LTC3649 - 60V, 4A Synchronous Step-Down Regulator with Rail-to-Rail Programmable Output

LTC3649
60V, 4A Synchronous
Step-Down Regulator with
Rail-to-Rail Programmable Output
DESCRIPTION
FEATURES
Wide VIN Range: 3.1V to 60V
nn Wide V
OUT Range: 0V to (VIN – 0.5V)
nn Single Resistor V
OUT Programming
nn Integrated 110mΩ Top N-Channel/50mΩ Bottom
N-Channel MOSFETs
nn 95% Efficiency with 12V and 5V
IN
OUT
nn Regulated I : 440µA, Shutdown I : 18µA
Q
Q
nn Accurate Current Monitoring (±4%) without Sense
Resistor
nn Accurate Resistor Programmable Frequency
(300kHz to 3MHz) with ±50% Frequency Sync Range
nn Accurate Programmable Output Current
nn Input Voltage Regulation for MPPT Applications
nn ±0.8% Output Voltage Accuracy
nn Peak Current Mode Operation
nn Programmable Wire Drop Compensation
nn Burst Mode® Operation, Forced Continuous Mode
nn Internal Compensation and Programmable Soft-Start
nn Overtemperature Protection
nn Available in Thermally Enhanced 28-Lead (4mm ×
5mm) QFN and TSSOP Packages
The LTC®3649 is a high efficiency 60V, 4A synchronous
monolithic step-down regulator. The regulator features
a single resistor programmable output voltage, internal
compensation and high efficiencies over a wide VOUT range.
nn
The step-down regulator operates from an input voltage
range of 3.1V to 60V and provides an adjustable rail-to-rail
output range from (VIN – 0.5V) to ground while delivering
up to 4A of output current. The switching frequency is
also adjusted with an external resistor. A user-selectable
mode input is provided to allow the user to trade off ripple
noise for efficiency at light loads; Burst Mode operation
provides the highest efficiency at light loads, while forced
continuous mode provides low output ripple. The MODE/
SYNC pin can also be used to allow the user to synchronize
the switching frequency to an external clock.
The LTC3649 operates with a peak current mode architecture that allows for fast transient response with inherent
cycle-to-cycle current limit protection. It also features
programmable output current limit, current monitoring
and input voltage regulation.
L, LT, LTC, LTM, Linear Technology, the Linear logo, Burst Mode and OPTI-LOOP are
registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are the property
of their respective owners. Protected by U.S. Patents, including 5481178, 5705919, 5847554,
6580258.
APPLICATIONS
nn
nn
Industrial Applications
Automotive Applications
TYPICAL APPLICATION
Efficiency with VOUT = 5V
24V to 5VOUT Burst Mode Operation
100
0.1µF
98
VIN = 12V
VIN = 24V
96
VIN
BOOST SW
RUN
VOUT
22µF
LTC3649
ITH
VINREG
INTVCC
2.2µF
fSW = 500kHz
EXTVCC
MODE/SYNC
SGND
PGND
RT
ISET
100k
47µF
×2
VOUT
5V
4A
10nF
EFFICIENCY (%)
6.8µH
VIN
5.5V TO 60V
10k
92
90
88
86
84
IMON
200k
94
82
80
10nF
3649 TA01a
0
0.5
1
1.5
2 2.5
IOUT (A)
3
3.5
4
3649 TA01b
3649fa
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1
LTC3649
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
(Notes 1, 2)
VIN Voltage (Note 3)................................... 64V to –0.3V
ISET, OUT Voltage...................................... 64V to –0.3V
RUN Voltage............................................... 64V to –0.3V
MODE/SYNC Voltage ................................... 6V to –0.3V
PGDFB, RT............................................ INTVCC +0.3V to –0.3V
EXTVCC Voltage.......................................... 28V to –0.3V
IMON, PGOOD Voltage.................................. 4V to –0.3V
VINREG, ITH Voltage...................................... 4V to –0.3V
Operating Junction
Temperature Range (Notes 5, 7)............. –40°C to 125°C
Storage Temperature Range................... –65°C to 125°C
PIN CONFIGURATION
TOP VIEW
PGND
26 SW
SW
28 27 26 25 24 23
SW
27 SW
3
PGND
28 SW
2
PGND
1
PGND
PGND
PGND
SW
TOP VIEW
PGND 1
22 SW
PGND
4
25 SW
PGND 2
21 SW
PGND
5
24 SW
VIN 3
20 SW
VIN
6
23 SW
VIN 4
19 SW
VIN
7
18 BOOST
RUN
8
SGND 6
17 INTVCC
SGND
9
20 INTVCC
MODE/SYNC 7
16 EXTVCC
MODE/SYNC 10
19 EXTVCC
29
SGND
RUN 5
PGOOD 8
15 ITH
TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 43°C/W, θJC = 3.4°C/W
EXPOSED PAD (PIN 29) IS SGND, MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB
ORDER INFORMATION
21 BOOST
18 ITH
PGDFB 12
17 ISET
IMON 13
16 VOUT
VINREG 14
UFD PACKAGE
28-LEAD (4mm × 5mm) PLASTIC QFN
22 SW
PGOOD 11
ISET
VOUT
RT
VINREG
IMON
PGDFB
9 10 11 12 13 14
29
SGND
15 RT
FE PACKAGE
28-LEAD PLASTIC TSSOP
TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 30°C/W, θJC = 5°C to 10°C/W
EXPOSED PAD (PIN 29) IS SGND, MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB
http://www.linear.com/product/LTC3649#orderinfo
LEAD FREE FINISH
TAPE AND REEL
PART MARKING*
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
TEMPERATURE RANGE
LTC3649EUFD#PBF
LTC3649EUFD#TRPBF
3649
28-Lead (4mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 125°C
LTC3649IUFD#PBF
LTC3649IUFD#TRPBF
3649
28-Lead (4mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 125°C
LTC3649EFE#PBF
LTC3649EFE#TRPBF
LTC3649
28-Lead Plastic TSSOP
–40°C to 125°C
LTC3649IFE#PBF
LTC3649IFE#TRPBF
LTC3649
28-Lead Plastic TSSOP
–40°C to 125°C
Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges. *The temperature grade is identified by a label on the shipping container.
For more information on lead free part marking, go to: http://www.linear.com/leadfree/
For more information on tape and reel specifications, go to: http://www.linear.com/tapeandreel/. Some packages are available in 500 unit reels through
designated sales channels with #TRMPBF suffix.
2
3649fa
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LTC3649
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The l denotes the specifications which apply over the specified operating
junction temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TJ = 25°C. (Note 5) VIN = 24V, VEXTVCC = 0V unless otherwise noted. (Notes 5, 7)
SYMBOL
VIN
VOUT
IVIN
PARAMETER
Input Supply Operating Voltage Range
Output Operating Voltage Range
Input Quiescent Current
IISET
Reference Current
CONDITIONS
MIN
3.1
0.05
(Note 4)
Shutdown Mode; VRUN = 0V
Burst Mode Operation
FC Mode (Note 6)
VISET = 3.3V
l
ΔVOUT(LOAD+LINE)
VEA(OFFSET)
gm (EA)
ILSW
RSW-GND
RDS(ON)
DMAX
tON(MIN)
VRUN
IRUN
VMODE/SYNC
IMODE/SYNC
ILIM
Output Voltage Load + Line Regulation
Error Amp Input Offset
Error Amplifier Transconductance
Topside NMOS Switch Leakage
SW Resistance to GND
Topside NMOS On-Resistance
Bottom Side NMOS On-Resistance
Maximum Duty Cycle
Minimum On-Time
RUN Input Rising
RUN Hysteresis
RUN Input Current
Burst Mode Operation
FC Mode
MODE/SYNC Input Current
Peak Current Limit
l
VISET = 3.3V
VITH = 0.7V, VOUT = 3.3V
–5
400
0.5
VISET = VIN (Note 4)
l
VINTVCC Undervoltage Lockout
VINTVCC Undervoltage Lockout Hysteresis
VIN Overvoltage Lockout Rising
VIN Overvoltage Lockout Hysteresis
Oscillator Frequency
SYNC Capture Range
VINTVCC LDO Output Voltage
VEXTVCC
EXTVCC Switchover Voltage
1.08
VRUN = 12V
VMODE/SYNC = 0V
l
VUVLO
VUVLO(HYS)
VOVLO
VOVLO(HYS)
fOSC
fSYNC
VINTVCC
49.6
49.4
VIN Rising
l
1.2
–8
5.7
5.4
2.4
64
RT = 100kΩ
% of Programmed Frequency
l
VIN > 5.0V, VEXTVCC > 3.2V
l
RVOUT
IPGDFB
OVPGDFB
UVPGDFB
∆VPGDFB
RPGOOD
IPGOOD(LEAK)
tPGOOD
VOUT Resistance to GND
PGDFB Leakage Current
Output Overvoltage PGOOD Upper Threshold
Output Undervoltage PGOOD Lower Threshold
PGOOD Hysteresis
PGOOD Pull-Down Resistance
PGOOD Leakage Current
PGOOD Delay
VOUT = 5V
VPGDFB = 0.6V
PGFB Rising
PGFB Falling
PGFB Returning
AIMON
IOUT/IIMON
IIMON
IMON Pin Current
VIMON
VVINREG
IVINREG
Regulated IMON Voltage Under Output Current Regulation
Input Voltage Regulation Voltage
VINREG Leakage Current
VVINREG = 3.3V
0.92
50
3.25
2.85
3.1
3.25
80
0.63
0.54
VPGOOD = 3.3V
PGOOD Low to High
PGOOD High to Low
Ratio of Output Current to IIMON
l
Current
IOUT = 4A
l
l
l
TYP
18
440
1.4
50
50
0.1
550
0.1
1
110
50
95
60
1.2
120
0
–5
6
6
2.65
200
68
2
1.00
3.45
3.0
3.15
100
0
0.645
0.555
10
550
MAX
60
VIN
30
600
2.5
50.4
50.6
0.5
5
700
1
1.5
1.32
10
0.4
6.3
6.6
2.9
4
1.08
150
3.65
3.15
3.2
120
100
0.66
0.57
100
38.5
36
96
90
1.94
1.85
16
64
40
40
100
100
2.0
2.0
0
41.5
44
104
110
2.06
2.15
0.1
UNITS
V
V
µA
µA
mA
µA
µA
%
mV
µS
µA
MΩ
mΩ
mΩ
%
ns
V
mV
nA
V
V
µA
A
A
V
mV
V
V
MHz
%
V
V
V
V
kΩ
nA
V
V
mV
Ω
nA
Switch Cycles
Switch Cycles
k
k
µA
µA
V
V
µA
3649fa
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3
LTC3649
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Note 1: Stresses beyond those listed under Absolute Maximum Ratings
may cause permanent damage to the device. Exposure to any Absolute
Maximum Rating condition for extended periods may affect device
reliability and lifetime.
Note 2: All voltages are referred to VSGND/VPGND.
Note 3: Transient absolute maximum voltages should not be applied for
more than 4% of the switching duty cycle.
Note 4: VOUT can be programmed to VIN if the ISET pin is driven to that
voltage. If a resistor is used to program VISET, the current into the ISET pin
will decrease as VISET approaches VIN. Refer to the ISET current vs VISET
graph as an example and reference. Furthermore, during high IOUT and
high duty cycle operation, VOUT may be limited by the voltage drop across
the top switch. Refer to the High Duty Cycle/Dropout Operation section for
more details.
Note 5: The LTC3649 is tested under pulsed load conditions such that
TJ ≈ TA. The LTC3649E is guaranteed to meet specifications from
0°C to 85°C junction temperature. Specifications over the –40°C to
125°C operating junction temperature range are assured by design,
characterization and correlation with statistical process controls. The
LTC3649I is guaranteed over the full –40°C to 125°C operating junction
temperature range. Note that the maximum ambient temperature
consistent with these specifications is determined by specific operating
conditions in conjunction with board layout, the rated package thermal
impedance and other environmental factors.
Note 6: The quiescent current in FC mode does not include switching loss
of the power FETs.
Note 7: This IC includes overtemperature protection that is intended
to protect the device during momentary overload conditions. Junction
temperature will exceed 125°C when overtemperature protection is active.
Continuous operation above the specified maximum operating junction
temperature may impair device reliability.
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Load Regulation
ISET Current vs Temperature
100
99
51
50.3
50
50.1
49
49.9
ISET Current vs VISET
48
49.7
47
49.5
–55 –35 –15
46
FC MODE
BM
VIN = 24V
VOUT = 5V
0
50.5
ISET (µA)
101
ISET (µA)
NORMALIZED VOUT (%)
102
98
TA = 25°C, unless otherwise noted.
1
2
IOUT (A)
4
3
5 25 45 65 85 105 125
TEMPERATURE (°C)
VIN = 24V
0
4
8
12
VISET
16
20
3649 G02
3649 G01
ISET Voltage Line Regulation
3649 G03
Quiescent Current vs Temperature
5.01
24
Shutdown Current vs VIN
20
500
400
16
4.99
300
12
4.97
4.96
4.95
10
20
30
VIN (V)
40
50
60
3649 G04
4
200
8
100
4
SHUTDOWN
RISET = 100kΩ
0
IQ (µA)
5.00
IQ (µA)
VISET (V)
SLEEP
0
–55 –35 –15
5 25 45 65 85 105 125
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3649 G05
0
0
10
20
30
VIN (V)
40
50
60
3649 G06
3649fa
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LTC3649
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
200
RDS(ON) vs Temperature
Transient Response, CCM
160
RDSON (mΩ)
MTOP
120
80
Transient Response, Burst Mode
VOUT
100mV/DIV
AC-COUPLED
VOUT
100mV/DIV
AC-COUPLED
IL
2A/DIV
IL
2A/DIV
MBOT
40
0
–55 –35 –15
TA = 25°C, unless otherwise noted.
20µs/DIV
VIN = 24V, VOUT = 5V
IOUT = 0A TO 4A, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 1MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
FC MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
5 25 45 65 85 105 125
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3649 G08
3649 G09
20µs/DIV
VIN = 24V, VOUT = 5V
IOUT = 0.2A TO 4A, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 1MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
BURST MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
3649 G07
Switching Frequency/Period
vs RT
Switching Frequency
vs Temperature
3.0
3000
2500
2.0
PERIOD
2000
1.5
1500
1.0
1000
0.5
0
50
100 150 200 250
RT RESISTOR (kΩ)
300
1000
VOUT
2V/DIV
995
VIN
50V/DIV
990
500
0
IL
1A/DIV
1005
PERIOD (ns)
FREQUENCY (MHz)
FREQUENCY
FREQUENCY (kHz)
2.5
Output Regulation with VIN Slew
1010
3500
985
–55 –35 –15
0
350
10ms/DIV
VIN = 12V TO 60V, VOUT = 5V
IOUT = 0A, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 2.25MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
FC MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
5 25 45 65 85 105 125
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3649 G12
3649 G11
3649 G10
Continuous Conduction Mode
Operation
Burst Mode Operation
Run Rising Threshold
vs Temperature
1.210
IL
1A/DIV
SW
10V/DIV
RUN RISING THRESHOLD (V)
IL
1A/DIV
SW
10V/DIV
2µs/DIV
VIN = 24V, VOUT = 5V
IOUT = 100mA, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 1MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
BURST MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
3649 G13
500ns/DIV
VIN = 24V, VOUT = 5V
IOUT = 0A, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 1MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
FC MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
3649 G14
1.205
1.200
1.195
1.190
1.185
1.180
–55 –35 –15
5 25 45 65 85 105 125
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3649 G15
3649fa
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5
LTC3649
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
VIMON vs Load (Temperature)
Start-up Waveform
1.2
IL
2A/DIV
0.8
VOUT
2V/DIV
0.5
–45°C
25°C
130°C
% ERROR NORMALIZED TO 1MHz
1.0
VIMON (V)
VRUN
2V/DIV
TA = 25°C, unless otherwise noted.
0.6
0.4
VPGOOD
2V/DIV
1ms/DIV
VIN = 24V, RISET = 100kΩ
RLOAD = 120Ω, L = 2.2µH, fSW = 1MHz
RITH = 4kΩ, CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF
BURST MODE, COUT = 2× 47µF
VIN = 24V
VOUT = 5V
fSW = 1MHz
RIMON = 10kΩ
0.2
3649 G16
0
0
0.5
1
1.5
2 2.5
IOUT (A)
3
3.5
4
VIMON Error vs Frequency
VIN = 24V
VOUT = 5V
0
–0.5
–1.0
–1.5
IOUT = 4A
–2.0
300
800
1300 1800 2300
FREQUENCY (kHz)
3649 G17
100
95
95
90
90
85
85
EFFICIENCY (%)
EFFICIENCY (%)
100
Efficiency vs Load Current at
5VOUT
80
75
70
fSW = 500kHz
L = 6.8µH
65
VIN = 12V
VIN = 24V
VIN = 48V
VIN = 60V
60
55
50
0
0.5
1
1.5 2 2.5
LOAD (A)
3
3.5
3649 G18
Efficiency vs Load Current at
3.3VOUT
80
75
70
fSW = 500kHz
L = 4.7µH
65
VIN = 12V
VIN = 24V
VIN = 48V
VIN = 60V
60
55
4
50
0
0.5
1
1.5 2 2.5
LOAD (A)
3
3649 G19
6
3.5
4
3649 G20
Output Capacitor Charging with
Fixed Average Current Limit
Load Step with Cable Drop
Compensation
VRUN
2V/DIV
VIMON
1V/DIV
IL
2A/DIV
VOUT
500mV/DIV
VOUT
2V/DIV
IL
2A/DIV
3649 G21
20ms/DIV
VIN = 24V, RISET = 100kΩ
RLOAD = 10Ω, L = 2.2µH RITH = 4kΩ,
CITH = 2.2nF, CITHP = 47pF, RIMON = 40kΩ,
CIMON = 0.47nF, COUT = 2× 47µF + 36mF
2800
50ms/DIV
CABLE DROP RESISTANCE OF 200mΩ
3649 G22
3649fa
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LTC3649
PIN FUNCTIONS
(QFN/TSSOP)
PGND (Pins 1, 2, 26-28/Pins 1-5): Ground Pins for Power
Switch.
VOUT (Pin 13/Pin 16): Output Voltage Error Amplifier Input
Pin. Connect to the output of the LTC3649 voltage regulator.
VIN (Pin 3, 4/Pins 6, 7): Input Supply Pin of the StepDown Regulator.
ISET (Pin 14/Pin 17): Accurate 50µA Bias Current and
Positive Input to the Error Amplifier. Connect an external
resistor from this pin to SGND to program the output
voltage. Connecting an external capacitor from ISET to
ground will soft start the output voltage by reducing current inrush during start-up.
RUN (Pin 5/Pin 8): Logic Controlled RUN Input. Do not
leave this pin floating. Place a resistor divider from VIN to
GND for an accurate VIN undervoltage threshold.
SGND (Pins 6, 29/Pins 9, 29): Signal Ground Pin of the
Step-Down Regulator. The exposed pad must be soldered
to PCB ground for electrical connection and rated thermal
performance.
MODE/SYNC (Pin 7/Pin 10): Mode Select and Oscillator
Synchronization Input of the Step-Down Regulator. Leave
MODE/SYNC floating for forced continuous mode operation or tie MODE/SYNC to GND for Burst Mode operation.
Furthermore, connecting MODE/SYNC to an external clock
will synchronize the internal oscillator to the external clock
signal and put the part in forced continuous mode.
PGOOD (Pin 8/Pin 11): VOUT Within Regulation Indicator.
PGOOD is pulled to GND when VPGFB is more than 0.645V
or less than 0.555V.
PGDFB (Pin 9/Pin 12): Power Good Feedback. Place a resistor divider from VOUT to GND to detect power good level.
IMON (Pin 10/Pin 13): Output Current Monitoring Pin.
The current coming out of this pin is equal to 1/40,000
of the average output current.
ITH (Pin 15/Pin 18): Error Amplifier Output and Switching
Regulator Compensation Point. The current comparator’s
trip threshold is linearly proportional to this voltage. Tying
this pin to INTVCC activates internal compensation.
EXTVCC (Pin 16/ Pin 19): External Power Input to the
Internal Regulator. The internal regulator will draw current from EXTVCC instead of VIN when EXTVCC is tied to a
voltage higher than 3.2V and VIN is above 5V. For output
voltages at or above 3.3V and less than 28V, this pin can
be tied to VOUT. If this pin is tied to a supply other than
VOUT, locally bypass with at least a 1µF to GND.
INTVCC (Pin 17/Pin 20): Low Dropout Regulator. Locally
bypass with at least 2.2µF to GND.
BOOST (Pin 18/Pin 21): Boosted Floating Driver Supply
for Internal Top Power MOSFET. Place a 0.1µF bootstrap
capacitor between BOOST and SW.
SW (Pins 19-25/Pins 22-28): Switch Node Connection to
the Inductor of the Step-Down Regulator.
VINREG (Pin 11/Pin 14): Input Voltage Regulation Sense
Input. Place a resistor divider from VIN to GND to program
the level of input voltage regulation.
RT (Pin 12/Pin 15): Oscillator Frequency Programming
Pin. Connect an external resistor between 333.3k to 33.3k
from RT to GND to program the frequency from 300kHz
to 3MHz respectively. Since the synchronization range is
limited to ±50% of the set frequency, be sure that either
the external clock is within this range or RT is set to accommodate the external clock for proper frequency lock.
3649fa
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7
LTC3649
FUNCTIONAL DIAGRAM
BOOST
VIN
INTVCC
EXTVCC
1/50k
VIN
–
PEAK
CURRENT
COMPARATOR
REVERSE
COMPARATOR
50µA
ISET
+
–
VOUT
+
+
LDO
0A
–
+
1/40k
IMON
ITH
SW
VINREG
2V
–
+
+
–
MODE/SYNC
RT
2V
BUCK LOGIC
AND
GATE DRIVE
INTVCC
PGDFB
PGOOD
LOGIC
PGOOD
CLK
OSC
RUN
SGND
PGND
3649 FD
OPERATION
The LTC3649 is a current mode monolithic step-down
regulator. The accurate 50µA bias current on the ISET pin
allows the user to program the output voltage in a unitygain buffer fashion with just one external resistor from the
ISET pin to GND (RSET). The output voltage is set such that:
VOUT = 50µA • RSET
The LTC3649 operates through a wide VIN range, and its
frequency can be programmed to a wide range with the RT
resistor. To suit a variety of applications, the MODE/SYNC
pin allows the user to trade off output ripple for efficiency.
8
Main Control Loop
In normal operation, the internal top power MOSFET is
turned on at the beginning of a clock pulse. The inductor
current is allowed to ramp up to a peak level. Once that
level is reached, the top power switch is turned off and
the bottom switch is turned on until the next clock cycle.
The peak inductor current is determined by sensing the
voltage drop across the SW and VIN nodes of the top power
MOSFET. The voltage on the ITH pin sets the comparator
threshold corresponding to inductor peak current. The error
amplifier, EA, adjusts this ITH voltage by comparing the
VOUT voltage with the voltage on ISET. If the load current
increases, it causes a drop in VOUT relative to VISET. This
causes the ITH voltage to rise until the average inductor
current matches that of the load current.
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LTC3649
OPERATION
Low Current Operation
Burst Mode operation can be selected by connecting the
MODE/SYNC pin to GND. In this mode, the LTC3649 will
automatically transition from continuous mode operation
to Burst Mode operation when the load current is low. A
reverse current comparator looks at the voltage across SW
to GND and turns off the bottom power MOSFET when
that voltage difference approaches zero. This prevents the
inductor current from going negative. An internal burst
clamp is set to be approximately 1A, which means that in
Burst Mode operation, the peak inductor current will never
go below 1A regardless of what the ITH voltage demands
the peak current to be. As a result, when the load is low
enough, VOUT will rise relative to VISET because the average
programmed inductor current is above the load current,
thus driving VITH low. Once the ITH voltage is driven below
an internal threshold (~400mV), the switching regulator
will enter its sleep mode and wait for VOUT to drop and
VITH to rise above the threshold before it starts to switch
again. During sleep mode, the quiescent current of the
part is reduced to less than 400µA to conserve input
power. The LTC3649 is designed to operate with single
burst pulse behavior to minimize output voltage ripple
while keeping the efficiency high at light loads. Lastly, if
at any point the top power MOSFET is on for roughly 8
consecutive clock cycles, the part will turn on the bottom
power MOSFET for a brief duration such that the BOOST
capacitor can be replenished.
set the output voltage, the 50µA of current out of the ISET
pin is only guaranteed to be accurate when VISET is more
than 500mV below VIN. As the input voltage drops below
that 500mV threshold, the ISET current will decrease, thus
limiting the programmed voltage. Typically, VISET will never
get within 300mV of VIN. Since VISET programs VOUT, this
limitation essentially enforces a maximum duty cycle for
the switcher. This limitation can be overcome if an accurate external supply is used to drive the ISET pin directly.
The second limitation against full dropout operation
is the requirement for the BOOST to SW capacitor to
refresh. When the top power MOSFET is on for multiple
clock cycles during dropout operation, the BOOST to SW
capacitor slowly gets depleted by the internal circuitry of
the chip. When the bottom switch does not turn on for at
least 80ns for 8 periods, it is forced to turn on in order to
guarantee sufficient voltage on the bootstrap capacitor.
During a refresh, the bottom switch will only turn on for
roughly 30% of the period to limit inductor ripple, thus
limiting output voltage ripple.
Output Current Monitoring and Regulation
The LTC3649 has the ability to accurately sense the average inductor current without the use of an external sense
resistor. The IMON pin output current is 1/40000th scale
of the inductor current. Placing a resistor from IMON to
GND allows the voltage on that node to be equal to:
VIMON =
RIMON •IL
40000
Forced Continuous Mode Operation
Floating the MODE/SYNC pin defaults the LTC3649 into
forced continuous mode operation. In this mode, the
part switches continuously regardless of load current,
and the inductor peak current is allowed to decrease to
approximately –1A to allow for negative average current.
Since the IMON current mirrors the inductor current, it
is necessary to place a capacitor from IMON to GND to
filter the voltage on the node. The choice of this capacitor
is discussed below.
High Duty Cycle/Dropout Operation
As the input voltage decreases towards the desired output
voltage, the duty cycle will increase towards 100%. However, given the architecture, there are two restrictions that
prevent the LTC3649 from operating in full dropout mode.
The first restriction is due to how the ISET voltage is programmed. If a resistor is placed between ISET and GND to
In addition to simply sensing the inductor current, the
LTC3649 can also be programmed to regulate the average output current limit. The regulator will limit the peak
inductor current if it senses that the voltage on IMON
has exceeded 2V. As a result, the programmed average
inductor current depends on the size of RIMON such that:
ILAVG =
2V • 40000
RIMON
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LTC3649
OPERATION
If current monitoring is needed but current limiting is not,
simply pick an RIMON resistor small enough such that VIMON
will never approach 2V. A 10k resistor along with a 10nF
capacitor is typically a good RC pair to use in this case.
If current limiting is useful for the application, it is important to carefully pick the value of the capacitor from
IMON to GND, CIMON. If CIMON is picked to be too large,
then the switching regulator will be slow to react to a
large output transients, and the average inductor current
will rise above the programmed level until the loop can
react. If CIMON is picked to be too small, then the loop can
become unstable. Typically, an RC time constant that is
at least 10 times slower than the switching frequency is
a good place to start.
10
1.59
CIMON • RIMON ≥
=
2π • fSW fSW
Cable Drop Compensation
In certain applications, the point of load will be separated
from the switching regulator with a significant amount
of wire resistance. Thus, the voltage at the point of load,
VPOL, will be reduced from VOUT near the regulator by
the resistance of the trace/wire multiplied by the current.
In those applications, it is useful to adjust for the VOUT
regulation point depending on the average output current
to maintain an accurate VPOL.
The IMON feature of the LTC3649 along with its single
resistor output voltage programmability allows this feature to be implemented with the following configuration
shown in Figure 1.
LTC3649
ISET
SW
VOUT
IMON
RCABLE
COUT
VPOL(DESIRED)
= VOUT – IOUT • RCABLE
LOAD
RSET1
CSET1
RSET2
CSET2
3649 F01
Figure 1. Cable Drop Compensation Application
10
The general idea behind this setup is that once the inductor current rises, the current out of the IMON pin will rise
proportionally. As a result, the ISET voltage will increase,
thus increasing the regulated output voltage. This rise of
VOUT offsets the voltage drop across the cable, RCABLE,
thus keeping VPOL constant.
RSET2 should be sized to account for the amount of cable
resistance:
RSET2 = 40000 • RCABLE
Furthermore, in order to regulate VPOL at the desired
voltage:
(RSET1 + RSET2) • 50µA = VPOL(DESIRED)
CSET1 is still required if soft-start is desired for the application, and CSET2 is required to filter out the AC ripple
noise of the inductor current. Once again, typically CSET2
and RSET2 should be sized to have a RC time constant 10
times slower than the switching frequency.
Input Voltage Regulation
In certain applications, the input supply to the power regulator can exhibit fairly high output impedance. As a result,
when the regulator is running at heavy loads, VIN might
droop more than desired. The input voltage regulation loop
allows the application to be programmed to decrease the
peak inductor current level, and consequently the input
current draw, when it senses that the input voltage has
dropped below a programmed threshold. This threshold is
programmed by connecting a resistor divider from VIN to
GND with its intermediate node fed back to VINREG. With
this setup, if VVINREG ever falls below 2V, the regulator
will decrease the output current level in order to maintain
a 2V level at the pin. If this feature is not required, tie the
VINREG pin to INTVCC to prevent this control loop from
interfering with normal operation.
Another useful application for the input voltage regulation
loop is for momentary hold up supplies. Suppose an input
supply is suddenly removed from the application, VIN will
immediately start to drop until it reaches the programmed
input voltage regulation point. When this happens and
CCM operation is selected, the regulator will actually take
charge from the output capacitor and boost charge back to
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LTC3649
OPERATION
the input to hold the input voltage at the regulated point.
The regulator will continue to perform this operation until
the output capacitor has dissipated so much energy that it
can no longer hold up the input voltage. This momentary
input voltage holdup proves to be a handy tool for certain
applications.
INTVCC Regulator
The LTC3649 has two onboard internal low dropout (LDO)
regulators that power the drivers and internal bias circuitry.
Regardless of which one is in operation, the INTVCC must
be bypassed to GND with a minimum of 2.2µF ceramic
capacitor. Good bypassing is necessary to supply the
high transient current required by the power MOSFET
gate drivers.
The first LDO is powered from VIN, and the INTVCC voltage is regulated to 3.3V. The power dissipated across
this LDO would thus equal to (VIN – 3.3) • IINTVCC. For
a typical 1MHz application running in CCM, the current
drawn from INTVCC by the chip is roughly 20mA. Thus,
if the input voltage is high, the power loss and heat rise
due to this LDO is significant.
To combat this issue, a separate LDO exists that is powered
from EXTVCC. As long as the input voltage is above 5V
and the EXTVCC voltage is above 3.2V, this LDO will take
over and regulate the INTVCC voltage to 3.1V. In applications where the output voltage is programmed to 3.3V or
above, it is recommended that the VOUT (<28V) pin be
directly tied to the EXTVCC pin. Otherwise, if a separate
lower voltage rail exists on board that can supply INTVCC
current, then attaching that supply to EXTVCC will also
suffice provided that a 1µF ceramic bypass capacitor is
placed from the EXTVCC pin to GND physically close to
the chip. Both examples should significantly reduce the
power loss through the LDO.
VIN Undervoltage Programming
LTC3649 offers an accurate RUN threshold to start the
regulator. As a result, a resistor divider from IN to GND
can be placed with the intermediate node fed back to RUN
to set an accurate VIN undervoltage threshold. As the input
voltage rises, the RUN voltage will increase above the VRUN
rising threshold (1.2V), and the regulator will turn on.
Similarly, once on, if the input voltage decreases below the
VRUN falling threshold (1.1V), the regulator will turn off.
VIN Overvoltage Protection
In order to protect the internal power MOSFET devices
against transient voltage spikes, the LTC3649 constantly
monitors the VIN pin for an overvoltage condition. When
VIN rises above 70V, the regulator suspends operation
by shutting off both power MOSFETs and discharges the
ISET pin voltage to ground. Once VIN drops below the
VOVLO threshold, the regulator resumes normal switching
operation.
Programming Switching Frequency
Connecting a resistor from the RT pin to GND programs
the switching frequency from 300kHz to 3MHz according
to the following formula:
f (kHz) =
105
RT (kΩ)
Do not float the RT pin.
The internal phase-locked loop has a synchronization range
of ±50% around its programmed frequency. Therefore,
during external clock synchronization, the proper RT value
should be selected such that the external clock frequency
is within this 50% range of the RT programmed frequency.
Output Voltage Tracking and Soft-Start
The LTC3649 allows the user to program its output voltage
ramp rate by means of the ISET pin. Since VOUT servos
its voltage to that of VISET, placing an external capacitor
CSET from the ISET pin to GND will program the ramp-up
rate of the ISET pin and thus the VOUT voltage.
1


t

RSET •CSET 
VOUT (t)=IISET •RSET 1− e




From 0% to 90% VOUT:
tSS ≅ –RSET • CSET • In(1 – 0.9)
tSS ≅ 2.3 • RSET • CSET
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LTC3649
OPERATION
The soft-start time tSS (from 0% to 90% of VOUT) is 2.3
times the time constant (RSET • CSET). The ISET pin can also
be driven by an external supply capable of sinking 50µA.
When starting up into a pre-biased VOUT, the LTC3649 will
stay in Burst Mode operation and keep the power switches
off until the voltage on ISET has ramped up to be equal
to VOUT, at which point the switcher will begin switching
and VOUT will ramp up with ISET.
Output Power Good
When the LTC3649’s output voltage is within the 7.5%
window of the regulation point, which is divided down
as a VPGDFB voltage in the range of 0.555V to 0.645V,
the output voltage is in regulation and the PGOOD pin is
pulled high with an external resistor connected to INTVCC
or another voltage rail. Otherwise, an internal open-drain
pull-down device will pull the PGOOD pin low. To prevent
unwanted PGOOD glitches during transients or dynamic
VOUT changes, the LTC3649’s PGOOD falling edge includes
a blanking delay of approximately 64 clock cycles.
Internal/External ITH Compensation
For ease of use, the user can simplify the loop compensation by tying the ITH pin to INTVCC to enable internal
compensation. Because the internal compensation is
required to provide a stable output voltage for a wide
range of switching frequencies, it is designed to have a
loop response that is typically much slower than optimal.
12
This thus becomes a trade-off between simplicity and
OPTI‑LOOP® optimization, where ITH components are
external and are selected to optimize the loop transient
response with minimum output capacitance.
Minimum On-Time Considerations
Due to the architecture of the LTC3649, a minimum on-time
restriction is imposed such that the top power MOSFET
can have enough time to turn on and accurately determine
if it has reached its peak current level before shutting off.
The typical minimum on-time of the regulator is 60ns.
Thus, given an application with varying input and output
voltage ranges, the frequency must be designed to be
slow enough to ensure the minimum on-time restriction
is not violated.
Freq (kHz) ≤
VOUT(MIN)
60 • 10−6 • VIN(MAX)
In the rare cases where the minimum on-time restriction is
violated, the frequency of the LTC3649 will automatically
and gradually fold back down to one-fifth of its programmed
switching frequency to allow the output to remain in regulation. This feature is designed for applications where the
input voltage only experiences momentary spikes in voltage. In such applications, the frequency does not have to
be programmed so slow to account for those momentary
spikes, thus significantly saving component size and cost.
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APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Input Capacitor (CIN) Selection
The input capacitance, CIN, is needed to filter the square
wave current at the drain of the top power MOSFET. To
prevent large input voltage droops from occurring, a low
effective series resistance (ESR) input capacitor sized for
the maximum RMS current should be used. The maximum
RMS current is given by:
IRMS ≅ IOUT(MAX)
VOUT
VIN
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 provided that consideration
is given to ripple current ratings and long-term reliability.
Ceramic capacitors have excellent low ESR characteristics
and small footprints.
Using Ceramic Input and Output Capacitors
VIN
−1
VOUT
This formula has a maximum at VIN = 2VOUT, where
IRMS ≅ IOUT/2. This simple worst-case condition is commonly used for design because even significant deviations
do not offer much relief. Note that ripple current ratings
from capacitor manufacturers are often based on only
2000 hours of life which makes it advisable to further derate the capacitor, or choose a capacitor rated at a higher
temperature than required. Several capacitors may also
be paralleled to meet size or height requirements in the
design. For low input voltage applications, sufficient bulk
input capacitance is needed to minimize transient effects
during output load changes.
Output Capacitor (COUT) Selection
The selection of COUT is determined by the ESR that is
required to minimize voltage ripple and load step transients
as well as the amount of bulk capacitance that is necessary
to ensure that the control loop is stable. Loop stability can
be checked by viewing the load transient response. The
output ripple, ∆VOUT, is determined by:


1
∆VOUT < ∆IL 
+ESR
 8 • f • COUT

The output ripple is highest at maximum input voltage
since ∆IL increases with input voltage. 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 are very low ESR but have
lower capacitance density than other types. Tantalum
capacitors have the highest capacitance density but it is
Higher value, lower cost ceramic capacitors are now becoming available in smaller case sizes. Their high ripple
current, high voltage rating and low ESR make them ideal
for switching regulator applications. However, care must
be taken when these capacitors are used at the input and
output. When only a ceramic capacitor is used at the input
and the power is supplied by a wall adapter through long
wires, a load step at the output can induce ringing at the
input. At best, this ringing can couple to the output and
be mistaken as loop instability. At worst, a sudden inrush
of current through the long wires can potentially cause
a voltage spike at VIN large enough to damage the part.
When choosing the input and output ceramic capacitors,
use X5R or X7R dielectric formulations. These dielectrics
have the best temperature and voltage characteristics of
all the ceramics for a given value and size.
Since the ESR of a ceramic capacitor is so low, the input
and output capacitor must instead fulfill a charge storage
requirement. During a load step, the output capacitor must
instantaneously supply the current to support the load
until the feedback loop raises the switch current enough
to support the load. Typically, five cycles are required to
respond to a load step, but only in the first cycle does the
output voltage drop linearly. The output droop, VDROOP, is
usually about three times the linear drop of the first cycle.
Thus, a good place to start with the output capacitor value
is approximately:
COUT = 3
∆IOUT
f • VDROOP
More capacitance may be required depending on the duty
cycle and load step requirements. In most applications,
the input capacitor is merely required to supply high frequency bypassing, since the impedance to the supply is
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13
LTC3649
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
very low. A 10μF ceramic capacitor is usually enough for
these conditions. Place this input capacitor as physically
close to the VIN pin as possible.
Inductor Selection
Given the desired input and output voltages, the inductor
value and operating frequency determine the ripple current:
∆IL =

VOUT 
V
1− OUT 
f • L  VIN(MAX) 
Lower ripple current reduces core losses in the inductor
and reduces output voltage ripple. However, at extremes,
low ripple causes inductor current sensing issues. Highest efficiency operation is obtained at low frequency with
reasonably small ripple current. However, achieving this
requires a large inductor. There is a trade-off between
component size, efficiency and operating frequency.
A reasonable starting point is to choose a ripple current
that is about 50% of IOUT(MAX). To guarantee that ripple
current does not exceed specified inductor saturation current ratings, the inductance should be chosen according to:
VOUT 
VOUT 


L=
1−
f • ∆IL(MAX)  VIN(MAX) 
Table 1. Inductor Selection Table
INDUCTOR
INDUCTANCE (µH)
DCR (mΩ)
MAX CURRENT (A)
DIMENSIONS (mm)
HEIGHT (mm)
MANUFACTURER
XAL8080 Series
4.7
8.89
17.4
8.6 × 8.1
8.0
Coilcraft
www.coilcraft.com
XAL1010 Series
FDV0840 Series
IHLP-4040DZ-A1
Series
WE-HCI 1050 Series
14
6.8
13.20
14.0
8.6 × 8.1
8.0
10.0
21.00
10.9
8.6 × 8.1
8.0
3.3
3.70
27.4
11.3 × 10
10.0
4.7
5.20
25.4
11.3 × 10
10.0
5.6
6.30
23.6
11.3 × 10
10.0
6.8
8.10
21.8
11.3 × 10
10.0
8.2
11.70
18.3
11.3 × 10
10.0
10.0
13.40
17.5
11.3 × 10
10.0
2.1
10.40
10.6
9.1 × 8.4
4.0
3.9
18.80
8.4
9.1 × 8.4
4.0
4.9
24.60
6.9
9.1 × 8.4
4.0
6.9
31.70
6.1
9.1 × 8.4
4.0
2.2
8.20
25.6
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
3.3
13.70
18.6
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
4.7
15.00
17.0
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
5.6
17.60
16.0
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
6.8
21.20
13.5
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
10.0
33.20
12.0
11.5 × 10.3
4.0
2.4
3.50
17.0
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
3.3
5.90
15.0
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
4.2
7.10
14.0
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
5.5
10.30
12.0
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
6.5
12.50
10.0
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
7.8
13.60
9.5
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
10.0
16.30
8.5
10.6 × 10.6
5.0
Toko
www.toko.com
Vishay
www.vishay.com
Wurth Elektronik
www.we-online.com
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Once the value for L is known, the type of inductor must
be selected. Core loss is very dependent on the material,
frequency and inductance selected. Higher inductance
reduces ripple. Unfortunately, increased inductance requires more turns of wire and therefore copper losses
will increase.
optimization of the control loop behavior and provides
a DC-coupled and AC-filtered closed-loop response test
point. The DC step, rise time and settling at this test point
truly reflects these closed-loop responses. Assuming a
predominantly second order system, phase margin and/
or damping factor can be estimated using the percentage
of overshoot seen at this pin.
Ferrite materials have very low core losses and are preferred at high switching frequencies, so design goals can
minimize copper loss and preventing saturation. However,
ferrite core material saturates “hard”, which means that
inductance collapses abruptly when the peak design current
is exceeded. This results in an abrupt increase in inductor
ripple current and consequent output voltage ripple. Do
not allow the core to saturate!
The ITH external component network shown in the Figure 2
circuit will provide an adequate starting point for most
applications. The RC filter sets the dominant pole-zero
loop compensation. The values can be modified slightly
(from 0.5 to 2 times their suggested value) to optimize
transient response once the final PC layout is done and
the particular output capacitor type and value have been
determined. The output capacitors need to be selected
because their various types and values determine the
loop feedback factor gain and phase. An output current
pulse of 20% to 100% of full load current having a rise
time of 1µs to 10µs will produce output voltage and ITH
pin waveforms that will give a sense of the overall loop
stability without breaking the feedback loop.
Different core materials and shapes will change the size/
current and price/current relationship of an inductor. Toroid
or shielded pot cores in ferrite or permalloy materials are
small and don’t radiate much energy, but generally cost
more than powdered iron core inductors with similar
characteristics. The choice of which style inductor to use
mainly depends on the price versus size requirements
and any radiated field/EMI requirements. New designs for
surface mount inductors are available from Toko, Vishay,
NEC/Tokin, Cooper, TDK and Wurth Elektronik. Refer to
Table 1 for more details.
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 the ∆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.
Checking Transient Response
The OPTI-LOOP external compensation allows the transient response to be optimized for a wide range of loads
and output capacitors via the ITH pin. This allows for
CBOOST
0.1µF
VIN
24V
L
1.5µH
+
VIN
CIN
22µF
CVCC
2.2µF
BOOST SW
RUN
VOUT
COUT 3.3V
47µF
×2
VOUT
VINREG
INTVCC
LTC3649
RT
ISET
RSET
50k
CSET
10nF
RT
100k
MODE/SYNC
SGND
PGND
ITH
IMON
RITH
3k
CITH
4.7nF
RIMON
10k
CIMON
10nF
3649 F02
Figure 2. 24V to 3.3V, 1MHz Buck Regulator with Output Current Monitoring
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LTC3649
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
The initial output voltage step may not be within the bandwidth of the feedback loop, so the standard second order
overshoot/DC ratio cannot be used to determine phase
margin. The gain of the loop increases with the RITH and
the bandwidth of the loop increases with decreasing CITH. If
RITH is increased by the same factor that CITH is decreased,
the zero frequency will be kept the same, thereby keeping
the phase the same in most critical frequency ranges of
the feedback loop.
The output voltage settling behavior is related to the stability
of the closed-loop system and will demonstrate the actual
overall supply performance. For a detailed explanation of
optimizing the compensation components, including a
review of control loop theory, refer to Linear Technology
Application Note 76.
In some applications, a more severe transient can be caused
by switching in loads with large (>10µF) input capacitors.
The discharged input capacitors are effectively put in parallel with COUT, causing a rapid drop in VOUT. No regulator
can deliver enough current to prevent this problem if the
switch connecting the load has low resistance and is driven
quickly. The solution is to limit the turn-on speed of the
load switch driver. A hot swap controller is designed specifically for this purpose and usually incorporates current
limiting, short-circuit protection, and soft-start operation.
through the SW pin. Depending on the size of the output
capacitor and the resistivity of the short, high currents may
flow through the internal body diode, and cause damage
to the part. If a VIN discharge is possible, preventative
measures should be taken to prevent current flow through
the internal body diode. Simple solutions would be placing a Schottky diode in series with the supply (Figure 3),
or placing a Schottky diode from VOUT to VIN (Figure 4).
Output Short Considerations
In an event where the output of the LTC3649 is shorted
to GND through a low resistance, high inductance trace/
wire, it is likely for the output voltage to momentarily drop
below GND. In a typical application where the output is
tied directly to the VOUT pin, it would violate the ABSMAX
specification of the pin and potentially cause damage to
the IC. To prevent damage in this case, connect a 100Ω
resistor between the output and the VOUT pin.
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 power losses to determine what is limiting the efficiency and which change
would produce the most improvement. Percent efficiency
can be expressed as:
Input Disconnect/Input Short Considerations
% Efficiency = 100% – (P1 + P2 + P3 +…)
If at any point the input supply is removed with the output
voltage still held high through its capacitor, power will be
drawn from the output capacitor to power the chip, until
the output voltage drops below the minimum VIN requirements of the chip.
where P1, P2, etc. are the individual losses as a percentage
of input power. Although all dissipative elements in the
circuit produce losses, three main sources usually account
for most of the losses in LTC3649 circuits: 1) I2R losses,
2) switching and biasing losses, 3) other losses.
However, if the VIN pin is grounded while the output is
held high, regardless of the RUN state, parasitic body
diodes inside the LTC3649 will pull current from the output
L
VIN
VIN
VIN
VIN
SW
VOUT
LTC3649
LTC3649
CIN
22µF
CIN
22µF
COUT
47µF
3649 F03
3649 F04
Figure 3. Schottky Diode in Series with the Supply
16
Figure 4. Schottky Diode from VOUT to VIN
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LTC3649
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
1.I2R losses are calculated from the DC resistances of
the internal switches, RSW, and external inductor, RL.
In continuous mode, the average output current flows
through inductor L but is “chopped” between the
internal top and bottom power MOSFETs. Thus, the
series resistance looking into the SW pin is a function
of both top and bottom MOSFET RDS(ON) and the duty
cycle (D) as follows:
RSW = (RDS(ON)TOP)(D) + (RDS(ON)BOT)(1 – D)
The RDS(ON) for both the top and bottom MOSFETs can be
obtained from the Typical Performance Characteristics
curves. Thus to obtain I2R losses:
I2R losses = IOUT2(RSW + RL)
2.The switching current is the sum of the MOSFET driver
and control currents. The power MOSFET driver current results from switching the gate capacitance of
the power MOSFETs. Each time a power MOSFET gate
is switched from low to high to low again, a packet of
charge dQ moves from IN to ground. The resulting dQ/
dt is a current out of IN that is typically much larger
than the DC control bias current. In continuous mode:
IGATECHG = f(QT + QB)
where QT and QB are the gate charges of the internal
top and bottom power MOSFETs and f is the switching
frequency. The power loss is thus:
diode conduction losses during dead-time and inductor
core losses which generally account for less than 2%
total additional loss.
Thermal Conditions
In a majority of applications, the LTC3649 does not dissipate much heat due to its high efficiency and low thermal
resistance of its exposed-back QFN and FE packages. However, in applications where the LTC3649 is running at high
ambient temperature, high VIN, high switching frequency,
and maximum output current load, the heat dissipated
may exceed the maximum junction temperature of the
part. If the junction temperature reaches approximately
180°C, both power switches will be turned off until the
temperature drops by 15°C.
To avoid the LTC3649 from exceeding the maximum junction temperature, some thermal analysis must be done.
The goal of the thermal analysis is to determine whether
the power dissipated exceeds the maximum junction
temperature of the part. The temperature rise is given by:
TRISE = PD • θJA
As an example, consider the case when the LTC3649
is used in applications where VIN = 24V, IOUT = 4A,
f = 1MHz, and VOUT = 3.3V. The equivalent power MOSFET
resistance RSW is:
Switching Loss = IGATECHG • VIN
The gate charge loss is a function of current through
the INTVCC pin as well as frequency. Thus, their effects
will be more pronounced in application with high LDO
supply voltages (either EXTVCC or VIN) and higher
frequencies.
3.Other “hidden” losses such as transition loss and copper trace and internal load resistances can account for
additional efficiency degradations in the overall power
system. It is very important to include these “system”
level losses in the design of a system. Transition loss
arises from the brief amount of time the top power
MOSFET spends in the saturated region during switch
node transitions. The LTC3649 internal power devices
switch quickly enough that these losses are not significant compared to other sources. Other losses including
 V 
VOUT
+RDS(ON)BOT • 1− OUT 
VIN
VIN 

 3.3V 
3.3V
+ 50mΩ • 1−
= 110mΩ •

 24V 
24V
= 58.25mΩ
RSW = RDS(ON)TOP •
In the case where the EXTVCC pin is connected to the OUT
pin, the VIN current will be minimal as most of the current
used to bias up internal circuitry and gate drive will come
directly from EXTVCC. Typically for a 1MHz application, the
current drawn from EXTVCC will be 20mA.
Therefore, the total power dissipated by the part is:
PD = IOUT2 • RSW + VEXTVCC • IEXTVCC
= 16A2 • 58.25mΩ + 3.3V • 20mA
= 998mW
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17
LTC3649
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
The FE28 package junction-to-ambient thermal resistance,
θJA, is around 30°C/W. Therefore, the junction temperature
of the regulator operating in a 25°C ambient temperature
is approximately:
TJ = 0.998W • 30°C/W + 25°C = 54.94°C
Remembering that the above junction temperature is
obtained from an RDS(ON) at 25°C, we might recalculate
the junction temperature based on a higher RDS(ON) since
it increases with temperature. Redoing the calculation
assuming that RSW increased 10% at 54.94°C yields a
new junction temperature of 60°C. If the application calls
for a higher ambient temperature and/or higher switching
frequency, care should be taken to reduce the temperature
rise of the part by using a heat sink or air flow.
If EXTVCC is not connected to VOUT, the IC current will come
from VIN. In this case, the total power dissipation will be:
PD = 16A2 • 58.25mΩ + 24V • 20mA = 1.41W
This will result in an extra 400mW of power dissipation.
Board Layout Considerations
When laying out the printed circuit board, the following
checklist should be used to ensure proper operation of
the LTC3649 (refer to Figure 5). Check the following in
your layout:
1.Do the capacitors CIN connect to the VIN and GND as
close as possible? These capacitors provide the AC
current to the internal power MOSFETs and their drivers.
2.Are COUT and L closely connected? The (–) plate of
COUT returns current to GND and the (–) plate of CIN.
3.Solder the exposed pad (Pin 29) on the bottom of the
package to the GND plane. Connect this GND plane to
other layers with thermal vias to help dissipate heat
from the LTC3649.
4.The ground terminal of the ISET resistor must be
connected to the other quiet signal GND and together
connected to the power GND on only one point. The
ISET resistor should be placed and routed away from
noisy components and traces, such as the SW line, and
its trace should be minimized
Figure 5. Sample PCB Layout
18
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LTC3649
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
5.Keep sensitive components away from the SW pin. The
ISET resistor, RT resistor, the compensation components CITH and RITH, and the INTVCC bypass caps should
be routed away from the SW trace and the inductor.
6.A ground plane is preferred.
7.Flood all unused areas on all layers with copper, which
reduces the temperature rise of power components.
These copper areas should be connected to GND.
Design Example
As a design example, consider the LTC3649 in an application with the following specifications:
VIN = 24V to 36V
VOUT = 5V
IOUT(MAX) = 4A
IOUT(MIN) = 500mA
fSW = 1MHz
2ms = 2.3 • RSET • CSET
⇒CSET = 8.7nF
A typical 10nF capacitor can be used for CSET.
Because efficiency is important at both high and low load
current, Burst Mode operation will be utilized. Select from
the characteristic curves the correct RT resistor for the
1MHz switching frequency. Based on that, RT should be
100k. Then calculate the inductor value to achieve a current ripple that is about 40% of the maximum load current
at maximum VIN:


5V
5V 
L =
1−
 = 2.7µH




1MHz
•
1.6A
36V
COUT will be selected based on the ESR that is required
to satisfy the output ripple requirement and the bulk capacitance needed for loop stability. For this design, two
47µF ceramic capacitors will be used.
First, the RSET is selected based on:
RSET =
For a typical soft-start time of 2ms (0% to 90% of final
VOUT value), the CSET should be:
VOUT
5V
=
= 100kΩ
50µA 50µA
CIN should be sized for a maximum current rating of:
For best accuracy, 0.5% 100k resistor is selected.
 5V  36V 1/2
IRMS = 4A 
− 1 = 1.38A





36V
5V
Decoupling the VIN pin with one 22µF ceramic capacitor
is adequate for most applications.
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19
LTC3649
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
0.5V to 32V, 2.1A Low-Noise High Efficiency Lab Supply
0.1µF
VIN
40V
VIN
10µF
10µF
BOOST
RUN
MODE/SYNC
VOUT
PGDFB
LTC3649
VINREG
IN
47µF
ISET
IMON
ITH
RT
SHDN
SET
ILIM
CDC
GND
10k
0.1µF
22µF
IMON
SGND
40V
2.2µF
VOUT
0.5V TO 32V
OUT
LT3086
47µF
PGOOD
PGND
INTVCC
EXTVCC
10µH
SW
10k
10nF
10pF
1.5k
200k
1.5nF
100k
357Ω
3649 TA02
20
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LTC3649
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Dual Phase Operation
0.1µF
VIN
12V NOM
9V TO 36V
10µF
10µF
VOUT
5V AT 8A
SW
VOUT
VINREG
LTC3649
RUN
L1
3.3µH
BOOST
VIN
EXTVCC
ISET
IMON
47µF
PGDFB
PGOOD
PGND
RUN
MODE/SYNC
INTVCC
ITH
47µF
RT SGND
IMON1
10k
2.2µF
V+
OUT1
LTC6908-1
GND
OUT2
SET
MOD
10pF
4700pF
0.1µF
1k
100k
2nF
49.9k
EXT SYNC
1MHz
100k
10k
0.1µF
10pF
4700pF
100k
IMON2
EXTVCC
ISET
IMON
ITH
INTVCC
MODE/SYNC
RUN
VINREG
SGND
PGND
PGOOD
PGDFB
LTC3649
VIN
10µF
RT
10µF
47µF
47µF
VOUT
3.3µH
SW
BOOST
0.1µF
3649 TA03
3649fa
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21
LTC3649
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
Wide Input Signal Range Audio Driver
0.1µF
VIN
24V
VIN
10µF
10µF
SPEAKER
BOOST
RUN
MODE/SYNC
SW
VOUT
LTC3649
PGDFB
PGOOD
PGND
VINREG
INTVCC
EXTVCC ISET
IMON
ITH
10µF
4.7µH
10µF
44µF
10µF
0.1µF
SGND
RT
MKP TYPE
22µF 10nF
240k
SIGNAL
5nF
10k
200k
1.5k
10nF
10nF
1.5nF
LINE LEVEL
RECOMMENDED
3649 TA04
Cable Drop Compensation
0.1µF
VIN
5.5V to 60V
VIN
10µF
10µF
BOOST
RUN
MODE/SYNC
EXTVCC
INTVCC
ISET
0.1µF
ITH
IMON
95.3k
4.02k
PGDFB
PGOOD
PGND
RT SGND
3.9pF
100µF
VOUT
5V AT 0A
5V AT 4A
RLOAD
50mΩ
CABLE
RESISTANCE
RT
100k
1nF
10pF
2k
RISET = 100k
22
50mΩ
VOUT
LTC3649
VINREG
2.2µF
3.3µH
SW
3649 TA05
3649fa
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LTC3649
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
Please refer to http://www.linear.com/product/LTC3649#packaging for the most recent package drawings.
UFD Package
28-Lead Plastic QFN (4mm × 5mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1712 Rev B)
0.70 ±0.05
4.50 ±0.05
3.10 ±0.05
2.50 REF
2.65 ±0.05
3.65 ±0.05
PACKAGE OUTLINE
0.25 ±0.05
0.50 BSC
3.50 REF
4.10 ±0.05
5.50 ±0.05
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD PITCH AND DIMENSIONS
APPLY SOLDER MASK TO AREAS THAT ARE NOT SOLDERED
4.00 ±0.10
(2 SIDES)
0.75 ±0.05
R = 0.05
TYP
PIN 1 NOTCH
R = 0.20 OR 0.35
× 45° CHAMFER
2.50 REF
R = 0.115
TYP
27
28
0.40 ±0.10
PIN 1
TOP MARK
(NOTE 6)
1
2
5.00 ±0.10
(2 SIDES)
3.50 REF
3.65 ±0.10
2.65 ±0.10
(UFD28) QFN 0506 REV B
0.200 REF
0.00 – 0.05
0.25 ±0.05
0.50 BSC
BOTTOM VIEW—EXPOSED PAD
NOTE:
1. DRAWING PROPOSED TO BE MADE A JEDEC PACKAGE OUTLINE MO-220 VARIATION (WXXX-X).
2. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
3. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN MILLIMETERS
4. DIMENSIONS OF EXPOSED PAD ON BOTTOM OF PACKAGE DO NOT INCLUDE
MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH, IF PRESENT, SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.15mm ON ANY SIDE
5. EXPOSED PAD SHALL BE SOLDER PLATED
6. SHADED AREA IS ONLY A REFERENCE FOR PIN 1 LOCATION
ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF PACKAGE
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23
LTC3649
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
Please refer to http://www.linear.com/product/LTC3649#packaging for the most recent package drawings.
FE Package
28-Lead Plastic TSSOP (4.4mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1663 Rev K)
Exposed Pad Variation EB
9.60 – 9.80*
(.378 – .386)
4.75
(.187)
4.75
(.187)
28 27 26 2524 23 22 21 20 1918 17 16 15
6.60 ±0.10
4.50 ±0.10
2.74
(.108)
SEE NOTE 4
0.45 ±0.05
EXPOSED
PAD HEAT SINK
ON BOTTOM OF
PACKAGE
6.40
2.74
(.252)
(.108)
BSC
1.05 ±0.10
0.65 BSC
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT
4.30 – 4.50*
(.169 – .177)
0.09 – 0.20
(.0035 – .0079)
0.50 – 0.75
(.020 – .030)
NOTE:
1. CONTROLLING DIMENSION: MILLIMETERS
2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN MILLIMETERS
(INCHES)
3. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
24
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
0.25
REF
1.20
(.047)
MAX
0° – 8°
0.65
(.0256)
BSC
0.195 – 0.30
(.0077 – .0118)
TYP
0.05 – 0.15
(.002 – .006)
FE28 (EB) TSSOP REV K 0913
4. RECOMMENDED MINIMUM PCB METAL SIZE
FOR EXPOSED PAD ATTACHMENT
*DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH
SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.150mm (.006") PER SIDE
3649fa
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LTC3649
REVISION HISTORY
REV
DATE
DESCRIPTION
A
06/16
Clarified shutdown current to 18μA
Clarified IMON conditions
Clarified Programming Switching Frequency section
PAGE NUMBER
1
3
11
3649fa
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.
For more
information
www.linear.com/LTC3649
25
LTC3649
TYPICAL APPLICATION
5VOUT with Remote Sensing
0.1µF
VIN
24V
VOUT
IN
3.3µH
BOOST
RUN
CABLE
RESISTANCE
EXTVCC
LTC3649
PGDFB
INTVCC
PGND
RT
ISET
SGND
ITH
2k
2.2µF
100k
100k
10nF
47µF
0.1Ω
PGOOD
VINREG
VOUT
5V
47µF
×2
22µF
MODE/SYNC
0.1Ω
SW
100pF
1.5nF
3649 TA06
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PART NUMBER
DESCRIPTION
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LT®8620
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LT8641
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ISD < 1µA, 3mm × 4mm QFN-18
LT8610A/
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42V, 3.5A, 96% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous Micropower
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VIN(MIN) = 3.4V, VIN(MAX) = 42V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.97V, IQ = 2.5µA,
ISD < 1µA, MSOP-16E
LT8610AC
42V, 3.5A, 96% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous Micropower
Step-Down DC/DC Converter with IQ = 2.5µA
VIN(MIN) = 3V, VIN(MAX) = 42V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 2.5µA,
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LT8611
42V, 2.5A, 96% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous Micropower
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Current Limit/Monitor
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LT8612
42V, 6A, 96% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous Micropower
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LT8614
42V, 4A, 96% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous Micropower
Step-Down DC/DC Converter with IQ = 2.5µA
VIN(MIN) = 3.4V, VIN(MAX) = 42V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.97V, IQ = 2.5µA,
ISD <1µA, 3mm × 4mm QFN-18
LT8616
42V, Dual 2.5A + 1.5A, 95% Efficiency, 2.2MHz Synchronous
Micropower Step-Down DC/DC Converter with IQ = 5µA
VIN(MIN) = 3.4V, VIN(MAX) = 42V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 5µA,
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26 Linear Technology Corporation
1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417
For more information www.linear.com/LTC3649
(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507
●
www.linear.com/LTC3649
3649fa
LT 0616 REV A • PRINTED IN USA
 LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2015