LINER LT3437

LT3437
High Voltage 500mA, 200kHz
Step-Down Switching Regulator
with 100µA Quiescent Current
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FEATURES
DESCRIPTIO
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The LT®3437 is a 200kHz monolithic buck switching
regulator that accepts input voltages up to 80V. A high
efficiency 500mA, 0.8Ω switch is included on the die along
with all the necessary oscillator, control and logic circuitry. Current mode topology is used for fast transient
response and good loop stability.
Wide Input Range: 3.3V to 60V
Load Dump (Input Transient) Protection to 80V
500mA Peak Switch Current
Burst Mode® Operation: 100µA Quiescent Current**
Low Shutdown Current: IQ < 1µA
Burst Mode Operation Defeat
200kHz Switching Frequency
Saturating Switch Design: 0.8Ω On-Resistance
Peak Switch Current Maintained Over
Full Duty Cycle Range*
1.25V Feedback Reference Voltage
Easily Synchronizable
Soft-Start Capability
Small 10-Pin Thermally Enhanced DFN Package
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Innovative design techniques along with a new high voltage process achieve high efficiency over a wide input
range. Efficiency is maintained over a wide output current
range by employing Burst Mode operation at low currents,
utilizing the output to bias the internal circuitry, and by
using a supply boost capacitor to fully saturate the power
switch. Burst Mode operation can be defeated by a logic
high signal on the SYNC pin which results in lower light
load ripple at the expense of light load efficiency. Patented
circuitry maintains peak switch current over the full duty
cycle range.* Shutdown reduces input supply current to
less than 1µA. External synchronization can be implemented by driving the SYNC pin with logic-level inputs. A
single capacitor from the CSS pin to the output provides a
controlled output voltage ramp (soft-start).
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APPLICATIO S
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High Voltage Power Conversion
14V and 42V Automotive Systems
Industrial Power Systems
Distributed Power Systems
Battery-Powered Systems
Powered Ethernet
The LT3437 is available in a low profile (0.75mm) 3mm ×
3mm 10-pin DFN package or a 16-Pin TSSOP Package
both with exposed pad leadframes for low thermal
resistance.
, LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. Burst Mode
is a registered trademark of Linear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners. *Protected by U.S. Patents including 6498466. **See
Burst Mode Operation section for conditions.
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TYPICAL APPLICATIO
14V to 3.3V Step-Down Converter with
100µA No Load Quiescent Current
2.2µF
100V
CER
VIN
BOOST
0.1µF
SHDN
SW
LT3437
VC
1500pF
200
330pF
0.1µF
100µH BAS21
VOUT
3.3V
400mA
10MQ100N
CSS
VBIAS
27pF
25k
SYNC
165k
FB
GND
*FOR INPUT VOLTAGES ABOVE 60V RESTRICTIONS APPLY
100k
100µF
6.3V
TANT
180
160
SUPPLY CURRENT (µA)
VIN
4.5V TO 80V*
Input Voltage
Transient Response
Supply Current vs Input Voltage
VIN
20V/DIV
140
120
VIN
0V
100
80
VOUT
20mV/DIV
AC COUPLED
60
40
IOUT 250mA
20
3437 TA01
LOAD DUMP
3437 TA03
50ms/DIV
COLD CRANK
0
0
10
20
30 40 50 60
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
70
80
3435 TA02
3437f
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LT3437
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ABSOLUTE
AXI U RATI GS
(Note 1)
VIN, SHDN, BIAS, SW Operating ............................. 60V
VIN, SHDN 100ms Transient, <15% Duty Cycle ....... 80V
BOOST Pin Above SW ............................................ 35V
BOOST Pin Voltage Operating ................................. 75V
BOOST Pin 100ms Transient, <15% Duty Cycle ...... 85V
SYNC, CSS, FB .......................................................... 6V
Operating Junction Temperature Range
LT3437EDD (Note 2) ....................... – 40°C to 125°C
LT3437IDD (Note 2) ........................ – 40°C to 125°C
LT3437EFE (Note 2) ........................ – 40°C to 125°C
LT3437IFE (Note 2) ......................... – 40°C to 125°C
Storage Temperature Range ................. – 65°C to 125°C
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PACKAGE/ORDER I FOR ATIO
TOP VIEW
TOP VIEW
NC
1
16 NC
15 SHDN
14 SYNC
SW
1
10 SHDN
SW
2
VIN
2
9 SYNC
NC
3
BST
3
8 FB
VIN
4
GND
4
7 VC
NC
5
12 FB
CSS
5
6 BIAS
BOOST
6
11 VC
NC
7
10 BIAS
GND
8
9
11
DD PACKAGE
10-LEAD (3mm × 3mm) PLASTIC DFN
θJA = 45°C/W, θJC(PAD) = 10°C/W
13 NC
17
CSS
FE PACKAGE
16-LEAD PLASTIC TSSOP
EXPOSED PAD IS GND (PIN 11)
MUST BE SOLDERED TO GND (PIN 4)
θJA = 45°C/W, θJC(PAD) = 10°C/W
EXPOSED PAD IS GND (PIN 17)
MUST BE SOLDERED TO GND (PIN 8)
ORDER PART NUMBER
DD PART MARKING
ORDER PART NUMBER
LT3437EDD
LT3437IDD
LBDJ
LBDK
LT3437EFE
LT3437IFE
FE PART MARKING
3437EFE
3437IFE
Order Options Tape and Reel: Add #TR
Lead Free: Add #PBF Lead Free Tape and Reel: Add #TRPBF
Lead Free Part Marking: http://www.linear.com/leadfree/
Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges.
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The ● denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TJ = 25°C. VIN = 12V, SHDN = 12V, BIAS = 5V, FB = 1.25V,
CSS/SYNC = 0V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
VSHDN
SHDN Threshold
ISHDN
SHDN Input Current
CONDITIONS
●
SHDN = 12V
Minimum Input Voltage (Note 3)
IVINS
IVIN
Supply Shutdown Current
SHDN = 0V, BOOST = 0V, FB/PGFB = 0V
Supply Sleep Current (Note 4)
BIAS = 0V, FB = 1.35V
FB = 1.35V
Supply Quiescent Current
BIAS = 0V, FB = 1.15V, VC = 0.8V, SYNC = 2V
BIAS = 5V, FB = 1.15V, VC = 0.8V, SYNC = 2V
Minimum BIAS Voltage (Note 5)
MIN
TYP
MAX
1.15
UNITS
1.3
1.45
V
●
5
30
µA
●
2.5
3
V
0.1
2
µA
300
25
500
50
µA
µA
1.35
0.475
2
1
mA
mA
2.7
3.15
●
●
V
3437f
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LT3437
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The ● denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating
temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TJ = 25°C. VIN = 12V, SHDN = 12V, BIAS = 5V, FB = 1.25V,
CSS/SYNC = 0V unless otherwise noted.
SYMBOL
PARAMETER
IBIASS
BIAS Sleep Current (Note 4)
CONDITIONS
MIN
IBIAS
BIAS Quiescent Current
SYNC = 2V
Minimum Boost Voltage (Note 6)
ISW = 250mA
Input Boost Current (Note 7)
ISW = 0.5A
ISW = 0.25A
VREF
Reference Voltage (VREF)
3.3V < VVIN < 80V
IFB
FB Input Bias Current
EA Voltage Gain (Note 8)
900
●
●
1.225
MAX
UNITS
150
250
µA
0.75
1
mA
1.8
2.5
V
11
8
16
13
mA
mA
1.25
1.275
V
50
200
nA
V/V
EA Voltage gm
dI(VC)= ±10µA
EA Source Current
FB = 1.15V
15
35
55
EA Sink Current
FB = 1.35V
15
30
55
VC Switching Threshold
VSYNC = 2V
VC High Clamp
IPK
SW Current Limit
SW VCESAT
Switch Saturation Voltage
(Note 9)
●
ISW = 250mA
ISW = 500mA
A/V
500
mV
1.75
500
650
900
mA
200
400
400
800
mV
mV
200
240
kHz
170
95
Minimum SYNC Amplitude
1.5
240
SYNC Input Impedance
CSS Current Threshold (Note 10)
2.1
Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are those values beyond which the life of
a device may be impaired.
Note 2: The LT3437EDD/LT3437EFE are guaranteed to meet performance
specifications from 0°C to 125°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
LT3437IDD/LT3437IFE are guaranteed and tested over the full –40°C to
125°C operating junction temperature range.
Note 3: Minimum input voltage is defined as the voltage where switching
starts. Actual minimum input voltage to maintain a regulated output will
depend upon output voltage and load current. See Applications Information.
Note 4: Supply input current is the quiescent current drawn by the input
pin. Its typical value depends on the voltage on the BIAS pin and operating
state of the LT3437. With the BIAS pin at 0V, all of the quiescent current
required to operate the LT3437 will be provided by the VIN pin. With the
BIAS voltage above its minimum input voltage, a portion of the total
quiescent current will be supplied by the BIAS pin. Supply sleep current is
4
700
10
V
%
2
50
FB = 0V
µA
1
Maximum Duty Cycle
SYNC Frequency Range
µA
1.5
●
●
●
Switching Frequency
µMho
650
VC to SW gm
ICSS
TYP
V
kHz
kΩ
16
µA
defined as the quiescent current during the “sleep” portion of Burst Mode
operation. See Applications Information for determining application supply
currents.
Note 5: Minimum BIAS voltage is the voltage on the BIAS pin when IBIAS is
sourced into the pin.
Note 6: This is the minimum voltage across the boost capacitor needed to
guarantee full saturation of the internal power switch.
Note 7: Boost current is the current flowing into the BOOST pin with the pin
held 3.3V above input voltage. It flows only during switch on time.
Note 8: Gain is measured with a VC swing from 1.15V to 750mV.
Note 9: Switch saturation voltage guaranteed by correlation to wafer level
measurements for DD package parts.
Note 10: The CSS threshold is defined as the value of current sourced into the
CSS pin which results in an increase in sink current from the VC pin. See the
Soft-Start section in Applications Information.
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LT3437
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TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Load Current
VIN = 12V
90 VOUT = 3.3V
TA = 25°C
80
70 EFFICIENCY
250
240
450
1.28
60
300
50
250
40
200
30
150
POWER LOSS
FB VOLTAGE (V)
350
100
230
FREQUENCY (kHz)
400
POWER LOSS (mW)
EFFICIENCY (%)
1.30
500
100
20
Oscillator Frequency
vs Temperature
FB Voltage vs Temperature
1.26
1.24
0
0.1
200
190
180
170
1.20
–50
150
–50 –25
160
0
1000
1
10
100
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
210
1.22
50
10
220
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
125
100
SHDN Threshold
Shutdown Supply Current
vs Temperature
10
10
9
1.45
8
8
1.40
1.30
1.25
CURRENT (µA)
7
1.35
ISHDN (µA)
VOLTAGE (V)
125
3437 G03
SHDN Pin Current
1.50
6
4
6
VVIN = 80V
5
4
VVIN = 60V
3
1.20
2
2
1.15
VVIN = 12V
1
1.10
–50 –25
0
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
0
125
10
30
20
40
0
–50 –25
60
50
VSHDN (V)
3437 G04
800
RUN MODE
700
PEAK SWITCH CURRENT (mA)
600
700
RUN MODE
IBIAS (µA)
600
SLEEP MODE VBIAS = 0V
300
500
400
300
200
200
100
0
–50 –25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
SLEEP MODE
100
125
3437 G07
0
–50 –25
600
500
400
300
200
100
100
SLEEP MODE VBIAS = 5V
125
Switch Peak Current Limit
vs Temperature
900
800
100
3437 G06
Bias Current vs Temperature
700
500
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
3437 G05
Input Current vs Temperature
IVIN (µA)
100
3437 G02
3437 G01
400
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3437 G08
0
–50 –25
–0
25
50
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3437 G09
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LT3437
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TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Soft-Start Current Threshold
vs FB Voltage
Oscillator Frequency
vs FB Voltage
35
Switch On Voltage (VCESAT)
600
250
SOFT-START DEFEATED
30
20
15
10
VOLTAGE (mV)
FREQUENCY (kHz)
ICSS (µA)
25
150
100
50
0
0.2
1.0
0.6
0.8
0.4
FB VOLTAGE (V)
0
1.2
0.25
0.75
0.50
FB VOLTAGE (V)
1.00
3437 G10
7.0
160
6.5
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
SUPPLY CURRENT (µA)
180
100
80
60
0
3.0
30 40 50 60
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
70
80
5V TO RUN
3.3V TO START
4.5
3.5
20
160
5.0
20
100
200
300
400
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
0
3.5
100
OUTPUT VOLTAGE (V)
BOOST CURRENT (mA)
150
10
9
8
7
125
3437 G16
50
6
100
60
3.0
VOUT = 3.3V
ILOAD = 250mA
BOOST DIODE =
DIODES INC B1100
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
50
100
40
30
20
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
Dropout Operation
4.0
11
200
10
3437 G15
Boost Current vs Load Current
400
ON-TIME (ns)
60
500
450
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
80
20
12
250
EXIT
100
3437 G14
Minimum On-Time
300
ENTER
120
0
0
500
0
–50 –25
140
40
3.3V TO RUN
3437 F13
350
VOUT = 3.3V
180
5.5
4.0
10
200
5V TO START
6.0
40
0
500
Burst Mode Threshold
vs Input Voltage
7.5
VOUT = 3.3V
120
400
300
200
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
3437 G12
Minimum Input Voltage
140
TJ = –40°C
200
3437 G11
Supply Current vs Input Voltage
200
TJ = 25°C
300
0
100
1.25
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
0
400
100
5
0
TJ = 125°C
500
200
400
300
200
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
500
3437 G17
0
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
4.0
4.5
3437 G18
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LT3437
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TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum Duty Cycle
vs Temperature
Dropout Operation
MAXIMUM DUTY CYCLE (%)
5
OUTPUT VOLTAGE (V)
94.5
VOUT = 5V
ILOAD = 250mA
BOOST DIODE = DIODES INC B1100
4
3
2
0.6
ILOAD = 250mA
94.0
0.5
93.5
0.4
VC VOLTAGE (V)
6
93.0
92.5
92.0
1
2.0
2.5
3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
5.5
6.0
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
Maximum Sync Frequency
vs Temperature
1400
100
125
0
–50 –25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3437 G21
Burst Mode Defeated
Burst Mode Operation
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 3.3V
IOUT = 100mA
1500
0.2
3437 G20
3437 G19
1600
0.3
0.1
91.5
–50 –25
0
MAXIMUM SYNC FREQUENCY (kHz)
VC Switching Threshold
vs Temperature
VOUT
20mV/DIV
AC COUPLED
VOUT
20mV/DIV
AC COUPLED
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
ISW
100mA/DIV
ISW
100mA/DIV
800
700
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 3.3V
IQ = 100µA
600
500
400
–50 –25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
10µs/DIV
3437 G23
125
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 3.3V
IQ = 1.7mA
VSYNC = 3.3V
10µs/DIV
3437 G24
3437 G22
Step Response
Step Response
VOUT
50mV/DIV
VOUT
50mV/DIV
IOUT
100mA/DIV
IOUT
100mA/DIV
1ms/DIV
LOAD STEP 0mA TO 200mA
3437 G25
1ms/DIV
LOAD STEP 100mA TO 300mA
3437 G26
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LT3437
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PI FU CTIO S
(DD/FE)
SW (Pin 1/Pin 2): The SW pin is the emitter of the on-chip
power NPN switch. This pin is driven up to the input pin
voltage during switch on time. Inductor current drives the
SW pin negative during switch off time. Negative voltage
is clamped with the external catch diode. Maximum negative switch voltage allowed is –0.8V.
NC (Pins 1, 3, 5, 7, 13, 16)(FE Package ONLY): No
Connection.
VIN (Pin 2/Pin 4): This is the collector of the on-chip power
NPN switch. VIN powers the internal control circuitry when
a voltage on the BIAS pin is not present. High di/dt edges
occur on this pin during switch turn on and off. Keep the
path short from the VIN pin through the input bypass
capacitor, through the catch diode back to SW. All trace
inductance on this path will create a voltage spike at switch
off, adding to the VCE voltage across the internal NPN.
BOOST (Pin 3/Pin 6): The BOOST pin is used to provide a
drive voltage, higher than the input voltage, to the internal
bipolar NPN power switch. Without this added voltage, the
typical switch voltage loss would be about 1.5V. The
additional BOOST voltage allows the switch to saturate
and its voltage loss approximates that of a 0.8Ω FET
structure.
GND (Pins 4, 11/Pins 8, 17): The GND pin connection
acts as the reference for the regulated output, so load
regulation will suffer if the “ground” end of the load is not
at the same voltage as the GND pin of the IC. This
condition will occur when load current or other currents
flow through metal paths between the GND pin and the
load ground. Keep the path between the GND pin and the
load ground short and use a ground plane when possible.
The GND pin also acts as a heat sink and should be
soldered (along with the exposed leadframe) to the copper ground plane to reduce thermal resistance (see Applications Information).
CSS (Pin 5/Pin 9): A capacitor from the CSS pin to the
regulated output voltage determines the output voltage
ramp rate during start-up. When the current through the
CSS capacitor exceeds the CSS threshold (ICSS), the voltage ramp of the output is limited. The CSS threshold is
proportional to the FB voltage (see Typical Performance
Characteristics) and is defeated for FB voltage greater than
0.9V (typical). See Soft-Start section in Applications Information for details.
BIAS (Pin 6/Pin 10): The BIAS pin is used to improve
efficiency when operating at higher input voltages and
light load current. Connecting this pin to the regulated
output voltage forces most of the internal circuitry to draw
its operating current from the output voltage rather than
the input supply. This architecture increases efficiency
especially when the input voltage is much higher than the
output. Minimum output voltage setting for this mode of
operation is typically 3V.
VC (Pin 7/Pin 11): The VC pin is the output of the error
amplifier and the input of the peak switch current comparator. It is normally used for frequency compensation,
but can also serve as a current clamp or control loop
override. VC sits at about 0.45V for light loads and 1.5V at
maximum load. During the sleep portion of Burst Mode
operation, the VC pin is held at a voltage slightly below the
burst threshold for better transient response. Driving the
VC pin to ground will disable switching and place the IC
into sleep mode.
FB (Pin 8/Pin 12): The feedback pin is used to determine
the output voltage using an external voltage divider from
the output that generates 1.25V at the FB pin. When the FB
pin drops below 0.9V, switching frequency is reduced, the
SYNC function is disabled and output ramp rate control is
enabled via the CSS pin. See the Feedback section in
Applications Information for details.
SYNC (Pin 9/Pin 14): The SYNC pin is used to synchronize
the internal oscillator to an external signal. It is directly
logic compatible and can be driven with any signal between 25% and 75% duty cycle. The synchronizing range
is equal to maximum initial operating frequency up to
700kHz. When the voltage on the FB pin is below 0.9V the
SYNC function is disabled. When a synchronization signal
or logic-level high is present at the SYNC pin, Burst Mode
operation is disabled. See the synchronizing section in
Applications Information for details.
SHDN (Pin 10/Pin 15): The SHDN pin is used to turn off the
regulator and to reduce input current to less than 1µA. The
SHDN pin requires a voltage above 1.3V with a typical
source current of 5µA to take the IC out of the shutdown
state.
Exposed Pad (Pin 11/Pin 17): Ground. Must be soldered
to the PCB.
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LT3437
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BLOCK DIAGRA
VIN
INTERNAL REF
UNDERVOLTAGE
LOCKOUT
BIAS
THERMAL
SHUTDOWN
2.4V
SLOPE
COMP
Σ
200kHz
OSCILLATOR
+
CURRENT
COMP
–
SYNC
SHDN
BOOST
ANTISLOPE
COMP
+
R
SHDN
COMP
S
–
SWITCH
Q
LATCH
DRIVER
CIRCUITRY
SW
1.3V
CSS
FB
SOFT-START
BURST MODE
DETECT
FOLDBACK
DETECT
VC
CLAMP
–
ERROR
AMP
1.25V
GND
+
VC
PGND
3437 BD
Figure 1. LT3437 Block Diagram
The LT3437 is a constant frequency, current mode buck
converter. This means that there is an internal clock and two
feedback loops that control the duty cycle of the power
switch. In addition to the normal error amplifier, there is a
current sense amplifier that monitors switch current on a
cycle-by-cycle basis. A switch cycle starts with an oscillator pulse which sets the RS latch to turn the switch on. When
switch current reaches a level set by the current comparator, the latch is reset and the switch turns off. Output voltage control is obtained by using the output of the error
amplifier to set the switch current trip point. This technique
means that the error amplifier commands current to be
delivered to the output rather than voltage. A voltage fed
system will have low phase shift up to the resonant frequency of the inductor and output capacitor, then an abrupt
180° shift will occur. The current fed system will have 90°
phase shift at a much lower frequency, but will not have the
additional 90° shift until well beyond the LC resonant frequency. This makes it much easier to frequency compensate the feedback loop and gives much quicker transient
response and line rejection.
Most of the circuitry of the LT3437 operates from an
internal 2.4V bias line. The bias regulator normally draws
power from the VIN pin, but if the BIAS pin is connected to
an external voltage higher than 3V, bias power will be
drawn from the external source (typically the regulated
output voltage). This improves efficiency.
High switch efficiency is attained by using the BOOST pin
to provide a voltage to the switch driver which is higher
than the input voltage, allowing the switch to be saturated.
This boosted voltage is generated with an external capacitor and diode.
To further optimize efficiency, the LT3437 automatically
switches to Burst Mode operation in light load situations. In
Burst Mode operation, all circuitry associated with controlling the output switch is shut down, reducing the input
supply current to 25µA and bias input current to 150µA.
If lower output ripple is desired over light load efficiency,
Burst Mode operation can be defeated by setting the SYNC
pin voltage greater than 2V. A logic-level low on the SHDN
pin disables the IC and reduces input supply current to less
than 1µA. External synchronization can be implemented
by driving the SYNC pin with logic-level inputs.
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LT3437
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APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
FEEDBACK PIN FUNCTIONS
Table 1
The feedback (FB) pin on the LT3437 is used to set output
voltage and provide several overload protection features.
The first part of this section deals with selecting resistors
to set output voltage, and the remaining part talks about
frequency foldback and soft-start features. Please read
both parts before committing to a final design.
OUTPUT
VOLTAGE
(V)
5
100
300
0
Referring to Figure 2, the output voltage is determined by
a voltage divider from VOUT to ground which generates
1.25V at the FB pin. Since the output divider is a load on the
output, care must be taken when choosing the resistor
divider values. For light load applications the resistor
values should be as large as possible to achieve peak
efficiency in Burst Mode operation. Extremely large values
for resistor R1 will cause an output voltage error due to the
50nA FB pin input current. The suggested value for the
output divider resistor (see Figure 2) from FB to ground
(R2) is 100k or less. A formula for R1 is shown below. A
table of standard 1% values is shown in Table 1 for
common output voltages.
6
100
383
0.63
8
100
536
– 0.63
R1 = R2 •
VOUT – 1.25
1.25 + R2 • 50nA
VOUT
LT3437
SW 1
SOFT-START
200kHz
OSCILLATOR
CSS
C1
5
FOLDBACK
DETECT
R1
–
FB
8
ERROR
AMP
R2
+
1.25V
VC
7
3437 F02
Figure 2. Feedback Network
R2
(kΩ, 1%)
R1
NEAREST (1%)
(kΩ)
OUTPUT
ERROR
(%)
2.5
100
100
0
3
100
140
0
3.3
100
165
0.38
10
100
698
– 0.25
12
100
866
0.63
More Than Just Voltage Feedback
The FB pin is used for more than just output voltage
sensing. It also reduces switching frequency and controls the soft-start voltage ramp rate when output voltage
is below the regulated level (see the Frequency Foldback
and Soft-Start Current graphs in Typical Performance
Characteristics).
Frequency foldback is done to control power dissipation in
both the IC and in the external diode and inductor during
short-circuit conditions. A shorted output requires the
switching regulator to operate at very low duty cycles. As
a result, the average current through the diode and inductor is equal to the short-circuit current limit of the switch
(typically 500mA for the LT3437). Minimum switch on
time limitations would prevent the switcher from attaining
a sufficiently low duty cycle if switching frequency were
maintained at 200kHz, so frequency is reduced by about
10:1 when the FB pin voltage drops below 0.4V (see
Frequency Foldback graph). As the feedback voltage rises,
the switching frequency increases to 200kHz with 0.95V
on the FB pin. During frequency foldback, external synchronization is disabled to prevent interference with
foldback operation. Frequency foldback does not affect
operation during normal load conditions.
In addition to lowering switching frequency, the soft-start
ramp rate is also affected by the feedback voltage. Large
capacitive loads or high input voltages can cause a
high input current surge during start-up. The soft-start
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function reduces input current surge by regulating switch
current via the VC pin to maintain a constant voltage ramp
rate (dV/dt) at the output. A capacitor (C1 in Figure 2) from
the CSS pin to the output determines the maximum output
dV/dt. When the feedback voltage is below 0.4V, the VC pin
will rise, resulting in an increase in switch current and
output voltage. If the dV/dt of the output causes the current
through the CSS capacitor to exceed ICSS, the VC voltage is
reduced resulting in a constant dV/dt at the output. As the
feedback voltage increases, ICSS increases, resulting in an
increased dV/dt until the soft-start function is defeated
with 0.9V present at the FB pin. The soft-start function
does not affect operation during normal load conditions.
However, if a momentary short (brown out condition) is
present at the output which causes the FB voltage to drop
below 0.9V, the soft-start circuitry will become active.
INPUT CAPACITOR
Step-down regulators draw current from the input supply
in pulses. The rise and fall times of these pulses are very
fast. The input capacitor is required to reduce the voltage
ripple this causes at the input of LT3437 and force the
switching current into a tight local loop, thereby minimizing EMI. The RMS ripple current can be calculated from:
(
I
IRIPPLE(RMS) = OUT VOUT VIN – VOUT
VIN
)
Ceramic capacitors are ideal for input bypassing. At 200kHz
switching frequency input capacitor values in the range of
2.2µF to 10µF are suitable for most applications. If operation is required close to the minimum input required by the
LT3437, a larger value may be required. This is to prevent
excessive ripple causing dips below the minimum operating voltage resulting in erratic operation.
Input voltage transients caused by input voltage steps, or
by hot plugging the LT3437 to a pre-powered source such
as a wall adapter, can exceed maximum VIN ratings. The
sudden application of input voltage will cause a large
surge of current in the input leads that will store energy in
the parasitic inductance of the leads. This energy will
cause the input voltage to swing above the DC level of input
power source and it may exceed the maximum voltage
rating of the input capacitor and LT3437. All input voltage
transient sequences should be observed at the VIN pin of
the LT3437 to ensure that absolute maximum voltage
ratings are not violated.
The easiest way to suppress input voltage transients is to
add a small aluminum electrolytic capacitor in parallel with
the low ESR input capacitor. The selected capacitor needs
to have the right amount of ESR to critically damp the
resonant circuit formed by the input lead inductance and
the input capacitor. The typical values of ESR will fall in the
range of 0.5Ω to 2Ω and capacitance will fall in the range
of 5µF to 50µF.
If tantalum capacitors are used, values in the 22µF to
470µF range are generally needed to minimize ESR and
meet ripple current and surge ratings. Care should be
taken to ensure the ripple and surge ratings are not
exceeded. The AVX TPS and Kemet T495 series are surge
rated. AVX recommends derating capacitor operating
voltage by 2:1 for high surge applications.
OUTPUT CAPACITOR
The output capacitor is normally chosen by its effective
series resistance (ESR) because this is what determines
output ripple voltage. To get low ESR takes volume, so
physically smaller capacitors have higher ESR. The ESR
range for typical LT3437 applications is 0.05Ω to 0.2Ω. A
typical output capacitor is an AVX type TPS, 100µF at 10V,
with a guaranteed ESR less than 0.1Ω. This is a “D” size
surface mount solid tantalum capacitor. TPS capacitors
are specially constructed and tested for low ESR, so they
give the lowest ESR for a given volume. The value in
microfarads is not particularly critical, and values from
22µF to greater than 500µF work well, but you cannot
cheat Mother Nature on ESR. If you find a tiny 22µF solid
tantalum capacitor, it will have high ESR and output ripple
voltage could be unacceptable. Table 2 shows some
typical solid tantalum surface mount capacitors.
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Table 2. Surface Mount Solid Tantalum Capacitor ESR
and Ripple Current
E CASE SIZE
AVX TPS
ESR MAX (Ω)
RIPPLE CURRENT (A)
0.1 to 0.3
0.7 to 1.1
0.1 to 0.3
0.7 to 1.1
0.2
0.5
D CASE SIZE
AVX TPS
C CASE SIZE
AVX TPS
Many engineers have heard that solid tantalum capacitors
are prone to failure if they undergo high surge currents.
This is historically true, and type TPS capacitors are
specially tested for surge capability, but surge ruggedness
is not a critical issue with the output capacitor. Solid
tantalum capacitors fail during very high turn-on surges
which do not occur at the output of regulators. High
discharge surges, such as when the regulator output is
dead shorted, do not harm the capacitors.
Unlike the input capacitor RMS, ripple current in the
output capacitor is normally low enough that ripple current rating is not an issue. The current waveform is
triangular with a typical value of 30mARMS. The formula to
calculate this is:
Output capacitor ripple current (RMS)
IRIPPLE(RMS) =
(
)(
(L)(f)(VIN)
0.29 VOUT VIN – VOUT
) = IP-P
12
CERAMIC CAPACITORS
Higher value, lower cost ceramic capacitors are now
becoming available. They are generally chosen for their
good high frequency operation, small size and very low
ESR (effective series resistance). Low ESR reduces output
ripple voltage but also removes a useful zero in the loop
frequency response, common to tantalum capacitors. To
compensate for this, a resistor RC can be placed in series
with the VC compensation capacitor CC (Figure 10). Care
must be taken, however, since this resistor sets the high
frequency gain of the error amplifier, including the gain at
the switching frequency. If the gain of the error amplifier
is high enough at the switching frequency, output ripple
voltage (although smaller for a ceramic output capacitor)
may still affect the proper operation of the regulator. A
filter capacitor CF in parallel with the RC/CC network, along
with a small feedforward capacitor CFB, is suggested to
control possible ripple at the VC pin. The LT3437 can be
stabilized using a 100µF ceramic output capacitor and VC
component values of CC = 1500nF, RC = 25k, CF = 330pF
and CFB =27pF.
OUTPUT RIPPLE VOLTAGE
Figure 3 shows a typical output ripple voltage waveform
for the LT3437. Ripple voltage is determined by the
impedance of the output capacitor and ripple current
through the inductor. Peak-to-peak ripple current through
the inductor into the output capacitor is:
IP-P =
(
VOUT VIN – VOUT
(VIN )(L)(f)
)
For high frequency switchers the ripple current slew rate
is also relevant and can be calculated from:
di VIN
=
dt L
Peak-to-peak output ripple voltage is the sum of a triwave
created by peak-to-peak ripple current times ESR and a
square wave created by parasitic inductance (ESL) and
ripple current slew rate. Capacitive reactance is assumed
to be small compared to ESR or ESL.
( )( ) ( ) dtdi
VRIPPLE = IP-P ESR + ESL
Example: with VIN = 12V, VOUT = 3.3V, L = 100µH, ESR =
0.075Ω, ESL = 10nH:
IP-P =
(3.3)(12 – 3.3) = 0.120A
(12)(100e − 6)(200e3)
di
12
=
= 0.12e6
dt 100e – 6
VRIPPLE = (0.120A)(0.075) + (10e – 9)(0.12e6)
= 0.009 + 0.0012 = 10.2mVP-P
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Discontinuous operation occurs when:
VOUT
10mV/DIV
100µF TANTALUM
ESR 75mΩ
IOUT(DIS) ≤
VOUT
10mV/DIV
100µF CERAMIC
(
VOUT VIN – VOUT
)
2(L)( f)(VIN )
For VOUT = 5V, VIN = 8V and L = 68µH:
VSW
10V/DIV
VIN = 12V
VOUT = 3.3V
ILOAD = 500mA
L = 100µH
1µs/DIV
3437 F03
Figure 3. LT3437 Ripple Voltage Waveform
MAXIMUM OUTPUT LOAD CURRENT
Maximum load current for a buck converter is limited by
the maximum switch current rating (IPK). The current
rating for the LT3437 is 500mA. Unlike most current mode
converters, the LT3437 maximum switch current limit
does not fall off at high duty cycles. Most current mode
converters suffer a drop off of peak switch current for duty
cycles above 50%. This is due to the effects of slope
compensation required to prevent subharmonic oscillations in current mode converters. (For detailed analysis,
see Application Note 19.)
The LT3437 is able to maintain peak switch current limit
over the full duty cycle range by using patented circuitry to
cancel the effects of slope compensation on peak switch
current without affecting the frequency compensation it
provides.
Maximum load current would be equal to maximum
switch current for an infinitely large inductor, but with
finite inductor size, maximum load current is reduced by
one-half peak-to-peak inductor current. The following
formula assumes continuous mode operation, implying
that the term on the right (IP-P/2) is less than IOUT.
IOUT(MAX) = IPK –
(VOUT )(VIN – VOUT ) = IPK – IP-P
2
2(L)( f)(VIN )
IOUT(MAX) = 0.5 –
(5)(8 – 5)
2(68e – 6)(200e3)(8)
= 0.5 – 0.069 = 0.431A
Note that there is less load current available at the higher
input voltage because inductor ripple current increases. At
VIN = 15V, duty cycle is 33% and for the same set of
conditions:
IOUT(MAX) = 0.5 –
(5)(15 – 5)
2(68e – 6)(200e3)(15)
= 0.5 – 0.121 = 0.379 A
To calculate actual peak switch current in continuous
mode with a given set of conditions, use:
ISW(PK) = IOUT +
(
VOUT VIN – VOUT
( )( )( )
)
2 L f VIN
If a small inductor is chosen which results in discontinuous
mode operation over the entire load range, the maximum
load current is equal to:
( )( )( )
2(VOUT )(VIN – VOUT )
2
IOUT(MAX) =
IPK 2 f L VIN
CHOOSING THE INDUCTOR
For most applications the output inductor will fall in the
range of 68µH to 220µH. Lower values are chosen to
reduce physical size of the inductor. Higher values allow
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more output current because they reduce peak current
seen by the LT3437 switch, which has a 0.5A limit. Higher
values also reduce output ripple voltage and reduce core
loss.
When choosing an inductor you might have to consider
maximum load current, core and copper losses, allowable component height, output voltage ripple, EMI, fault
current in the inductor, saturation and of course cost.
The following procedure is suggested as a way of handling these somewhat complicated and conflicting
requirements.
1. Choose a value in microhenries such that the maximum
load current plus half of the inductor ripple current is
less than the minimum peak switch current (IPK).
Choosing a small inductor with lighter loads may result
in discontinuous mode of operation, but the LT3437 is
designed to work well in either mode.
Assume that the average inductor current is equal to
load current and decide whether or not the inductor
must withstand continuous fault conditions. If maximum load current is 0.25A, for instance, a 0.25A
inductor may not survive a continuous minimum peak
switch current overload condition.
For applications with a duty cycle above 50%, the
inductor value should be chosen to obtain an inductor
ripple current of less than 40% of the peak switch
current.
2. Calculate peak inductor current at full load current to
ensure that the inductor will not saturate. Peak current
can be significantly higher than output current, especially
with smaller inductors and lighter loads, so do not omit
this step. Powdered iron cores are forgiving because they
saturate softly, whereas ferrite cores saturate abruptly.
Other core materials fall somewhere in between. The
following formula assumes continuous mode of operation, but it errs only slightly on the high side for discontinuous mode, so it can be used for all conditions.
IPEAK = IOUT +
(
)
2( f)(L)(VIN )
VOUT VIN – VOUT
VIN = maximum input voltage
f = switching frequency, 200kHz
3. Decide if the design can tolerate an “open” core geometry like a rod or barrel, which has high magnetic field
radiation, or whether it needs a closed core like a toroid,
to prevent EMI problems. This is a tough decision
because the rods or barrels are temptingly cheap and
small, and there are no helpful guidelines to calculate
when the magnetic field radiation will be a problem.
4. After making an initial choice, consider the secondary
things like output voltage ripple, second sourcing, etc.
Use the experts in Linear Technology’s applications
department if you feel uncertain about the final choice.
They have experience with a wide range of inductor
types and can tell you about the latest developments in
low profile, surface mounting, etc.
Table 3. Inductor Selection Criteria
VENDOR/
PART NO.
VALUE
(µH)
IDC(MAX)
(mA)
DCR
(Ohms)
HEIGHT
(mm)
UP1B-101
100
530
1.11
5.0
UP1B-151
150
460
1.61
5.0
UP2B-221
220
380
1.96
5.0
47
450
1.1
1.8
Coiltronics
Coilcraft
D01605T-473MX
D01605T-104MX
100
300
2.3
1.8
D03308P-154
150
600
0.94
3.0
D03308P-224
220
500
1.6
3.0
CDRH4D28-470
47
480
0.387
3.0
CDRH4D28-101
100
290
1.02
3.0
CDRH5D28-101
100
420
0.520
3.0
Sumida
Short-Circuit Considerations
The LT3437 is a current mode controller. It uses the VC
node voltage as an input to a current comparator which
turns off the output switch on a cycle-by-cycle basis as
this peak current is reached. The internal clamp on the VC
node, nominally 1.5V, then acts as an output switch peak
current limit. This action becomes the switch current limit
specification. The maximum available output power is
then determined by the switch current limit.
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A potential controllability problem could occur under
short-circuit conditions. If the power supply output is
short circuited, the feedback amplifier responds to the low
output voltage by raising the control voltage, VC, to its
peak current limit value. Ideally, the output switch would
be turned on, and then turned off as its current exceeded
the value indicated by VC. However, there is finite response
time involved in both the current comparator and turn-off
of the output switch. This results in a minimum on time
tON(MIN). When combined with the large ratio of VIN to
(VF + I • R), the diode forward voltage plus inductor I • R
voltage drop, the potential exists for a loss of control.
Expressed mathematically the requirement to maintain
control is:
f • tON ≤
VF + I • R
VIN
where:
f = switching frequency
tON = switch on time
VF = diode forward voltage
VIN = Input voltage
I • R = inductor I • R voltage drop
If this condition is not observed, the current will not be
limited at IPK but will cycle-by-cycle ratchet up to some
higher value. Using the nominal LT3437 clock frequency
of 200kHz, a VIN of 40V and a (VF + I • R) of say 0.7V, the
maximum tON to maintain control would be approximately
90ns, an unacceptably short time.
The solution to this dilemma is to slow down the oscillator
to allow the current in the inductor to drop to a sufficiently
low value such that the current does not continue to
ratchet higher. When the FB pin voltage is abnormally low,
thereby indicating some sort of short-circuit condition,
the oscillator frequency will be reduced. Oscillator frequency is reduced by a factor of 10 when the FB pin voltage
is below 0.4V and increases linearly to its typical value of
200kHz at a FB voltage of 0.95V (see Typical Performance
Characteristics). These oscillator frequency reductions
during short-circuit conditions allow the LT3437 to maintain current control
SOFT-START
For applications where [VIN/(VOUT + VF)] >10 or large input
surge currents cannot be tolerated, the LT3437 soft-start
feature should be used to control the output capacitor
charge rate during start-up, or during recovery from an
output short circuit, thereby adding additional control
over peak inductor current. The soft-start function limits
the switch current via the VC pin to maintain a constant
voltage ramp rate (dV/dt) at the output capacitor. A capacitor (C1 in Figure 2) from the CSS pin to the regulated output
voltage determines the output voltage ramp rate. When
the current through the CSS capacitor exceeds the CSS
threshold (ICSS), the voltage ramp of the output capacitor
is limited by reducing the VC pin voltage. The CSS threshold
is proportional to the FB voltage (see Typical Performance
Characteristics) and is defeated for FB voltages greater
than 0.9V (typical). The output dV/dt can be approximated
by:
dV ICSS
=
dt CSS
but actual values will vary due to start-up load conditions,
compensation values and output capacitor selection.
CSS = GND
CSS = 0.01µF
CSS = 0.1µF
VOUT
1V/DIV
VIN = 12V
COUT = 100µF
ILOAD = 200mA
1ms/DIV
3437 F04
Figure 4. VOUT dV/dt
Burst Mode OPERATION
To enhance efficiency at light loads, the LT3437 automatically switches to Burst Mode operation which keeps the
output capacitor charged to the proper voltage while
minimizing the input quiescent current. During Burst
Mode operation, the LT3437 delivers short bursts of
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The minimum average input current depends on the VIN to
VOUT ratio, VC frequency compensation, feedback divider
network and Schottky diode leakage. It can be approximated by the following equation:
(
⎛ V ⎞ IBIASS + IFB + IS
IIN(AVG) ≅ IVINS + ISHDN + ⎜ OUT ⎟
⎝ VIN ⎠
η
()
)
where
IVINS = input pin current in sleep mode
VOUT = output voltage
VIN = input voltage
IBIASS = BIAS pin current in sleep mode
IFB = feedback network current
IS = catch diode reverse leakage at VOUT
η = low current efficiency (non Burst Mode operation)
Example: For VOUT = 3.3V, VIN = 12V
⎛ 3.3 ⎞
IIN( AVG) ≅ 25µ A + 5µ A + ⎜
⎝ 12 ⎟⎠
(150µA + 12 . 5µA + 0.. 5µA )
(0 . 75)
= 25µ A + 5µ A + 60µ A = 90µ A
During the sleep portion of the Burst Mode cycle, the VC
pin voltage is held just below the level needed for normal
operation to improve transient response. See the Typical
Performance Characteristics section for burst and transient response waveforms.
200
VOUT = 3.3V
180
160
SUPPLY CURRENT (µA)
current to the output capacitor followed by sleep periods
where the output power is delivered to the load by the
output capacitor. In addition, VIN and BIAS quiescent
currents are reduced to typically 25µA and 150µA, respectively, during the sleep time. As the load current decreases
towards a no load condition, the percentage of time that
the LT3437 operates in sleep mode increases and the
average input current is greatly reduced, resulting in
higher efficiency.
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
10
20
30 40 50 60
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
70
80
3435 F05
Figure 5. IQ vs VIN
If Burst Mode operation is undesirable, it can be defeated
by placing 2V or greater on the SYNC pin. When Burst
Mode operation is defeated, output ripple at light loads will
be reduced at the expense of light load efficiency.
CATCH DIODE
The catch diode carries load current during the SW off
time. The average diode current is therefore dependent on
the switch duty cycle. At high input to output voltage
ratios, the diode conducts most of the time. As the ratio
approaches unity, the diode conducts only a small fraction
of the time. The most stressful condition for the diode is
when the output is short circuited. Under this condition,
the diode must safely handle IPEAK at maximum duty cycle.
To maximize high and low load current efficiency, a fast
switching diode with low forward drop and low reverse
leakage should be used. Low reverse leakage is critical to
maximize low current efficiency since its value over temperature can potentially exceed the magnitude of the
LT3437 supply current. Low forward drop is critical for
high current efficiency since the loss is proportional to
forward drop.
These requirements result in the use of a Schottky type
diode. DC switching losses are minimized due to its low
forward voltage drop, and AC behavior is benign due to its
lack of a significant reverse recovery time. Schottky diodes
are generally available with reverse voltage ratings of 60V,
and even 100V, and are price competitive with other types.
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The use of so-called “ultrafast” recovery diodes is generally not recommended. When operating in continuous
mode, the reverse recovery time exhibited by “ultrafast”
diodes will result in a slingshot type effect. The power
internal switch will ramp up VIN current into the diode in an
attempt to get it to recover. When the diode has finally
turned off, some tens of nanoseconds later, the VSW node
voltage ramps up at an extremely high dV/dt, perhaps 5V
to even 10V/ns! With real world lead inductances, the VSW
node can easily overshoot the VIN rail. This can result in
poor RFI behavior, and if the overshoot is severe enough,
damage the IC itself.
OPTIONAL
VIN
VIN BOOST
VOUT
LT3437
GND
SW
VBOOST – VSW = VOUT
VBOOST(MAX) = VIN + VOUT
(6a)
VIN
VIN BOOST
LT3437
GND
BOOST PIN
For most applications, the boost components are a 0.1µF
capacitor and a BAS21 diode. The anode is typically
connected to the regulated output voltage, to generate a
voltage approximately VOUT above VIN to drive the output
stage (Figure 6a). However, the output stage discharges
the boost capacitor during the on time of the switch. The
output driver requires at least 2.5V of headroom throughout this period to keep the switch fully saturated. If the
output voltage is less than 3.3V, it is recommended that an
alternate boost supply is used. The boost diode can be
connected to the input (Figure 6b), but care must be taken
to prevent the boost voltage (VBOOST = VIN • 2) from
exceeding the BOOST pin absolute maximum rating. The
additional voltage across the switch driver also increases
power loss and reduces efficiency. If available, an independent supply can be used to generate the required
BOOST voltage (Figure 6c). Tying BOOST to VIN or an
independent supply may reduce efficiency, but it will
reduce the minimum VIN required to start-up with light
loads. If the generated BOOST voltage dissipates too
much power at maximum load, the BOOST voltage the
LT3437 sees can be reduced by placing a Zener diode in
series with the BOOST diode (Figure 6a option).
A 0.1µF boost capacitor is recommended for most applications. Almost any type of film or ceramic capacitor is
suitable, but the ESR should be <1Ω to ensure it can be
fully recharged during the off time of the switch. The
capacitor value is derived from worst-case conditions of
4700ns on time, 11mA boost current and 0.7V discharge
VOUT
SW
VBOOST – VSW = VIN
VBOOST(MAX) = 2VIN
(6b)
VIN
VIN BOOST
VDC
LT3437
GND
VOUT
SW
DSS
3437 F06
VBOOST – VSW = VDC
VBOOST(MAX) = VDC + VIN
(6c)
Figure 6. BOOST Pin Configurations
ripple. The boost capacitor value could be reduced under
less demanding conditions, but this will not improve
circuit operation or efficiency. Under low input voltage and
low load conditions, a higher value capacitor will reduce
discharge ripple and improve start-up operation.
SHUTDOWN FUNCTION AND UNDERVOLTAGE
LOCKOUT
The SHDN pin on the LT3437 controls the operation of the
IC. When the voltage on the SHDN pin is below the 1.2V
shutdown threshold, the LT3437 is placed in a “zero”
supply current state. Driving the SHDN pin above the
shutdown threshold enables normal operation. The SHDN
pin has an internal sink current with a typical value of 5µA.
In addition to the shutdown feature, the LT3437 has an
undervoltage lockout function. When the input voltage is
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below 2.4V, switching will be disabled. The undervoltage
lockout threshold doesn’t have any hysteresis and is
mainly used to insure that all internal voltages are at the
correct level before switching is enabled. If an undervoltage lockout function with hysteresis is needed to limit
input current at low VIN to VOUT ratios, refer to Figure 7 and
the following:
V
⎛V
⎞
VUVLO = R1⎜ SHDN + SHDN + ISHDN⎟ + VSHDN
⎝ R3
⎠
R2
VOUT (R1)
R3
VHYST =
LT3437
2
VIN
+
VIN
COMP
–
2.4V
ENABLE
R1
VOUT
R3
10
SHDN
+
SHDN
COMP
5µA
R2
–
1.3V
3437 F07
Figure 7. Undervoltage Lockout
R1 should be chosen to minimize quiescent current during
normal operation by the following equation:
R1 =
VIN – 2V
(1.5)(ISHDN(TYP) )
Example:
R1 =
R3 =
R2 =
12 – 2
( )
1.5 5µA
(
5 1.3MΩ
1
= 1.3MΩ
) = 6.5MΩ (Nearest 1% 6.49MΩ)
1.3
1.3
7 – 1.3
– 1µA –
6.49MΩ
1.3MΩ
= 408k (Nearest 1% 412k)
See the Typical Performance Characteristics section for
graphs of SHDN and VIN currents verses input voltage.
SYNCHRONIZING
Oscillator synchronization to an external input is achieved
by connecting a TTL logic-compatible square wave with a
duty cycle between 25% and 75% to the LT3437 SYNC
pin. The synchronizing range is equal to initial operating
frequency up to 700kHz. This means that minimum
practical sync frequency is equal to the worst-case high
self-oscillating frequency (240kHz), not the typical operating frequency of 200kHz. Caution should be used when
synchronizing above 300kHz, because at higher sync
frequencies the amplitude of the internal slope compensation used to prevent subharmonic switching is reduced. This type of subharmonic switching only occurs at
input voltages less than twice output voltage. Higher
inductor values will tend to eliminate this problem. See
Frequency Compensation section for a discussion of an
entirely different cause of subharmonic switching before
assuming that the cause is insufficient slope compensation. Application Note 19 has more details on the theory
of slope compensation.
If the FB pin voltage is below 0.9V (power-up or output
short-circuit conditions), the sync function is disabled.
This allows the frequency foldback to operate to avoid
hazardous conditions for the SW pin.
If a synchronization signal or logic-level above 2V is
present at the SYNC pin, Burst Mode operation is disabled.
Burst Mode operation can be enabled or disabled on the
fly. If no synchronization or Burst Mode defeat is required,
this pin should be connected to ground.
LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS
As with all high frequency switchers, when considering
layout, care must be taken in order to achieve optimal
electrical, thermal and noise performance. For maximum
efficiency, switch rise and fall times are typically in the
nanosecond range. To prevent noise both radiated and
conducted, the high speed switching current path,
shown in Figure 8, must be kept as short as possible. This
is implemented in the suggested layouts of Figure 9.
Shortening this path will also reduce the parasitic trace
3437f
17
LT3437
U
W
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APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
inductance of approximately 25nH/inch. At switch off, this
parasitic inductance produces a flyback spike across the
LT3437 switch. When operating at higher currents and
input voltages, with poor layout, this spike can generate
voltages across the LT3437 that may exceed its absolute
maximum rating. A ground plane should always be used
under the switcher circuitry to prevent interplane coupling
and overall noise.
LT3437
VIN
+
VIN
HIGH
FREQUENCY
CIRCULATION
PATH
C2
L1
SW
VOUT
D1
C1
LOAD
3437 F08
Figure 8. High Speed Switching Path
Board layout also has a significant effect on thermal
resistance. Pin 4/Pin 10 and the exposed die pad, Pin 11/
Pin 17, are connected by a continuous copper plate that
runs under the LT3437 die. This is the best thermal path
for heat out of the package. Reducing the thermal resistance from Pin 4 and the exposed pad onto the board will
reduce die temperature and increase the power capability
of the LT3437. This is achieved by providing as much
copper area as possible around the exposed pad. Adding
multiple solder filled feedthroughs, under and around this
pad, to an internal ground plane will also help. Similar
treatment to the catch diode and coil terminations will
reduce any additional heating effects.
THERMAL CALCULATIONS
L1
Power dissipation in the LT3437 chip comes from four
sources: switch DC loss, switch AC loss, boost circuit
current, and input quiescent current. The following formulas show how to calculate each of these losses. These
formulas assume continuous mode operation, and should
not be used for calculating efficiency at light load currents.
D1
C1
The VC and FB components should be kept as far away as
possible from the switch and boost nodes. The LT3437
pinout has been designed to aid in this. The ground for
these components should be separated from the switch
current path. Failure to do so will result in poor stability or
subharmonic oscillation.
C2
3437 F09a
Switch loss:
FE PACKAGE TOPSIDE METAL
PSW =
C1
2
VIN
Boost current loss:
L1
D1
( ) (VOUT ) + tEFF (1/2)(IOUT )(VIN)(f)
RSW IOUT
PBOOST
C2
2
VOUT ) (IOUT /30)
(
=
VIN
Quiescent current loss:
PQ = VIN (500µA) + VOUT (800µA)
3437 F09b
DD PACKAGE TOPSIDE METAL
RSW = switch resistance (≈1 when hot )
tEFF = effective switch current/voltage overlap time
Figure 9. Suggested Layouts
3437f
18
LT3437
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APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
(tr + tf + tIR + tIF)
tr = (VIN/0.6)ns
tf = (VIN/2)ns
tIR = tIF = (IOUT/0.05)ns
f = switch frequency
that AC switching loss is proportional to both operating
frequency and output current. The majority of AC switching loss is also proportional to the square of input voltage.
Example: with VIN = 40V, VOUT = 5V and IOUT = 250mA:
PSW
2
1)(0.25) (5)
(
=
+
40
0.008 + 0.092 = 0.1W
PBOOST
(92)(12/ )(0.25)(40)(200e 3)
2
5) (0.25/30)
(
=
= 0.005W
40
PQ = 40(0.0005) + 5(0.0008) = 0.024 W
Total power dissipation is:
PTOT = 0.1 + 0.065 + 0.024 = 0.13W
Thermal resistance for the LT3437 package is influenced
by the presence of internal or backside planes. With a full
plane under the package, thermal resistance will be about
45°C for the FE and DD packages. No plane will increase
resistance to about 150°C/W. To calculate die temperature,
use the proper thermal resistance number for the desired
package and add in worst-case ambient temperature:
TJ = TA + QJA (PTOT)
With the DD package (QJA = 45°C/W) at an ambient
temperature of 70°C:
TJ = 70 + 45(0.1) = 74.5°C
Input Voltage vs Operating Frequency Considerations
The absolute maximum input supply voltage for the LT3437
is specified at 80V. This is based solely on internal semiconductor junction breakdown effects. Due to internal
power dissipation, the actual maximum VIN achievable in
a particular application may be less than this.
A detailed theoretical basis for estimating internal power
loss is given in the section Thermal Considerations. Note
For example, while the combination of VIN = 40V, VOUT =
5V at 700mA and fOSC = 200kHz may be easily achievable,
simultaneously raising VIN to 80V and fOSC to 700kHz is not
possible. Nevertheless, input voltage transients up to 80V
can usually be accommodated, assuming the resulting
increase in internal dissipation is of insufficient time duration to raise die temperature significantly.
A second consideration is controllability. A potential limitation occurs with a high step-down ratio of VIN to VOUT,
as this requires a correspondingly narrow minimum switch
on time. An approximate expression for this (assuming
continuous mode operation) is given as follows:
tON(MIN) = (VOUT + VF )/VIN(fOSC)
where:
VIN = input voltage
VOUT = output voltage
VF = Schottky diode forward drop
fOSC = switching frequency
A potential controllability problem arises if the LT3437 is
called upon to produce an on time shorter than it is able to
produce. Feedback loop action will lower, then reduce, the
VC control voltage to the point where some sort of cycleskipping or Burst Mode behavior is exhibited.
In summary:
1. Be aware that the simultaneous requirements of high
VIN, high IOUT and high fOSC may not be achievable in
practice due to internal dissipation. The Thermal Considerations section offers a basis to estimate internal
power. In questionable cases, a prototype supply should
be built and exercised to verify acceptable operation.
2. The simultaneous requirements of high VIN, low VOUT
and high fOSC can result in an unacceptably short minimum switch on time. Cycle skipping and/or Burst Mode
behavior will result causing an increase in output voltage ripple while maintaining the correct output voltage.
3437f
19
LT3437
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APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
FREQUENCY COMPENSATION
Before starting on the theoretical analysis of frequency
response, the following should be remembered—the worse
the board layout, the more difficult the circuit will be to
stabilize. This is true of almost all high frequency analog
circuits. Read the Layout Considerations section first.
Common layout errors that appear as stability problems
are distant placement of input decoupling capacitor and/or
catch diode, and connecting the VC compensation to a
ground track carrying significant switch current. In addition, the theoretical analysis considers only first order
non-ideal component behavior. For these reasons, it is
important that a final stability check is made with production layout and components.
The LT3437 uses current mode control. This alleviates
many of the phase shift problems associated with the
inductor. The basic regulator loop is shown in Figure 10.
The LT3437 can be considered as two gm blocks, the error
amplifier and the power stage.
Figure 11 shows the overall loop response. At the VC pin,
the frequency compensation components used are:
RC = 25k, CC = 1500pF and CF = 330pF. The output
capacitor used is a 100µF, 10V tantalum capacitor with
typical ESR of 100mΩ.
The ESR of the tantalum output capacitor provides a useful
zero in the loop frequency response for maintaining stability. This ESR, however, contributes significantly to the
ripple voltage at the output (see Output Ripple Voltage in
the Applications Information section). It is possible to
reduce capacitor size and output ripple voltage by replacing the tantalum output capacitor with a ceramic output
capacitor because of its very low ESR. The zero provided
by the tantalum output capacitor must now be reinserted
back into the loop. Alternatively, there may be cases
where, even with the tantalum output capacitor, an additional zero is required in the loop to increase phase margin
for improved transient response.
A zero can be added into the loop by placing a resistor (RC)
at the VC pin in series with the compensation capacitor, CC,
or by placing a capacitor (CFB) between the output and the
FB pin.
When using RC, the maximum value has two limitations.
First, the combination of output capacitor ESR and RC may
stop the loop rolling off altogether. Second, if the loop gain
is not rolled off sufficiently at the switching frequency,
output ripple will perturb the VC pin enough to cause
unstable duty cycle switching, similar to subharmonic
oscillations. If needed, an additional capacitor (CF) can be
added across the RC/CC network from the VC pin to ground
to further suppress VC ripple voltage.
With a tantalum output capacitor, the LT3437 already
includes a resistor (RC) and filter capacitor (CF) at the VC
pin (see Figures 10 and 11) to compensate the loop over
the entire VIN range (to allow for stable pulse skipping for
high VIN-to-VOUT ratios ≥ 10). A ceramic output capacitor
can still be used with a simple adjustment to the resistor RC
for stable operation (see Ceramic Capacitors section for
stabilizing LT3430). If additional phase margin is required,
a capacitor (CFB) can be inserted between the output and
FB pin, but care must be taken for high output voltage
applications. Sudden shorts to the output can create
unacceptably large negative transients on the FB pin.
For VIN-to-VOUT ratios < 10, higher loop bandwidths are
possible by readjusting the frequency compensation components at the VC pin.
When checking loop stability, the circuit should be operated over the application’s full voltage, current and temperature range. Proper loop compensation may be obtained
by empirical methods, as described in Application Notes
19 and 76.
3437f
20
LT3437
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APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
LT3437
CURRENT MODE
POWER STAGE
Ω
gm = 1
SW
gm = 650µ
VC
1.6M
CFB
R1
Ω
FB
–
ERROR
AMP
RC
OUTPUT
ESR
R2
+
1.25V
CF
COUT
CC
3437 F13
Figure 10. Model for Loop Response
100
80
GAIN (dB)
60
40
–80
20
–100
PHASE (DEG)
0
VOUT = 3.3V
COUT = 100µF, 0.1Ω –20
CF = 330pF
RC = 25k
–40
CC = 1500pF
–60
ILOAD = 250mA
–120
0
–140
–20
–160
–40
10
100
1k
10k
FREQUENCY (Hz)
100k
–180
1M
3437 F12
Figure 11. Overall Loop Response
3437f
21
LT3437
U
PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO
DD Package
10-Lead Plastic DFN (3mm × 3mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1699)
0.675 ±0.05
3.50 ±0.05
1.65 ±0.05
2.15 ±0.05 (2 SIDES)
PACKAGE
OUTLINE
0.25 ± 0.05
0.50
BSC
2.38 ±0.05
(2 SIDES)
RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD PITCH AND DIMENSIONS
R = 0.115
TYP
6
3.00 ±0.10
(4 SIDES)
0.38 ± 0.10
10
1.65 ± 0.10
(2 SIDES)
PIN 1
TOP MARK
(SEE NOTE 6)
(DD10) DFN 1103
5
0.200 REF
1
0.75 ±0.05
0.00 – 0.05
0.25 ± 0.05
0.50 BSC
2.38 ±0.10
(2 SIDES)
BOTTOM VIEW—EXPOSED PAD
NOTE:
1. DRAWING TO BE MADE A JEDEC PACKAGE OUTLINE M0-229 VARIATION OF (WEED-2).
CHECK THE LTC WEBSITE DATA SHEET FOR CURRENT STATUS OF VARIATION ASSIGNMENT
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
3437f
22
LT3437
U
PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO
FE Package
16-Lead Plastic TSSOP (4.4mm)
(Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1663)
Exposed Pad Variation BC
4.90 – 5.10*
(.193 – .201)
3.58
(.141)
3.58
(.141)
16 1514 13 12 1110
6.60 ±0.10
9
2.94
(.116)
4.50 ±0.10
6.40
2.94
(.252)
(.116)
BSC
SEE NOTE 4
0.45 ±0.05
1.05 ±0.10
0.65 BSC
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
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
MILLIMETERS
2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN
(INCHES)
3. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE
0.25
REF
1.10
(.0433)
MAX
0° – 8°
0.65
(.0256)
BSC
0.195 – 0.30
(.0077 – .0118)
TYP
0.05 – 0.15
(.002 – .006)
FE16 (BC) TSSOP 0204
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
3437f
Information furnished by Linear Technology Corporation is believed to be accurate and reliable.
However, no responsibility is assumed for its use. Linear Technology Corporation makes no representation that the interconnection of its circuits as described herein will not infringe on existing patent rights.
23
LT3437
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO
14V to 3.3V Step-Down Converter with
100µA No Load Quiescent Current
0.1µF
100µH BAS21
10MQ100N
CSS
VBIAS
330pF
165k
27pF
25k
SYNC
FB
100k
GND
*FOR INPUT VOLTAGES ABOVE 60V SOME RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY
100µF
6.3V
TANT
3437 TA04
500
100
VIN = 12V
90 VOUT = 3.3V
TA = 25°C
80
70 EFFICIENCY
180
160
140
EFFICIENCY (%)
SW
LT3437
VC
1500pF
0.1µF
SHDN
200
VOUT
3.3V
400mA
SUPPLY CURRENT (µA)
2.2µF
100V
CER
BOOST
Efficiency and Power Loss
vs Load Current
120
100
80
300
250
40
200
40
20
20
10
10
20
30 40 50 60
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
70
80
350
50
30
0
400
60
60
0
450
150
POWER LOSS
POWER LOSS (mW)
VIN
4.5V TO
80V*
VIN
Supply Current vs
Input Voltage
100
50
0
0.1
1
10
100
LOAD CURRENT (mA)
3435 TA05
0
1000
3437 G01
RELATED PARTS
PART NUMBER
DESCRIPTION
COMMENTS
LT1765
25V, 3A (IOUT), 1.25MHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 3V to 25V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 1mA, ISD < 15µA,
SO-8, TSSOP16E
LT1766
60V, 1.2A (IOUT), 200kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 5.5V to 60V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 2.5mA,
ISD < 25µA, TSSOP16/E
LT1767
25V, 1.5A (IOUT), 1.25MHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 3V to 25V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 1mA, ISD < 6µA,
MS8/E
LT1776
40V, 550mA (IOUT), 200kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 7.4V to 40V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.24V, IQ = 3.2mA,
ISD < 30µA, N8, S8
LT1936
36V, 1.4A, 500kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC Converter
VIN: 3.6V to 36V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.2V, IQ = 1.8mA,
ISD 4mA MS8/E
LT1940
Dual 1.2A (IOUT), 1.1MHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 3V to 25V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.2V, IQ = 3.8mA, TSSOP-16E
LT1956
60V, 1.2A (IOUT), 500kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 5.5V to 60V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 2.5mA,
ISD < 25µA, TSSOP16/E
LT1976
60V, 1.5A (IOUT), 200kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 3.3V to 60V, IQ = 100µA, ISD < 1µA, TSSOP-16E
LT1977
60V, 1.5A (IOUT), 500kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 3.3V to 60V, IQ = 100µA, ISD < 1µA, TSSOP-16E
LT3010
80V, 50mA, Low Noise Linear Regulator
VIN: 1.5V to 80V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.28V, IQ = 30µA, ISD < 1µA,
MS8E
LT3430
60V, 2.5A (IOUT), 200kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 5.5V to 60V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 2.5mA,
ISD < 30µA, TSSOP-16E
LT3431
60V, 2.5A (IOUT), 500kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC
Converter
VIN: 5.5V to 60V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.20V, IQ = 2.5mA,
ISD < 30µA, TSSOP-16E
LT3433
60V, 400mA (IOUT), 200kHz/500kHz, Buck-Boost DC/DC Converter
VIN: 5V to 60V, VOUT: 3.3V to 20V, IQ = 100µA, TSSOP-16E
LT3434/LT3435
60V, 3A (IOUT), 200kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC Converter
VIN: 3.3V to 60V, IQ = 100µA, ISD < 1µA, TSSOP-16E
LT3470
40V, 300mA, MicroPower Buck Regulator with Integrated Boost and
Catch Diodes
VIN: 4V to 40V, VOUT(MIN) = 1.25V, IQ = 26µA, ThinSOT
LTC3727/LTC3727-1 36V, 500kHz, High Efficiency Step-Down DC/DC Controllers
VIN: 4V to 36V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 670µA, ISD < 20µA,
QFN-32, SSOP-28
3437f
24
Linear Technology Corporation
LT/TP 0605 500 PRINTED IN USA
1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417
(408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507
●
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