LINER LTC3775EUDPBF

LTC3775
High Frequency
Synchronous Step-Down
Voltage Mode DC/DC
Controller
DESCRIPTION
FEATURES
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Wide VIN Range: 4.5V to 38V
Line Feedforward Compensation
Low Minimum On-Time: tON(MIN) < 30ns
Powerful Onboard MOSFET Drivers
Leading Edge Modulation Voltage Mode Control
±0.75%, 0.6V Reference Voltage Accuracy Over
Temperature
VOUT Range: 0.6V to 0.8VIN
Programmable, Cycle-by-Cycle Peak Current Limit
Sense Resistor or RDS(ON) Current Sensing
Programmable Soft-Start
Synchronizable Fixed Frequency from 250kHz to 1MHz
Selectable Pulse-Skipping or Forced Continuous
Modes of Operation
Low Shutdown Current: 14μA Typical
Thermally Enhanced 3mm × 3mm QFN Package
APPLICATIONS
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Automotive Systems
Telecom and Industrial Power Supplies
Point of Load Applications
The LTC®3775 is a high efficiency synchronous step-down
switching DC/DC controller that drives an all N-channel
power MOSFET stage from a 4.5V to 38V input supply
voltage. A patented line feedforward compensation circuit
and a high bandwidth error amplifier provide very fast line
and load transient response.
High step-down ratios are made possible by a low 30ns
minimum on-time, allowing extremely low duty cycles
MOSFET RDS(ON) current sensing maximizes efficiency.
Alternatively, a sense resistor can be used for higher current limit accuracy. Continuous monitoring of the voltages
across the top and bottom MOSFETs allows cycle-by-cycle
control of the inductor current, configurable by external
resistors.
The soft-start function controls the duty cycle during
start-up, providing a smooth output voltage ramp up. The
operating frequency is user programmable from 250kHz
to 1MHz and can be synchronized to an external clock.
L, LT, LTC and LTM are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. All other
trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Protected by U.S. Patents, including
5408150, 5481178, 5705919, 6580258, 5847554, 5055767.
TYPICAL APPLICATION
330μF
35V
ILIMT
0.01μF
SENSE
LTC3775
INTVCC
BOOST
ILIMB
FB
330pF
3.9nF
0.1μF
0.36μH
SS
FREQ
10k
80
SW
39.2k
10k
90
TG
4.7k
BG
PGND
VOUT
1.2V
470μF 15A
2.5V
s2
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
CONTINUOUS MODE
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3
60
50
EFFICIENCY
2
40
30
20
MODE/SYNC
0
0.01
1
POWER LOSS
10
COMP RUN/SHDN
SGND
4
70
0.1
1
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
POWER LOSS (W)
4.7μF
VIN
5
100
EFFICIENCY (%)
3.16k
57.6k
Efficiency and Power Loss vs Load Current
VIN
5V TO 28V
0
100
3775 TA01a
3775 TA01b
3775f
1
LTC3775
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
PIN CONFIGURATION
(Note 1)
TG
BOOST
MODE/SYNC
RUN/SHDN
TOP VIEW
16 15 14 13
ILIMT 1
12 SW
ILIMB 2
11 VIN
17
PGND
FB 3
10 SENSE
5
6
7
8
SGND
BG
9 INTVCC
SS
COMP 4
FREQ
Supply Voltage
VIN ......................................................... –0.3V to 40V
BOOST ................................................... –0.3V to 46V
BOOST-SW............................................... –0.3V to 6V
SW ............................................................ –5V to 40V
ILIMT .............................................................–0.3V to VIN
SENSE.............................................................–5V to VIN
INTVCC ......................................................... –0.3V to 6V
RUN/SHDN................................................... –0.3V to 6V
FB, MODE/SYNC ................................... –0.3V to INTVCC
FREQ, ILIMB, SS..................................... –0.3V to INTVCC
INTVCC RMS Currents... .........................................50mA
Operating Junction Temperature Range
(Note 2).................................................. –40°C to 125°C
Storage Temperature Range................... –65°C to 150°C
UD PACKAGE
16-LEAD (3mm s 3mm) PLASTIC QFN
TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 68°C/W, θJC = 4.2°C/W (NOTE 3)
EXPOSED PAD (PIN 17) IS PGND, MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB
ORDER INFORMATION
LEAD FREE FINISH
TAPE AND REEL
PART MARKING*
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
TEMPERATURE RANGE
LTC3775EUD#PBF
LTC3775EUD#TRPBF
LDJK
16-Lead (3mm × 3mm) Plastic QFN
–40°C to 85°C
LTC3775IUD#PBF
LTC3775IUD#TRPBF
LDJK
16-Lead (3mm × 3mm) Plastic QFN
–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.
Consult LTC Marketing for information on non-standard lead based finish parts.
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/
3775f
2
LTC3775
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
junction temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VIN = 12V, VRUN = 5V, unless otherwise specified.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
Input Supply
VIN
VIN Supply Voltage
IVIN
Input DC Supply Current
l
4.5
VFB = 0.7V (Note 5)
VRUN = 0V
38
3.5
14
V
mA
μA
RUN/SHDN Pin
VRUN
RUN/SHDN Pin Enable Threshold
VSHDN
RUN/SHDN Pin Shutdown Threshold
VSHDN(HYST)
RUN/SHDN Pin Shutdown Threshold Hysteresis
IRUN
RUN/SHDN Pin Source Current
1.19
VRUN/SHDN Rising
VRUN/SHDN = 0V
VRUN/SHDN = 1.5V
1.22
1.25
V
0.74
V
140
mV
–1
–4
μA
μA
Error Amplifier
VFB
Feedback Pin Voltage
ΔVFB
Feedback Voltage Line Regulation
l
0.597
0.5955
4.5V < VIN < 38V
0.600
0.603
0.6045
±0.01
ΔVOUT
Output Voltage Load Regulation
1V < VCOMP < 2V (Note 6)
IFB
FB Pin Input Current
VFB = 0.6V
–50
ICOMP
COMP Pin Output Current
Sourcing
Sinking
–0.5
1
f0dB
Error Amplifier Unity-Gain Crossover Frequency
ISS
SS Pin Source Current
RSS
SS Pin Pull-Down Resistance in Current Limit
0.01
V
V
%/V
0.1
%
50
nA
–1
mA
mA
(Note 6)
25
MHz
VSS = 0V
–1
μA
1.3
kΩ
Soft-Start
Current Limit
ILIMB
ILIMB Source Current
l
–9
–10
–11
ILIMT
ILIMT Sink Current
l
90
100
110
μA
ISENSE
SENSE Pin Input Current
1
μA
VILIMT(MAX)
Topside Current Limit Threshold (VIN-SENSE)
VILIMT = 0.1V
l
90
100
110
mV
VILIMB(MAX)
Bottom Side Current Limit Threshold (PGND-SW) VILIMB = 0.5V
l
80
100
120
mV
4.9
5.2
5.5
V
0.01
%/V
–1
–0.1
%
0.35
V
μA
INTVCC Low Dropout Voltage Regulator
INTVCC
LDO Regulator Output Voltage
ΔVINTVCC(LINE)
INTVCC Line Regulation
7.5V < VIN < 38V
ΔVINTVCC(LOAD) INTVCC Load Regulation
ΔIINTVCC = 0mA to 20mA
INTVCC Regulator Dropout Voltage (VIN – VINTVCC) IINTVCC = 20mA
VDROPOUT
VUVLO
INTVCC UVLO Voltage
INTVCC Rising
Hysteresis
3.0
3.6
0.5
4.2
V
V
3775f
3
LTC3775
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
junction temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VIN = 12V, VRUN = 5V, unless otherwise specified.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
CONDITIONS
MIN
TYP
MAX
UNITS
fOSC
Oscillator Frequency
RFREQ = 39.2k
l
425
500
575
kHz
fHIGH
fLOW
Maximum Oscillator Frequency
l
1000
Minimum Oscillator Frequency
l
fSYNC
External Sync Frequency Range
With Reference to Free Running
Oscillator
kHz
–20
250
kHz
20
%
tON(MIN)
TG Minimum On-Time
(Notes 6, 8) VMODE/SYNC = 0V
30
ns
tOFF(MIN)
TG Minimum Off-Time
(Note 6)
300
ns
DCMAX
Maximum TG Duty Cycle
fOSC = 500kHz
VMODE
MODE/SYNC Threshold
MODE/SYNC Rising
VMODE(HYST)
RMODE/SYNC
l
90
%
1.2
V
MODE/SYNC Hysteresis
430
mV
MODE/SYNC Input Resistance to SGND
50
kΩ
Driver
BG RUP
Bottom Gate (BG) Pull-Up On-Resistance
2.5
Ω
TG RUP
Top Gate (TG) Pull-Up On-Resistance
2.5
Ω
BG RDOWN
Bottom Gate (BG) Pull-Down On-Resistance
1.0
Ω
TG RDOWN
Top Gate (TG) Pull-Down On-Resistance
1.5
Ω
BG, TG t2D
Bottom Gate Off to Top Gate On Delay
Top Switch-On Delay Time
CL = 3300pF (Note 7)
15
ns
TG, BG t1D
Top Gate Off to Bottom Gate On Delay
Synchronous Switch-On Delay Time
CL = 3300pF (Note 7)
15
ns
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: The LTC3775E is guaranteed to meet performance specifications
from 0°C to 85°C. Specifications over the –40°C to 85°C operating
junction temperature range are assured by design, characterization and
correlation with statisitical process controls. The LTC3775I is guaranteed
over the full –40°C to 125°C operating junction temperature range. The
junction temperature, TJ, is calculated from the ambient temperature, TA,
and power dissipation, PD, according to:
TJ = TA + (PD • θJA)
Note 3: Failure to solder the exposed pad of the UD package to the PC
board will result in a thermal resistance much higher than 68°C/W.
Note 4: All currents into device pins are positive; all currents out of device
pins are negative. All voltages are referenced to ground unless otherwise
specified.
Note 5: Supply current in normal operation is dominated by the current
needed to charge and discharge the external MOSFET gates. This current
will vary with supply voltage and the external MOSFETs used.
Note 6: Guaranteed by design, not subject to test.
Note 7: Rise and fall times are measured using 10% and 90% levels. Delay
and nonoverlap times are measured using 50% levels.
Note 8: The LTC3775 leading edge modulation architecture does not have
a minimum TG pulse width requirement. The TG minimum pulse width is
limited by the SW node rise and fall times.
3775f
4
LTC3775
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Efficiency vs Load Current
Efficiency vs Input Voltage
100
90
70
60
EFFICIENCY (%)
EFFICIENCY (%)
80
PULSE-SKIPPING
MODE
50
40
CONTINUOUS
MODE
30
1.206
20
1.202
80
1.200
70
1A LOAD
1.198
60
VOUT = 1.2V
CONTINUOUS MODE
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
50
40
0.1
1
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
100
4
8
12
16
20
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
3775 G01
1.196
1.194
24
28
Line Regulation
FB VOLTAGE (mV)
602
1.200
1.198
1.196
16
14
3775 G03
601
IL
10A/DIV
600
599
ILOAD
10A/DIV
24
28
597
–50 –25
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3775 G02
100
125
3775 G05
Positive Load Step in Forced
Continuous Mode
50μs/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD STEP = 0A TO 10A TO 0A
MODE/SYNC = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
Negative Load Step in Forced
Continuous Mode
VSW
20V/DIV
VSW
20V/DIV
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
IL
10A/DIV
ILOAD
10A/DIV
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
IL
10A/DIV
ILOAD
10A/DIV
ILOAD
10A/DIV
3775 G07
3775 G06
Load Step in Pulse-Skipping Mode
IL
10A/DIV
VIN = 12V
5μs/DIV
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD STEP = 0A TO 10A
MODE/SYNC = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
10 12
8
6
LOAD CURRENT (A)
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
598
12
16
20
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
4
Load Step in Forced Continuous
Mode
FB Voltage vs Temperature
1.202
8
2
603
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD = 1A
1.204 FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
4
0
3775 G02
1.206
VOUT (V)
1.204
15A LOAD
10
0
0.01
VIN = 12V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
VOUT (V)
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
90
1.194
Load Regulation
100
5μs/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD STEP = 10A TO 0A
MODE/SYNC = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
3775 G08
VIN = 12V
50μs/DIV
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD STEP = 1A TO 11A TO 1A
MODE/SYNC = INTVCC
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
3775 G09
3775f
5
LTC3775
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Pulse-Skipping Mode Waveform
with 0.1A Load
Switching Frequency vs
Temperature
Output Short-Circuit Waveform
550
IL
20A/DIV
0A LOAD
IL
2A/DIV
VSS
1V/DIV
VSW
10V/DIV
3775 G10
20μs/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
CSS = 0.01μF
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
520
510
500
490
480
470
450
–50
3775 G25
108
108
80
106
106
70
104
104
102
102
VIN = 40V
ILIMT (μA)
60
50
40
ILIMT (μA)
110
VIN = 5V VIN = 12V VIN = 24V
100
98
98
96
96
20
94
94
10
92
92
90
–50
90
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2 1.4
VCOMP (V)
1.6
1.8
2.0
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
–0.2
10.6
–0.4
10.4
–0.6
10.2
–0.8
10.0
9.8
–1.4
–1.6
9.2
–1.8
125
3775 G15
12
16 20 24 28 32
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
–2.0
–50
36
40
3775 G14
35
30
–1.2
9.4
100
8
Shutdown Current vs
Input Voltage
–1.0
9.6
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
4
INPUT CURRENT (μA)
0
10.8
IRUN (μA)
11.0
–25
125
IRUN vs Temperature
ILIMB vs Temperature
9.0
–50
100
3775 G13
3775 G12
125
100
30
0
100
ILIMT vs Input Voltage
110
90
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
–25
3775 G11
ILIMT vs Temperature
Duty Cycle vs VCOMP
100
DUTY CYCLE (%)
530
460
VIN = 12V
5μs/DIV
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD = 0.1A
MODE/SYNC = INTVCC
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
ILIMB (μA)
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)
540
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
25
20
15
10
5
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3775 G16
0
4
8
12
16 20 24 28 32
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
36
40
3775 G17
3775f
6
LTC3775
TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS
Shutdown Current vs Temperature
Quiescent Current vs INTVCC
20
14
12
10
8
6
4
–0.2
6
–0.3
5
$INTVCC (%)
QUIESCENT CURRENT (mA)
16
4
3
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
–1.0
0
3.6
4.0
4.4
5.2
4.8
INTVCC (V)
5.6
6.0
0
10
30
40
20
INTVCC LOAD CURRENT (mA)
50
3775 G20
3775 G19
INTVCC Dropout
INTVCC Dropout vs Temperature
0
TA = 25°C
LOAD CURRENT = 20mA
–0.2
–0.2
–0.4
–0.4
–0.6
–0.8
–1.0
–0.6
–0.9
3775 G18
0
–0.5
–0.8
INTVCC DROPOUT VOLTAGE (V)
–25
–0.4
–0.7
2
1
2
VIN = 12V
–0.1
7
INTVCC DROPOUT VOLTAGE (V)
SHUTDOWN CURRENT (μA)
18
0
–50
INTVCC Load Regulation
0
8
0
10
30
40
20
INTVCC LOAD CURRENT (mA)
50
–0.6
–0.8
–1.0
–50
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3775 G21
125
3775 G22
BG Turn-Off Waveform Driving
Renesas RJK0301
BG Turn-On Waveform Driving
Renesas RJK0301
BG
1V/DIV
BG
1V/DIV
0V
0V
VIN = 12V
20ns/DIV
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD = 1A
MOSFET: RENESAS RJK0301
100
3775 G23
VIN = 12V
20ns/DIV
VOUT = 1.2V
LOAD = 1A
MOSFET: RENESAS RJK0301
3775 G24
3775f
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LTC3775
PIN FUNCTIONS
ILIMT (Pin 1): Topside Current Limit Set Point. This pin
has an internal 100μA pull-down current, allowing the
topside current limit threshold to be programmed by
an external resistor connected to VIN. See Current Limit
Applications.
can be connected to a sense resistor at the drain of the
top MOSFET for more accurate current limit.
VIN (Pin 11): Main Input Supply. Bypass this pin to PGND
with a low ESR ceramic capacitor of value 1μF or greater
(X5R or better).
ILIMB (Pin 2): Bottom Side Current Limit Set Point. This
pin has an internal 10μA pull-up current, allowing the
bottom side current limit threshold to be programmed
by an external resistor connected to SGND. See Current
Limit Applications.
SW (Pin 12): Switch Node. Connect this pin to the source
of the upper power MOSFET. This pin is also used as the
input to the bottom side current limit comparator and the
zero-crossing reverse current comparator.
FB (Pin 3): Error Amplifier Input. The FB pin is connected
to a resistive divider from VOUT to SGND. The feedback loop
compensation network is also connected to this pin.
TG (Pin 13): Top Gate Drive. This pin drives the gate of
the top N-channel MOSFET. The TG driver draws power
from the BOOST pin and returns to the SW pin, providing
true floating drive to the top MOSFET.
COMP (Pin 4): Error Amplifier Output. Use an RC network
between the COMP pin and the FB pin to compensate the
feedback loop for optimum transient response.
SS (Pin 5): Soft-Start. Connect this pin to an external
capacitor, CSS, to implement a soft-start function. When
the voltage on the SS pin is less than the 0.6V internal
reference, the LTC3775 regulates the VFB voltage to the
SS pin voltage instead of the 0.6V reference.
FREQ (Pin 6): Frequency Set. A resistor connected from
this pin to SGND sets the free-running frequency of the
internal oscillator. See Applications Information section
for resistor value selection details.
SGND (Pin 7): Signal Ground. All the internal low power
circuitry returns to the SGND pin. All feedback and softstart connections should return to SGND. SGND should
be Kelvin connected to a single point near the negative
terminal of the VOUT bypass capacitor.
BG (Pin 8): Bottom Gate Drive. This pin drives the gate of
the bottom N-channel synchronous switch MOSFET. This
pin swings from PGND to INTVCC.
INTVCC (Pin 9): Internal 5.2V Regulator Output. The gate
driver and control circuits are powered from this voltage.
Bypass this pin to power ground with a low ESR ceramic
capacitor of value 4.7μF or greater (X5R or better).
SENSE (Pin 10): Topside Current Sensing Input. Connect this pin to the switch node of the converter for top
MOSFET RDS(ON) current sensing. Alternatively, this pin
BOOST (Pin 14): Top Gate Driver Supply. This pin should be
decoupled to SW with a 0.1μF low ESR ceramic capacitor.
An external Schottky diode from INTVCC to BOOST creates
a floating charge-pump supply at BOOST. No other external
supplies are required.
MODE/SYNC (Pin 15): Pulse-Skipping Mode Enable/Sync
Pin. This multifunction pin provides pulse-skipping mode
enable/disable control and an external clock input for synchronization of the internal oscillator. Pulling this pin below
1.2V (DC) or driving it with an external logic-level synchronization signal disables pulse-skipping mode operation and
forces continuous operation. Pulling the pin above 1.2V
enables pulse-skipping mode operation. This pin has an
internal 50k pull-down resistor connected to SGND.
RUN/SHDN (Pin 16): Enable/Shutdown Input. Pulling this
pin above 1.22V enables the controller. Forcing this pin
below 1.22V causes the driver outputs to pull low. Pulling
this pin below 0.74V forces the LTC3775 into shutdown
mode. While in shutdown, the INTVCC regulator and most
internal circuitry turns off and the supply current drops
below 14μA. This pin has an internal 1μA pull-up current that
allows the LTC3775 to power up if this pin is left floating.
PGND (Pin 17): Power Ground (Exposed Pad). The BG
driver returns to this pin. Connect PGND to the source of
the bottom power MOSFET and the VIN and INTVCC bypass
capacitors. PGND is electrically isolated from SGND. The
exposed pad of the QFN package is connected to PGND.
3775f
8
LTC3775
BLOCK DIAGRAM
VIN
VIN
R5
RUN/SHDN
0.74V
–
+
SHDN
CHIP
SHUTDOWN
1.22V
INTVCC
3.6V
– EN
+
REF
– UVLO
+
CTLIM
CBLIM
FREQ
MODE/SYNC
50k
EXT SYNC
MODE/SYNC
DETECT
FB
R3
C3
MODE
SENSE
0.6V
SS
+
+
–
ILIMB
INTVCC
+
–
+
–
PGND
VILIMB
0.2 • VILIMB
PGND
INTVCC
TG
VIN
EA
LINE
FEEDFORWARD
FB
0.66V
PWM
–
+
RILIMB
10μA
BOOST
–
+
VIN
RILIMT
RSENSE
+
–
MODE
ISS
COMP
C2
100μA
INTVCC
CSS
C1
IREV
OSC
1μA
SS
RA
0.6V
ILIMT
OVERTEMP
RSET
INTVCC
+
IRUN
1μA
R4
RB
INTVCC
5.2V REG
VIN
R2
CVCC
SWITCH
LOGIC AND
ANTISHOOTTHROUGH
DB
CB
QT
SW
INTVCC
BG
QB
PGND
L
MAX
SGND
VOUT
COUT
3775 BD
3775f
9
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Operation (Refer to Block Diagram)
The LTC3775 is a constant frequency, voltage mode controller for DC/DC step-down converters. It is designed to
be used in a synchronous switching architecture with two
external N-channel MOSFETs. For circuit operation, please
refer to the Block Diagram.
The LTC3775 uses voltage mode control in which the duty
cycle is controlled directly by the error amplifier output.
The error amplifier adjusts the voltage at the COMP pin
by comparing the VFB pin with the 0.6V internal reference. When the load current increases, it causes a drop
in the feedback voltage relative to the reference. The
COMP voltage then rises, increasing the duty cycle until
the LTC3775 output feedback voltage again matches the
reference voltage.
In normal operation, the top MOSFET is turned on when
the PWM comparator changes state and is turned off by
the internal oscillator. The PWM comparator maintains
the proper duty cycle by comparing the error amplifier
output (after being “compensated” by the line feedforward multiplier) to a sawtooth waveform generated by
the oscillator. When the top MOSFET is turned off, the
bottom MOSFET is turned on until the next cycle begins,
or if pulse-skipping mode operation is enabled, until the
inductor current reverses as determined by the reverse
current comparator.
Feedback Control
The LTC3775 senses the output voltage at VOUT with an
internal feedback op amp (see Block Diagram). This is a
true op amp with a low impedance output, 80dB of openloop gain and a 25MHz gain-bandwidth product. The
positive input is connected to an internal 0.6V reference,
while the negative input is connected to the FB pin. The
output is connected to COMP, which is in turn connected
to the line feedforward circuit and from there to the PWM
generator.
Unlike many regulators that use a transconductance (gm)
amplifier, the LTC3775 is designed to use an inverting
summing amplifier topology with the FB pin configured
as a virtual ground. This allows the feedback gain to be
tightly controlled by external components. In addition, the
voltage feedback amplifier allows flexibility in choosing
pole and zero locations. In particular, it allows the use of
“Type 3” compensation, which provides a phase boost
at the LC pole frequency and significantly improves the
control loop phase margin.
In a typical LTC3775 circuit, the feedback loop consists
of the line feedforward circuit, the modulator, the external
inductor, the output capacitor and the feedback amplifier
with its compensation network. All these components
affect loop behavior and need to be accounted for in the
loop compensation. The modulator consists of the PWM
generator, the output MOSFET drivers and the external
MOSFETs themselves. The modulator gain varies linearily
with the input voltage. The line feedforward circuit compensates for this change in gain, and provides a constant
gain from the error amplifier output to the inductor input
regardless of input voltage. From a feedback loop point of
view, the combination of the line feedforward circuit and
the modulator looks like a linear voltage transfer function
from COMP to the inductor input and has a gain roughly
equal to 30V/V. It has fairly benign AC behavior at typical
loop compensation frequencies with significant phase shift
appearing at half the switching frequency.
The external inductor/output capacitor combination
makes a more significant contribution to loop behavior.
These components cause a second order LC roll-off at the
output with 180° phase shift. This roll-off is what filters
the PWM waveform, resulting in the desired DC output
voltage, but this phase shift causes stability issues in the
feedback loop and must be frequency compensated. At
higher frequencies, the reactance of the output capacitor
approaches its ESR, and the roll-off due to the capacitor
stops, leaving –20dB/decade and 90° of phase shift.
At steady state, as shown in the Block Diagram, the output of
the switching regulator is given the following equation
⎛ R ⎞
VOUT = VREF • ⎜ 1+ A ⎟
⎝ RB ⎠
3775f
10
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Figure 1 shows a Type 3 amplifier. The transfer function of
this amplifier is given by the following equation:
)
(
)(
)(
)
The RC network across the error amplifier and the feedforward components R3 and C3 introduce two pole-zero
pairs to obtain a phase boost at the system unity-gain
frequency, fC. In theory, the zeros and poles are placed
symmetrically around fC, and the spread between the zeros
and the poles is adjusted to give the desired phase boost
at fC. However, in practice, if the crossover frequency
is much higher than the LC double-pole frequency, this
method of frequency compensation normally generates
a phase dip within the unity bandwidth and creates some
concern regarding conditional stability.
If conditional stability is a concern, move the error amplifier’s zero to a lower frequency to avoid excessive phase
dip. The following equations can be used to compute the
feedback compensation component values:
fSW = switching frequency
fLC =
2π LCOUT
1
2π RESR COUT
choose:
fC = crossover frequency =
(
)
⎛ fLC ⎞ ⎛ fP2(RES)
+
⎜⎝ 1+ f ⎟⎠ ⎜ 1+ f
R2
C ⎝
C
•
≈ 20 log
RA
⎛
fC
fLC
+
⎜⎝ 1+ f
f –f
ESR
ESR
fP2(RES) – fZ2(RES) ⎞
⎟
fZ2(RES)
⎠
⎞ ⎛ fP2(RES)) ⎞
⎟
⎟ ⎜ 1+ f
⎠
C
LC ⎠ ⎝
where AMOD is the modulator and line feedforward gain
and is equal to:
A MOD ≈
VIN(MAX ) • DCMAX
VSAW
=
40 V • 0.95
≈ 30 V/ V
1.25V
Once the value of resistor RA and the pole and zero locations have been decided, the values of C1, R2, C2, R3 and
C3 can be obtained from the above equations.
C2
VOUT
C3
RA
f
1
fZ2(RES) = C =
5 2π RA + R3 C3
)
1
fP1(ERR) = fESR =
2πR2(C1|| C2)
fP2(RES ) = 5fC =
2
R2
R3
RB
VREF
C1
–
FB
+
–1
GAIN
+1
0
COMP
–1
PHASE (DEG)
fSW
10
1
fZ1(ERR) = fLC =
2πR2C1
(
2
⎛ f ⎞
⎛ f ⎞
≈ 40 log 1+ ⎜ C ⎟ – 20 log 1+ ⎜ C ⎟ – 20 log AMOD
⎝ fESR ⎠
⎝ fLC ⎠
Compensating a switching power supply feedback loop is
a complex task. The applications shown in this data sheet
show typical values, optimized for the power components
shown. Though similar power components should suffice,
substantially changing even one major power component
may degrade performance significantly. Stability also may
depend on circuit board layout. To verify the calculated
component values, all new circuit designs should be
prototyped and tested for stability.
1
fESR =
A V(CROSSOVER)
GAIN (dB)
(
– 1+ sR2C1 ⎡⎣1+ s(RA + R3)C3 ⎤⎦
VCOMP
=
VOUT
sRA C1+ C2 1+ s(C1|| C2 )R2 1+ sC3R3
Required error amplifier gain at frequency fC:
FREQ
–90
PHASE
–180
BOOST
–270
–380
3775 F01
Figure 1. Type 3 Amplifier Compensation
1
2πR3C3
3775f
11
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Output Overvoltage Protection
Soft-Start
An overvoltage comparator, MAX, guards against transient
overshoots (>10%) as well as other more serious conditions that may overvoltage the output. In such cases, the
top MOSFET is turned off and the bottom MOSFET is turned
on until the overvoltage condition is cleared.
The LTC3775 includes a soft-start circuit that provides a
smooth output voltage ramp during start-up. The SS pin
requires an external capacitor, CSS, to GND with the value
determined by the required soft-start time. An internal 1μA
current source charges CSS. When the voltage on the SS
pin is less than the 0.6V internal reference, the LTC3775
regulates the VFB voltage to the SS pin voltage instead of
the 0.6V reference. As the SS voltage rises linearly from
0V to 0.6V and beyond, the output voltage, VOUT , rises
smoothly from zero to its final value. The total soft-start
time can be calculated as:
Run/Shutdown
The LTC3775 can be put into a low power shutdown mode
with quiescent current <14μA by pulling the RUN/SHDN
pin below 0.74V. The RUN/SHDN pin can also be used as
an accurate external UVLO (undervoltage lockout) input
with a threshold of 1.22V. The driver outputs stay low if
this pin is <1.22V. The external resistive divider R4 and R5
shown in the Block Diagram can be used to set the UVLO
level based on VIN. The VIN voltage at which the switching
starts is given by the following formula:
UVLO (Upper) = 1.22V • (1 + R4/R5) – (1μA • R4)
The RUN/SHDN pin has an internal 1μA pull-up for default
turn-on if this pin is left floating. This 1μA pull-up current is
included in the above UVLO calculation. When RUN/SHDN
goes above 1.22V, this pull-up current is increased to 5μA.
This provides some amount of hysteresis to the UVLO
threshold. The lower UVLO level becomes:
UVLO (Lower) = 1.22V • (1 + R4/R5) – (5μA • R4)
So the amount of hysteresis is given by:
t SOFTSTART =
0.9 • CSS
1μA
The SS pin is pulled low in the following conditions: during an
LDO undervoltage condition (INTVCC < 3.6V), during shutdown (RUN pin < 1.22V), during an overtemperature condition
(TJ > 165°C) and during current limit.
If either the top or bottom current limit comparator trips,
the SS pin is pulled low until the inductor current regulates at around the current limit setting. Once the fault is
cleared, SS will start charging up allowing the duty cycle
and output voltage to increase gradually. Due to the current limit action on the SS pin, it is important to avoid
an overcurrent condition during start-up of the power
supply, or VOUT will fail to start up properly.
UVLO (Hysteresis) = 4μA • R4
SWITCHOVER
FROM PULSESKIPPING TO
CONTINUOUS
MODE
VOUT
0.5V/DIV
LTC3775
IL
5A/DIV
VIN
R4
R5
IRUN
1μA
RUN
4μA
1.22V
0.74V
–
+
TURN OFF TG
EN
–
+
CHIP
SHUTDOWN
SHDN
3775 F02
Figure 2. RUN Pin Control
VSS
1V/DIV
2ms/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
CSS = 0.01μF
MODE = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 F03
Figure 3. Typical Start-Up Wavform
for a Buck Converter Using the LTC3775
3775f
12
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
To prevent discharging a pre-biased VOUT, the LTC3775
always starts switching in pulse-skipping mode up to SS =
0.54V, regardless of the mode selected by the MODE/SYNC
pin. Thus if VOUT > 0V during power-up, VOUT will remain
at the pre-biased voltage (if there is no load) until the SS
voltage catches up with VOUT, after which VOUT will track
the SS ramp. The LTC3775 reverts to the selected mode
once SS > 0.54V.
Constant Switching Frequency
The internal oscillator can be programmed from 250kHz
to 1MHz with an external resistor from the FREQ pin to
ground, in order to optimize component size, efficiency
and noise for the specific application. The internal oscillator
can also be synchronized to an external clock connected
to the MODE/SYNC pin and can lock to a range of ±20%
of the programmed free-running frequency. When locked
to an external clock, pulse-skipping mode operation is
automatically disabled. Constant frequency operation offers a number of benefits: inductor and capacitor values
can be chosen for a precise operating frequency and the
feedback loop can be similarly tightly specified. Noise
generated by the circuit will always be at known frequencies. Subharmonic oscillation and slope compensation,
common headaches with constant frequency current
mode switchers, are absent in voltage mode designs like
the LTC3775.
Thermal Shutdown
The LTC3775 has a thermal detector that pulls the driver
outputs low if the junction temperature of the chip exceeds 165°C. The thermal shutdown circuit has 25°C of
hysteresis.
is low during its on-time, the voltage drop from the drain
to source is proportional to the current flow. Alternatively,
for better accuracy, the topside current may be monitored
with a sense resistor.
The benefit of having two comparators is to allow continuous monitoring and cycle-by-cycle control of the inductor
current regardless of the operating duty cycle. In high
duty cycle operation the top MOSFET, QT , is on most of
the time. Thus, a high side comparator is necessary to
limit the output current during high duty cycle operation.
Architectures that contain only one comparator to monitor
the low side MOSFET will not effectively limit the output
current during high duty cycle operation. Conversely, during
low duty cycle operation, a low side comparator is necessary to limit the output current. Another common current
sensing scheme uses a sense resistor in series with the
inductor to allow continuous monitoring. However, this
scheme restricts the range of VOUT due to the common
mode range of the current limit comparator. The LTC3775
does not have this VOUT restriction.
Figure 4 shows the current limit circuitry. The top current
limit comparator, CTLIM monitors the current through the
top MOSFET, QT , when TG is high. If the inductor current
exceeds the current limit threshold when QT is on, QT turns
off immediately and the bottom MOSFET, QB, turns on. The
SENSE pin is the input for CTLIM. For applications where
LTC3775
VIN
CTLIM
TURN OFF TG
ILIMT
+
–
100μA
TG
RSENSE
QT
SENSE
(OPT)
10μA
ILIMB
Current Limit
CBLIM
EXTEND BG
0.2 • VILIMB
–
+
RILIMB
SW
VOUT
+
The LTC3775 includes an onboard cycle-by-cycle current
limit circuit that limits the maximum output current to a
user-programmed level. The current limit circuit consists
of two comparators, CTLIM and CBLIM that monitor the
voltage drop across the top and bottom MOSFETs respectively. Since the MOSFET ’s effective resistance, RDS(ON),
VIN
RILIMT
PGND
BG
QB
SGND
3775 F04
Figure 4. LTC3775 Current Limit Circuit
3775f
13
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
the upper MOSFET ’s RDS(ON) is used to sense current,
connect the SENSE pin to the source of QT (the SW node).
Alternatively, for accurate current sensing, connect this pin
to a sense resistor located at the drain of QT . The reference
input of CTLIM is connected to the ILIMT pin. Connect an
external resistor, RILIMT , from the ILIMT pin to VIN to set
the the current limit threshold. The voltage at the SENSE
pin drops as the inductor current increases. CTLIM trips
if the voltage at the SENSE pin goes below the voltage at
the ILIMT pin causing TG to pull low and turn off QT .
The bottom current limit comparator, CBLIM, monitors
the current through the bottom MOSFET, QB, when BG
is high. If the inductor current exceeds the current limit
threshold when QB is on, QB remains on until the current
drops below the threshold. The SW pin is the input for
CBLIM. The reference input to CBLIM is derived from
the voltage at the ILIMB pin. Connect an external resistor,
RILIMB, from the ILIMB pin to SGND to set the current limit
threshold.
The inductor current flows from PGND to SW when QB is
on (for a postitive load current). The SW node is therefore
a negative voltage. The LTC3775 inverts the voltage at the
SW pin before comparing it with the attenuated voltage
(5×) at the ILIMB pin. BG stays high once CBLIM trips and
TG remains low until the inductor current drops below
the threshold. Figure 5 shows typical waveforms during
output overload.
IL
20A/DIV
0A LOAD
VSS
1V/DIV
20μs/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
CSS = 0.01μF
FIRST PAGE CIRCUIT
3775 F05
Figure 5. Typical Waveforms During Output Overload
Current Limit Blanking Time
The LTC3775 current limit circuit features a short blanking
time following low-to-high and high-to-low transitions at
the SW node. This prevents false tripping of the current
limit circuit if there is ringing on the SW node.
When the top gate, TG, goes high, the topside comparator,
CTLIM, waits for 200ns before turning on to monitor the
SENSE voltage. Likewise, when the bottom gate, BG, goes
high the bottom side comparator, CBLIM, waits for 200ns
before turning on to monitor the SW voltage. This means
that the minimum TG and BG pulse is slightly more than
200ns during current limit. These blanking times do not,
however, limit the duty cycle capability of the control loop.
The LTC3775 control loop is capable of operation with a
TG on-time as low as 30ns.
If a sense resistor is employed on the top side, the LTC3775
automatically lowers the CTLIM blanking time from 200ns
to 100ns. The CBLIM blanking time remains at 200ns. The
blanking time can be reduced when a sense resistor is used
because the SENSE pin connects to the drain of the top
MOSFET which rings less than the SW node. The LTC3775
detects that a sense resistor is employed by checking that
the SENSE pin stays high (equal to VIN) when BG is high.
If the SENSE pin is connected to the SW node, SENSE will
be at 0V when BG is high.
The Current Sensing Input Pins
The SENSE and ILIMT pins are inputs to the top current
limit comparator, CTLIM. The top current limit threshold is
set by the resistor, RILIMT , connected to the ILIMT pin and
the ILIMT pin 100μA pull-down current. RILIMT should be
placed close to the LTC3775 and the other end of RILIMT
should run parallel with the SENSE trace to the Kelvin
sense connection underneath the sense resistor, as shown
in Figure 6. The sense resistor should be connected to the
drain of the top power MOSFET and the VIN node using
short, wide PCB traces. Ideally, the top terminal of the
sense resistors will be immediately adjacent to the positive terminal of the input capacitor, as shown in Figure 7a.
This path is a part of the high di/dt loop formed by the
sense resistor, top power MOSFET, inductor and output
capacitor.
3775f
14
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Since the current limit comparator contains leading edge
blanking, an external RC filter is not required for proper
operation. However, an external filter can be designed by
adding a capacitor across the SENSE and ILIMT pins (CF
in Figure 7a). The filter component should be placed close
to the SENSE and ILIMT pins.
If RDS(ON) sensing is employed, the Kelvin sense connection should run from the SENSE pin and the RILIMT
resistor to the source and drain terminals of the top power
MOSFET respectively, as shown in Figure 7b. The external
RC filter should not be added since the source terminal
is switching.
VIN
TO RLIMIT
RSENSE
TO SENSE PIN
3775 F06
TOP MOSFET
DRAIN
Figure 6. Kelvin SENSE Connection
for Topside Current Limiting Sensing
VIN
VIN
CIN
LTC3775
RLIMIT
ILIMIT
The bottom side current limit threshold is set by the resistor, RILIMB, from the ILIMB pin to SGND and the ILIMB pin
10μA pull-up current. The voltage at ILIMB is attenuated
5× internally before it is applied to the input of bottom
current limit comparator, CBLIM. This voltage must be
quiet. Connect RILIMB from the ILIMB pin to a quiet ground
near the LTC3775 SGND pin. The other input of CBLIM is
connected to the SW pin. The SW pin is also shared with
the bottom gate driver and should be connected near the
drain of the bottom MOSFET, QB.
Pulse-Skipping Mode
The LTC3775 can operate in one of two modes selectable
with the MODE/SYNC pin: pulse-skipping mode or forced
continuous mode. Pulse-skipping mode is selected when
increased efficiency at light loads is desired, as shown in
Figure 8. In this mode, the bottom MOSFET is turned off
when inductor current reverses in order to minimize the
efficiency loss due to reverse current flow. As the load
current decreases (see Figure 9), the duty cycle is reduced
to maintain regulation until the minimum on-time (50ns)
is reached. When the load decreases below this point,
the LTC3775 begins to skip cycles to maintain regulation.
This reduces the frequency and improves efficiency by
minimizing gate charge losses.
In forced continuous mode, the bottom MOSFET is always
on when the top MOSFET is off, allowing the inductor current to reverse at low currents. This mode is less efficient
due to switching, but has the advantages of better transient
RSENSE
CF
100
SENSE
90
TG
80
SW
Figure 7a. External Filter for Topside Current Sensing
VIN
VIN
CIN
LTC3775
70
60
50
PULSE-SKIPPING
MODE
40
CONTINUOUS
MODE
30
20
RLIMIT
10
ILIMIT
QT
TG
SENSE
3775 F07b
EFFICIENCY (%)
3775 F07a
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 1.2V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
FRONT PAGE CIRCUIT
SW
Figure 7b. Kelvin Connection for Topside RDS(ON) Sensing
0
0.01
0.1
1
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
100
3775 F08
Figure 8. Efficiency in Pulse-Skipping/Forced Continuous Modes
3775f
15
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
PULSE-SKIPPING MODE
FORCED CONTINUOUS
0A
0A
0A
0A
0A
0A
DECREASING
LOAD
CURRENT
3775 F09
Figure 9. Comparison of Inductor Current Waveforms for Pulse-Skipping Mode and Forced Continuous Mode
response at low load currents, constant frequency operation, and the ability to maintain regulation when sinking
current. See Figure 8 for a comparison of the efficiency
at light loads for each mode.
In pulse-skipping mode, the LTC3775 reverse-current
comparator, IREV , monitors the SW pin for zero crossing
when the bottom gate, BG, is high. It turns off BG if the
inductor current reverses and the SW voltage goes above
GND. To prevent false tripping due to ringing on the SW
node when BG is first turned on, there is a blanking time
of 200ns similar to the bottom side current limit blanking.
Under certain light load conditions, if the TG on-time is
short, the inductor current may reverse during the IREV
blanking time but the LTC3775 will only turn off BG after
the blanking time.
In applications where a low value inductor is used, the
high di/dt of the inductor ripple current together with the
parasitic series inductance of the bottom MOSFET, QB,
and PCB trace inductance creates an opposing voltage to
the voltage drop across the RDS(ON) of QB. This can cause
IREV to trip early, before the inductor current reverses.
The parasitic series inductance of the PCB trace can be
minimized by connecting the SW pin closer to the drain
of QB.
INTVCC Regulator
The LTC3775 features a P-channel low dropout linear
regulator (LDO) that supplies power to the INTVCC pin from
the VIN supply. INTVCC powers the gate drivers and much
of the LTC3775’s internal circuitry. The LDO regulates the
voltage at the INTVCC pin to 5.2V when VIN is greater than
6.5V. The INTVCC pin must be bypassed to ground with a
low ESR (X5R or better) ceramic capcitor of at least 4.7μF.
Good bypassing is needed to supply the high transient
currents required by the MOSFET gate drivers.
An internal undervoltage lockout (UVLO) monitors the voltage on INTVCC to ensure that the LTC3775 has sufficient gate
drive voltage. If the INTVCC voltage falls below the UVLO
threshold of 3.1V, the gate drive outputs remain low.
Thermal Considerations
The LTC3775 is offered in a 3mm × 3mm QFN package
(UD16) that has a thermal resistance RTH(JA) of 68°C/W.
The UD16 package has a lead pitch of 0.5mm.
The regulator can supply up to 50mA of gate drive load current. The expected LDO load current can be calculated from
the gate charge requirement of the external MOSFET:
IINTVCC = (fSW) • (QG(QT) + QG(QB)) + 3.5mA
where:
3.5mA is the quiescent current of LTC3775
QG(QT) is the total gate charge of the top MOSFET
QG(QB) is the total gate charge of the bottom MOSFET
fSW is the switching frequency
3775f
16
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Care must be taken to ensure that the maximum junction
temperature of the LTC3775 is never exceeded. The junction temperature can be estimated using the following
equations:
PDISS = VIN • IINTVCC
TJ = TA + PDISS • RTH(JA)
As an example of the required thermal analysis, consider
a buck converter with a 24V input voltage and an output
voltage of 3.3V at 15A. The switching frequency is 500kHz
and the maximum ambient temperature is 70°C. The power
MOSFET used for this application is the Vishay Siliconix
Si7884DP, which has a typical RDS(ON) of 7.5mΩ at VGS
= 4.5V and 5.5mΩ at VGS = 10V. From the plot of VGS vs
QG, the total gate charge at VGS = 5V is 18.5nC (the temperature coefficient of the gate charge is low). One power
MOSFET is used for the top side and one for the bottom
side. For the UD package:
IINTVCC = 3.5mA + 2 • 18.5nC • 500kHz = 22mA
PDISS = 24V • 22mA = 528mW
TJ = 70°C + 528mW • 68°C/W = 105.9°C
In this example, the junction temperature rise is 35.9°C.
These equations demonstrate how the gate charge current typically dominates the quiescent current of the IC,
and how the choice of the operating frequency and board
heat sinking can have a significant effect on the thermal
performance of the solution.
To prevent the maximum junction temperature from being exceeded, the input supply current of the IC should
be checked when operating in continuous mode (heavy
load) at maximum VIN. A tradeoff between the operating frequency and the size of the power MOSFETs may
need to be made in order to maintain a reliable junction
temperature.
Finally, it is important to verify the calculations by performing a thermal analysis of the final PCB using an infrared
camera or thermal probe.
Operation at Low Supply Voltage
The LTC3775 has a minimum input voltage of 4.5V. The
gate driver for the LTC3775 consists of a PMOS pull-up
and an NMOS pull-down device, allowing the full INTVCC
voltage to be applied to the gates during power MOSFET
switching. Nonetheless, care should be taken to determine the minimum gate drive supply voltage (INTVCC) in
order to choose the optimum power MOSFETs. Important
parameters that can affect the minimum gate drive voltage are the minimum input voltage (VIN(MIN)), the LDO
dropout voltage, the QG of the power MOSFETs, and the
operating frequency.
If the input voltage VIN is low enough for the INTVCC LDO
to be in dropout, then the minimum gate drive supply
voltage is:
VINTVCC = VIN(MIN) – VDROPOUT
The LDO dropout voltage is a function of the total gate
drive current and the quiescent current of the IC (typically
3.5mA). A curve of dropout voltage versus output current for the LDO is shown in Figure 10. The temperature
coefficient of the LDO dropout voltage is approximately
6000ppm/°C. See the INTVCC Regulator and Thermal
Considerations sections for information about calculating
the total quiescent current.
0
INTVCC DROPOUT VOLTAGE (V)
The value of QG should come from the plot of VGS vs
QG in the Typical Performance Characteristics section of
the MOSFET data sheet. The value listed in the electrical
specifications may be measured at a higher VGS, such
as 10V, whereas the value of interest is at the 5V INTVCC
gate drive voltage.
TA = 25°C
–0.2
–0.4
–0.6
–0.8
–1.0
0
10
30
40
20
INTVCC LOAD CURRENT (mA)
50
3775 F10
Figure 10. INTVCC LDO Dropout Voltage vs Current
3775f
17
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
After the calculations have been completed, it is important to measure the gate drive waveforms and the gate
driver supply voltage (INTVCC to PGND) over all operating
conditions (low VIN, nominal VIN and high VIN, as well
as from light load to full load) to ensure adequate power
MOSFET enhancement. Consult the power MOSFET data
sheet to determine the actual RDS(ON) for the measured
VGS, and verify your thermal calculations by measuring
the component temperatures using an infrared camera
or thermal probe.
TG
10V/DIV
VSW
10V/DIV
VIN = 28V
20ns/DIV
VOUT = 0.6V
LOAD = 1A
MODE/SYNC = 0V
SW FREQ = 1MHz
Operation at High Supply Voltage
At high input voltages, the LTC3775’s internal LDO can
dissipate a significant amount of power, which could
cause the maximum junction temperature to be exceeded.
Conditions such as a high operating frequency, or the use
of more than one power MOSFET in parallel, could push
the junction temperature rise to high levels. To prevent
the maximum junction temperature from being exceeded,
the input supply current must be checked while operating
in continuous conduction mode at maximum VIN. See
the Thermal Considerations section for calculation of the
maximum junction temperature.
3775 F11
Figure 11. Minimum On-Time Waveforms
in Forced Continuous Mode
TG
10V/DIV
VSW
10V/DIV
Low Duty Cycle Operation
The LTC3775 uses a leading edge modulation architecture. Because the top MOSFET turns on when the PWM
comparator trips, the top MOSFET minimum on-time
is not dependent on the propagation delay of the PWM
comparator; it is only limited by the internal delays of the
gate drivers and the rise/fall time of the power MOSFET
gate. This allows the LTC3775 to operate in very low duty
cycle applications with a large step-down ratio. Figure 11
shows minimum on-time waveforms for forced continuous
mode operation.
If pulse-skipping mode is selected, the LTC3775 allows
the controller to skip pulses at light load, thereby reducing
switching losses and improving the efficiency. Figure 12
shows waveforms of the minimum on-time in pulse-skipping mode.
If the TG on-time is less than the blanking time of the topside
current limit comparator, CTLIM, the topside comparator
never trips during normal operation. The blanking time
VIN = 28V
20ns/DIV
VOUT = 0.6V
LOAD = 1A
MODE/SYNC = INTVCC
SW FREQ = 1MHz
3775 F12
Figure 12. Minimum On-Time Waveforms
in Pulse-Skipping Mode
is 200ns for RDS(ON) sensing and 100ns when a sense
resistor is used. For TG on-times smaller than the topside
blanking times, the LTC3775 relies on the bottom current
limit comparator, CBLIM, to monitor the inductor current.
If CBLIM trips, the LTC3775 starts to skip pulses and at
the same time pulls down the soft-start capacitor to limit
the duty cycle. If VOUT drops sufficiently, the TG on-time
can increase enough to turn on CTLIM and limit the peak
inductor current. The minimum on-time of the application
circuit can be calculated at maximum VIN:
tON(MIN) =
VOUT
fSW • VIN(MAX )
3775f
18
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
High Duty Cycle Operation
The maximum duty cycle is limited by the LTC3775 internal
oscillator reset time, the propagation delay of the PWM
comparator and the BOOST pin supply refresh rate. The
minimum off-time is typically 300ns.
The top MOSFET driver is biased from the floating bootstrap
capacitor, CB, which normally recharges during each off
cycle through an external diode when the top MOSFET turns
off. If the input voltage, VIN, decreases to a voltage close to
VOUT , the controller will enter dropout and attempt to turn
on the top MOSFET continuously. To avoid depleting the
charge on the bootstrap capacitor, CB, the LTC3775 has an
internal counter that turns on the bottom MOSFET every
eight cycles for 200ns to refresh the bootstrap capacitor.
Figure 13 shows maximum duty cycle operation with the
200ns BOOST pin supply refresh.
step-down VIN to VOUT ratios, another consideration is
the minimum on-time of the LTC3775 (see the Minimum
On-Time Considerations section). A final consideration for
operating frequency is that in noise-sensitive communications systems, it is often desirable to keep the switching
noise out of a sensitive frequency band.
The LTC3775 uses a constant frequency architecture that
can be programmed over a 250kHz to 1MHz range with a
single resistor from the FREQ pin to ground, as shown in
Figure 14. The nominal voltage on the FREQ pin is 1.22V,
and the current that flows from this pin is used to charge
and discharge an internal oscillator capacitor. The value of
RSET for a given operating frequency can be chosen from
Figure 14 or from the following equation:
RSET (kΩ) =
19500
f(kHz)
The oscillator can also be synchronized to an external
clock applied to the MODE/SYNC pin with a frequency
in the range of ±20% of the programmed free-running
frequency set by the FREQ pin. In this synchronized
mode, pulse-skipping mode operation is disabled. The
clock high level must exceed 1.5V for at least 25ns. The
bottom MOSFET will turn-on following the rising edge of
the external clock.
TG
5V/DIV
OSCILLATOR
RESET
BOOST PIN
SUPPLY REFRESH
BG
5V/DIV
1000
Figure 13. Maximum Duty Cycle Waveforms
EXTERNAL COMPONENTS SELECTION
900
800
FREQUENCY (kHz)
VIN = 4.5V
2μs/DIV
VOUT = 4.2V
LOAD = 0A
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 F13
700
600
500
400
Operating Frequency
300
The choice of operating frequency and inductor value is
a tradeoff between efficiency and component size. Low
frequency operation improves efficiency by reducing
MOSFET switching losses and gate charge losses. However,
lower frequency operation requires more inductance for a
given amount of ripple current, resulting in a larger inductor size and higher cost. If the ripple current is allowed
to increase, larger output capacitors may be required to
maintain the same output ripple. For converters with high
200
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
RSET VALUE (kΩ)
3775 F14
Figure 14. Frequency Set Resistor (RSET) Value
Top MOSFET Driver Supply
An external bootstrap capacitor, CB, connected to the
BOOST pin supplies the gate drive voltage for the topside
MOSFET. This capacitor is charged through diode DB from
3775f
19
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
INTVCC when the switch node is low. When the top MOSFET
turns on, the switch node rises to VIN and the BOOST pin
rises to approximately VIN + INTVCC. The boost capacitor
needs to store at least 100 times the gate charge required
by the top MOSFET. In most applications a 0.1μF to 1μF
X5R or X7R dielectric capacitor is adequate. The reverse
breakdown of the Schottky diode, DB, must be greater
than VIN(MAX).
Power MOSFET Selection
The LTC3775 requires two external N-channel power
MOSFETs, one for the top (main) switch and one for the
bottom (synchronous) switch. Important parameters for
the power MOSFETs are the threshold voltage V(GS)TH,
breakdown voltage V(BR)DSS, maximum current IDS(MAX),
on-resistance RDS(ON) and input capacitance.
The gate drive voltage is set by the 5.2V INTVCC supply.
Consequently, logic-level threshold MOSFETs must be
used in LTC3775 applications. If the INTVCC voltage is
expected to drop below 5V, then sub-logic level threshold
MOSFETs should be considered. Pay close attention to the
V(BR)DSS specification because most logic-level MOSFETs
are limited to 30V or less. The MOSFETs selected should
have a V(BR)DSS rating greater than the maximum input
voltage and some margin should be added for transients
and spikes.
MOSFET input capacitance is a combination of several
components but can be taken from the typical “gate charge”
curve included on most data sheets (Figure 15). The curve
is generated by forcing a constant input current into the
gate of a common source, current source loaded stage
and then plotting the gate voltage versus time. The initial
slope is the effect of the gate-to-source and the gateto-drain capacitance. The flat portion of the curve is the
result of the Miller multiplication effect of the drain-to-gate
VIN
VGS
MILLER EFFECT
a
CMILLER = (QB – QA)/VDS
When the controller is operating in continuous mode the
duty cycles for the top and bottom MOSFETs are given
by:
Top Gate Duty Cycle =
VOUT
VIN
⎛V –V ⎞
Bottom Gate Duty Cycle = ⎜ IN OUT ⎟
⎝
⎠
VIN
The power dissipation for the top and bottom MOSFETs
at maximum output current are given by:
PTOP =
(
)(
)(
VOUT
2 ρ
I
T( TOP) RDS(ON)(MAX )
VIN OUT(MAX )
)
⎛ IOUT(MAX ) ⎞
+ VIN2 ⎜
⎟ RDR CMILLER •
2
⎝
⎠
(
)(
)
⎛
1 ⎞
1
+
⎜
⎟ • fSW
⎝ INTVCC – VTH(IL ) VTH(IL ) ⎠
PBOT =
(
)(
)(
VIN – VOUT
IOUT(MAX )2 ρT(TOP) RDS(ON)(MAX )
VIN
)
V
b
QIN
capacitance as the drain voltage drops. The upper sloping
line is due to the drain-to-gate accumulation capacitance
and the gate-to-source capacitance. The Miller charge (the
increase in coulombs on the horizontal axis from a to b
while the curve is flat) is specified for a given VDS drain
voltage, but can be adjusted for different VDS voltages by
multiplying by the ratio of the application VDS to the curve
specified VDS values. To estimate the capacitance CMILLER,
take the change in gate charge from points a and b on a
manufacturer’s data sheet and divide by the stated VDS
voltage specified. CMILLER is the most important selection criteria for determining the transition loss term in
the top MOSFET but is not directly specified on MOSFET
data sheets. CRSS and COS are specified sometimes but
definitions of these parameters are not included.
+
VGS
+V
DS
–
–
3775 F15
Figure 15. Gate Charge Characteristics
where:
RDR = Effective top driver resistance
VTH(IL) = MOSFET data sheet specified typical gate
threshold voltage at the specified drain current
3775f
20
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
CMILLER = Calulated Miller capacitance using the gate
charge curve from the MOSFET data sheet
fSW = Switching frequency
Both MOSFETs have conduction losses (I2R) while the
topside N-channel equation includes an additional term
for transition losses, which peak at the highest input voltage. For VIN < 12V, the high current efficiency generally
improves with larger MOSFETs, while for VIN > 12V, the
transition losses rapidly increase to the point that the use
of a higher RDS(ON) device with lower CMILLER actually
provides higher efficiency. The bottom MOSFET losses are
greatest at high input voltage when the top switch duty
factor is low or during a short circuit when the bottom
switch is on close to 100% of the period.
Schottky Diode Selection
An optional Schottky diode connected between the SW node
(cathode) and the source of the bottom MOSFET (anode)
conducts during the dead time between the conduction of
the power MOSFET switches. It is intended to prevent the
body diode of the bottom MOSFET from turning on and
storing a charge during the dead time, which can cause
a modest (about 1%) efficiency loss. The diode can be
rated for about one half to one fifth of the full load current
since it is on for only a fraction of the duty cycle. In order
for the diode to be effective, the inductance between it
and the bottom MOSFET must be as small as possible,
mandating that these components be placed next to each
other on the same layer of the PC board.
Input Capacitor Selection
The input bypass capacitor has three primary requirements:
its ESR must be low to minimize the supply drop when
the top MOSFETs turn on, its RMS current capability must
be adequate to withstand the ripple current at the input,
and its capacitance must be large enough to maintain the
input voltage until the input supply can respond. Generally,
a capacitor (particularly a non-ceramic type) that meets
the first two parameters will have far more capacitance
than is required to keep capacitance-based droop under
control. The input capacitor’s voltage rating should be at
least 1.4 times the maximum input voltage.
In continuous mode, the source current of the top N-channel
MOSFET is approximately a square wave of duty cycle VOUT/
VIN. The maximum RMS capacitor current is given by:
IRMS ≈ IOUT(MAX)
VOUT ( VIN – VOUT )
VIN
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 capacitor manufacturer’s ripple current ratings
are often based on only 2000 hours of life. This makes
it advisable to further derate the capacitor or to 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. Always consult the
manufacturer if there is any question.
Medium voltage (20V to 35V) ceramic, tantalum, OS-CON
and switcher-rated electrolytic capacitors can be used
as input capacitors, but each has drawbacks: ceramics
have high voltage coefficients of capacitance and may
have audible piezoelectric effects; tantalums need to be
surge-rated; OS-CONs suffer from higher inductance,
larger case size and limited surface mount applicability;
and electrolytics’ higher ESR and dryout may require
several to be used in parallel. Sanyo OS-CON SVP, SVPD
series; Sanyo POSCAP TQC series or aluminum electrolytic
capacitors from Panasonic WA series or Cornel Dublilier
SPV series, in parallel with a couple of high performance
ceramic capacitors, can be used as an effective means of
achieving low ESR and high bulk capacitance.
Output Capacitor Selection
The selection of COUT is primarily determined by the ESR
required to minimize voltage ripple and load step transients.
The output ripple ΔVOUT is approximately bounded by:
⎛
⎞
1
ΔVOUT ≤ ΔIL ⎜ ESR +
8 • fSW • COUT ⎟⎠
⎝
where ΔIL is the inductor ripple current.
3775f
21
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
ΔIL may be calculated using the equation:
ΔIL =
VOUT ⎛ VOUT ⎞
1–
L • fSW ⎜⎝
VIN ⎟⎠
Since ΔIL increases with input voltage, the output ripple
voltage is highest at maximum input voltage. Typically,
once the ESR requirement is satisfied, the capacitance is
adequate for filtering and has the necessary RMS current
rating.
Manufacturers such as Sanyo, Panasonic and Cornell
Dublilier should be considered for high performance
through-hole capacitors. The OS-CON semiconductor
electrolyte capacitor available from Sanyo has a good
(ESR)(size) product. An additional ceramic capacitor in
parallel with OS-CON capacitors is recommended to offset
the effect of lead inductance.
In surface mount applications, multiple capacitors may
have to be connected in parallel to meet the ESR or transient current handling requirements of the application.
Aluminum electrolytic and dry tantalum capacitors are
both available in surface mount configurations. New special
polymer surface mount capacitors offer very low ESR also
but have much lower capacitive density per unit volume.
In the case of tantalum, it is critical that the capacitors are
surge tested for use in switching power supplies. Several
excellent output capacitor choices are the Sanyo POSCAP
TPD, POSCAP TPB, AVX TPS, AVX TPSV, the Kemet T510
series of surface mount tantalums,Kemet AO-CAPs or the
Panasonic SP series of surface mount special polymer
capacitors available in case heights ranging from 2mm
to 4mm. Other capacitor types include Nichicon PL series
and Sprague 595D series. Consult the manufacturer for
other specific recommendations.
current. Lower ripple current reduces core losses in the
inductor, ESR losses in the output capacitors and output voltage ripple. Highest efficiency is obtained at low
frequency with small ripple current. However, achieving
high efficiency requires a large inductor and generates
higher output voltage excursion during load transients.
There is a tradeoff between component size, efficiency
and operating frequency. Given a specified limit for ripple
current, the inductor value can be obtained using the following equation:
L=
⎛
⎞
VOUT
V
• ⎜ 1 – OUT ⎟
fSW • ΔIL(MAX) ⎝ VIN(MAX) ⎠
Once the value for L is known, the type of inductor must
be selected. High efficiency converters generally cannot
afford the core loss found in low cost powdered iron cores,
forcing the use of more expensive ferrite, molypermalloy
or Kool Mμ® cores. A variety of inductors designed for
high current, low voltage applications are available from
manufacturers such as Sumida, Panasonic, Coiltronics,
Coilcraft and Toko. See the Curret Limit Programming section for calculation of the inductor saturation current.
Current Limit Programming
If current sensing is implemented with a sense resistor,
the topside current limit can be programmed by setting
RILIMT as follows:
RILIMT = CF • RSENSE •
IO(MAX ) + 0.5 • ΔIL
ILIMIT(MIN)
where:
RSENSE = Sense resistor value
IO(MAX) = Maximum output current
Inductor Selection
The inductor in a typical LTC3775 application circuit is
chosen based on the required ripple current, its size and
its saturation current rating. The inductor should not be allowed to saturate below the hard current limit threshold.
The inductor value sets the ripple current, which is commonly chosen at around 40% of the anticipated full load
ΔIL = Inductor ripple current (refer to the Output Capacitor Selection section).
ILIMT(MIN) = ILIMT pin minimum pull-down current of
90μA
CF = Correction factor to provide safety margin and
account for RSENSE tolerance; use a value of CF = 1.2
is reasonable.
3775f
22
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
RILIMIT = ρT • RDS(ON)(QT )(MAX ) •
IO(MAX ) + 0.5 • ΔIL
ILIMIT(MIN)
RDS(ON)(QT)(MAX) is the maximum MOSFET on-resistance
typically specified at 25°C. The ρT term is a normalization
factor (unity at 25°C) accounting for the significant variation
in on-resistance with temperature, typically about 0.5%/°C
as shown in Figure 16. For a maximum junction temperature
of 100°C, using a value ρT = 1.4 is reasonable.
The bottom side current limit can be programmed by
setting RILIMB as follows:
RILIMB = 5 • ρT • RDS(ON)(QB)(MAX ) •
IO(MAX ) + 0.5 • ΔIL
ILIMB(MIN)
where ILIMB(MIN) = ILIMB pin minimum pull-up current of 9μA.
The resulting values of RILIMT and RILIMB should be checked
in an actual circuit to ensure that the current limit kicks
in as expected. Circuits that use MOSFETs with low value
RDS(ON) for current sensing should be checked carefully.
The PCB trace resistance and parasitic inductance can
significantly change the actual current limit threshold. Care
should be taken to shorten the PCB trace at the SENSE,
SW and PGND connections.
The current limit setting also determines the worst-case
peak current flowing in the inductor during an overload
condition. The inductor saturation current rating needs to
be higher than the worst-case peak inductor current:
IL(SAT) ≥
ILIMT(MAX ) • RILIMT
RSENSE(MIN)
or
IL(SAT) ≥
ILIMT(MAX ) • RILIMT
RDSON(QT )(MIN)
ILIMT(MAX) = ILIMT pin maximum pull-down current of
110μA
ILIMB(MAX) = ILIMB pin maximum pull-up current of
11μA
RDS(ON)(QT)(MIN) and RDS(ON)(QB)(MIN) are the power
MOSFET minimum on-resistances. MOSFET data sheets
typically specify nominal and maximum values for RDS(ON),
but not a minimum. A reasonable assumption is that the
minimum RDS(ON) is the same percentage below the typical
value as the maximum lies above it. Consult the MOSFET
manufacturer for further guidelines.
The saturation current rating for the inductor should be
determined at the maximum input voltage, maximum output
current and the maximum expected core temperature. The
saturation current ratings for most commercially available
inductors drop at high temperature. To verify safe operation,
it is a good idea to characterize the inductor’s core/winding
temperature under the following conditions: 1) worst-case
operating conditions, 2) maximum allowable ambient
temperature and 3) with the power supply mounted in
the final enclosure. Thermal characterization can be done
by placing a thermocouple in intimate contact with the
winding/core structure, or by burying the thermocouple
within the windings themselves.
2.0
RT NORMALIZED ON-RESISTANCE
If topside MOSFET RDS(ON) sensing is used, the RILIMT
value is calculated from the following equation:
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
–50
50
100
0
JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (°C)
150
3775 F16
Figure 16. Typical MOSFET RDS(ON) vs Temperature
or
IL(SAT ) ≥
(0.2 • ILIMB(MAX) ) • RILIMB
RDSON(QB)(MIN)
3775f
23
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
MODE/SYNC Pin
The MODE/SYNC pin is a dual function pin that can be
used to program the operating mode or to synchronize
the switching frequency to an external clock. Pulseskipping mode is enabled when the MODE/SYNC pin is
above 1.2V. The mode is forced continuous when the pin
is below 1.2V.
If this pin is left floating, an internal 50k pull-down resistor
defaults the selection to forced continuous mode. During
power-up, the LTC3775 overrides this mode selection and
operates in pulse-skipping mode to prevent the discharge
of a pre-biased output capacitor.
The internal LTC3775 oscillator can be synchronized
to an external clock with a signal greater than 1.5V . A
low-to-high transition on the MODE/SYNC pin resets the
oscillator sawtooth waveform (high) and forces TG low
(see Figure 17).The external oscillator frequency must be
within ±20% of the frequency programmed by the RSET
resistor, or else the part will revert to free-running mode.
The internal oscillator locks to the external clock after
the second clock transition is received. When external
synchronization is detected, the LTC3775 will operate in
forced continuous mode.
PC Board Layout Checklist
When laying out the printed circuit board, the following
checklist should be used to ensure proper operation of
the LTC3775. Check the following in your layout:
1. Keep the signal and power grounds separate. The signal
ground consists of the LTC3775 SGND pin and the (–)
terminal of VOUT . The power ground consists of the
optional Schottky diode anode, the source of the bottom
side MOSFET, and the (–) terminal of the input capacitor.
Connect the signal ground to the (–) terminal of the
output capacitor. Also, try to connect the (–) terminal
of the output capacitor as close as possible to the (–)
terminals of the input capacitor.
2. The high di/dt loop formed by the top N-channel MOSFET,
the bottom MOSFET and the CIN capacitor should have
short leads and PC trace lengths to minimize high
frequency noise and voltage stress from inductive
ringing.
3. Connect the drain of the topside MOSFET directly to the
(+) plate of CIN, and connect the source of the bottom
side MOSFET directly to the (–) terminal of CIN. This
capacitor provides the AC current to the MOSFETs.
4. Place the ceramic CINTVCC decoupling capacitor immediately next to the IC, between INTVCC and SGND.
Likewise, the CB capacitor should also be next to the
IC between BOOST and SW.
5. Place the small-signal components away from high
frequency switching nodes (BOOST, SW, TG and BG).
6. For optimum load regulation and true remote sensing,
the top of the output resistor divider should connect
independently to the top of the output capacitor (Kelvin
connection), staying away from any high dV/dt traces.
Place the divider resistors near the LTC3775 in order
to keep the high impedance FB node short.
7. For applications with multiple switching power converters connected to the same input supply, make sure
that the input filter capacitor for the LTC3775 is not
shared with other converters. AC input current from
another converter could cause substantial input voltage
EXTERNAL CLOCK
AT MODE/SYNC PIN
PWM RAMP
TG
3775 F17
Figure 17. External Synchronization
3775f
24
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
ripple, and this could interfere with the operation of the
LTC3775. A few inches of PC trace or wire (L ≅ 100nH)
between CIN of the LTC3775 and the actual source VIN
should be sufficient to prevent input noise interference
problems.
8. The top current limit programming resistor, RILIMT ,
should be placed close to the LTC3775 and the other
end of RILIMT should run parallel to the SENSE trace
to the Kelvin sense connection underneath the sense
resistor.
9. The bottom current limit programming resistor, RILIMB,
should be placed close to the LTC3775 and the other
end of RILIMB should connect to SGND.
10. The SW pin should be connected to the drain of the
bottom MOSFET.
Checking Transient Response
For all new LTC3775 PCB circuits, transient tests need to
be performed to verify the proper feedback loop operation.
The regulator loop response can be checked by looking at
the load current transient response. Switching regulators
take several cycles to respond to a step in DC (resistive)
load current. When a load step occurs, VOUT shifts by an
amount equal to ΔILOAD • (ESR), where ESR is the effective
series resistance of COUT . ΔILOAD also begins to charge or
discharge COUT generating the feedback error signal that
forces the regulator to adapt to the current change and
return VOUT to its steady-state value. During this recovery
time, VOUT can be monitored for excessive overshoot or
ringing which would indicate a stability problem.
Measuring transient response presents a challenge in two
respects: obtaining an accurate measurement and generating a suitable transient for testing the circuit. Output
measurements should be taken with a scope probe directly
across the output capacitor. Proper high frequency probing techniques should be used. Do not use the 6" ground
lead that comes with the probe! Use an adapter that fits
on the tip of the probe and has a short ground clip to
ensure that inductance in the ground path doesn’t cause
a bigger spike than the transient signal being measured.
The typical probe tip ground shield is spaced just right to
span the leads of a typical output capacitor. In general, it is
best to take this measurement with the 20MHz bandwidth
limit on the oscilloscope turned on to limit high frequency
noise. Note that microprocessor manufacturers typically
specify ripple ≤20MHz, as energy above 20MHz is generally radiated (and not conducted) and does not affect the
load even if it appears at the output capacitor.
Now that we know how to measure the signal, we need to
have something to measure. The ideal situation is to use
the actual load for the test, switching it on and off while
watching the output. If this isn’t convenient, a current
step generator is needed. This generator needs to be able
to turn on and off in nanoseconds to simulate a typical
switching logic load, so stray inductance and long clip
leads between the LTC3775 and the transient generator
must be minimized.
Figure 18 shows an example of a simple transient generator.
Be sure to use a noninductive resistor as the load element.
Many power resistors use an inductive spiral pattern and
are not suitable for use here. A simple solution is to take
ten 1/4W film resistors and wire them in parallel to get
the desired value. This gives a noninductive resistive load
which can dissipate 2.5W continuously or 250W if pulsed
with a 1% duty cycle, enough for most LTC3775 circuits.
Solder the MOSFET and the resistor(s) as close to the
output of the LTC3775 circuit as possible and set up the
signal generator to pulse at a 100Hz rate with a 1% duty
cycle. This pulses the LTC3775 with 100μs transients
10ms apart, adequate for viewing the entire transient
recovery time for both positive and negative transitions
while keeping the load resistor cool.
VOUT
LTC3775
RLOAD
PULSE
GENERATOR
507
IRFZ44 OR
EQUIVALENT
10k
0V TO 10V
100Hz, 1%
DUTY CYCLE
3775 F18
LOCATE CLOSE TO THE OUTPUT
Figure 18. Transient Load Generator
3775f
25
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
Design Example
As a design example, take a supply with the following
specifications: VIN = 5V to 26V (12V nominal), VOUT =
1.2V ±5%, IOUT(MAX) = 15A, f = 500kHz.
First, verify the minimum on-time which occurs at maximum VIN:
tON(MIN) =
1.2V
= 92.3ns
(26V )(500kHz )
The minimum on-time is lower than the top current limit
comparator blanking time of 100ns with sense resistor
sensing. The controller will rely on the bottom MOSFET
RDS(ON) sensing at high VIN.
Next, verify the maximum duty cycle which occurs at
minimum VIN:
1.2V
Maximum Duty Cycle =
= 24%
5V
This is below the LTC3775 maximum duty cycle of 90%.
Next, calculate RSET to give the 500kHz operating
frequency:
RSET =
19500
= 39k
500
Next, choose the inductor value for about 40% ripple
current at maximum VIN:
L=
1.2V
⎛ 1.2 ⎞
1–
= 0.38μH
(500kHz )(0.4)(15A ) ⎜⎝ 26 ⎟⎠
Select 0.36μH which is the nearest standard value.
The resulting maximum ripple current is:
ΔIL =
1.2V
⎛ 1.2V ⎞
1–
= 6.4A
(500kHz )(0.36μH) ⎜⎝ 26V ⎟⎠
Next, choose the top and bottom MOSFET switch. Since
the drain of each MOSFET will see the full supply voltage
26V (max) plus any ringing, choose a 30V MOSFET to
provide a margin of safety. Because the top MOSFET is
on for a short time, a RENESAS RJK0305DPB (RDS(ON) =
13mΩ (max), CMILLER = QGD/10V = 150pF, VGS(TH) = 2.5V,
θJA = 40°C/W) is sufficient. Check its power dissipation
at current limit with = ρ100°C = 1.4:
P TOP =
(
)
1.2V
2
15A ) • 1.4 • 13mΩ
(
26 V
2 ⎛ 15A ⎞
+ ( 26 V ) ⎜
(2.5Ω)(150pF )
⎝ 2 ⎟⎠
⎛⎛
1 ⎞ 1 ⎞
⎜⎝ ⎜⎝ 5.2 – 2.5 ⎟⎠ + 2.5 ⎟⎠ 500kHz
= 0.19 W + 0.73W = 0.92W
And double check the assumed TJ in the MOSFET:
TJ = 70°C + (0.92W)(40°C/W) = 107°C
The junction temperatures will be significantly less at
nominal current, but this analysis shows that careful attention to heat sinking will be necessary.
A RENESAS RJK0301DPB (RDS(ON) = 4mΩ (max),
θJA = 40°C/W) is chosen for the synchronous MOSFET.
PBOT =
(
)
26 V – 1.2V
2
15A ) • 1.4 • 4mΩ = 1.26 W
(
26 V
And double check the assumed TJ in the MOSFET:
TJ = 70°C + (1.26W)(40°C/W) = 120°C
Next, the INTVCC LDO current is calculated:
IINTVCC = (500kHz)(8nC + 32nC) + 3.5mA = 23.5mA
And double check the TJ in the LTC3775:
TJ = 70°C + (23.5mA)(26V)(68°C/W) = 112°C
Next, set the current limit resistors with a sense resistor
of 3mΩ.
15A + 0.5 • 6.4A
= 728Ω
90μA
15A + 0.5 • 6.4A
= 56.62k
RILIMB = 5 • 1.4 • 4mΩ •
9μA
RILIMT = 1.2 • 3mΩ •
Use the next higher standard values of 732Ω and 57.6k.
3775f
26
LTC3775
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
The worst-case peak inductor current based on a sense
resistor tolerance of ±1% is
IL(SAT) ≥
110μA • 732Ω
= 27.1A
2.97mΩ
The input RMS current is highest at VIN(MIN) = 5V and
IOUT(MAX) = 15A:
IRMS ≈ 15A
1.2V ( 5V – 1.2V )
5V
= 6.4A
CIN is chosen for an RMS current rating of >6.4A at 85°C.
For the output capacitor, two low ESR OS-CON capacitors
(470μF/5mΩ each) are used to minimize output voltage
changes due to inductor current ripple and load steps.
The ripple voltage will be:
⎛ 0.005
⎞
1
VOUT(RIPPLE) = 6.4A • ⎜
+
⎝ 2
8 • 500kHz • 470μF • 2 ⎟⎠
= 17.7mV
However, a 0A to 15A load step will cause an output voltage change of at least:
ΔVOUT(STEP) = (15A)(0.0025Ω) = 37.5mV
3775f
27
LTC3775
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
5V to 26V Input, 1.2V/15A Output at 500kHz
CF
220pF
DB
RSENSE
0.003Ω
RILIMT
732Ω
VIN
ILIMT
TG
+
VIN
5V TO 26V
CIN1
330μF
35V
QT
RILIMB
57.6k
CVCC
4.7μF
CSS
0.01μF
SENSE
INTVCC
BOOST
CB
0.1μF
L1
0.36μH
LTC3775
RSET
39.2k
C2
330pF
RA
10k
ILIMB
SS
SW
FREQ
BG
FB
+
QB
COUT
470μF
2.5V
s2
VOUT
1.2V
15A
PGND
MODE/SYNC
COMP RUN/SHDN
SGND
RB
10k
R2
C1 4.7k
3.9nF
3775 TA02
COUT : SANYO 2R5TPD470M5
DB: CMDSH4E
L1: IHLP-4040DZ-ER-R36-M11
QB: RJK0301DPB-00-J0
QT: RJK0305DPB-00-J0
3775f
28
LTC3775
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
8V to 36V Input, 2.5V/10A Output at 500kHz
CB
0.1μF
R4
43.2k
V
BOOST IN
RILIMB
133k
R5
10k
ILIMT
DB
ILIMB
CVCC
4.7μF
L1
1.2μH
SW
SS
C2
330pF
COUT
330μF
4V
s3
+
FREQ
C3
1500pF
VIN
8V TO 36V
QT
TG
LTC3775
RSET
39.2k
CIN1
330μF
35V
SENSE
INTVCC
CSS
0.01μF
+
RILIMT
464Ω R
SENSE
0.003Ω
CF
220pF
QB
BG
VOUT
2.5V
10A
RUN/SHDN
FB
PGND
MODE/SYNC
COMP
RA
10k
R3
390Ω
SGND
RB
3.16k
R2
C1 15k
2200pF
3775 TA03
COUT : SANYO 4TPD330M
DB: CMDSH4E
L1: TOKO FDA1254-1R2M
QB,QT: INFINEON BSZ097N04LS
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Load Current
Load Step
VIN = 12V
90 VOUT = 2.5V
CONTINUOUS MODE
80 SW FREQ = 500kHz
70
3
50
EFFICIENCY
2
30
20
VOUT(AC)
100mV/DIV
4
60
40
Start-Up
5
POWER LOSS
POWER LOSS (W)
EFFICIENCY (%)
100
SWITCHOVER
FROM PULSESKIPPING TO
CONTINUOUS
MODE
VOUT
1V/DIV
IL
5A/DIV
IL
10A/DIV
VSS
1V/DIV
1
10
0
0.01
0
0.1
1
LOAD CURRENT (A)
10
3775 TA03b
VIN = 12V
50μs/DIV
VOUT = 2.5V
LOAD = 0A TO 10A TO 0A
MODE = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 TA03c
VIN = 12V
2ms/DIV
VOUT = 2.5V
CSS = 0.01μF
MODE = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 TA03d
3775f
29
LTC3775
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
24V Input, 12V/5A Output at 500kHz
RILIMT
1.24k
R5
10k
VIN
ILIMT
TG
QT
RILIMB
56.2k
CVCC
4.7μF
CSS
0.01μF
C2
330pF
C3
330pF
ILIMB
SENSE
INTVCC
BOOST
CB
0.1μF
L1
4.7μH
LTC3775
RSET
39.2k
R3
2.05k
VIN
24V
CIN1
330μF
35V
+
DB
R4
69.8k
SS
SW
FREQ
BG
+
QB
RUN/SHDN
FB
PGND
COUT
68μF
16V
s2
VOUT
12V
5A
MODE/SYNC
COMP
RA
191k
SGND
RB
10k
R2
C1 7.68k
3.3nF
3775 TA04
COUT : SANYO 16TQC68M
DB: CMDSH4E
L1: IHLP-4040DZ-ER-4R7-M11
QB, QT: RJK0305DPB-00-JO
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Load Current
2.5
VIN = 24V
90 VOUT = 12V
80 CONTINUOUS MODE
SW FREQ = 500kHz
70
2.0
60
1.5
EFFICIENCY
40
30
1.0
POWER LOSS
20
0.5
POWER LOSS (W)
EFFICIENCY (%)
100
50
Start-Up
Load Step
VOUT
5V/DIV
VOUT(AC)
200mV/DIV
IL
5A/DIV
SWITCHOVER
FROM PULSESKIPPING TO
CONTINUOUS
MODE
VSS
1V/DIV
IL
5A/DIV
10
0
0.01
1
0.1
LOAD CURRENT (A)
0
10
3775 TA04b
VIN = 24V
50μs/DIV
VOUT = 12V
LOAD = 0A TO 5A TO 0A
MODE = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 TA04c
VIN = 24V
2ms/DIV
VOUT = 12V
CSS = 0.01μF
MODE = 0V
SW FREQ = 500kHz
3775 TA04d
3775f
30
LTC3775
PACKAGE DESCRIPTION
UD Package
16-Lead Plastic QFN (3mm × 3mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1691)
0.70 p0.05
3.50 p 0.05
1.45 p 0.05
2.10 p 0.05 (4 SIDES)
PACKAGE OUTLINE
0.25 p0.05
0.50 BSC
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD PITCH AND DIMENSIONS
3.00 p 0.10
(4 SIDES)
BOTTOM VIEW—EXPOSED PAD
PIN 1 NOTCH R = 0.20 TYP
OR 0.25 s 45o CHAMFER
R = 0.115
TYP
0.75 p 0.05
15
16
PIN 1
TOP MARK
(NOTE 6)
0.40 p 0.10
1
1.45 p 0.10
(4-SIDES)
2
(UD16) QFN 0904
0.200 REF
0.00 – 0.05
NOTE:
1. DRAWING CONFORMS TO JEDEC PACKAGE OUTLINE MO-220 VARIATION (WEED-2)
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
0.25 p 0.05
0.50 BSC
3775f
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.
31
LTC3775
RELATED PARTS
PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION
COMMENTS
LTC3854
Small Footprint Wide VIN Range Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller
Fixed 400kHz Operating Frequency, 4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 38V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5.25V,
2mm × 3mm QFN-12
LTC3851A/
LTC3851A-1
No RSENSE™ Wide VIN Range Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller
Phase-Lockable Fixed Operating Frequency 250kHz to 750kHz, 4V ≤ VIN ≤
38V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5.25V, MSOP-16E, 3mm × 3mm QFN-16, SSOP-16
LTC3878
No RSENSE Constant On-Time Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller
Very Fast Transient Response, tON(MIN) = 43ns, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 38V,
0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 0.9VIN, SSOP-16
LTC3879
No RSENSE Constant On-Time Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller
Very Fast Transient Response, tON(MIN) = 43ns, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 38V,
0.6V ≤ VOUT ≤ 0.9VIN, MSOP-16E, 3mm × 3mm QFN-16
LTC3703-5
High Voltage Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Voltage
Mode Controller
4.1V ≤ VIN ≤ 60V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 0.9VIN, Logic-Level Gate Driver, SSOP-16,
TSSOP-28
LTC3703
High Voltage Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Voltage
Mode Controller
9.3V ≤ VIN ≤ 100V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 0.9VIN, 9.3V to 15V Gate Driver,
SSOP-16, TSSOP-28
LTC3850/
LTC3850-1/
LTC3850-2
Dual 2-Phase, High Efficiency Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controllers, RSENSE or DCR Current Sensing and
Tracking
Phase-Lockable Fixed Operating Frequency 250kHz to 780kHz,
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 30V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5.25V
LTC3853
Triple Output, Multiphase Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC
Controller, RSENSE or DCR Current Sensing and Tracking
Phase-Lockable Fixed Operating Frequency 250kHz to 750kHz,
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 24V, VOUT Up to 13.5V
LTM®4600HV
10A DC/DC μModule Complete Power Supply
High Efficiency, Compact Size, UltraFast™ Transient Response,
4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 28V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5V, 15mm × 15mm × 2.8mm
LTM4601AHV
12A DC/DC μModule Complete Power Supply
High Efficiency, Compact Size, UltraFast Transient Response,
4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 28V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5V, 15mm × 15mm × 2.8mm
LTC3601
1.5A, 4MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Phase Lockable IQ = 300μA, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 15V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 3mm × 3mm QFN-16, MSOP-16E
LTC3603
2.5A, 3MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Phase Lockable IQ = 75μA, 4.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 15V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 4mm × 4mm QFN-20
LTC3605
5A, 4MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Adjustable Frequency 800kHz to 4MHz, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 15V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 4mm × 4mm QFN-24
LTC3608
8A, 1MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Adjustable Constant On-Time, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 18V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 7mm × 8mm QFN-52
LTC3609
6A, 1MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Adjustable Constant On-Time, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 32V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 7mm × 8mm QFN-52
LTC3610
12A, 1MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Adjustable Constant On-Time, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 24V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 9mm × 9mm QFN-64
LTC3611
10A, 1MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Converter
High Efficiency, Adjustable Constant On-Time, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 32V,
VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, 9mm × 9mm QFN-64
LTC3824
Low IQ, High Voltage DC/DC Controller, 100% Duty Cycle
Selectable Fixed Operating Frequency, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 60V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN,
IQ = 40μA, MSOP-10E
LTC3857/
LTC3857-1
Low IQ, Dual Output 2-Phase Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller with 99% Duty Cycle
Phase-Lockable Fixed Operating Frequency 50kHz to 900kHz,
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 38V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 24V, IQ = 50μA,
LTC3868/
LTC3868-1
Low IQ, Dual Output 2-Phase Synchronous Step-Down
DC/DC Controller with 99% Duty Cycle
Phase-Lockable Fixed Operating Frequency 50kHz to 900kHz,
4V ≤ VIN ≤ 24V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ 14V, IQ = 170μA,
LT®3845
Low IQ , High Voltage Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC
Controller
Adjustable Fixed Operating Frequency 100kHz to 500kHz, 4V ≤ VIN ≤ 60V,
1.23V ≤ VOUT ≤ 36V, IQ = 30μA, TSSOP-16
No RSENSE and UltraFast are trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
3775f
32 Linear Technology Corporation
LT 1009 • PRINTED IN USA
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(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507
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