NSC LM3404_1

National Semiconductor
Application Note 1629
Chris Richardson
May 2007
Introduction
ible PSOP-8 package with an exposed thermal pad (also
called a die-attach paddle, or DAP) will be compared to help
the user estimate the die temperature under various conditions, and determine which package is best for their application.
The second part of this application note uses the power dissipation calculated in the first section to estimate the
LM3404HV’s die temperature under two typical configurations of the LEDs relative to the LED driver. The first case is
for the LM3404HV mounted on a separate PCB that is connected to the LEDs by a wiring harness. This case assumes
an ambient temperature influenced by the heating of the
LEDs, but no direct heating of the PCB by the LEDs themselves. The second case assumes the LM3404HV is mounted
to the same MCPCB as the LEDs themselves. In this configuration the temperature of the MCPCB has a much stronger
influence over the LM3404HV die temperature than the ambient temperature, and the tests assume a fixed MCPCB
temperature instead of a fixed ambient temperature.
The LM3404/04HV is a buck-regulator designed for driving
high powered LEDs at forward currents of up to 1.0A. LED
drivers often experience thermal conditions that are extreme
even by the standards of switching converters. For example,
LED drivers are often placed on the same metal-core PCB
(MCPCB) as the LEDs themselves. At 1.0A, a single-die white
LED can dissipate more than 3W. The temperature of the
MCPCB can easily reach 60°C or more. Even when the driver
is placed on a separate PCB, the combination of high power
dissipation, small, enclosed spaces, and little-to-no air flow
create high ambient temperatures and even higher junction
temperatures.
Thermal conditions for integrated (MOSFET on-board) LED
drivers are made worse by the high duty cycles of LED drivers.
For applications that use multiple LEDs, as many LEDs as
possible are placed in series to match the current and voltage
limitations of the regulator regulator. The result is that output
voltage is just below the input voltage. A voltage regulator that
provides a 5V output from a 24V input has a duty cycle of 21%,
meaning that the internal MOSFET is on for 21% of the time.
In contrast, a 24V input is often used to drive five series-connected white LEDs, and at 3.5V each this gives an output
voltage of 17.5V, forcing the MOSFET to conduct for 73% of
the time.
The first part of this application note will explore the performance of the LM3404HV in a high current, high input voltage,
high duty cycle application typical of many LED drivers, using
lab-tested thermal performance results and simulations. The
industry standard SO-8 package and the pin-for-pin compat-
Test Circuit
The test circuit uses the LM3404HV to drive ten series-connected 3W white LEDs from an input voltage of 48V ±5%. The
total forward current, IF, is 1A ±5% at a typical forward drop
of 36V (in thermal equilibrium). Output current ripple is 70
mAP-P or less. Switching frequency is 550 kHz ±10% and the
circuit is surge protected up to 60V. A complete BOM is listed
at the back of this document, and performance waveforms are
given in Application Note AN-1585. The schematic is shown
in Figure 1.
Thermal Performance of the LM3404/04HV in SO-8 and PSOP-8 Packages
Thermal Performance of the
LM3404/04HV in SO-8 and
PSOP-8 Packages
30019201
FIGURE 1.
AN-1629
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AN-1629
PS = 0.5 x VIN x IF x (tR + tF) x fSW
PS = 0.5 x 48 x 1.0 x (40 x 10-9) x 550000 = 528 mW
Test PCB
The test PCB for this application note is the LM3402/04
PSOP-8 Evaluation board. The board measures 1.95” by
1.25”, with 2 layers of 1oz copper and 62mil FR4. To obtain
best thermal performance, most of the top layer and the entire
bottom layer are composed of large copper areas (shapes).
These areas act as heatsinks for the LM3404HV. Of special
importance is the pad and thermal via arrangement that connects the DAP of the PSOP-8 package to the ground plane
on the bottom layer. Figure 2 shows a detail of the pad, which
is the recommended layout for best thermal performance. The
LM3404HV in PSOP-8 can be used on a standard SO-8 footprint, and the LM3404HV in SO-8 can be used on the PSOP-8
Evaluation Board, however neither of these options take advantage of the enhanced thermal performance of the PSOP-8
when properly soldered to a thermal pad connected to a large
(1 square inch or more) copper area. Plots of the PCB layers
are shown at the end of this document.
The total power dissipation inside the LM3404HV is then:
PD = PC + PG + PS = 1.14W
Thermal Calculations
The LM3404HV has a maximum operating junction temperature (TJ) of 125°C. Calibrated testing of the LM3404HV in both
the SO-8 package (NSID LM3404HVMA) and PSOP-8 (NSID
LM3404HVMR) was performed using the actual PSOP-8
evaluation PCB. The results for junction-to-ambient thermal
resistance (θJA) in °C/W are summarized below:
Package
1.0W
1.5W
SO-8
102
99
N/A
PSOP-8
50.9
49.6
48.4
To match the expected application conditions, all tests were
performed with no air flow. Data for the SO-8 package at 1.5W
is not available because the final TJ exceeded 125°C. θJA is
as much a property of the PCB as it is of the semiconductor
chip. The top layer of the PSOP-8 Evaluation board is approximately 75% copper, and the bottom (accounting for
holes and traces) is approximately 90%. The estimated total
copper area is therefore (0.75 + 0.9) x (1.25” x 1.95”) = 4
square inches.
With the power dissipation and thermal resistance data the
maximum ambient operating temperature can be predicted
or, given the ambient operating temperature, a decision can
be made as to the proper package for the LM3404HV.
Maximum ambient operating temperature, TA-MAX, can be determined with the following equation:
30019202
FIGURE 2. PSOP-8 Pad and Thermal Via Layout
TA-MAX = TJ-MAX – PD x θJA
TA-MAX (SO-8) = 125 – 1.14 x 99 = 12°C
TA-MAX (PSOP-8) = 125 – 1.14 x 50 = 68°C
Power Dissipation
It is clear from the calculations that the PSOP-8 package must
be used in this high dissipation application.
As an alternative, if the ambient temperature is known, then
the die temperature of the LM3404HV can be predicted by rearranging the previous equation:
Power dissipation inside the LM3404HV can be divided into
three types: conduction (I2R) loss, gate charge loss, and
switching loss. For each calculation the maximum, worstcase values have been used. Duty cycle, D, is 0.75. The
MOSFET RDSON is 0.75Ω, gate charge, QG is 6 nC, and the
rise are fall times, tR and tF, are 20 ns each.
Conduction loss, PC, in the internal MOSFET
TJ = TA + PD x θJA
For example, if the ambient temperature inside an enclosure
with high power LEDs reaches 60°C, then the two package
options can again be evaluated:
PC = (IF x D)2 x RDSON = (1.0 x 0.75)2 x 0.75 = 420 mW
Gate charging and VCC loss, PG, in the gate drive and linear
regulator:
TJ (SO-8) = 60 + 1.14 x 99 = 173°C
TJ (PSOP-8) = 60 + 1.14 x 50 = 117°C
PG = (IIN-OP + fSW x QG) x VIN
PG = (675 x 10-6 + 550000 x 6 x 10-9) x 48 = 191 mW
Again, the results show that the SO-8 package will not be able
to keep the junction temperature within specification limits.
Switching loss, PS, in the internal NFET:
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0.5W
2
AN-1629
Predicting Thermals with FR4
30019203
FIGURE 3. System Diagram 1
Using finite element analysis, the thermal performance of the
LM3404HV in PSOP-8 and SO-8 was simulated with three
different sized PCBs. These simulations assumed an ambient
temperature of 22°C, a power dissipation of 1W, and a 2-layer
PCB comprised of 1oz copper on top and bottom, separated
by 62mil of FR4. The results are listed below:
Material
Thickness (mil)
Thermal
Conductivity
(W/m-K)
Metal Core (6061-T6
aluminum)
40
167
θJA (°C/W)
PSOP-8
SO-8
Insulator Material
3
2.4
1.25" x 1.95" (Eval Board)
55.1
104.8
1.4
377
1" x 1" (Typical Case)
73.0
120.8
Copper Traces (75%
coverage)
0.5" x 0.5" (Worst Case)
240.2
263.7
To attain typical operating conditions, the 1” square section
containing the LM3404HV was assumed to be part of a larger
MCPCB measuring 1” x 6”. The other 5 square inches contained 5 high power LEDs, and it was assumed that they
heated the entire board to a uniform temperature, TBD, of 50°
C (representing a large heatsink) and 75°C (representing a
smaller heatsink.) The results for thermal impedance from the
, are listed below:
board to the LM3404HV die,
There is good correlation between the test results and simulation results for the Evaluation Board Case. The strong influence of the PCB size can be seen by comparing the results
from the demo board to those of the Typical and Worst Cases.
Without enough copper area to spread and dissipate heat, the
advantages of the exposed pad are reduced, and even the
PSOP-8 package will be limited to low power, low ambient
temperature applications.
(°C/W)
Predicting Thermals with MetalCore PCB
TBD = 75°C TBD = 75°C TBD = 50°C TBD = 50°C
TA = 60°C TA = 45°C TA = 40°C TA = 30°C
SO-8
70.5
69.2
71.4
70.5
PSOP8
9.8
9.2
10.5
10.1
The parameter
can be used to calculate the LM3404HV
junction temperature using the following equation:
Alternatively,
can be used to determine the maximum tolerable board temperature by working back from a TJ-MAX of
125°C:
30019204
FIGURE 4. System Diagram 2
Finite element analysis was again used to simulate the performance of the LM3404HV when dissipating 1W in PSOP-8
and SO-8 packages on a 1” square section of MCPCB with
the following composition:
Two main conclusions can be drawn from the results. First,
the thermal impedance has little dependence on the board
temperature or the ambient temperature, and instead depends highly on the package used. Second, the PSOP-8
package is again far superior to the SO-8 package when the
DAP is soldered to a mass with low thermal impedance, such
as an MCPCB.
3
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AN-1629
The results presented in this application note are intended to
guide the user in selecting the correct package and configuration for a high powered LED driver such as the LM3404HV.
The general trends observed are valid for other applications,
but will not correlate directly to other circuits or applications.
Conclusion
The higher the ambient temperature, the board temperature,
and the power dissipation of the LM3404HV, the more likely
that the PSOP-8 package will be required in order to maintain
the junction temperature below TJ-MAX. In addition, as the
thermal stress becomes greater and the PCB area becomes
smaller, the more likely that the LM3404HV will need to be
mounted on an MCPCB.
Bill of Materials
ID
Part Number
Type
Size
Parameters
Qty
Vendor
U1
LM3404HVMR
LED Driver
PSOP-8
75V 1A
1
NSC
L1
SLF10145T-470M1R4
Inductor
10.0 x 10.0 x 4.5mm
47µH, 1.4A, 0.1Ω
1
TDK
D2
CMSH2-60
Schottky Diode
SMB
60V 2A
1
Central Semi
Cf
VJ0603Y104KXXAT
Capacitor
0603
100nF 10%
1
Vishay
Cb
VJ0603Y103KXXAT
Capacitor
0603
10nF 10%
1
Vishay
Cin1, Cin2
C4532X7R2A105M
Capacitor
1812
2.2µF 100V
2
TDK
Co
C3216X7R2A474M
Capacitor
1206
0.47µF 100V
1
TDK
Rsns
ERJ8BQFR20V
Resistor
1206
0.2Ω 1%
1
Panasonic
Ron
CRCW06035363F
Resistor
0603
536kΩ1%
1
Vishay
PCB Layout
30019205
Top Layer
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AN-1629
30019206
Bottom Layer
5
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Thermal Performance of the LM3404/04HV in SO-8 and PSOP-8 Packages
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Copyright© 2007 National Semiconductor Corporation
AN-1629
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