LTC3830/LTC3830-1 High Power Step-Down Synchronous DC/DC Controllers for Low Voltage Operation U FEATURES ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ DESCRIPTIO The LTC®3830/LTC3830-1 are high power, high efficiency switching regulator controllers optimized for 3.3V-5V to 1.xV-3.xV step-down applications. A precision internal reference and feedback system provide ±1% output regulation over temperature, load current and line voltage variations. The LTC3830/LTC3830-1 use a synchronous switching architecture with N-channel MOSFETs. Additionally, the chip senses output current through the drain-source resistance of the upper N-channel FET, providing an adjustable current limit without a current sense resistor. High Power Switching Regulator Controller for 3.3V-5V to 1.xV-3.xV Step-Down Applications No Current Sense Resistor Required Low Input Supply Voltage Range: 3V to 8V Maximum Duty Cycle > 91% Over Temperature All N-Channel External MOSFETs Excellent Output Regulation: ±1% Over Line, Load and Temperature Variations High Efficiency: Over 95% Possible Adjustable or Fixed 3.3V Output (16-Pin Version) Programmable Fixed Frequency Operation: 100kHz to 500kHz External Clock Synchronization Soft-Start (Some Versions) Low Shutdown Current: <10µA Overtemperature Protection Available in S8, S16 and SSOP-16 Packages The LTC3830/LTC3830-1 operate with an input supply voltage as low as 3V and with a maximum duty cycle of >91% over temperature. They include a fixed frequency PWM oscillator for low output ripple operation. The 200kHz free-running clock frequency can be externally adjusted or synchronized with an external signal from 100kHz to 500kHz. In shutdown mode, the LTC3830 supply current drops to <10µA. The LTC3830-1 differs from the LTC3830 S8 version by replacing shutdown with a soft-start function. U APPLICATIO S ■ ■ ■ CPU Power Supplies Multiple Logic Supply Generator Distributed Power Applications High Efficiency Power Conversion For a similar, pin compatible DC/DC converter with an output voltage as low as 0.6V, please refer to the LTC3832. , LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. U ■ TYPICAL APPLICATIO 4.7µF VIN 3V TO 8V 5.1Ω Efficiency + 0.01µF 220µF 10V LTC3830-1 PVCC2 SS COMP M1 Si7806DN G1 12V 15k L 3.2µH 1.8V 9A GND PVCC1 12.7k 1% FB G2 4.7µF M2 Si7806DN 5.36k 1% VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V 90 B320A + COUT 270µF 2V EFFICIENCY (%) 0.1µF 100 80 70 60 50 3830 F01 3.3nF L: SUMIDA CDEP105-3R2MC-88 COUT: PANASONIC EEFUEOD271R Figure 1. High Efficiency 3V-8V to 1.8V Power Converter 40 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 LOAD CURRENT (A) 8 9 10 3830 TA02 sn3830 3830fs 1 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 W W W AXI U U ABSOLUTE RATI GS (Note 1) Supply Voltage VCC ....................................................................... 9V PVCC1,2 ................................................................ 14V Input Voltage IFB, IMAX ............................................... – 0.3V to 14V SENSE+, SENSE–, FB, SHDN, FREQSET ....................... – 0.3V to VCC + 0.3V Junction Temperature ........................................... 125°C Operating Temperature Range (Note 9) .. – 40°C to 85°C Storage Temperature Range ................. – 65°C to 150°C Lead Temperature (Soldering, 10 sec).................. 300°C U U W PACKAGE/ORDER I FOR ATIO TOP VIEW G1 1 8 G2 PVCC1 2 7 VCC/PVCC2 GND 3 6 COMP FB 4 5 SHDN S8 PACKAGE 8-LEAD PLASTIC SO TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 130°C/ W TOP VIEW G1 1 8 G2 PVCC1 2 7 VCC/PVCC2 GND 3 6 COMP FB 4 5 SS S8 PACKAGE 8-LEAD PLASTIC SO TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 130°C/ W ORDER PART NUMBER ORDER PART NUMBER TOP VIEW LTC3830ES8 S8 PART MARKING 3830 ORDER PART NUMBER LTC3830-1ES8 LTC3830EGN LTC3830ES G1 1 16 G2 PVCC1 2 15 PVCC2 PGND 3 14 VCC GND 4 13 IFB SENSE– 5 12 IMAX FB 6 11 FREQSET SENSE+ 7 10 COMP SHDN 8 9 GN PART MARKING 3830 SS GN PACKAGE S PACKAGE 16-LEAD PLASTIC SSOP 16-LEAD PLASTIC SO S8 PART MARKING TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 130°C/ W (GN) TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 100°C/ W (S) 38301 Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges. ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS The ● denotes specifications that apply over the full operating temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VCC, PVCC1, PVCC2 = 5V, unless otherwise noted. (Note 2) SYMBOL PARAMETER VCC Supply Voltage PVCC PVCC1, PVCC2 Voltage VUVLO Undervoltage Lockout Voltage VFB Feedback Voltage VOUT ∆VOUT Output Voltage Output Load Regulation Output Line Regulation CONDITIONS (Note 7) MIN TYP MAX ● 3 5 8 ● 3 VCOMP = 1.25V V 13.2 V 2.4 2.9 V ● 1.255 1.252 1.265 1.265 1.275 1.278 V V ● 3.250 3.235 3.3 3.3 3.350 3.365 V V VCOMP = 1.25V IOUT = 0A to 10A (Note 6) VCC = 4.75V to 5.25V UNITS 2 0.1 mV mV sn3830 3830fs 2 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS The ● denotes specifications that apply over the full operating temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA = 25°C. VCC, PVCC1, PVCC2 = 5V, unless otherwise noted. (Note 2) SYMBOL PARAMETER CONDITIONS TYP MAX IVCC Supply Current Figure 2, VSHDN = VCC VSHDN = 0V ● ● MIN 0.7 1 1.6 10 mA µA IPVCC PVCC Supply Current Figure 2, VSHDN = VCC (Note 3) VSHDN = 0V ● ● 14 0.1 20 10 mA µA fOSC Internal Oscillator Frequency FREQSET Floating ● 200 250 kHz VSAWL VCOMP at Minimum Duty Cycle VSAWH VCOMP at Maximum Duty Cycle VCOMPMAX Maximum VCOMP 160 1.2 VFB = 0V, PVCC1 = 8V ∆fOSC/∆IFREQSET Frequency Adjustment V 2.2 V 2.85 V 10 kHz/µA dB AV Error Amplifier Open-Loop DC Gain Measured from FB to COMP, SENSE + and SENSE – Floating, (Note 4) ● 46 55 gm Error Amplifier Transconductance Measured from FB to COMP, SENSE + and SENSE – Floating, (Note 4) ● 520 650 ICOMP Error Amplifier Output Sink/Source Current IMAX IMAX Sink Current IMAX Sink Current Tempco UNITS 780 µA 100 VIMAX = VCC (Note 10) ● 9 4 VIMAX = VCC (Note 6) 12 12 15 20 3300 VIH SHDN Input High Voltage VIL SHDN Input Low Voltage IIN SHDN Input Current VSHDN = VCC ● ISS Soft-Start Source Current VSS = 0V, VIMAX = 0V, VIFB = VCC ● ISSIL Maximum Soft-Start Sink Current In Current Limit VIMAX = VCC, VIFB = 0V, VSS = VCC (Note 8), PVCC1 = 8V RSENSE ● µmho µA µA ppm/°C 2.4 V 0.8 V 0.1 1 µA –12 –16 µA ● –8 1.6 mA SENSE Input Resistance 29.2 kΩ RSENSEFB SENSE to FB Resistance 18 kΩ tr, tf Driver Rise/Fall Time Figure 2, PVCC1 = PVCC2 = 5V (Note 5) ● 80 250 ns tNOV Driver Nonoverlap Time Figure 2, PVCC1 = PVCC2 = 5V (Note 5) ● 25 120 250 ns DCMAX Maximum G1 Duty Cycle Figure 2, VFB = 0V (Note 5), PVCC1 = 8V ● 91 95 Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are those values beyond which the life of a device may be impaired. Note 2: 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 3: Supply current in normal operation is dominated by the current needed to charge and discharge the external FET gates. This will vary with the LTC3830 operating frequency, operating voltage and the external FETs used. Note 4: The open-loop DC gain and transconductance from the SENSE+ and SENSE – pins to COMP pin will be (AV)(1.265/3.3) and (gm)(1.265/3.3) respectively. Note 5: Rise and fall times are measured using 10% and 90% levels. Duty cycle and nonoverlap times are measured using 50% levels. Note 6: Guaranteed by design, not subject to test. % Note 7: PVCC1 must be higher than VCC by at least 2.5V for the current limit protection circuit to be active. Note 8: The current limiting amplifier can sink but cannot source current. Under normal (not current limited) operation, the output current will be zero. Note 9: The LTC3830E/LTC3830-1E are guaranteed to meet performance specifications from 0°C to 70°C. Specifications over the –40°C to 85°C operating temperature range are assured by design, characterization and correlation with statistical process controls. Note 10: The minimum and maximum limits for IMAX over temperature includes the intentional temperature coefficient of 3300ppm/°C. This induced temperature coefficient counteracts the typical temperature coefficient of the external power MOSFET on-resistance. This results in a relatively flat current limit over temperature for the application. sn3830 3830fs 3 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS 3.34 3.33 1.275 TA = 25°C REFER TO FIGURE 12 8 6 1.269 4 1.267 2 1.265 0 1.263 –2 1.261 –4 1.259 –6 1.257 –8 VFB (V) 1.271 3.30 3.29 3.28 3.27 3.26 –15 –10 –5 5 0 OUTPUT CURRENT (A) 10 1.255 15 4 3 6 7 5 SUPPLY VOLTAGE (V) 20 3.31 10 3.30 0 3.29 –10 3.28 –20 3.27 –30 75 50 25 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 100 –40 125 550 500 –50 –25 50 25 75 0 TEMPERATURE (˚C) 100 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 –50 –25 75 50 25 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 100 50 45 40 –50 –25 125 600 220 210 200 190 180 100 125 Oscillator (VSAWH – VSAWL) vs External Sync Frequency 1.5 TA = 25°C 1.4 500 TA = 25°C 1.3 VSAWH – VSAWL (V) OSCILLATOR FREQUENCY (kHz) 230 75 0 25 50 TEMPERATURE (°C) 2830 G07 Oscillator Frequency vs FREQSET Input Current FREQSET FLOATING 125 55 3830 G06 240 OSCILLATOR FREQUENCY (kHz) 600 60 180 Oscillator Frequency vs Temperature 400 300 200 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 100 0.6 170 160 –50 650 Error Amplifier Open-Loop Gain vs Temperature 200 3830 G04 250 700 3830 G05 ERROR AMPLIFIER OPEN-LOOP GAIN (dB) 3.32 3.26 –50 –25 ERROR AMPLIFIER SINK/SOURCE CURRENT (µA) 30 ∆VOUT (mV) VOUT (V) 3.33 750 Error Amplifier Sink/Source Current vs Temperature 40 REFER TO FIGURE 12 OUTPUT = NO LOAD 800 3830 G03 Output Voltage Temperature Drift 3.34 –10 8 3830 G02 ∆VFB (mV) 3.31 10 TA = 25°C 1.273 3.32 VOUT (V) Error Amplifier Transconductance vs Temperature Line Regulation ERROR AMPLIFIER TRANSCONDUCTANCE (µmho) Load Regulation –25 0 25 75 50 TEMPERATURE (°C) 100 125 3831 G08 0 –40 10 –20 –10 0 –30 FREQSET INPUT CURRENT (µA) 20 3830 G09 0.5 100 300 200 400 EXTERNAL SYNC FREQUENCY (kHz) 500 3830 G10 sn3830 3830fs 4 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS Maximum G1 Duty Cycle vs Temperature VFB = 0V REFER TO FIGURE 3 98 IMAX SINK CURRENT (µA) MAXIMUM G1 DUTY CYCLE (%) 99 97 96 95 94 93 Output Overcurrent Protection 20 3.5 18 3.0 TA = 25°C REFER TO FIGURE 12 RIMAX = 20k 2.5 16 OUTPUT VOLTAGE (V) 100 IMAX Sink Current vs Temperature 14 12 10 8 91 –50 –25 0 25 75 50 TEMPERATURE (°C) 100 4 – 50 – 25 125 100 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 50 25 0 75 TEMPERATURE (°C) 100 2.00 –9 1.75 –10 –11 –12 –13 –14 –15 75 50 25 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 100 Undervoltage Lockout Threshold Voltage vs Temperature 1.6 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.1 50 25 0 75 TEMPERATURE (°C) 100 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 0.25 0 –150 125 125 3830 G17 –125 –100 –50 –75 VIFB – VIMAX (mV) –25 1.5 PVCC Supply Current vs Oscillator Frequency 90 FREQSET FLOATING TA = 25°C 80 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 G1 AND G2 LOADED WITH 6800pF, PVCC1,2 = 12V 70 60 50 G1 AND G2 LOADED WITH 1000pF, PVCC1,2 = 5V 40 30 G1 AND G2 LOADED WITH 6800pF, PVCC1,2 = 5V 20 10 0.5 0.4 –50 0 3830 G16 PVCC SUPPLY CURRENT (mA) 2.7 2.0 –50 –25 1.50 VCC Operating Supply Current vs Temperature 3.0 14 TA = 25°C 3830 G15 VCC OPERATING SUPPLY CURRENT (mA) UNDERVOLTAGE LOCKOUT THRESHOLD VOLTAGE (V) 3830 G14 2.8 12 Soft-Start Sink Current vs (VIFB – VIMAX) –8 –16 – 50 – 25 125 2.9 4 6 8 10 OUTPUT CURRENT (A) 3830 G13 SOFT-START SINK CURRENT (mA) SOFT-START SOURCE CURRENT (µA) OUTPUT CURRENT LIMIT (A) REFER TO FIGURE 12 AND NOTE 10 OF THE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS RIMAX = 20k 2 0 Soft-Start Source Current vs Temperature 15 5 –50 –25 125 3830 G12 Output Current Limit Threshold vs Temperature 13 1.0 0 75 50 25 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 3830 G11 14 1.5 0.5 6 92 2.0 0 –25 50 25 0 75 TEMPERATURE (°C) 100 125 3830 G18 0 400 100 300 200 OSCILLATOR FREQUENCY (kHz) 500 3830 G19 sn3830 3830fs 5 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS PVCC Supply Current vs Gate Capacitance 200 TA = 25°C 40 VOUT 50mV/DIV 160 PVCC1,2 = 12V 30 20 PVCC1,2 = 5V 10 140 120 tf AT PVCC1,2 = 5V 100 60 40 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 GATE CAPACITANCE AT G1 AND G2 (nF) tf AT PVCC1,2 = 12V 0 50µs/DIV 3830 G22.tif tr AT PVCC1,2 = 12V 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 GATE CAPACITANCE AT G1 AND G2 (nF) 3830 G20 U U U PI FU CTIO S ILOAD 2AV/DIV tr AT PVCC1,2 = 5V 80 20 0 Transient Response TA = 25°C 180 G1 RISE/FALL TIME (ns) PVCC SUPPLY CURRENT (mA) 50 G1 Rise/Fall Time vs Gate Capacitance 3830 G21 (16-Lead LTC3830/8-Lead LTC3830/LTC3830-1) G1 (Pin 1/Pin 1/Pin 1): Top Gate Driver Output. Connect this pin to the gate of the upper N-channel MOSFET, Q1. This output swings from PGND to PVCC1. It remains low if G2 is high or during shutdown mode. resistor divider to set the output voltage, float SENSE+ and SENSE– and connect the external resistor divider to FB. The internal resistor divider is not included in the LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830. PVCC1 (Pin 2/Pin 2/Pin 2): Power Supply Input for G1. Connect this pin to a potential of at least VIN + VGS(ON)(Q1). This potential can be generated using an external supply or charge pump. SHDN (Pin 8/Pin 5/NA): Shutdown. A TTL compatible low level at SHDN for longer than 100µs puts the LTC3830 into shutdown mode. In shutdown, G1 and G2 go low, all internal circuits are disabled and the quiescent current drops to 10µA max. A TTL compatible high level at SHDN allows the part to operate normally. This pin also doubles as an external clock input to synchronize the internal oscillator with an external clock. The shutdown function is disabled in the LTC3830-1. PGND (Pin 3/Pin 3/Pin 3): Power Ground. Both drivers return to this pin. Connect this pin to a low impedance ground in close proximity to the source of Q2. Refer to the Layout Consideration section for more details on PCB layout techniques. The LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830 have PGND and GND tied together internally at Pin 3. GND (Pin 4/Pin 3/Pin 3): Signal Ground. All low power internal circuitry returns to this pin. To minimize regulation errors due to ground currents, connect GND to PGND right at the LTC3830. SENSE–, FB, SENSE+ (Pins 5, 6, 7/Pin 4/Pin 4): These three pins connect to the internal resistor divider and input of the error amplifier. To use the internal divider to set the output voltage to 3.3V, connect SENSE+ to the positive terminal of the output capacitor and SENSE– to the negative terminal. FB should be left floating. To use an external SS (Pin 9/NA/Pin 5): Soft-Start. Connect this pin to an external capacitor, CSS, to implement a soft-start function. If the LTC3830 goes into current limit, CSS is discharged to reduce the duty cycle. CSS must be selected such that during power-up, the current through Q1 will not exceed the current limit level. The soft-start function is disabled in the 8-lead LTC3830. COMP (Pin 10/Pin 6/Pin 6): External Compensation. This pin internally connects to the output of the error amplifier and input of the PWM comparator. Use a RC + C network at this pin to compensate the feedback loop to provide optimum transient response. sn3830 3830fs 6 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U U U PI FU CTIO S VCC (Pin 14/Pin 7/Pin 7): Power Supply Input. All low power internal circuits draw their supply from this pin. Connect this pin to a clean power supply, separate from the main VIN supply at the drain of Q1. This pin requires a 4.7µF bypass capacitor. The LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830 have VCC and PVCC2 tied together at Pin 7 and require a 10µF bypass capacitor to GND. FREQSET (Pin 11/NA/NA): Frequency Set. Use this pin to adjust the free-running frequency of the internal oscillator. With the pin floating, the oscillator runs at about 200kHz. A resistor from FREQSET to ground speeds up the oscillator; a resistor to VCC slows it down. IMAX (Pin 12/NA/NA): Current Limit Threshold Set. IMAX sets the threshold for the internal current limit comparator. If IFB drops below IMAX with G1 on, the LTC3830 goes into current limit. IMAX has an internal 12µA pull-down to GND. Connect this pin to the main VIN supply at the drain of Q1, through an external resistor to set the current limit threshold. Connect a 0.1µF decoupling capacitor across this resistor to filter switching noise. PVCC2 (Pin 15/Pin 7/Pin 7): Power Supply Input for G2. Connect this pin to the main high power supply. G2 (Pin 16/Pin 8/Pin 8): Bottom Gate Driver Output. Connect this pin to the gate of the lower N-channel MOSFET, Q2. This output swings from PGND to PVCC2. It remains low when G1 is high or during shutdown mode. To prevent output undershoot during a soft-start cycle, G2 is held low until G1 first goes high. (FFBG in Block Diagram.) IFB (Pin 13/NA/NA): Current Limit Sense. Connect this pin to the switching node at the source of Q1 and the drain of Q2 through a 1k resistor. The 1k resistor is required to prevent voltage transients from damaging IFB.This pin is used for sensing the voltage drop across the upper N-channel MOSFET, Q1. W BLOCK DIAGRA SHDN DISABLE GATE DRIVE LOGIC AND THERMAL SHUTDOWN 100µs DELAY POWER DOWN INTERNAL OSCILLATOR PVCC1 – FREQSET + COMP S Q G1 R Q PVCC2 PWM 12µA SS VCC FFBG QSS S POR R Q G2 ENABLE G2 PGND GND ERR + MIN – – MAX + – + FB VREF – 3% VREF CC 18k VREF + 3% SENSE + 11.2k – IFB + IMAX 12µA SENSE – VREF VREF – 3% VREF + 3% BG 3830 BD sn3830 3830fs 7 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 TEST CIRCUITS 5V PVCC + VSHDN VCC 10µF SHDN NC NC NC NC FB SS FREQSET COMP IMAX GND VCC PVCC2 PVCC1 IFB IFB VCOMP G1 VCC COMP 6800pF LTC3830 LTC3830 VFB G2 PGND G1 RISE/FALL G1 6800pF SENSE – 0.1µF PVCC1 PVCC2 SENSE + 6800pF FB G2 RISE/FALL G2 IMAX GND PGND 6800pF 3830 F03 3830 F02 Figure 2 Figure 3 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO OVERVIEW THEORY OF OPERATION The LTC3830 is a voltage mode feedback, synchronous switching regulator controller (see Block Diagram) designed for use in high power, low voltage step-down (buck) converters. It includes an onboard PWM generator, a precision reference trimmed to ±0.8%, two high power MOSFET gate drivers and all necessary feedback and control circuitry to form a complete switching regulator circuit. The PWM loop nominally runs at 200kHz. Primary Feedback Loop The 16-lead versions of the LTC3830 include a current limit sensing circuit that uses the topside external N-channel power MOSFET as a current sensing element, eliminating the need for an external sense resistor. Also included in the 16-lead version and the LTC3830-1 is an internal soft-start feature that requires only a single external capacitor to operate. In addition, 16-lead parts feature an adjustable oscillator that can free run or synchronize to external signal with frequencies from 100kHz to 500kHz, allowing added flexibility in external component selection. The 8-lead version does not include current limit, internal soft-start and frequency adjustability. The LTC3830-1 does not include current limit, frequency adjustability, external synchronization and the shutdown function. The LTC3830/LTC3830-1 sense the output voltage of the circuit at the output capacitor and feeds this voltage back to the internal transconductance error amplifier, ERR, through a resistor divider network. The error amplifier compares the resistor-divided output voltage to the internal 1.265V reference and outputs an error signal to the PWM comparator. This error signal is compared with a fixed frequency ramp waveform, from the internal oscillator, to generate a pulse width modulated signal. This PWM signal drives the external MOSFETs through the G1 and G2 pins. The resulting chopped waveform is filtered by LO and COUT which closes the loop. Loop compensation is achieved with an external compensation network at the COMP pin, the output node of the error amplifier. MIN, MAX Feedback Loops Two additional comparators in the feedback loop provide high speed output voltage correction in situations where the error amplifier may not respond quickly enough. MIN compares the feedback signal to a voltage 40mV below the internal reference. If the signal is below the comparator threshold, the MIN comparator overrides the error amplifier and forces the loop to maximum duty cycle, >91%. sn3830 3830fs 8 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Similarly, the MAX comparator forces the output to 0% duty cycle if the feedback signal is greater than 40mV above the internal reference. To prevent these two comparators from triggering due to noise, the MIN and MAX comparators’ response times are deliberately delayed by two to three microseconds. These two comparators help prevent extreme output perturbations with fast output load current transients, while allowing the main feedback loop to be optimally compensated for stability. Thermal Shutdown The LTC3830/LTC3830-1 have a thermal protection circuit that disables both gate drivers if activated. If the chip junction temperature reaches 150°C, both G1 and G2 are pulled low. G1 and G2 remain low until the junction temperature drops below 125°C, after which, the chip resumes normal operation. Soft-Start and Current Limit The 16-lead LTC3830 devices include a soft-start circuit that is used for start-up and current limit operation. The LTC3830-1 only has the soft-start function; the current limit function is disabled. The 8-lead LTC3830 has both the soft-start and current limit function disabled. The SS pin requires an external capacitor, CSS, to GND with the value determined by the required soft-start time. An internal 12µA current source is included to charge CSS. During power-up, the COMP pin is clamped to a diode drop (B-E junction of QSS in the Block Diagram) above the voltage at the SS pin. This prevents the error amplifier from forcing the loop to maximum duty cycle. The LTC3830/LTC3830-1 operate at low duty cycle as the SS pin rises above 0.6V (VCOMP ≈ 1.2V). As SS continues to rise, QSS turns off and the error amplifier takes over to regulate the output. The MIN comparator is disabled during soft-start to prevent it from overriding the soft-start function. The 16-lead LTC3830 devices include yet another feedback loop to control operation in current limit. Just before every falling edge of G1, the current comparator, CC, samples and holds the voltage drop measured across the external upper MOSFET, Q1, at the IFB pin. CC compares the voltage at IFB to the voltage at the IMAX pin. As the peak current rises, the measured voltage across Q1 increases due to the drop across the RDS(ON) of Q1. When the voltage at IFB drops below IMAX, indicating that Q1’s drain current has exceeded the maximum level, CC starts to pull current out of CSS, cutting the duty cycle and controlling the output current level. The CC comparator pulls current out of the SS pin in proportion to the voltage difference between IFB and IMAX. Under minor overload conditions, the SS pin falls gradually, creating a time delay before current limit takes effect. Very short, mild overloads may not affect the output voltage at all. More significant overload conditions allow the SS pin to reach a steady state, and the output remains at a reduced voltage until the overload is removed. Serious overloads generate a large overdrive at CC, allowing it to pull SS down quickly and preventing damage to the output components. By using the RDS(ON) of Q1 to measure the output current, the current limiting circuit eliminates an expensive discrete sense resistor that would otherwise be required. This helps minimize the number of components in the high current path. The current limit threshold can be set by connecting an external resistor RIMAX from the IMAX pin to the main VIN supply at the drain of Q1. The value of RIMAX is determined by: RIMAX = (ILMAX)(RDS(ON)Q1)/IIMAX where: ILMAX = ILOAD + (IRIPPLE/2) ILOAD = Maximum load current IRIPPLE = Inductor ripple current = ( VIN – VOUT )( VOUT ) (fOSC )(LO )(VIN) fOSC = LTC3830 oscillator frequency = 200kHz LO = Inductor value RDS(ON)Q1 = On-resistance of Q1 at ILMAX IIMAX = Internal 12µA sink current at IMAX sn3830 3830fs 9 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO The RDS(ON) of Q1 usually increases with temperature. To keep the current limit threshold constant, the internal 12µA sink current at IMAX is designed with a positive temperature coefficient to provide first order correction for the temperature coefficient of RDS(ON)Q1. In order for the current limit circuit to operate properly and to obtain a reasonably accurate current limit threshold, the IIMAX and IFB pins must be Kelvin sensed at Q1’s drain and source pins. In addition, connect a 0.1µF decoupling capacitor across RIMAX to filter switching noise. Otherwise, noise spikes or ringing at Q1’s source can cause the actual current limit to be greater than the desired current limit set point. Due to switching noise and variation of RDS(ON), the actual current limit trip point is not highly accurate. The current limiting circuitry is primarily meant to prevent damage to the power supply circuitry during fault conditions. The exact current level where the limiting circuit begins to take effect will vary from unit to unit as the RDS(ON) of Q1 varies. Typically, RDS(ON) varies as much as ±40% and with ±25% variation on the LTC3830’s IMAX current, this can give a ±65% variation on the current limit threshold. The RDS(ON) is high if the VGS applied to the MOSFET is low. This occurs during power up, when PVCC1 is ramping up. To prevent the high RDS(ON) from activating the current limit, the LTC3830 disables the current limit circuit if PVCC1 is less than 2.5V above VCC. To ensure proper operation of the current limit circuit, PVCC1 must be at least 2.5V above VCC when G1 is high. PVCC1 can go low when G1 is low, allowing the use of an external charge pump to power PVCC1. VIN LTC3830 RIMAX + CIN IMAX IFB – 0.1µF 12 12µA CC + G1 Q1 LO 1k 13 G2 Q2 + VOUT COUT 3830 F04 Oscillator Frequency The LTC3830 includes an onboard current controlled oscillator that typically free-runs at 200kHz. The oscillator frequency can be adjusted by forcing current into or out of the FREQSET pin. With the pin floating, the oscillator runs at about 200kHz. Every additional 1µA of current into/out of the FREQSET pin decreases/increases the frequency by 10kHz. The pin is internally servoed to 1.265V, connecting a 50k resistor from FREQSET to ground forces 25µA out of the pin, causing the internal oscillator to run at approximately 450kHz. Forcing an external 10µA current into FREQSET cuts the internal frequency to 100kHz. An internal clamp prevents the oscillator from running slower than about 50kHz. Tying FREQSET to VCC forces the chip to run at this minimum speed. The LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830 do not have this frequency adjustment function. Shutdown The LTC3830 includes a low power shutdown mode, controlled by the logic at the SHDN pin. A high at SHDN allows the part to operate normally. A low level at SHDN for more than 100µs forces the LTC3830 into shutdown mode. In this mode, all internal switching stops, the COMP and SS pins pull to ground and Q1 and Q2 turn off. The LTC3830 supply current drops to <10µA, although offstate leakage in the external MOSFETs may cause the total VIN current to be some what higher, especially at elevated temperatures. If SHDN returns high, the LTC3830 reruns a soft-start cycle and resumes normal operation. The LTC3830-1 does not have this shutdown function. External Clock Synchronization The LTC3830 SHDN pin doubles as an external clock input for applications that require a synchronized clock. An internal circuit forces the LTC3830 into external synchronization mode if a negative transition at the SHDN pin is detected. In this mode, every negative transition on the SHDN pin resets the internal oscillator and pulls the ramp signal low, this forces the LTC3830 internal oscillator to lock to the external clock frequency. The LTC3830-1 does not have this external synchronization function. Figure 4. Current Limit Setting sn3830 3830fs 10 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO The LTC3830 internal oscillator can be externally synchronized from 100kHz to 500kHz. Frequencies above 300kHz can cause a decrease in the maximum obtainable duty cycle as rise/fall time and propagation delay take up a larger percentage of the switch cycle. Circuits using these frequencies should be checked carefully in applications where operation near dropout is important—like 3.3V to 2.5V converters. The low period of this clock signal must not be >100µs, or else the LTC3830 enters shutdown mode. Figure 5 describes the operation of the external synchronization function. A negative transition at the SHDN pin forces the internal ramp signal low to restart a new PWM cycle. Notice that with the traditional sync method, the ramp amplitude is lowered as the external clock frequency goes higher. The effect of this decrease in ramp amplitude increases the open-loop gain of the controller feedback loop. As a result, the loop crossover frequency increases and it may cause the feedback loop to be unstable if the phase margin is insufficient. To overcome this problem, the LTC3830 monitors the peak voltage of the ramp signal and adjusts the oscillator charging current to maintain a constant ramp peak. Input Supply Considerations/Charge Pump The 16-lead LTC3830 requires four supply voltages to operate: VIN for the main power input, PVCC1 and PVCC2 for MOSFET gate drive and a clean, low ripple VCC for the LTC3830 internal circuitry (Figure 6). The LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830 have the PVCC2 and VCC pins tied together inside the package (Figure 7). This pin, brought out as VCC/PVCC2 , has the same low ripple requirements as the 16-lead part, but must also be able to supply the gate drive current to Q2. In many applications, VCC can be powered from VIN through an RC filter. This supply can be as low as 3V. The low quiescent current (typically 800µA) allows the use of relatively large filter resistors and correspondingly small VCC PVCC2 PVCC1 VIN G1 SHDN LO INTERNAL CIRCUITRY VOUT G2 TRADITIONAL SYNC METHOD WITH EARLY RAMP TERMINATION 200kHz FREE RUNNING RAMP SIGNAL Q1 RAMP SIGNAL WITH EXT SYNC + COUT Q2 LTC3830 (16-LEAD) 3830 F6 Figure 6. 16-Lead Power Supplies VCC/PVCC2 PVCC1 VIN G1 RAMP AMPLITUDE ADJUSTED LTC3830 KEEPS RAMP AMPLITUDE CONSTANT UNDER SYNC Q1 LO INTERNAL CIRCUITRY VOUT G2 + Q2 LTC3830 (8-LEAD) COUT 3830 F7 3830 F05 Figure 5. External Synchronization Operation Figure 7. 8-Lead Power Supplies sn3830 3830fs 11 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO filter capacitors. 100Ω and 4.7µF usually provide adequate filtering for VCC. For best performance, connect the 4.7µF bypass capacitor as close to the LTC3830 VCC pin as possible. ringing at the drain of Q2 and provide more than 3VIN at PVCC1; a 12V zener diode should be included from PVCC1 to PGND to prevent transients from damaging the circuitry at PVCC1 or the gate of Q1. Gate drive for the top N-channel MOSFET Q1 is supplied from PVCC1. This supply must be above VIN (the main power supply input) by at least one power MOSFET VGS(ON) for efficient operation. An internal level shifter allows PVCC1 to operate at voltages above VCC and VIN, up to 14V maximum. This higher voltage can be supplied with a separate supply, or it can be generated using a charge pump. Care should be taken when using a charge pump to power PVCC1 in applications with low VCC supply voltages (less than 4V) or high switching frequencies. The charge pump capacitors refresh when the G2 pin goes high and the switch node is pulled low by Q2. The G2 on-time becomes narrow when LTC3830 operates at maximum duty cycle (95% typical), which can occur if the input supply rises more slowly than the soft-start capacitor or the input voltage droops during load transients. If the G2 on-time gets so narrow that the switch node fails to pull completely to ground, the charge pump voltage may collapse or fail to start, causing excessive dissipation in external MOSFET Q1. This is most likely with low VCC voltages and high switching frequencies, coupled with large external MOSFETs which slow the G2 and switch node slew rates. Gate drive for the bottom MOSFET Q2 is provided through PVCC2 for the 16-lead LTC3830 or VCC/PVCC2 for the LTC3830-1 and the 8-lead LTC3830. This supply only needs to be above the power MOSFET VGS(ON) for efficient operation. PVCC2 can also be driven from the same supply/ charge pump for the PVCC1, or it can be connected to a lower supply to improve efficiency. Figure 8 shows a tripling charge pump circuit that can be used to provide 2VIN and 3VIN gate drive for the external top and bottom MOSFETs respectively. These should fully enhance MOSFETs with 5V logic level thresholds. This circuit provides 3VIN – 3VF to PVCC1 while Q1 is ON and 2VIN – 2VF to PVCC2 where VF is the forward voltage of the Schottky diodes. The circuit requires the use of Schottky diodes to minimize forward drop across the diodes at start-up. The tripling charge pump circuit can rectify any DZ 12V 1N5242 10µF 1N5817 VIN 1N5817 PVCC2 PVCC1 G1 1N5817 0.1µF 0.1µF Q1 LO VOUT G2 + Q2 COUT 3830 F08 LTC3830 Figure 8. Tripling Charge Pump Workarounds include: • Increasing the soft-start capacitor to limit the duty cycle at start up • Using smaller MOSFETs with lower gate capacitance (where possible) to reduce the G2 rise/fall time and switch node slew rates • Using an external higher voltage supply to power PVCC1 if available Another alternative is to add an external circuit to limit the duty cycle when PVCC1 is low, as shown in Figure 9b. If the charge pump is not running, PVCC1 will be less than or equal to VCC and the voltage at the soft-start pin will be about (VCC/6 + VBE). This is about 1.2V with a VCC of 3.3V, which limits the duty cycle to about 50% and allows the charge pump to start up. Once PVCC1 rises higher than (VCC + VTQ3), the voltage at the soft-start pin goes high and the limit on duty cycle is removed. For applications with a 5V or higher VIN supply, PVCC2 can be tied to VIN if a logic level MOSFET is used. PVCC1 can be supplied using a doubling charge pump as shown in Figure 9a. This circuit provides 2VIN – VF to PVCC1 while Q1 is ON. sn3830 3830fs 12 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO VIN VIN OPTIONAL USE FOR VIN ≥ 7V DZ 12V 1N5242 D2 MBR0530T1 PVCC2 PVCC1 G1 10µF 0.1µF PVCC1 0.1µF G1 Q1 LO VOUT G2 PVCC2 D1 + Q2 LTC3830 COUT R1 1M R2 200k Q1 Q3 BSS284 SS LO VOUT Q4 3906 + G2 Q2 COUT 3830 F09b LTC3830 3830 F09a Figure 9a. Doubling Charge Pump Figure 9b. Duty Cycle Clamp Circuit Figure 12 shows a typical 5V to 3.3V application using a doubling charge pump to generate PVCC1. voltage systems. Logic level FETs can be fully enhanced with a doubler/tripling charge pump and will operate at maximum efficiency. Power MOSFETs Two N-channel power MOSFETs are required for most LTC3830 circuits. These should be selected based primarily on threshold voltage and on-resistance considerations. Thermal dissipation is often a secondary concern in high efficiency designs. The required MOSFET threshold should be determined based on the available power supply voltages and/or the complexity of the gate drive charge pump scheme. In 3.3V input designs where an auxiliary 12V supply is available to power PVCC1 and PVCC2, standard MOSFETs with RDS(ON) specified at VGS = 5V or 6V can be used with good results. The current drawn from this supply varies with the MOSFETs used and the LTC3830’s operating frequency, but is generally less than 50mA. LTC3830 applications that use 5V or lower VIN voltage and a doubling/tripling charge pump to generate PVCC1 and PVCC2, do not provide enough gate drive voltage to fully enhance standard power MOSFETs. Under this condition, the effective MOSFET RDS(ON) may be quite high, raising the dissipation in the FETs and reducing efficiency. Logic level FETs are the recommended choice for 5V or lower After the MOSFET threshold voltage is selected, choose the RDS(ON) based on the input voltage, the output voltage, allowable power dissipation and maximum output current. In a typical LTC3830 circuit, operating in continuous mode, the average inductor current is equal to the output load current. This current flows through either Q1 or Q2 with the power dissipation split up according to the duty cycle: VOUT VIN V V –V DC(Q2) = 1 – OUT = IN OUT VIN VIN DC(Q1) = The RDS(ON) required for a given conduction loss can now be calculated by rearranging the relation P = I2R. RDS(ON)Q1 = RDS(ON)Q2 = PMAX(Q1) DC(Q1) • (ILOAD )2 PMAX(Q2 ) DC(Q2) • (ILOAD)2 = = VIN • PMAX(Q1) VOUT • (ILOAD )2 VIN • PMAX(Q2 ) ( VIN – VOUT ) • (ILOAD)2 sn3830 3830fs 13 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO PMAX should be calculated based primarily on required efficiency or allowable thermal dissipation. A typical high efficiency circuit designed for 5V input and 3.3V at 10A output might allow no more than 3% efficiency loss at full load for each MOSFET. Assuming roughly 90% efficiency at this current level, this gives a PMAX value of: (3.3V)(10A/0.9)(0.03) = 1.1W per FET and a required RDS(ON) of: or International Rectifier IRF7413 (both in SO-8) or Siliconix SUD50N03-10 (TO-252) or ON Semiconductor MTD20N03HDL (DPAK) are small footprint surface mount devices with RDS(ON) values below 0.03Ω at 5V of VGS that work well in LTC3830 circuits. Using a higher PMAX value in the RDS(ON) calculations generally decreases the MOSFET cost and the circuit efficiency and increases the MOSFET heat sink requirements. Table 1 highlights a variety of power MOSFETs for use in LTC3830 applications. (5V) • (1.1W) RDS(ON)Q1 = = 0.017Ω (3.3V)(10 A)2 (5V) • (1.1W) RDS(ON)Q2 = = 0.032Ω (5V – 3.3V)(10 A)2 Inductor Selection Note that the required RDS(ON) for Q2 is roughly twice that of Q1 in this example. This application might specify a single 0.03Ω device for Q2 and parallel two more of the same devices to form Q1. Note also that while the required RDS(ON) values suggest large MOSFETs, the power dissipation numbers are only 1.1W per device or less; large TO-220 packages and heat sinks are not necessarily required in high efficiency applications. Siliconix Si4410DY The inductor is often the largest component in an LTC3830 design and must be chosen carefully. Choose the inductor value and type based on output slew rate requirements. The maximum rate of rise of inductor current is set by the inductor’s value, the input-to-output voltage differential and the LTC3830’s maximum duty cycle. In a typical 5V input, 3.3V output application, the maximum rise time will be: DCMAX • ( VIN – VOUT ) 1.615 A = LO LO µs Table 1. Recommended MOSFETs for LTC3830 Applications PARTS RDS(ON) AT 25°C (mΩ) RATED CURRENT (A) TYPICAL INPUT CAPACITANCE CISS (pF) θJC (°C/W) TJMAX (°C) 1.8 175 Siliconix SUD50N03-10 TO-252 19 15 at 25°C 10 at 100°C 3200 Siliconix Si4410DY SO-8 20 10 at 25°C 8 at 70°C 2700 ON Semiconductor MTD20N03HDL DPAK 35 20 at 25°C 16 at 100°C 880 1.67 150 Fairchild FDS6670A S0-8 8 13 at 25°C 3200 25 150 Fairchild FDS6680 SO-8 10 11.5 at 25°C 2070 25 150 ON Semiconductor MTB75N03HDL DD PAK 9 75 at 25°C 59 at 100°C 4025 1 150 IR IRL3103S DD PAK 19 64 at 25°C 45 at 100°C 1600 1.4 175 IR IRLZ44 TO-220 28 50 at 25°C 36 at 100°C 3300 1 175 Fuji 2SK1388 TO-220 37 35 at 25°C 1750 2.08 150 150 Note: Please refer to the manufacturer’s data sheet for testing conditions and detailed information. sn3830 3830fs 14 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO where LO is the inductor value in µH. With proper frequency compensation, the combination of the inductor and output capacitor values determine the transient recovery time. In general, a smaller value inductor improves transient response at the expense of ripple and inductor core saturation rating. A 2µH inductor has a 0.81A/µs rise time in this application, resulting in a 6.2µs delay in responding to a 5A load current step. During this 6.2µs, the difference between the inductor current and the output current is made up by the output capacitor. This action causes a temporary voltage droop at the output. To minimize this effect, the inductor value should usually be in the 1µH to 5µH range for most 5V input LTC3830 circuits. To optimize performance, different combinations of input and output voltages and expected loads may require different inductor values. Peak inductor current at 10A load: Once the required value is known, the inductor core type can be chosen based on peak current and efficiency requirements. Peak current in the inductor will be equal to the maximum output load current plus half of the peak-topeak inductor ripple current. Ripple current is set by the inductor value, the input and output voltage and the operating frequency. The ripple current is approximately equal to: A typical LTC3830 design places significant demands on both the input and the output capacitors. During normal steady load operation, a buck converter like the LTC3830 draws square waves of current from the input supply at the switching frequency. The peak current value is equal to the output load current plus 1/2 the peak-to-peak ripple current. Most of this current is supplied by the input bypass capacitor. The resulting RMS current flow in the input capacitor heats it and causes premature capacitor failure in extreme cases. Maximum RMS current occurs with 50% PWM duty cycle, giving an RMS current value equal to IOUT/2. A low ESR input capacitor with an adequate ripple current rating must be used to ensure reliable operation. Note that capacitor manufacturers’ ripple current ratings are often based on only 2000 hours (3 months) lifetime at rated temperature. Further derating of the input capacitor ripple current beyond the manufacturer’s specification is recommended to extend the useful life of the circuit. Lower operating temperature has the largest effect on capacitor longevity. IRIPPLE = ( VIN − VOUT ) • ( VOUT ) fOSC • LO • VIN fOSC = LTC3830 oscillator frequency = 200kHz LO = Inductor value Solving this equation with our typical 5V to 3.3V application with a 2µH inductor, we get: (5V – 3.3V) • 3.3V = 2.8 AP-P 200kHz • 2µH • 5V 10A + (2.8A/2) = 11.4A The ripple current should generally be between 10% and 40% of the output current. The inductor must be able to withstand this peak current without saturating, and the copper resistance in the winding should be kept as low as possible to minimize resistive power loss. Note that in circuits not employing the current limit function, the current in the inductor may rise above this maximum under short-circuit or fault conditions; the inductor should be sized accordingly to withstand this additional current. Inductors with gradual saturation characteristics are often the best choice. Input and Output Capacitors sn3830 3830fs 15 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO A common way to lower ESR and raise ripple current capability is to parallel several capacitors. A typical LTC3830 application might exhibit 5A input ripple current. Sanyo OS-CON capacitors, part number 10SA220M (220µF/10V), feature 2.3A allowable ripple current at 85°C; three in parallel at the input (to withstand the input ripple current) meet the above requirements. Similarly, Sanyo POSCAP 4TPB470M (470µF/4V) capacitors have Feedback Loop Compensation The LTC3830 voltage feedback loop is compensated at the COMP pin, which is the output node of the error amplifier. The feedback loop is generally compensated with an RC + C network from COMP to GND as shown in Figure 10a. Loop stability is affected by the values of the inductor, the output capacitor, the output capacitor ESR, the error amplifier transconductance and the error amplifier compensation network. The inductor and the output capacitor create a double pole at the frequency: [ fLC = 1/ 2π (LO )(COUT ) ] The ESR of the output capacitor and the output capacitor value form a zero at the frequency: fESR = 1/ [2π (ESR)(COUT )] The compensation network used with the error amplifier must provide enough phase margin at the 0dB crossover frequency for the overall open-loop transfer function. The zero and pole from the compensation network are: fZ = 1/[2π(RC)(CC)] and fP = 1/[2π(RC)(C1)] respectively 7 SENSE + C2 LTC3830 R2 COMP 10 ERR R1 SENSE – RC CC VFB 6 + Electrolytic capacitors rated for use in switching power supplies with specified ripple current ratings and ESR can be used effectively in LTC3830 applications. OS-CON electrolytic capacitors from Sanyo and other manufacturers give excellent performance and have a very high performance/size ratio for electrolytic capacitors. Surface mount applications can use either electrolytic or dry tantalum capacitors. Tantalum capacitors must be surge tested and specified for use in switching power supplies. Low cost, generic tantalums are known to have very short lives followed by explosive deaths in switching power supply applications. Other capacitors that can be used include the Sanyo POSCAP and MV-WX series. a maximum rated ESR of 0.04Ω; three in parallel lower the net output capacitor ESR to 0.013Ω. – The output capacitor in a buck converter under steadystate conditions sees much less ripple current than the input capacitor. Peak-to-peak current is equal to inductor ripple current, usually 10% to 40% of the total load current. Output capacitor duty places a premium not on power dissipation but on ESR. During an output load transient, the output capacitor must supply all of the additional load current demanded by the load until the LTC3830 adjusts the inductor current to the new value. ESR in the output capacitor results in a step in the output voltage equal to the ESR value multiplied by the change in load current. An 5A load step with a 0.05Ω ESR output capacitor results in a 250mV output voltage shift; this is 7.6% of the output voltage for a 3.3V supply! Because of the strong relationship between output capacitor ESR and output load transient response, choose the output capacitor for ESR, not for capacitance value. A capacitor with suitable ESR will usually have a larger capacitance value than is needed to control steady-state output ripple. 5 C1 VREF 3830 F10a Figure 10a. Compensation Pin Hook-Up sn3830 3830fs 16 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Figure 10b shows the Bode plot of the overall transfer function. When low ESR output capacitors (Sanyo OS-CON) are used, the ESR zero can be high enough in frequency that it provides little phase boost at the loop crossover frequency. As a result, the phase margin becomes inadequate and the load transient is not optimized. To resolve this problem, a small capacitor can be connected between the top of the resistor divider network and the VFB pin to create a pole-zero pair in the loop compensation. The zero location is prior to the pole location and thus, phase lead can be added to boost the phase margin at the loop crossover frequency. The pole and zero locations are located at: fZC2 = 1/[2π(R2)(C2)] and fPC2 = 1/[2π(R1||R2)(C2)] where R1||R2 is the parallel combination resistance of R1 and R2. Choose C2 so that the zero is located at a lower frequency compared to fCO and the pole location is high enough that the closed loop has enough phase margin for stability. Figure 10c shows the Bode plot using phase lead compensation around the LTC3830 resistor divider network. Note: This technique is effective only when R1␣ >>␣ R2 i.e., at high output voltages only so that the pole and zero are sufficiently separated. Although a mathematical approach to frequency compensation can be used, the added complication of input and/or output filters, unknown capacitor ESR, and gross operating point changes with input voltage, load current variations, all suggest a more practical empirical method. This can be done by injecting a transient current at the load and using an RC network box to iterate toward the final values, or by obtaining the optimum loop response using a network analyzer to find the actual loop poles and zeros. Table 2 shows the suggested compensation component value for 5V to 3.3V applications based on Sanyo OS-CON 4SP820M low ESR output capacitors. Table 2. Recommended Compensation Network for 5V to 3.3V Applications Using Multiple Paralleled 820µF Sanyo OS-CON 4SP820M Output Capacitors L1 (µH) 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.4 2.4 2.4 4.7 4.7 4.7 COUT (µF) 1640 2460 4100 1640 2460 4100 1640 2460 4100 RC (kΩ) 6.2 12 12 15 20 36 30 36 82 fSW = LTC3830 SWITCHING FREQUENCY fCO = CLOSED-LOOP CROSSOVER FREQUENCY C1 (pF) 470 470 220 330 220 220 330 180 180 C2 (pF) 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 fSW = LTC3830 SWITCHING FREQUENCY fCO = CLOSED-LOOP CROSSOVER FREQUENCY LOOP GAIN LOOP GAIN fZ CC (nF) 3.3 3.3 1.8 2.7 1.0 1.0 1.8 1.0 1.0 fZ 20dB/DECADE 20dB/DECADE fCO fP fLC fESR fCO fP fPC2 FREQUENCY fLC FREQUENCY fZC2 fESR 3830 F10b Figure 10b. Bode Plot of the LTC3830 Overall Transfer Function 3830 F10c Figure 10c. Bode Plot of the LTC3830 Overall Transfer Function Using a Low ESR Output Capacitor sn3830 3830fs 17 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Table 3 shows the suggested compensation component values for 5V to 3.3V applications based on 470µF Sanyo POSCAP 4TPB470M output capacitors. Table 3. Recommended Compensation Network for 5V to 3.3V Applications Using Multiple Paralleled 470µF Sanyo POSCAP 4TPB470M Output Capacitors L1 (µH) 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.4 2.4 2.4 4.7 4.7 4.7 COUT (µF) 1410 2820 4700 1410 2820 4700 1410 2820 4700 RC (kΩ) 6.8 15 22 18 43 62 43 91 150 CC (nF) 4.7 2.2 2.2 10 2.2 2.2 10 33 10 C1 (pF) 33 33 33 33 33 10 10 10 10 Table 4 shows the suggested compensation component values for 5V to 3.3V applications based on 1500µF Sanyo MV-WX output capacitors. Table 4. Recommended Compensation Network for 5V to 3.3V Applications Using Multiple Paralleled 1500µF Sanyo MV-WX Output Capacitors L1 (µH) 1.2 1.2 1.2 2.4 2.4 2.4 4.7 4.7 4.7 COUT (µF) 4500 6000 9000 4500 6000 9000 4500 6000 9000 RC (kΩ) 22 30 39 51 62 82 100 150 200 CC (nF) 1.5 1 0.47 1 1 0.47 3.3 0.47 0.47 C1 (pF) 120 82 56 56 33 27 15 15 15 LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS When laying out the printed circuit board, use the following checklist to ensure proper operation of the LTC3830. These items are also illustrated graphically in the layout diagram of Figure 11. The thicker lines show the high current paths. Note that at 10A current levels or above, current density in the PC board itself is a serious concern. Traces carrying high current should be as wide as possible. For example, a PCB fabricated with 2oz copper requires a minimum trace width of 0.15" to carry 10A. 1. In general, layout should begin with the location of the power devices. Be sure to orient the power circuitry so that a clean power flow path is achieved. Conductor widths should be maximized and lengths minimized. After you are satisfied with the power path, the control circuitry should be laid out. It is much easier to find routes for the relatively small traces in the control circuits than it is to find circuitous routes for high current paths. 2. The GND and PGND pins should be shorted directly at the LTC3830. This helps to minimize internal ground disturbances in the LTC3830 and prevent differences in ground potential from disrupting internal circuit operation. This connection should then tie into the ground plane at a single point, preferably at a fairly quiet point in the circuit such as close to the output capacitors. This is not always practical, however, due to physical constraints. Another reasonably good point to make this connection is between the output capacitors and the source connection of the bottom MOSFET Q2. Do not tie this single point ground in the trace run between the Q2 source and the input capacitor ground, as this area of the ground plane will be very noisy. sn3830 3830fs 18 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO 3. The small-signal resistors and capacitors for frequency compensation and soft-start should be located very close to their respective pins and the ground ends connected to the signal ground pin through a separate trace. Do not connect these parts to the ground plane! 4. The VCC, PVCC1 and PVCC2 decoupling capacitors should be as close to the LTC3830 as possible. The 4.7µF and 1µF bypass capacitors shown at VCC, PVCC1 and PVCC2 will help provide optimum regulation performance. 5. The (+) plate of CIN should be connected as close as possible to the drain of the upper MOSFET, Q1. An additional 1µF ceramic capacitor between VIN and power ground is recommended. 6. The SENSE and VFB pins are very sensitive to pickup from the switching node. Care should be taken to isolate SENSE and VFB from possible capacitive coupling to the inductor switching signal. Connecting the SENSE+ and SENSE – close to the load can significantly improve load regulation. 7. Kelvin sense IMAX and IFB at Q1’s drain and source pins. PVCC VIN 100Ω + + 1µF 4.7µF VCC 1µF PVCC2 PVCC1 LTC3830 GND PGND FREQSET Q1A Q1B LO 1k VOUT IFB SHDN SENSE + COMP G2 SS C1 0.1µF G1 IMAX NC CIN FB Q2 NC + SENSE – RC CC GND CSS COUT PGND PGND GND 3830 F11 Figure 11. Typical Schematic Showing Layout Considerations sn3830 3830fs 19 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO 5V + MBR0530T1 + 100Ω 1µF + PVCC2 PVCC1 0.1µF NC SHUTDOWN C1 33pF IMAX SS 0.01µF Q1 1k LO 2.5µH 0.1µF LTC3830 IFB FREQSET SHDN Q2 G2 PGND COMP RC 18k CC 0.01µF 0.1µF G1 VCC 4.7µF 6.8k CIN 330µF ×2 + COUT 470µF ×3 3.3V 10A GND SENSE + SENSE– FB 3830 F012 CIN: SANYO 6TPB330M COUT: SANYO 4TPB470M LO: SUMIDA CDEP105-2R5 Q1, Q2: VISHAY Si7892DP Figure 12. 5V to 3.3V, 10A Application sn3830 3830fs 20 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO GN Package 16-Lead Plastic SSOP (Narrow .150 Inch) (Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1641) .189 – .196* (4.801 – 4.978) .045 ±.005 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 .254 MIN .009 (0.229) REF .150 – .165 .229 – .244 (5.817 – 6.198) .0165 ± .0015 .150 – .157** (3.810 – 3.988) .0250 TYP RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT 1 .015 ± .004 × 45° (0.38 ± 0.10) .007 – .0098 (0.178 – 0.249) .053 – .068 (1.351 – 1.727) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .004 – .0098 (0.102 – 0.249) 0° – 8° TYP .016 – .050 (0.406 – 1.270) NOTE: 1. CONTROLLING DIMENSION: INCHES INCHES 2. DIMENSIONS ARE IN (MILLIMETERS) 3. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE *DIMENSION DOES NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.006" (0.152mm) PER SIDE **DIMENSION DOES NOT INCLUDE INTERLEAD FLASH. INTERLEAD FLASH SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.010" (0.254mm) PER SIDE .008 – .012 (0.203 – 0.305) .0250 (0.635) BSC GN16 (SSOP) 0502 sn3830 3830fs 21 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO S8 Package 8-Lead Plastic Small Outline (Narrow .150 Inch) (Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1610) .189 – .197 (4.801 – 5.004) NOTE 3 .045 ±.005 .050 BSC 8 7 6 5 N N .245 MIN .160 ±.005 1 .030 ±.005 TYP .150 – .157 (3.810 – 3.988) NOTE 3 .228 – .244 (5.791 – 6.197) 2 3 N/2 N/2 RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT .010 – .020 × 45° (0.254 – 0.508) .008 – .010 (0.203 – 0.254) .053 – .069 (1.346 – 1.752) 0°– 8° TYP .016 – .050 (0.406 – 1.270) NOTE: 1. DIMENSIONS IN 1 .014 – .019 (0.355 – 0.483) TYP INCHES (MILLIMETERS) 2. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE 3. THESE DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH OR PROTRUSIONS. MOLD FLASH OR PROTRUSIONS SHALL NOT EXCEED .006" (0.15mm) 2 3 4 .004 – .010 (0.101 – 0.254) .050 (1.270) BSC SO8 0502 sn3830 3830fs 22 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO S Package 16-Lead Plastic Small Outline (Narrow .150 Inch) (Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1610) .386 – .394 (9.804 – 10.008) NOTE 3 .045 ±.005 .050 BSC 16 N 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 N .245 MIN .160 ±.005 .150 – .157 (3.810 – 3.988) NOTE 3 .228 – .244 (5.791 – 6.197) 1 .030 ±.005 TYP 2 3 N/2 N/2 RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD LAYOUT 1 .010 – .020 × 45° (0.254 – 0.508) 2 3 4 5 6 .053 – .069 (1.346 – 1.752) .008 – .010 (0.203 – 0.254) NOTE: 1. DIMENSIONS IN .014 – .019 (0.355 – 0.483) TYP 8 .004 – .010 (0.101 – 0.254) 0° – 8° TYP .016 – .050 (0.406 – 1.270) 7 .050 (1.270) BSC S16 0502 INCHES (MILLIMETERS) 2. DRAWING NOT TO SCALE 3. THESE DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH OR PROTRUSIONS. MOLD FLASH OR PROTRUSIONS SHALL NOT EXCEED .006" (0.15mm) sn3830 3830fs 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 LTC3830/LTC3830-1 U TYPICAL APPLICATIO Typical 3.3V to 2.5V, 14A Application 12V 3.3V + CIN 330µF ×2 + COUT 470µF ×3 0.1µF 10µF 100Ω PVCC1 PVCC2 4.7µF 0.1µF SS 0.01µF SHDN C1 33pF Q1 IMAX LO 1.3µH 1k LTC3830 IFB FREQSET 130k 6.8k G1 VCC SHDN D1 16.5k 1% GND COMP RC 18k CC 1500pF Q2 G2 PGND 2.5V 14A SENSE + SENSE – NC FB NC CIN: SANYO POSCAP 6TPB330M COUT: SANYO POSCAP 4TPB470M D1: MBRS330T3 LO: SUMIDA CDEP105-1R3 Q1, Q2: VISHAY Si7892DP 16.9k 1% 3830 TA01 RELATED PARTS PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION COMMENTS LTC1430/LTC1430A High Power Step-Down Switching Regulator Controllers LTC3830 is Pin-for-Pin Compatible and is Recommended for New Designs LTC1530 High Power Synchronous Switching Regulator Controller SO-8 with Current Limit. No RSENSETM required LTC1628 Dual High Efficiency 2-Phase Synchronous Step-Down Controller Constant Frequency, Standby 5V and 3.3V LDOs, 3.5V ≤ VIN ≤ 36V LTC1702 Dual High Efficiency 2-Phase Synchronous Step-Down Controller 550kHz, 25MHz GBW Voltage Mode, VIN ≤ 7V, No RSENSE LTC1705 Dual 550kHz Synchronous 2-Phase Switching Regulator Controller with 5-Bit VID Plus LDO Provides CPU Core, I/O and CLK Supplies for Portable Systems LTC1709 2-Phase, 5-Bit Desktop VID Synchronous Step-Down Controller Current Mode, VIN to 36V, IOUT Up to 42A LTC1736 Synchronous Step-Down Controller with 5-Bit Mobile VID Control Fault Protection, Power Good, 3.5V to 36V Input, Current Mode LTC1773 Synchronous Step-Down Controller in MS10 Up to 95% Efficiency, 550kHz, 2.65V ≤ VIN ≤ 8.5V, 0.8V ≤ VOUT ≤ VIN, Synchronizable to 750kHz LTC1778 Wide Operating Range/Step-Down Controller, No RSENSE VIN Up to 36V, Current Mode, Power Good LTC1873 Dual Synchronous Switching Regulator with 5-Bit Desktop VID 1.3V to 3.5V Programmable Core Output Plus I/O Output LTC1876 2-Phase, Dual Step-Down Synchronous Controller with Integrated Step-Up DC/DC Regulator Step-Down DC/DC Conversion from 3VIN, Minimum CIN and COUT, Uses Logic-Level N-Channel MOSFETs LTC1929 2-Phase, Synchronous High Efficiency Converter with Mobile VID Current Mode Ensures Accurate Current Sensing VIN Up to 36V, IOUT Up to 40A LTC3713 Low Input Voltage, High Power, No RSENSE, Step-Down Synchronous Controller Minimum VIN: 1.5V, Uses Standard Logic-Level N-Channel MOSFETs LTC3831 High Power Synchronous Switching Regulator Controller for DDR Memory Termination VOUT Tracks 1/2 of VIN or External Reference LTC3832 Synchronous Step-Down Controller 0.6V ≤ VOUT ≤ 5V, Pin-for-Pin Compatible with the LTC3830 No RSENSE is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation. sn3830 3830fs 24 Linear Technology Corporation LT/TP 0103 2K • PRINTED IN USA 1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417 (408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507 ● www.linear.com LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2001