LTC3614 4A, 4MHz Monolithic Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter DESCRIPTION FEATURES n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n 4A Output Current 2.25V to 5.5V Input Voltage Range Low Output Ripple Burst Mode® Operation: IQ = 75μA ±1% Output Voltage Accuracy Output Voltage Down to 0.6V High Efficiency: Up to 95% Low Dropout Operation: 100% Duty Cycle Programmable Slew Rate on SW Node Reduces Noise and EMI Adjustable Switching Frequency: Up to 4MHz Optional Active Voltage Positioning (AVP) with Internal Compensation Selectable Pulse-Skipping/Forced Continuous/Burst Mode Operation with Adjustable Burst Clamp Programmable Soft-Start Inputs for Start-Up Tracking or External Reference DDR Memory Mode, IOUT = ±3A Available in a 24-Pin 3mm × 5mm QFN Thermally Enhanced Package n n n n The operating frequency is externally programmable up to 4MHz, allowing the use of small surface mount inductors. For switching-noise-sensitive applications, the LTC3614 can be synchronized to an external clock at up to 4MHz. Forced continuous mode operation in the LTC3614 reduces noise and RF interference. Adjustable compensation allows the transient response to be optimized over a wide range of loads and output capacitors. The internal synchronous switch increases efficiency and eliminates the need for an external catch diode, saving external components and board space. The LTC3614 is offered in a leadless 24-pin 3mm × 5mm thermally enhanced QFN package. APPLICATIONS n The LTC®3614 is a low quiescent current monolithic synchronous buck regulator using a current mode, constant frequency architecture. The no-load DC supply current in sleep mode is only 75μA while maintaining the output voltage (Burst Mode operation) at no load, dropping to zero current in shutdown. The 2.25V to 5.5V input supply voltage range makes the LTC3614 ideally suited for single Li-Ion as well as fixed low voltage input applications. 100% duty cycle capability provides low dropout operation, extending the operating time in battery-powered systems. Point-of-Load Supplies Distributed Power Supplies Portable Computer Systems DDR Memory Termination Handheld Devices L, LT, LTC, LTM, Linear Technology, the Linear logo and Burst Mode are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Protected by U.S. Patents, including 6580258, 5481178, 5994885, 6304066, 6498466, 6611131. Efficiency and Power Loss vs Load Current TYPICAL APPLICATION 100 SVIN PVIN 80 330nH VOUT 2.5V 4A 47μF s2 665k 3614 TA01a 210k 1 70 60 0.1 50 40 0.01 30 20 10 VOUT = 2.5V 0 1 VIN = 2.8V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 5V 10 100 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) POWER LOSS (W) SRLIM/DDR RUN TRACK/SS RT/SYNC LTC3614 SW PGOOD SGND ITH PGND MODE VFB 90 10μF s4 EFFICIENCY (%) VIN 2.7V TO 5.5V 0 10000 3614 TA01b 3614f 1 LTC3614 ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS PIN CONFIGURATION (Note 1) MODE VFB ITH TRACK/SS TOP VIEW 24 23 22 21 SRLIM/DDR 1 20 PGOOD RT/SYNC 2 19 RUN SGND 3 18 SVIN PVIN 4 17 PVIN 25 PGND SW 5 16 SW 15 SW SW 7 14 SW SW 8 13 SW NC 10 11 12 PVIN 9 PVIN SW 6 NC PVIN, SVIN Voltages...................................... –0.3V to 6V SW Voltage ..................................–0.3V to (PVIN + 0.3V) ITH, RT/SYNC Voltages ............... –0.3V to (SVIN + 0.3V) SRLIM, TRACK/SS Voltages ....... –0.3V to (SVIN + 0.3V) MODE, RUN, VFB Voltages .......... –0.3V to (SVIN + 0.3V) PGOOD Voltage ............................................ –0.3V to 6V Operating Junction Temperature Range (Notes 2, 11) .......................................... –40°C to 125°C Storage Temperature.............................. –65°C to 150°C UDD PACKAGE 24-LEAD (3mm s 5mm) PLASTIC QFN TJMAX = 125°C, θJA = 38°C/W EXPOSED PAD (PIN 25) IS PGND, MUST BE SOLDERED TO PCB ORDER INFORMATION LEAD FREE FINISH TAPE AND REEL PART MARKING* PACKAGE DESCRIPTION TEMPERATURE RANGE LTC3614EUDD#PBF LTC3614EUDD#TRPBF LFVM 24-Lead (3mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN –40°C to 125°C LTC3614IUDD#PBF LTC3614IUDD#TRPBF LFVM 24-Lead (3mm × 5mm) Plastic QFN –40°C to 125°C Consult LTC Marketing for parts specified with wider operating temperature ranges. *The temperature grade is identified by a label on the shipping container. Consult LTC Marketing for information on non-standard lead based finish parts. For more information on lead free part marking, go to: http://www.linear.com/leadfree/ For more information on tape and reel specifications, go to: http://www.linear.com/tapeandreel/ 3614f 2 LTC3614 ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating junction temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA ≈ TJ = 25°C. VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise specified (Notes 1, 2, 11). SYMBOL PARAMETER VIN Operating Voltage Range VUVLO Undervoltage Lockout Threshold VFB Feedback Voltage Internal Reference Feedback Voltage External Reference (Note 7) CONDITIONS MIN l 2.25 SVIN Ramping Down SVIN Ramping Up l l 1.7 (Note 3) VTRACK = SVIN, VDDR = 0V 0°C < TJ < 85°C –40°C < TJ < 125°C l TYP MAX UNITS 5.5 V 2.25 V V 0.594 0.591 0.6 0.606 0.609 V V (Note 3) VTRACK = 0.3V, VDDR = SVIN 0.288 0.300 0.312 V (Note 3) VTRACK = 0.5V, VDDR = SVIN 0.488 0.500 0.512 V IFB Feedback Input Current VFB = 0.6V l ±30 nA ΔVLINEREG Line Regulation SVIN = PVIN = 2.25V to 5.5V (Notes 3, 4) TRACK/SS = SVIN l 0.2 %/V ΔVLOADREG Load Regulation ITH from 0.5V to 0.9V (Notes 3, 4) VITH = SVIN (Note 5) 0.25 2.6 % % IS RDS(ON) ILIM Active Mode Supply Current VFB = 0.5V, VMODE = SVIN (Note 6) 1100 Sleep Mode Supply Current VFB = 0.7V, VMODE = 0V, ITH = SVIN (Note 5) 75 100 μA μA VFB = 0.7V, VMODE = 0V (Note 4) 130 175 μA Shutdown Current SVIN = PVIN = 5.5V, VRUN = 0V 0.1 1 μA Top Switch On-Resistance PVIN = 3.3V (Note 10) 35 mΩ Bottom Switch On-Resistance PVIN = 3.3V (Note 10) 25 mΩ Top Switch Current Limit Sourcing (Note 8), VFB = 0.5V Duty Cycle <35% Duty Cycle = 100% Bottom Switch Current Limit Sinking (Note 8), VFB = 0.7V, Forced Continuous Mode 7.5 5.3 9 10.5 A A –6 –8 –11 A gm(EA) Error Amplifier Transconductance –5μA < IITH < 5μA (Note 4) 200 μS IEAO Error Amplifier Maximum Output Current (Note 4) ±30 μA tSS Internal Soft-Start Time VFB from 0.06V to 0.54V, TRACK/SS = SVIN 0.65 VTRACK/SS Enable Internal Soft-Start (Note 7 ) 0.62 V tTRACK/SS_DIS Soft-Start Discharge Time at Start-Up 60 μs 1.2 RON(TRACK/SS_DIS) TRACK/SS Pull-Down Resistor at Start-Up fOSC 1.9 200 ms Ω Oscillator Frequency RT/SYNC = 370k l 0.8 1 1.2 MHz Internal Oscillator Frequency VRT/SYNC = SVIN l 1.8 2.25 2.7 MHz 4 MHz fSYNC Synchronization Frequency Range 0.3 VRT/SYNC SYNC Input Threshold High 1.2 SYNC Input Threshold Low . ISW(LKG) Switch Leakage Current VDDR DDR Option Enable Voltage VMODE (Note 9) Internal Burst Mode Operation Pulse-Skipping Mode SVIN = PVIN = 5.5V, VRUN = 0V V 0.1 0.3 V 1 μA SVIN – 0.3 V 0.3 SVIN – 0.3 V V Forced Continuous Mode 1.1 SVIN • 0.58 V External Burst Mode Operation 0.45 0.8 V 3614f 3 LTC3614 ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS The l denotes the specifications which apply over the full operating junction temperature range, otherwise specifications are at TA ≈ TJ = 25°C. VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise specified (Notes 1, 2, 11). SYMBOL PARAMETER CONDITIONS PGOOD Power Good Voltage Windows TRACK/SS = SVIN, Entering Window VFB Ramping Up VFB Ramping Down MIN TYP –3 3 –6 6 TRACK/SS = SVIN, Leaving Window VFB Ramping Up VFB Ramping Down tPGOOD Power Good Blanking Time Entering and Leaving Window RPGOOD Power Good Pull-Down On-Resistance VRUN RUN voltage l l Input High Input Low Note 1: Stresses beyond those listed under Absolute Maximum Ratings may cause permanent damage to the device. Exposure to any Absolute Maximum Rating condition for extended periods may affect device reliability and lifetime. Note 2: The LTC3614E is guaranteed to meet performance specifications over the 0°C to 85°C operating junction temperature range. Specifications over the –40°C to 125°C operating junction temperature range are assured by design, characterization and correlation with statistical process controls. The LTC3614I is guaranteed to meet specifications over the full –40°C to 125°C operating junction temperature range. Note that the maximum ambient temperature is determined by specific operating conditions in conjunction with board layout, the rated package thermal resistance and other environmental factors. Note 3: This parameter is tested in a feedback loop which servos VFB to the midpoint for the error amplifier (VITH = 0.75V). Note 4: External compensation on ITH pin. MAX UNITS % % 9 –9 11 –11 % % 70 105 140 μs 8 17 33 Ω 0.4 V V 1 Note 5: Tying the ITH pin to SVIN enables the internal compensation and AVP mode. Note 6: Dynamic supply current is higher due to the internal gate charge being delivered at the switching frequency. Note 7: See description of the TRACK/SS pin in the Pin Functions section. Note 8: In sourcing mode the average output current is flowing out of the SW pin. In sinking mode the average output current is flowing into the SW Pin. Note 9: See description of the MODE pin in the Pin Functions section. Note 10: Guaranteed by correlation and design to wafer level measurements for QFN packages. Note 11: This IC includes overtemperature protection that is intended to protect the device during momentary overload conditions. Junction temperature will exceed 125°C when overtemperature protection is active. Continuous operation above the specified maximum operating junction temperature may impair device reliability. TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise noted. Efficiency vs Load Current Burst Mode Operation (VMODE = 0V) 100 100 VOUT = 1.8V 90 Efficiency vs Load Current 100 VOUT = 1.2V 90 80 70 70 50 40 60 50 40 30 30 20 20 VIN = 2.5V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 5V 10 0 1 10 100 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) 10000 3614 G01 EFFICIENCY (%) 80 70 60 VOUT = 1.8V 90 80 EFFICIENCY (%) EFFICIENCY (%) Efficiency vs Load Current Burst Mode Operation (VMODE = 0V) 60 50 40 30 VIN = 2.5V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 5V 10 0 1 10 100 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) 10000 3614 G02 20 Burst Mode OPERATION PULSE-SKIPPING FORCED CONTINUOUS 10 0 1 10 100 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) 10000 3614 G03 3614f 4 LTC3614 TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise noted. Efficiency vs Frequency Burst Mode Operation (VMODE = 0V), IOUT = 2A 100 VOUT = 1.8V 90 EFFICIENCY (%) EFFICIENCY (%) 80 70 60 50 IOUT = 6mA IOUT = 600mA IOUT = 2A 40 30 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 5 5.5 95 94 93 92 91 90 89 88 87 86 85 84 83 82 0.5 Load Regulation (VOUT = 1.8V) 1.5 VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V FORCED CONTINUOUS MODE PULSE-SKIPPING MODE INTERNAL Burst Mode OPERATION 1.3 1.1 VOUT ERROR (%) Efficiency vs Input Voltage Burst Mode Operation (VMODE = 0V) 150nH 330nH 470nH 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 FREQUENCY (MHz) 4 4.5 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.1 –0.1 –0.3 0 3614 G05 3614 G04 Line Regulation 4000 2000 3000 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) 3614 G06 Burst Mode Operation Pulse-Skipping Mode Operation 0.3 VOUT ERROR (%) 0.2 0.1 VOUT 20mV/DIV VOUT 20mV/DIV IL 1A/DIV IL 1A/DIV 0 –0.1 –0.2 –0.3 2.20 2.75 3.30 3.85 4.40 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 4.95 VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 150mA VMODE = 0V 5.50 20μs/DIV 3614 G08 VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 150mA VMODE = 3.3V 20μs/DIV 3614 G09 3614 G07 Load Step Transient in Pulse-Skipping Mode Forced Continuous Mode Operation VOUT 20mV/DIV IL 500mA/DIV VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 100mA VMODE = 1.5V 1μs/DIV 3614 G10 Load Step Transient in Burst Mode Operation VOUT 100mV/DIV VOUT 100mV/DIV ILOAD 2A/DIV ILOAD 2A/DIV 100μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 4A VMODE = 3.3V COMPENSATION FIGURE 1 3614 G11 100μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 4A VMODE = 0V COMPENSATION FIGURE 1 3614 G12 3614f 5 LTC3614 TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise noted. Load Step Transient in Forced Continuous Mode without AVP Mode Load Step Transient in Forced Continuous Mode Sourcing and Sinking Current Load Step Transient in Forced Continuous Mode with AVP Mode VOUT 100mV/DIV VOUT 100mV/DIV VOUT 200mV/DIV ILOAD 2A/DIV ILOAD 2A/DIV ILOAD 2A/DIV 100μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 4A, VMODE = 1.5V COMPENSATION FIGURE 1 3614 G13 100μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 4A, VMODE = 1.5V 3614 G14 Tracking Up/Down in Forced Continuous Mode, Non DDR Mode Internal Start-Up in Forced Continuous Mode Sinking Current 3614 G15 100μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = –3A TO 3A, VMODE = 1.5V COMPENSATION FIGURE 1 RUN 10V/DIV VOUT 100mV/DIV VOUT 1V/DIV PGOOD 10V/DIV SW 2V/DIV VOUT 500mV/DIV VTRACK/SS 500mV/DIV IL 2A/DIV IL 2A/DIV PGOOD 2V/DIV 1μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = –3A, VMODE = 1.5V 3614 G16 500μs/DIV VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 0A, VMODE = 1.5V Tracking Up/Down in Forced Continuous Mode, DDR Pin Tied to SVIN 3614 G17 Reference Voltage vs Temperature Switch On-Resistance vs Input Voltage 0.05 0.606 VTRACK/SS 200mV/DIV PGOOD 2V/DIV 0.04 MAIN SWITCH 0.602 RDS(0N) (Ω) REFERENCE VOLTAGE (V) 0.604 VOUT 500mV/DIV 0.600 3614 G19 0.03 SYNCHRONOUS SWITCH 0.02 0.598 0.01 0.596 2ms/DIV VOUT = 0V TO 1.2V IOUT = 3A, VTRACK/SS = 0V TO 0.4V VMODE = 1.5V, VSRLIM/DDR = 3.3V 3614 G18 2ms/DIV VOUT = 0V TO 1.8V IOUT = 3A, VTRACK/SS = 0V TO 0.7V VMODE = 1.5V, VSRLIM/DDR = 0V 0.594 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 3614 G20 0 2.5 3.0 4.0 4.5 3.5 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 5.0 5.5 3614 G21 3614f 6 LTC3614 TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise noted. Switch On-Resistance vs Temperature Frequency vs Resistor on RT/SYNC Pin 0.040 MAIN SWITCH 0.035 FREQUENCY (kHz) RDS(ON) (Ω) 0.8 4000 0.6 3500 0.030 SYNCHRONOUS SWITCH 0.025 0.020 0.015 3000 2500 2000 1500 0.010 1000 0.005 500 0 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 7000 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 RESISTOR ON RT/SYNC PIN (kΩ) 0 –0.5 –1.0 –1.5 –2.0 7000 5000 4000 3000 2000 DYNAMIC SUPPLY CURRENT (mA) PULSE-SKIPPING MODE Burst Mode OPERATION 0.1 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 5.25 3614 G28 5000 4000 3000 2000 0 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 3614 G27 Dynamic Supply Current vs Temperature without AVP Mode 100 FORCED CONTINUOUS MODE 6000 3614 G26 FREQ = 2.25MHz 10 VIN = 2.25V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 5.5V 1000 0 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 5.25 Dynamic Supply Current vs Input Voltage without AVP Mode DYNAMIC SUPPLY CURRENT (mA) 8000 6000 3614 G25 2.75 –0.8 Switch Leakage vs Temperature, Synchronous Switch VIN = 2.25V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 5.5V 1000 0.01 2.25 –0.6 3614 G24 SWITCH LEAKAGE (nA) SWITCH LEAKAGE (nA) FREQUENCY VARIATION (%) 0.5 1 –0.4 Switch Leakage vs Temperature, Main Switch 8000 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 0 –0.2 3614 G23 1.0 2.75 0.2 –1.2 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 100 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 0 Frequency vs Input Voltage –2.5 2.25 0.4 –1.0 3614 G22 100 Frequency vs Temperature 4500 FREQUENCY VARIATION (%) 0.045 10 1 VOUT Short to GND, Forced Continuous Mode FREQ = 2.25MHz FORCED CONTINUOUS MODE VOUT 500mV/DIV PULSE-SKIPPING MODE IL 5A/DIV Burst Mode OPERATION 0.1 0.01 –50 –30 –10 10 30 50 70 90 110 130 TEMPERATURE (°C) 3614 G29 VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 0A VMODE = 1.5V 100μs/DIV 3614 G30 3614f 7 LTC3614 TYPICAL PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS VIN = 3.3V, RT/SYNC = SVIN unless otherwise noted. Output Voltage During Sinking vs Input Voltage (VOUT = 1.8V, 0.47μH Inductor) Start-Up from Shutdown with Prebiased Output (Overvoltage) (Forced Continuous Mode) 1.88 PGOOD 5V/DIV 1.86 1.84 VOUT (V) VOUT 500mV/DIV 1.82 –3A, 2MHz, 120°C 1.80 –3A, 2MHz, 25°C 1.78 IL 5A/DIV 1.76 50μs/DIV PREBIASED VOUT = 2.2V VOUT = 1.2V, IOUT = 0A VMODE = 1.5V 3614 G31 1.74 2.25 2.75 3.25 4 4.5 INPUT VOLTAGE (V) 5.25 3614 G32 PIN FUNCTIONS SRLIM/DDR (Pin 1): Slew Rate Limit. Tying this pin to ground selects maximum slew rate. Minimum slew rate is selected when the pin is open. Connecting a resistor from SRLIM/DDR to ground allows the slew rate to be continuously adjusted. If SRLIM/DDR is tied to SVIN, DDR mode is selected. In DDR mode the slew rate limit is set to maximum. RT/SYNC (Pin 2): Oscillator Frequency. This pin provides three ways of setting the constant switching frequency: 1. Connecting a resistor from RT/SYNC to ground will set the switching frequency based on the resistor value. 2. Driving the RT/SYNC pin with an external clock signal will synchronize the LTC3614 to the applied frequency. The slope compensation is automatically adapted to the external clock frequency. SGND (Pin 3): Signal Ground. All small-signal and compensation components should connect to this ground, which in turn should connect to PGND at a single point. PVIN (Pins 4, 10, 11, 17): Power Input Supply. PVIN connects to the source of the internal P-channel power MOSFET. This pin is independent of SVIN and may be connected to the same voltage or to a lower voltage supply. SW (Pins 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16): Switch Node. Connection to the inductor. These pins connect to the drains of the internal power MOSFET switches. NC (Pins 9, 12): Can be connected to ground or left open. SVIN (Pin 18): Signal Input Supply. This pin powers the internal control circuitry and is monitored by the undervoltage lockout comparator. 3. Tying the RT/SYNC pin to SVIN enables the internal 2.25MHz oscillator frequency. 3614f 8 LTC3614 PIN FUNCTIONS RUN (Pin 19): Enable Pin. Forcing this pin to ground shuts down the LTC3614. In shutdown, all functions are disabled and the chip draws <1μA of supply current. VFB (Pin 22): Voltage Feedback Input Pin. Senses the feedback voltage from the external resistive divider across the output. PGOOD (Pin 20): Power Good. This open-drain output is pulled down to SGND on start-up and while the FB voltage is outside the power good voltage window. If the FB voltage increases and stays inside the power good window for more than 100μs the PGOOD pin is released. If the FB voltage leaves the power good window for more than 100μs the PGOOD pin is pulled down. ITH (Pin 23): Error Amplifier Compensation. The current comparator’s threshold increases with this control voltage. Tying this pin to SVIN enables internal compensation and AVP mode. In DDR mode (DDR = VIN), the power good window moves in relation to the actual TRACK/SS pin voltage. During up/ down tracking the PGOOD pin is always pulled down. 1. Tying this pin to SVIN selects the internal soft-start circuit. In shutdown the PGOOD output will actively pull down and may be used to discharge the output capacitors via an external resistor. MODE (Pin 21): Mode Selection. Tying the MODE pin to SVIN or SGND enables pulse-skipping mode or Burst Mode operation (with an internal Burst Mode clamp), respectively. If this pin is held at slightly higher than half of SVIN, forced continuous mode is selected. Connecting this pin to an external voltage between 0.45V and 0.8V selects Burst Mode operation with the burst clamp set to the pin voltage. See the Operation section for more details. TRACK/SS (Pin 24): Track/External Soft-Start/External Reference. Start-up behavior is programmable with the TRACK/SS pin: 2. External soft-start timing can be programmed with a capacitor to ground and a resistor to SVIN. 3. TRACK/SS can be used to force the LTC3614 to track the start-up behavior of another supply. The pin can also be used as external reference input. See the Applications Information section for more information. PGND (Exposed Pad Pin 25): Power Ground. This pin connects to the source of the internal N-channel power MOSFET. This pin should be connected close to the (–) terminal of CIN and COUT. 3614f 9 LTC3614 FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM SVIN ITH PVIN PVIN PVIN PVIN ITH SENSE COMPARATOR + BANDGAP AND BIAS RUN RT/SYNC SGND INTERNAL COMPENSATION OSCILLATOR CURRENT SENSE – SVIN – 0.3V R – PMOS CURRENT COMPARATOR ITH LIMIT + 0.3V – FOLDBACK AMPLIFIER – SLOPE COMPENSATION + 0.6V + VFB + ERROR AMPLIFIER – BURST COMPARATOR SW SLEEP – + DRIVER + SW SW MODE TRACK/SS SW SOFT-START SW 0.555V + SW SW – LOGIC REVERSE COMPARATOR + 0.645V SW IREV – + – PGOOD PGND EXPOSED PAD SRLIM/DDR MODE 3614 BD 3614f 10 LTC3614 OPERATION Main Control Loop Mode Selection The LTC3614 is a monolithic, constant frequency, current mode step-down DC/DC converter. During normal operation, the internal top power switch (P-channel MOSFET) is turned on at the beginning of each clock cycle. Current in the inductor increases until the current comparator trips and turns off the top power switch. The peak inductor current at which the current comparator trips is controlled by the voltage on the ITH pin. The error amplifier adjusts the voltage on the ITH pin by comparing the feedback signal from a resistor divider on the VFB pin with an internal 0.6V reference. When the load current increases, it causes a reduction in the feedback voltage relative to the reference. The error amplifier raises the ITH voltage until the average inductor current matches the new load current. Typical voltage range for the ITH pin is from 0.1V to 0.9V with 0.45V corresponding to zero current. The MODE pin is used to select one of four different operating modes: When the top power switch shuts off, the synchronous power switch (N-channel MOSFET) turns on until either the bottom current limit is reached or the next clock cycle begins. The bottom current limit is typically set at –8A for forced continuous mode and 0A for Burst Mode operation and pulse-skipping mode. The operating frequency defaults to 2.25MHz when RT/SYNC is connected to SVIN, or can be set by an external resistor connected between the RT/SYNC pin and ground, or by a clock signal applied to the RT/SYNC pin. The switching frequency can be set from 300kHz to 4MHz. Overvoltage and undervoltage comparators pull the PGOOD output low if the output voltage varies more than ±7.5% (typical) from the set point. Mode Selection Voltage SVIN SVIN – 0.3V SVIN • 0.58 1.1V 0.8V 0.45V 0.3V SGND PS PULSE-SKIPPING MODE ENABLE FC FORCED CONTINUOUS MODE ENABLE BM EXT Burst Mode ENABLE—EXTERNAL CLAMP, CONTROLLED BY VOLTAGE APPLIED AT MODE PIN BM Burst Mode ENABLE—INTERNAL CLAMP 3614 OP01 Burst Mode Operation—Internal Clamp Connecting the MODE pin to SGND enables Burst Mode operation with an internal clamp. In Burst Mode operation the internal power switches operate intermittently at light loads. This increases efficiency by minimizing switching losses. During the intervals when the switches are idle, the LTC3614 enters sleep state where many of the internal circuits are disabled to save power. During Burst Mode operation, the minimum peak inductor current is internally clamped and the voltage on the ITH pin is monitored by the burst comparator to determine when sleep mode is enabled and disabled. When the average inductor current is greater than the load current, the voltage on the ITH pin drops. As the ITH voltage falls below the internal clamp, the burst comparator trips and enables sleep mode. During sleep mode, both power MOSFETs are held off and the load current is solely supplied by the output capacitor. When the output voltage drops, the top power switch is turned back on and the internal circuits are re-enabled. This process repeats at a rate that is dependent on the load current. 3614f 11 LTC3614 OPERATION Burst Mode Operation—External Clamp Dropout Operation Connecting the MODE pin to a voltage in the range of 0.45V to 0.8V enables Burst Mode operation with external clamp. During this mode of operation the minimum voltage on the ITH pin is externally set by the voltage on the MODE pin. It is recommended to use Burst Mode operation with internal burst clamp for temperatures above 85°C ambient. As the input supply voltage approaches the output voltage, the duty cycle increases toward the maximum on-time. Further reduction of the supply voltage forces the main switch to remain on for more than one cycle, eventually reaching 100% duty cycle. The output voltage will then be determined by the input voltage minus the voltage drop across the internal P-channel MOSFET and the inductor. Pulse-Skipping Mode Operation Pulse-skipping mode is similar to Burst Mode operation, but the LTC3614 does not disable power to the internal circuitry during sleep mode. This improves output voltage ripple but uses more quiescent current, compromising light load efficiency. Tying the MODE pin to SVIN enables pulse-skipping mode. As the load current decreases, the peak inductor current will be determined by the voltage on the ITH pin until the ITH voltage drops below the voltage level corresponding to 0A. At this point, the peak inductor current is determined by the minimum on-time of the current comparator. If the load demand is less than the average of the minimum ontime inductor current, switching cycles will be skipped to keep the output voltage in regulation. Forced Continuous Mode In forced continuous mode the inductor current is constantly cycled which creates a minimum output voltage ripple at all output current levels. Connecting the MODE pin to a voltage in the range of 1.1V to SVIN • 0.58 will enable forced continuous mode operation. At light loads, forced continuous mode operation is less efficient than Burst Mode or pulse-skipping operation, but may be desirable in some applications where it is necessary to keep switching harmonics out of the signal band. Low Supply Operation The LTC3614 is designed to operate down to an input supply voltage of 2.25V. An important consideration at low input supply voltages is that the RDS(ON) of the P-channel and N-channel power switches increases. The user should calculate the power dissipation when the LTC3614 is used at 100% duty cycle with low input voltages to ensure that thermal limits are not exceeded. See the Typical Performance Characteristics graphs. Short-Circuit Protection The peak inductor current at which the current comparator shuts off the top power switch is controlled by the voltage on the ITH pin. If the output current increases, the error amplifier raises the ITH pin voltage until the average inductor current matches the new load current. In normal operation the LTC3614 clamps the maximum ITH pin voltage at approximately 0.9V which corresponds typically to 9A peak inductor current. When the output is shorted to ground, the inductor current decays very slowly during a single switching cycle. The LTC3614 uses two techniques to prevent current runaway from occurring. Forced continuous mode must be used if the output is required to sink current. 3614f 12 LTC3614 OPERATION If the output voltage drops below 50% of its nominal value, the clamp voltage at ITH pin is lowered causing the maximum peak inductor current to decrease gradually with the output voltage. When the output voltage reaches 0V the clamp voltage at the ITH pin drops to 40% of the clamp voltage during normal operation. The short-circuit peak inductor current is determined by the minimum on-time of the LTC3614, the input voltage and the inductor value. This foldback behavior helps in limiting the peak inductor current when the output is shorted to ground. It is disabled during internal or external soft-start and tracking up/down operation (see the Applications Information section). A secondary limit is also imposed on the valley inductor current. If the inductor current measured through the bottom MOSFET increases beyond 12A typical, the top power MOSFET will be held off and switching cycles will be skipped until the inductor current is reduced. APPLICATIONS INFORMATION The basic LTC3614 application circuit is shown in Figure 1. Operating Frequency Selection of the operating frequency is a trade-off between efficiency and component size. High frequency operation allows the use of smaller inductor and capacitor values. Operation at lower frequencies improves efficiency by reducing internal gate charge losses but requires larger inductance values and/or capacitance to maintain low output ripple voltage. The operating frequency of the LTC3614 is determined by an external resistor that is connected between the RT/SYNC pin and ground. The value of the resistor sets the ramp current that is used to charge and discharge an internal timing capacitor within the oscillator and can be calculated by using the following equation: RT = 3.82 • 1011Hz Ω – 16kΩ fOSC (Hz ) Although frequencies as high as 4MHz are possible, the minimum on-time of the LTC3614 imposes a minimum limit on the operating duty cycle. The minimum on-time is typically 60ns; therefore, the minimum duty cycle is equal to 60ns • fOSC(Hz)•100%. Tying the RT/SYNC pin to SVIN sets the default internal operating frequency to 2.25MHz ±20%. VIN 2.25V TO 5.5V RSS 2M CSS 22nF RC 15k CC 470pF RT 130k CC1 10pF (OPT) PVIN SVIN RUN TRACK/SS SRLIM/DDR RT/SYNC LTC3614 SW PGOOD SGND ITH PGND MODE VFB CIN1 10μF s4 L1 330nH VOUT 1.8V COUT2 4A 100μF R1 392k 3614 F01 R2 196k Figure 1. 1.8V, 4A Step-Down Regulator 3614f 13 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION Frequency Synchronization Inductor Selection The LTC3614’s internal oscillator can be synchronized to an external frequency by applying a square wave clock signal to the RT/SYNC pin. During synchronization, the top switch turn-on is locked to the falling edge of the external frequency source. The synchronization frequency range is 300kHz to 4MHz. During synchronization all operation modes can be selected. For a given input and output voltage, the inductor value and operating frequency determine the ripple current. The ripple current ΔIL increases with higher VIN and decreases with higher inductance: It is recommended that the regulator is powered down (RUN pin to ground) before removing the clock signal on the RT/SYNC pin in order to reduce inductor current ripple. AC coupling should be used if the external clock generator cannot provide a continuous clock signal throughout start-up, operation and shutdown of the LTC3614. The size of capacitor CSYNC depends on parasitic capacitance on the RT/SYNC pin and is typically in the range of 10pF to 22pF. VIN LTC3614 SVIN RT/SYNC VIN LTC3614 SVIN 0.4V RT/SYNC SGND RT VIN LTC3614 SVIN RT/SYNC SGND fOSC 2.25MHz LTC3614 SVIN RT/SYNC SGND ⎛ ⎞ ⎛ ⎞ V VOUT • ⎜ 1– OUT ⎟ L=⎜ ⎟ ⎝ fSW • ΔIL(MAX) ⎠ ⎝ VIN(MAX) ⎠ fOSC t1/RT fOSC 1/TP Inductor Core Selection fOSC 1/TP Once the value for L is known, the type of inductor must be selected. Actual core loss is independent of core size for fixed inductor value, but it is very dependent on the inductance selected. As the inductance increases, core losses decrease. Unfortunately, increased inductance requires more turns of wire and therefore, copper losses will increase. TP VIN Having a lower ripple current reduces the core losses in the inductor, the ESR losses in the output capacitors and the output voltage ripple. A reasonable starting point for selecting the ripple current is ΔIL = 0.3 • IOUT(MAX). The largest ripple current occurs at the highest VIN. To guarantee that the ripple current stays below a specified maximum, the inductor value should be chosen according to the following equation: The inductor value will also have an effect on Burst Mode operation. The transition to low current operation begins when the peak inductor current falls below a level set by the burst clamp. Lower inductor values result in higher ripple current which causes this to occur at lower load currents. This causes a dip in efficiency in the upper range of low current operation. In Burst Mode operation, lower inductance values will cause the burst frequency to increase. 1.2V 0.3V CSYNC ⎛ V ⎞ ⎛ V ⎞ ΔIL = ⎜ OUT ⎟ • ⎜ 1– OUT ⎟ VIN ⎠ ⎝ fSW • L ⎠ ⎝ RT 3614 F02 Figure 2. Setting the Switching Frequency 3614f 14 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION Ferrite designs have very low core losses and are preferred at high switching frequencies, so design goals can concentrate on copper loss and preventing saturation. Ferrite core material saturates “hard,” meaning that inductance collapses abruptly when the peak design current is exceeded. This results in an abrupt increase in inductor ripple current and consequently output voltage ripple. Do not allow a ferrite core to saturate! Different core materials and shapes will change the size/current and price/current relationship of an inductor. Toroid or shielded pot cores in ferrite or permalloy materials are small and don’t radiate much energy, but generally cost more than powdered iron core inductors with similar characteristics. The choice of which style inductor to use mainly depends on the price versus size requirements and any radiated field/EMI requirements. Table 1 shows some typical surface mount inductors that work well in LTC3614 applications. Input Capacitor (CIN) Selection In continuous mode, the source current of the top P-channel MOSFET is a square wave of duty cycle VOUT/VIN. To prevent large input voltage transients, a low ESR capacitor sized for the maximum RMS current must be used at VIN. The maximum RMS capacitor current is given by: ⎛ V ⎞ V IRMS =IOUT(MAX) • OUT • ⎜ IN – 1⎟ VIN ⎝ VOUT ⎠ Table 1. Representative Surface Mount Inductors INDUCTANCE (μH) DCR (mΩ) SATURATION CURRENT (A) DIMENSIONS (mm) HEIGHT (mm) Vishay IHLP-2525CZ-01 0.10 1.5 60 6.5 × 6.9 3 0.15 1.9 52 6.5 × 6.9 3 0.20 2.4 41 6.5 × 6.9 3 0.22 2.5 40 6.5 × 6.9 3 0.33 3.5 30 6.5 × 6.9 3 0.47 4 26 6.5 × 6.9 3 Sumida CDMC6D28 Series 0.2 2.5 21.7 7.25 × 4.4 3 0.3 3.2 15.4 7.25 × 4.4 3 0.47 4.2 13.6 7.25 × 4.4 3 Cooper HCP0703 Series 0.22 2.8 23 7 × 7.3 3.0 0.47 4.2 17 7 × 7.3 3.0 0.68 5.5 15 7 × 7.3 3.0 Wurth Electronik WE-HC744312 Series 0.25 2.5 18 7 × 7.7 3.8 0.47 3.4 16 7 × 7.7 3.8 Coilcraft SLC7530 Series 0.100 0.123 20 7.5 × 6.7 3 0.188 0.100 21 7.5 × 6.7 3 0.272 0.100 14 7.5 × 6.7 3 0.350 0.100 11 7.5 × 6.7 3 0.400 0.100 8 7.5 × 6.7 3 This formula has a maximum at VIN = 2VOUT , where IRMS = IOUT/2. This simple worst-case condition is commonly used for design because even significant deviations do not offer much relief. Note that ripple current ratings from capacitor manufacturers are often based on only 2000 hours of life which makes it advisable to further derate the capacitor, or choose a capacitor rated at a higher temperature than required. Several capacitors may also be paralleled to meet size or height requirements in the design. 3614f 15 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION Output Capacitor (COUT ) Selection The selection of COUT is typically driven by the required ESR to minimize voltage ripple and load step transients (low ESR ceramic capacitors are discussed in the next section). Typically, once the ESR requirement is satisfied, the capacitance is adequate for filtering. The output ripple ΔVOUT is determined by: ⎛ ⎞ 1 ΔVOUT ≤ ΔIL • ⎜ ESR + 8 • fSW • COUT ⎟⎠ ⎝ where fOSC = operating frequency, COUT = output capacitance and ΔIL = ripple current in the inductor. The output ripple is highest at maximum input voltage since ΔIL increases with input voltage. In surface mount applications, multiple capacitors may have to be paralleled to meet the capacitance, ESR or RMS current handling requirement of the application. Aluminum electrolytic, special polymer, ceramic and dry tantalum capacitors are all available in surface mount packages. Tantalum capacitors have the highest capacitance density, but can have higher ESR and must be surge tested for use in switching power supplies. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors have significantly higher ESR, but can often be used in extremely cost-sensitive applications provided that consideration is given to ripple current ratings and long-term reliability. Ceramic Input and Output Capacitors Ceramic capacitors have the lowest ESR and can be cost effective, but also have the lowest capacitance density, high voltage and temperature coefficients, and exhibit audible piezoelectric effects. In addition, the high Q of ceramic capacitors along with trace inductance can lead to significant ringing. Ceramic capacitors are prone to temperature effects which require the designer to check loop stability over the operating temperature range. To minimize their large temperature and voltage coefficients, only X5R or X7R ceramic capacitors should be used. When a ceramic capacitor is used at the input and the power is being supplied through long wires, such as from a wall adapter, a load step at the output can induce ringing at the VIN pin. At best, this ringing can couple to the output and be mistaken as loop instability. At worst, the ringing at the input can be large enough to damage the part. Since the ESR of a ceramic capacitor is so low, the input and output capacitor must instead fulfill a charge storage requirement. During a load step, the output capacitor must instantaneously supply the current until the feedback loop raises the switch current enough to support the load. The time required for the feedback loop to respond is dependent on the compensation components and the output capacitor size. Typically, 3 to 4 cycles are required to respond to a load step, but only in the first cycle does the output drop linearly. The output droop, VDROOP , is usually about 2 to 4 times the linear drop of the first cycle; however, this behavior can vary depending on the compensation component values. Thus, a good place to start is with the output capacitor size of approximately: COUT ≈ 3.5 • ΔIOUT fSW • VDROOP This is only an approximation; more capacitance may be needed depending on the duty cycle and load step requirements. In most applications, the input capacitor is merely required to supply high frequency bypassing, since the impedance to the supply is very low. They are attractive for switching regulator use because of their very low ESR, but great care must be taken when using only ceramic input and output capacitors. 3614f 16 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION Output Voltage Programming The resistive divider allows pin VFB to sense a fraction of the output voltage as shown in Figure 1. Pulse-skipping mode, which is a compromise between low output voltage ripple and efficiency, can be implemented by connecting MODE to SVIN. This sets IBURST to 0A. In this condition, the peak inductor current is limited by the minimum on-time of the current comparator. The lowest output voltage ripple is achieved while still operating discontinuously. During very light output loads, pulseskipping allows only a few switching cycles to skip while maintaining the output voltage in regulation. Burst Clamp Programming Internal and External Compensation If the voltage on the MODE pin is less than 0.8V, Burst Mode operation is enabled. The regulator loop response can be checked by looking at the load current transient response. Switching regulators take several cycles to respond to a step in DC load current. When a load step occurs, VOUT shifts by an amount equal to ΔILOAD(ESR), where ESR is the effective series resistance of COUT . ΔILOAD also begins to charge or discharge COUT , generating the feedback error signal that forces the regulator to adapt to the current change and return VOUT to its steady-state value. During this recovery time VOUT can be monitored for excessive overshoot or ringing, which would indicate a stability problem. The availability of the ITH pin allows the transient response to be optimized over a wide range of output capacitance. The output voltage is set by an external resistive divider according to the following equation: ⎛ R1⎞ VOUT = 0.6 • ⎜ 1+ ⎟ V ⎝ R2 ⎠ If the voltage on the MODE pin is less than 0.3V, the internal default burst clamp level is selected. The minimum voltage on the ITH pin is typically 525mV (internal clamp). If the voltage is between 0.45V and 0.8V, the voltage on the MODE pin (VBURST) is equal to the minimum voltage on the ITH pin (external clamp) and determines the burst clamp level IBURST (typically from 0A to 7A). When the ITH voltage falls below the internal (or external) clamp voltage, the sleep state is enabled. As the output load current drops, the peak inductor current decreases to keep the output voltage in regulation. When the output load current demands a peak inductor current that is less than IBURST , the burst clamp will force the peak inductor current to remain equal to IBURST regardless of further reductions in the load current. Since the average inductor current is greater than the output load current, the voltage on the ITH pin will decrease. When the ITH voltage drops, sleep mode is enabled in which both power switches are shut off along with most of the circuitry to minimize power consumption. All circuitry is turned back on and the power switches resume operation when the output voltage drops out of regulation. The value for IBURST is determined by the desired amount of output voltage ripple. As the value of IBURST increases, the sleep period between pulses and the output voltage ripple increase. Note that for very high VBURST voltage settings, the power good comparator may trip, since the output ripple may get bigger than the power good window. The ITH external components (RC and CC) shown in Figure 1 provide adequate compensation as a starting point for most applications. The values can be modified slightly to optimize transient response once the final PCB layout is done and the particular output capacitor type and value have been determined. The output capacitors need to be selected because the various types and values determine the loop gain and phase. The gain of the loop will be increased by increasing RC and the bandwidth of the loop will be increased by decreasing CC. If RC is increased by the same factor that CC is decreased, the zero frequency will be kept the same, thereby keeping the phase shift the same in the most critical frequency range of the feedback loop. The output voltage settling behavior is related to the stability of the closed-loop system. The external capacitor, CC1, (Figure 1) is not needed for loop stability, but it helps filter out any high frequency noise that may couple onto that node. The first circuit in the Typical Applications section uses faster compensation to improve step response. 3614f 17 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION A second, more severe transient is caused by switching in loads with large (>1μF) supply bypass capacitors. The discharged bypass capacitors are effectively put in parallel with COUT , causing a rapid drop in VOUT . No regulator can alter its delivery of current quickly enough to prevent this sudden step change in output voltage if the load switch resistance is low and it is driven quickly. More output capacitance may be required depending on the duty cycle and load step requirements. AVP Mode Fast load transient response, limited board space and low cost are typical requirements of microprocessor power supplies. A microprocessor will typically exhibit full load steps with very fast slew rate. The voltage at the microprocessor must be held to about ±0.1V of nominal in spite of these load current steps. Since the control loop cannot respond this fast, the output capacitors must supply the load current until the control loop can respond. Normally, several capacitors in parallel are required to meet microprocessor transient requirements. Capacitor ESR and ESL primarily determine the amount of droop or overshoot in the output voltage. Consider the LTC3614 without AVP with a bank of tantalum output capacitors. If a load step with very fast slew rate occurs, the voltage excursion will be seen in both directions, for full load to minimum load transient and for the minimum load to full load transient. If the ITH pin is tied to SVIN, the active voltage positioning (AVP) mode and internal compensation are selected. AVP mode intentionally compromises load regulation by reducing the gain of the feedback circuit, resulting in an output voltage that slightly varies with load current. When the load current suddenly increases, the output voltage starts from a level slightly higher than nominal so the output voltage can droop more and stay within the specified voltage range. When the load current suddenly decreases the output voltage starts at a level lower than nominal so the output voltage can have more overshoot and stay within the specified voltage range (see Figures 3 and 4). The benefit is a lower peak-to-peak output voltage deviation for a given load step without having to increase the output filter capacitance. Alternatively, the output voltage filter capacitance can be reduced while maintaining the same peak to peak transient response. Due to the reduced loop gain in AVP mode, no external compensation is required. VOUT 100mV/DIV VOUT 200mV/DIV IL 1A/DIV IL 1A/DIV 50μs/DIV VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 3A VMODE = 1.5V COMPENSATION FIGURE 1 3614 F03 Figure 3. Load Step Transient Forced Continuous Mode (AVP Inactive) 50μs/DIV VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V ILOAD = 100mA TO 3A VMODE = 1.5V VITH = 3.3V OUTPUT CAPACITOR VALUE FIGURE 1 3614 F04 Figure 4. Load Step Transient Forced Continuous Mode with AVP Mode 3614f 18 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION The LTC3614 can both source and sink current if the MODE pin is configured to forced continuous mode. Current sinking is typically limited to 3A for 1MHz frequency and a 0.47μH inductor, but can be lower at higher frequencies and low output voltages. If higher ripple current can be tolerated, smaller inductor values can increase the sink current limit. See the Typical Performance Characteristics curves for more information. In addition, by tying the SRLIM/DDR pin to SVIN, lower external reference voltage and tracking output voltage are possible. See the Output Voltage Tracking and External Reference Input sections. Soft-Start The RUN pin provides a means to shut down the LTC3614. Tying the RUN pin to SGND places the LTC3614 in a low quiescent current shutdown state (IQ < 1μA). When the LTC3614 is enabled by pulling the RUN pin high, the chip enters a soft start-up state. The type of soft startup behavior is set by the TRACK/SS pin: 1. Tying TRACK/SS to SVIN selects the internal soft-start circuit. This circuit ramps the output voltage to the final value within 1ms. 2. If a longer soft-start period is desired, it can be set externally with a resistor and capacitor on the TRACK/SS pin as shown in Figure 1. The TRACK/SS pin reduces the SW PIN 10k 100k OPEN value of the internal reference at VFB until TRACK/SS is pulled above 0.6V. The external soft-start duration can be calculated by using the following formula: ⎛ ⎞ SVIN t SS = RSS • CSS • ln⎜ ⎝ SVIN – 0.6V ⎟⎠ 3. The TRACK/SS pin can be used to track the output voltage of another supply. Each time the RUN pin is tied high and the LTC3614 is turned on, the TRACK/SS pin is internally pulled down for ten microseconds in order to discharge the external capacitor. This discharging time is typically adequate for capacitors up to about 33nF. If a larger capacitor is required, connect the external soft-start resistor to the RUN pin. During either internal or external soft-start, the MODE pin is ignored and soft-start will always be in pulse-skipping mode. In addition, the PGOOD pin is kept low and foldback of the switching frequency is disabled. Programmable Switch Pin Slew Rate As switching frequencies rise, it is desirable to minimize the transition time required when switching to minimize power losses and blanking time for the switch to settle. However, fast slewing of the switch node results in relatively high external radiated EMI and high on chip supply transients, which can cause problems for some applications. SW PIN DDR Mode OPEN 100k 10k VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V fSW = 2.25MHz 2ns/DIV VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V fSW = 2.25MHz 2ns/DIV 3614 F05 Figure 5. Slew Rate at SW Pin vs SRLIM/DDR Resistor: Open, 100k, 10k 3614f 19 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION The LTC3614 allows the user to control the slew rate of the switching node SW by using the SRLIM/DDR pin. Tying this pin to ground selects the fastest slew rate. The slowest slew rate is selected when the pin is open. Connecting a resistor (between 10k and 100k) from SRLIM pin to ground adjusts the slew rate between the maximum and minimum values. The reduced dV/dt of the switch node results in a significant reduction of the supply and ground ringing, as well as lower radiated EMI. OUTPUT VOLTAGE VOUT1 VOUT2 TIME (6a) Coincident Tracking Particular attention should be used with very high switching frequencies. Using the slowest slew rate (SRLIM open) can reduce the minimum duty cycle capability. OUTPUT VOLTAGE VOUT1 Output Voltage Tracking Input If the DDR pin is not tied to SVIN, once VTRACK/SS exceeds 0.6V, the run state is entered and the MODE selection, power good and current foldback circuits are enabled. In the run state, the TRACK/SS pin can be used for tracking down/up the output voltage of another supply. If the VTRACK/SS drops below 0.6V, the LTC3614 enters the down tracking state and VOUT is referenced to the TRACK/SS voltage. If the TRACK/SS pin drops below 0.2V, the switching frequency is reduced to ensure that the minimum duty cycle limit does not prevent the output from following the TRACK/SS pin. The run state will resume if VTRACK/SS again exceeds 0.6V and VOUT is referenced to the internal precision reference (see Figure 8). 3614 F06 TIME (6b) Ratiometric Tracking Figure 6. Two Different Modes of Output Voltage Tracking VOUT1 VOUT2 R4 R4 R3 VFB2 R2 LTC3614 Through the TRACK/SS pin, the output voltage can be set up for either coincident or ratiometric tracking, as shown in Figure 6. To implement the coincident tracking behavior in Figure 6a, connect an extra resistive divider to the output of the master channel and connect its midpoint to the TRACK/SS pin for the slave channel. The ratio of this divider should be selected to be the same as that of the slave channel’s feedback divider (Figure 7a). In this tracking mode, the master channel’s output must be set higher than slave channel’s output. To implement the ratiometric tracking behavior in Figure 6b, different resistor divider values must be used as specified in Figure 7b. VOUT2 VFB1 R2 R2 TRACK/SS2 VIN LTC3614 TRACK/SS1 R4 ≤ R3 LTC3614 CHANNEL 2 SLAVE LTC3614 CHANNEL 1 MASTER 3614 F07a Figure 7a. Setup for Coincident Tracking VOUT1 VOUT2 R1 R5 R3 R1/R2 < R5/R6 R6 R4 VFB2 R2 LTC3614 TRACK/SS2 LTC3614 CHANNEL 2 SLAVE VFB1 LTC3614 TRACK/SS1 VIN LTC3614 CHANNEL 1 3614 F07b MASTER Figure 7b. Setup for Ratiometric Tracking 3614f 20 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION For coincident start-up, the voltage value at the TRACK/SS pin for the slave channel needs to reach the final reference value after the internal soft-start time (around 1ms). The master start-up time needs to be adjusted with an external capacitor and resistor to ensure this. External Reference Input (DDR Mode) If the DDR pin is tied to SVIN (DDR mode), the run state is entered when VTRACK/SS exceeds 0.3V and tracking down behavior is possible if the VTRACK/SS voltage is below 0.6V. This allows TRACK/SS to be used as an external reference between 0.3V and 0.6V if desired. During the run state in DDR mode, the power good window moves in relation to the actual TRACK/SS pin voltage if the voltage value is between 0.3V and 0.6V. Note: if TRACK/SS voltage is 0.6V, either the tracking circuit or the internal reference can be used. During up/down tracking the output current foldback is disabled and the PGOOD pin is always pulled down (see Figure 9). Efficiency Considerations The efficiency of a switching regulator is equal to the output power divided by the input power times 100%. It is often useful to analyze individual losses to determine what is limiting the efficiency and which change would produce the most improvement. Efficiency can be expressed as: Efficiency = 100% – (L1 + L2 + L3 + ...) where L1, L2, etc. are the individual losses as a percentage of input power. Although all dissipative elements in the circuit produce losses, two main sources usually account for most of the losses: VIN quiescent current and I2R losses. The VIN quiescent current loss dominates the efficiency loss at very low load currents whereas the I2R loss dominates the efficiency loss at medium to high load currents. In a typical efficiency plot, the efficiency curve at very low load currents can be misleading since the actual power lost is usually of no consequence. 1. The VIN quiescent current is due to two components: the DC bias current as given in the Electrical Characteristics and the internal main switch and synchronous switch gate charge currents. The gate charge current results from switching the gate capacitance of the internal power MOSFET switches. Each time the gate is switched from low to high to low again, a packet of charge dQ moves from VIN to ground. The resulting dQ/dt is the current out of VIN due to gate charge, and it is typically larger than the DC bias current. Both the DC bias and gate charge losses are proportional to VIN; thus, their effects will be more pronounced at higher supply voltages. 2. I2R losses are calculated from the resistances of the internal switches, RSW , and external inductor, RL. In continuous mode the average output current flowing through inductor L is “chopped” between the main switch and the synchronous switch. Thus, the series resistance looking into the SW pin is a function of both top and bottom MOSFET RDS(ON) and the duty cycle (DC) as follows: RSW = (RDS(ON)TOP)(DC) + (RDS(ON)BOT)(1 – DC) The RDS(ON) for both the top and bottom MOSFETs can be obtained from the Typical Performance Characteristics curves. To obtain I2R losses, simply add RSW to RL and multiply the result by the square of the average output current. Other losses including CIN and COUT ESR dissipative losses and inductor core losses generally account for less than 2% of the total loss. 3614f 21 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION VFB PIN 0.6V VOLTAGE 0V 0.6V TRACK/SS PIN VOLTAGE 0.2V 0V RUN PIN VOLTAGE SVIN PIN VOLTAGE VIN 0V VIN 0V TIME SHUTDOWN SOFT-START STATE STATE tSS > 1ms RUN STATE REDUCED SWITCHING FREQUENCY DOWN TRACKING STATE RUN STATE 3614 F08 UP TRACKING STATE Figure 8. DDR Pin Not Tied to SVIN 0.45V VFB PIN 0.3V VOLTAGE 0V EXTERNAL VOLTAGE REFERENCE 0.45V 0.45V TRACK/SS 0.3V PIN VOLTAGE 0.2V 0V VIN RUN PIN VOLTAGE SVIN PIN VOLTAGE 0V VIN 0V TIME SHUTDOWN SOFT-START STATE STATE tSS > 1ms RUN STATE REDUCED SWITCHING FREQUENCY DOWN TRACKING STATE RUN STATE 3614 F09 UP TRACKING STATE Figure 9. DDR Pin Tied to SVIN. Example DDR Application 3614f 22 LTC3614 APPLICATIONS INFORMATION Thermal Considerations In most applications, the LTC3614 does not dissipate much heat due to its high efficiency. However, in applications where the LTC3614 is running at high ambient temperature with low supply voltage and high duty cycles, such as in dropout, the heat dissipated may exceed the maximum junction temperature of the part. If the junction temperature reaches approximately 160°C, both power switches will be turned off and the SW node will become high impedance. To prevent the LTC3614 from exceeding the maximum junction temperature, some thermal analysis is required. The temperature rise is given by: TRISE = (PD)(θJA) where PD is the power dissipated by the regulator and θJA is the thermal resistance from the junction of the die to the ambient temperature. The junction temperature, TJ, is given by: TJ = TA + TRISE where TA is the ambient temperature. As an example, consider the case when the LTC3614 is in dropout at an input voltage of 3.3V with a load current of 4A at an ambient temperature of 85°C. From the Typical Performance Characteristics graph of Switch Resistance, the RDS(ON) resistance of the P-channel switch is 0.038Ω. Therefore, power dissipated by the part is: PD = (IOUT)2 • RDS(ON) = 0.61W For the QFN package, the θJA is 38°C/W. Therefore, the junction temperature of the regulator operating at 85°C ambient temperature is approximately: TJ = 0.61W • 38°C/W + 85°C = 108°C We can safely assume that the actual junction temperature will not exceed the absolute maximum junction temperature of 125°C. Note that for very low input voltage, the junction temperature will be higher due to increased switch resistance, RDS(ON). It is not recommended to use full load current with high ambient temperature and low input voltage. To maximize the thermal performance of the LTC3614 the exposed pad should be soldered to a ground plane. See the PCB Layout Board Checklist. 3614f 23 LTC3614 PACKAGE DESCRIPTION Design Example As a design example, consider using the LTC3614 in an application with the following specifications: VIN = 2.25V to 5.5V, VOUT = 1.8V, IOUT(MAX) = 4A, IOUT(MIN) = 200mA, f = 2.6MHz. Efficiency is important at both high and low load current, so Burst Mode operation will be utilized. Finally, define the soft start-up time choosing the proper value for the capacitor and the resistor connected to TRACK/SS. If we set minimum tSS = 5ms and a resistor of 2MΩ, the following equation can be solved with the maximum SVIN = 5.5V : CSS = 5ms = 21.6nF 5.5V ⎞ ⎛ 2MΩ •In ⎜ ⎝ 5.5V – 0.6V ⎟⎠ First, calculate the timing resistor: 3.8211Hz RT = k – 16k = 130kΩ 2.6MHz Next, calculate the inductor value for about 33% ripple current at maximum VIN: 1.8V ⎛ ⎞ ⎛ 1.8V ⎞ L=⎜ • 1– = 0.35µH ⎝ 2.6MHz • 1.3A ⎟⎠ ⎜⎝ 5.5V ⎟⎠ Using a standard value of 0.33μH inductor results in a maximum ripple current of: 1.8V ⎛ ⎞ ⎛ 1.8V ⎞ ΔIL = ⎜ • ⎜ 1– ⎟ = 1.41A ⎝ 2.6MHz • 0.33µH⎟⎠ ⎝ 5.5V ⎠ The standard value of 22nF guarantees the minimum soft-start up time of 5ms. Figure 1 shows the schematic for this design example. PC Board Layout Checklist When laying out the printed circuit board, the following checklist should be used to ensure proper operation of the LTC3614: 1. A ground plane is recommended. If a ground plane layer is not used, the signal and power grounds should be segregated with all small-signal components returning to the SGND pin at one point which is then connected to the PGND pin close to the LTC3614. COUT will be selected based on the ESR that is required to satisfy the output voltage ripple requirement and the bulk capacitance needed for loop stability. For this design, a 100μF ceramic capacitor is used with a X5R or X7R dielectric. 2. Connect the (+) terminal of the input capacitor(s), CIN, as close as possible to the PVIN pin, and the (–) terminal as close as possible to the exposed pad, PGND. This capacitor provides the AC current into the internal power MOSFETs. Assuming worst-case conditions of VIN = 2VOUT, CIN should be selected for a maximum current rating of: 3. Keep the switching node, SW, away from all sensitive small-signal nodes. IRMS = 4A • 1.8V ⎛ 3.6V ⎞ • ⎜ – 1 = 2ARMS ⎝ 1.8V ⎟⎠ 3.6V Decoupling PVIN with four 10μF to 22μF capacitors is adequate for most applications. If we set R2 = 196k, the value of R1 can now be determined by solving the following equation. 4. Flood all unused areas on all layers with copper. Flooding with copper will reduce the temperature rise of power components. Connect the copper areas to PGND (exposed pad) for best performance. 5. Connect the VFB pin directly to the feedback resistors. The resistor divider must be connected between VOUT and SGND. ⎛ 1.8V ⎞ R1 = 196k • ⎜ −1 ⎝ 0.6V ⎟⎠ A value of 392k will be selected for R1. 3614f 24 LTC3614 TYPICAL APPLICATIONS General Purpose Buck Regulator with Fast Compensation and Improved Step Response, 2.25MHz VIN 2.25V TO 5.5V 10μF s4 RF 24Ω CF 1μF RSS 4.7M CSS 10nF R4 100k RC 43k CC 220pF PGOOD CC1 10pF R5A 1M SVIN PVIN RUN TRACK/SS SRLIM/DDR RT/SYNC LTC3614 SW PGOOD SGND ITH PGND MODE VFB R2 196k R5B 1M L1 0.33μH CO2 100μF VOUT 1.8V 4A R1 392k C3 22pF 3614 TA02a L1: VISHAY IHLP-2525CZ-01 330nH Load Step Response in Forced Continuous Mode Efficiency vs Output Current 100 VOUT = 1.8V 90 EFFICIENCY (%) 80 VOUT 100mV/DIV 70 60 50 40 IOUT 2A/DIV 30 VIN = 2.5V VIN = 3.3V VIN = 4V VIN = 5.5V 20 10 0 1 10 100 1000 OUTPUT CURRENT (mA) 10000 50μs/DIV VIN = 3.3V VOUT = 1.8V IOUT = 100mA TO 4A VMODE = 1.5V 3614 TA02c 3614 TA02b 3614f 25 LTC3614 TYPICAL APPLICATIONS Master and Slave for Coincident Tracking Outputs Using a 1MHz External Clock VIN 2.25V TO 5.5V 22μF s4 4.7M 10nF RF1 24Ω CF1 1μF 1MHz CLOCK R5 100k RC1 15k CC1 470pF PGOOD CC2 10pF 1M SVIN PVIN RUN TRACK/SS SRLIM/DDR RT/SYNC LTC3614 SW PGOOD SGND ITH PGND MODE VFB R2 357k 1M L1 0.68μH CHANNEL 1 MASTER CO12 100μF R1 715k VOUT1 1.8V 4A R3 464k C3 22pF R4 464k RF2 24Ω 22μF s4 CF2 1μF R7 100k RC2 15k CC3 470pF PGOOD CC4 10pF SVIN PVIN RUN TRACK/SS SRLIM/DDR RT/SYNC LTC3614 SW PGOOD SGND ITH PGND MODE VFB L1, L2: VISHAY IHLP-2525CZ-01 680nH R6 301k CHANNEL 2 SLAVE L2 0.68μH VOUT2 1.2V CO22 4A 100μF R5 301k C7 22pF 3614 TA03a Coincident Start-Up Coincident Tracking Up/Down VOUT1 VOUT1 VOUT2 500mV/DIV 500mV/DIV 2ms/DIV 3614 TA03b VOUT2 200ms/DIV 3614 TA03c 3614f 26 LTC3614 PACKAGE DESCRIPTION UDD Package 24-Lead Plastic QFN (3mm × 5mm) (Reference LTC DWG # 05-08-1833) 0.70 ±0.05 3.50 ± 0.05 2.10 ± 0.05 3.65 ± 0.05 1.50 REF 1.65 ± 0.05 PACKAGE OUTLINE 0.25 ±0.05 0.50 BSC 3.50 REF 4.10 ± 0.05 5.50 ± 0.05 RECOMMENDED SOLDER PAD PITCH AND DIMENSIONS APPLY SOLDER MASK TO AREAS THAT ARE NOT SOLDERED 0.75 ± 0.05 3.00 ± 0.10 1.50 REF 23 R = 0.05 TYP PIN 1 NOTCH R = 0.20 OR 0.25 s 45° CHAMFER 24 0.40 ± 0.10 PIN 1 TOP MARK (NOTE 6) 1 2 3.65 ± 0.10 5.00 ± 0.10 3.50 REF 1.65 ± 0.10 (UDD24) QFN 0808 REV Ø 0.200 REF 0.00 – 0.05 R = 0.115 TYP 0.25 ± 0.05 0.50 BSC BOTTOM VIEW—EXPOSED PAD NOTE: 1. DRAWING IS NOT A JEDEC PACKAGE OUTLINE 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 3614f 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. 27 LTC3614 TYPICAL APPLICATION DDR Termination With Ratiometric Tracking of VDD, 1MHz VIN 3.3V VDD 1.8V VDD C1 22μF s4 R6 562k R7 187k Ratiometric Start-Up R3 100k R8 365k PGOOD SVIN RUN TRACK/SS RT/SYNC CC 2.2nF R5 1M L1 0.33μH PGOOD CC1 10pF ITH MODE L1: COILCRAFT DO3316T VTT 500mV/DIV SRLIM/DDR LTC3614 RC 6k R4 1M PVIN SW C4 100μF SGND PGND VTT 0.9V C5 ±3A 47μF 500μs/DIV 3614 TA04b R1 200k VFB R2 200k C3 22pF 3614 TA04a RELATED PARTS PART NUMBER DESCRIPTION COMMENTS LTC3616 5.5V, 6A (IOUT) 4MHz Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.25V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, IQ = 70μA, ISD < 1μA, 3mm × 5mm QFN24 Package LTC3612 5.5V, 3A (IOUT), 4MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.25V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, IQ = 70μA, ISD <1μA, 3mm × 4mm QFN-20 TSSOP20E Package LTC3418 5.5V, 8A (IOUT), 4MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.25V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 380μA, ISD <1μA, 5mm × 7mm QFN-38 Package LTC3415 5.5V, 7A (IOUT), 1.5MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.5V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.6V, IQ = 450μA, ISD <1μA, 5mm × 7mm QFN-38 Package LTC3416 5.5V, 4A (IOUT), 4MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.25V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 64μA, ISD <1μA, TSSOP20E Package LTC3413 5.5V, 3A (IOUT Sink/Source), 2MHz, Monolithic Synchronous Regulator for DDR/QDR Memory Termination 90% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.25V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = VREF /2, IQ = 280μA, ISD <1μA, TSSOP16E Package LTC3412A 5.5V, 2.5A (IOUT), 4MHz, Synchronous Step-Down DC/DC Converter 95% Efficiency, VIN(MIN) = 2.5V, VIN(MAX) = 5.5V, VOUT(MIN) = 0.8V, IQ = 60μA, ISD <1μA, 4mm × 4mm QFN-16 TSSOP16E Package 3614f 28 Linear Technology Corporation LT 0310 • PRINTED IN USA 1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417 (408) 432-1900 ● FAX: (408) 434-0507 ● www.linear.com © LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2010