN
VREF
FIGURE 2. OUTPUT VOLTAGE SELECTION
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 page 3 and page 4). 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
8
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.
The overcurrent function will trip at a peak inductor current
(IPEAK) determined by Equation 4:
I OCSET x R OCSET
I PEAK = ----------------------------------------------------r DS  ON 
(EQ. 4)
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 4 with:
1. The maximum rDS(ON) at the highest junction
temperature.
2. The minimum IOCSET from the “Specification Table” on
page 7.
 I 
3. Determine IPEAK for I PEAK  I OUT  MAX  + --------2 ,
whereI is the output inductor ripple current.
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
For an equation for the ripple current see the section under
component guidelines titled “Output Inductor Selection” on
page 11.
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, ISL6527A incorporate 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,
ISL6527A when it is known that the converter may sink
current.
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, ISL6527A allow the designer to determine the
reference voltage that is used. This allows the ISL6527,
ISL6527A 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.
Application Guidelines
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
9
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, ISL6527A. 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, ISL6527A 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
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.
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
pulse-width modulated (PWM) wave with an amplitude of
VIN at the PHASE node. The PWM wave is smoothed by the
output filter (LO and CO).
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
+3.3V VIN
VIN
DRIVER
OSC
ISL6527, ISL6527A
PWM
COMPARATOR
VCC
+
DVOSC
CVCC
LO
CPVOUT
DRIVER
PHASE
GND
VE/A
CIN
D1
ERROR
AMP
CBOOT
Q2
VOUT
COUT
ZFB
C1
C2
LOAD
LOUT
PHASE
LGATE
REFERENCE
DETAILED COMPENSATION COMPONENTS
Q1
PHASE
ZIN
+
BOOT
UGATE
C2
C3
R2
R1
FB
R4
R3
R1
+
C1
R2
VOUT
ZIN
COMP
COMP
CO
ESR
(PARASITIC)
ZFB
CBP
VOUT
FB
ISL6527
REFERENCE
C3 R3
FIGURE 5. VOLTAGE-MODE BUCK CONVERTER
COMPENSATION DESIGN
KEY
ISLAND ON POWER PLANE LAYER
these guidelines for locating the poles and zeros of the
compensation network:
ISLAND ON CIRCUIT PLANE LAYER
1. Pick gain (R2/R1) for desired converter bandwidth.
VIA CONNECTION TO GROUND PLANE
FIGURE 4. PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD POWER PLANES
AND ISLANDS
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 .
Modulator Break Frequency Equations
1
F LC = -----------------------------------------2 x L O x C O
(EQ. 5)
1
F ESR = ------------------------------------------2 x ESR x C O
(EQ. 6)
The compensation network consists of the error amplifier
(internal to the ISL6527, ISL6527A) 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°. Equations 7 through 10 relate
the compensation network’s poles, zeros and gain to the
components (R1 , R2 , R3 , C1 , C2 , and C3) in Figure 5. Use
10
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.
5. Place second pole at half the switching frequency.
6. Check gain against error amplifier’s open-loop gain.
7. Estimate phase margin; repeat if necessary.
Compensation Break Frequency Equations
1
F Z1 = ---------------------------------2  R 2  C 2
(EQ. 7)
1
F P1 = -------------------------------------------------------- C 1 x C 2
2 x R 2 x  ----------------------
 C1 + C2 
(EQ. 8)
1
F Z2 = ------------------------------------------------------2 x  R 1 + R 3  x C 3
(EQ. 9)
1
F P2 = -----------------------------------2 x R 3 x C 3
(EQ. 10)
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
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
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°.
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
GAIN (dB)
60
40
COMPENSATION
GAIN
20
0
-20
-40
-60
R2
20 log  --------
 R1
MODULATOR
GAIN
10
100
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
FLC
1k
LOOP GAIN
FESR
10k
100k
1M
10M
FREQUENCY (Hz)
FIGURE 6. ASYMPTOTIC BODE PLOT OF CONVERTER GAIN
Component Selection Guidelines
I =
Charge Pump Capacitor Selection
A capacitor across pins CT1 and CT2 is required to create the
proper bias voltage for the ISL6527, ISL6527A 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 capacitor. A
conservative approach is presented in Equation 11:
I BiasAndGate
C PUMP = ------------------------------------  1.5
V CC  f s
(EQ. 11)
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
11
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 Equations 12 and 13:
VIN - VOUT
fs x L
x
VOUT = I x ESR
VOUT
VIN
(EQ. 12)
(EQ. 13)
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.
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, ISL6527A 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. Equations 14 and 15 give the
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
approximate response time interval for application and
removal of a transient load:
tRISE =
tFALL =
L x ITRAN
VIN - VOUT
(EQ. 14)
L x ITRAN
VOUT
(EQ. 15)
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 Equations 14 and 15 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 .
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 Equations 17 and 18). 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, ISL6527A 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.
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 1.25x greater than the maximum input
voltage and a voltage rating of 1.5x 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.
Losses while Sourcing current
The maximum RMS current required by the regulator may be
closely approximated through Equation 16:
where: D is the duty cycle = VOUT/VIN, tSW is the combined
switch ON- and OFF-time, and fS is the switching frequency.
2
V OUT 
2
1  V IN – V OUT V OUT 
----------------   I OUT
+ ------   --------------------------------  ---------------- 
V IN
V IN  
L  fs
12 
MAX

Given the reduced available gate bias voltage (5V), logic-level
or sub-logic-level transistors should be used for both
N-MOSFETs. Caution should be exercised with devices
exhibiting very low VGS(ON) characteristics. The shoot-through
protection present aboard the ISL6527, ISL6527A 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.
I RMS
MAX
=
(EQ. 16)
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.
Some capacitor series available from reputable manufacturers
are surge current tested.
MOSFET Selection/Considerations
The ISL6527, ISL6527A require 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
12
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)
(EQ. 17)
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
(EQ. 18)
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.
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
A fast recovery diode is recommended when selecting a
bootstrap diode to reduce the impact of reverse recovery
charge loss. Otherwise, the recovery charge, QRR, would
have to be added to the gate charge of the MOSFET and
taken into consideration when calculating the minimum
bootstrap capacitance.
CPVOUT
DBOOT
ISL6527,
ISL6527A
+
VD
-
VIN
BOOT
CBOOT
UGATE
QUPPER
PHASE
+
NOTE:
VG-S  VCC -VD
QLOWER
LGATE
NOTE:
VG-S  VCC
GND
ISL6527, ISL6527A DC/DC Converter
Application Circuit
Figure 8 shows an application circuit of a DC/DC Converter.
Detailed information on the circuit, including a complete
Bill-of-Materials and circuit board description, can be found
in Application Note AN1021.
http://www.intersil.com/data/an/an1021.pdf
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 in Equation 19:
Q GATE = C BOOT   V BOOT1 – V BOOT2 
(EQ. 19)
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 Equation 19 and solving for CBOOT in
Equation 20.
Q GATE
C BOOT  ----------------------------------------------------V BOOT1 – V
BOOT2
(EQ. 20)
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
minimize the voltage drop across the bootstrap capacitor
during the on-time of the upper MOSFET. Initial calculations
with VBOOT2 no less than 4V will quickly help narrow the
bootstrap capacitor range.
For example, consider an upper MOSFET is chosen with a
maximum gate charge, Qg, of 100nC. Limiting the voltage
drop across the bootstrap capacitor to 1V results in a value
of no less than 0.1µF. The tolerance of the ceramic capacitor
should also be considered when selecting the final bootstrap
capacitance value.
13
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
3.3V
C1
0.1µF
GND
11
TP1
4
VCC
OCSET/SD
CT1
C3
6
R1
9.76k
TP3
C4
0.22µF
CPVOUT
5
10
1
9
3
ISL6527,
ISL6527A
CT2
BOOT
CPGND
13
C7
UGATE
GND
REF_IN
LGATE
COMP
8
C5
10µF
CERAMIC
D1
PHASE
0.8V EXTERNAL REFERENCE
C2
1000pF
U1
0.1F
14
L1
12
2
2.5V @ 5A
C8,9
Q1
FB
7
C10
R3
33pF
R2
C6
1µF
C11
2.26k
R4
6.49k 5600pF
R5
Component Selection Notes:
C3, C8, C9 - Each 150mF, Panasonic EEF-UE0J151R or Equivalent.
D1 - 30mA Schottky Diode, MA732 or Equivalent
L1 - 1µH Inductor, Panasonic P/N ETQ-P6F1ROSFA or Equivalent.
Q1- Fairchild MOSFET; ITF86110DK8.
C12
124 8200pF
GND
FIGURE 8. 3.3V TO 2.5V 5A DC/DC CONVERTER
Revision History
The revision history provided is for informational purposes only and is believed to be accurate, but not warranted. Please go to the web to make sure that
you have the latest revision.
DATE
REVISION
September 29, 2015
FN9056.11
CHANGE
Updated Ordering Information Table on page 2.
Added Revision History and About Intersil sections.
Updated POD M14.15 from rev 0 to rev 1. Changes since rev 0: Added land pattern and moved
dimensions from table onto drawing
About Intersil
Intersil Corporation is a leading provider of innovative power management and precision analog solutions. The company's products
address some of the largest markets within the industrial and infrastructure, mobile computing and high-end consumer markets.
For the most updated datasheet, application notes, related documentation and related parts, please see the respective product
information page found at www.intersil.com.
You may report errors or suggestions for improving this datasheet by visiting www.intersil.com/ask.
Reliability reports are also available from our website at www.intersil.com/support
All Intersil U.S. products are manufactured, assembled and tested utilizing ISO9001 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
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Package Outline Drawing
L16.5x5B
16 LEAD QUAD FLAT NO-LEAD PLASTIC PACKAGE
Rev 2, 02/08
4X 2.4
5.00
12X 0.80
A
B
13
6
PIN 1
INDEX AREA
6
PIN #1 INDEX AREA
16
12
5.00
1
3 . 10 ± 0 . 15
9
(4X)
4
0.15
5
8
TOP VIEW
0.10 M C A B
+0.15
16X 0 . 60
-0.10
4 0.33 +0.07 / -0.05
BOTTOM VIEW
SEE DETAIL "X"
0.10 C
1.00 MAX
C
BASE PLANE
SEATING PLANE
0.08 C
( 4 . 6 TYP )
(
SIDE VIEW
( 12X 0 . 80 )
3 . 10 )
C
( 16X 0 .33 )
( 16 X 0 . 8 )
0 . 2 REF
5
0 . 00 MIN.
0 . 05 MAX.
TYPICAL RECOMMENDED LAND PATTERN
DETAIL "X"
NOTES:
1. Dimensions are in millimeters.
Dimensions in ( ) for Reference Only.
2. Dimensioning and tolerancing conform to AMSE Y14.5m-1994.
3. Unless otherwise specified, tolerance : Decimal ± 0.05
4. Dimension b applies to the metallized terminal and is measured
between 0.15mm and 0.30mm from the terminal tip.
5. Tiebar shown (if present) is a non-functional feature.
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.
15
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015
ISL6527, ISL6527A
Package Outline Drawing
M14.15
14 LEAD NARROW BODY SMALL OUTLINE PLASTIC PACKAGE
Rev 1, 10/09
8.65
A 3
4
0.10 C A-B 2X
6
14
DETAIL"A"
8
0.22±0.03
D
6.0
3.9
4
0.10 C D 2X
0.20 C 2X
7
PIN NO.1
ID MARK
5
0.31-0.51
B 3
(0.35) x 45°
4° ± 4°
6
0.25 M C A-B D
TOP VIEW
0.10 C
1.75 MAX
H
1.25 MIN
0.25
GAUGE PLANE C
SEATING PLANE
0.10 C
0.10-0.25
1.27
SIDE VIEW
(1.27)
DETAIL "A"
(0.6)
NOTES:
1. Dimensions are in millimeters.
Dimensions in ( ) for Reference Only.
2. Dimensioning and tolerancing conform to AMSEY14.5m-1994.
3. Datums A and B to be determined at Datum H.
(5.40)
4. Dimension does not include interlead flash or protrusions.
Interlead flash or protrusions shall not exceed 0.25mm per side.
5. The pin #1 indentifier may be either a mold or mark feature.
(1.50)
6. Does not include dambar protrusion. Allowable dambar protrusion
shall be 0.10mm total in excess of lead width at maximum condition.
7. Reference to JEDEC MS-012-AB.
TYPICAL RECOMMENDED LAND PATTERN
16
FN9056.11
September 29, 2015