Automotive batteries, industrial power supplies, distributedsupplies and wall transformers are all sources ofwide-ranging high voltage inputs. The easiest way to stepdown these sources is with a high voltage monolithicstep-down regulator that can directly accept a wide inputrange and produce a well-regulated output. The LT®3493accepts inputs from 3.6V to 36V and LT3481 acceptsinputs from 3.6V to 34V. Both provide excellent lineand load regulation and dynamic response. The LT3481offers a high effi ciency solution over a wide load range andkeeps the output ripple low during Burst Mode® operationwhile the LT3493 provides a tiny solution with minimalexternal Components. The LT3493 operates at 750kHzand the LT3481 has adjustable frequency from 300kHzto 2.8MHz. High frequency operation enables the use ofsmall, low cost inductors and ceramic capacitors.
The LTC®3562 quad output step-down regulator is designedfor multicore handheld microprocessor applications thatoperate from a single Li-Ion battery. Its four monolithic, higheffi ciency buck regulators support Intel’s mobile CPU P-Stateand C-State energy saving operating modes. The outputvoltages are independently controllable via I2C, and eachoutput can be independently started and shut down. Designerscan choose from power saving pulse-skipping mode orBurst Mode® operation, or select low noise LDO mode. Thespace-saving LTC3562 is available in a 3mm × 3mm QFNpackage and requires few external Components.
The LTC®3569 is a compact power solution for handhelddevices. Its tiny 3mm × 3mm QFN package includesthree buck regulators with individually programmableoutput voltages. One regulator supports load currentsup to 1200mA, while the other two support currents to600mA. Two regulators can be paralleled for increasedload capability. Each current-mode regulator is internallycompensated with excellent load and line regulation. Acomplete 2- or 3-output solution requires a minimumof external passive Components.
Many system designers need an easy way to producea negative 3.3V power supply. In systems that alreadyhave a transformer, one option is to swap out the existingtransformer with one that has an additional secondarywinding. The problem with this solution is that manysystems now use transformers that are standard, offthe-shelf Components, and most designers want toavoid replacing a standard, qualifi ed transformer with acustom version. An easier alternative is to produce thelow negative voltage rail by stepping down an existingnegative rail. For example, if the system already employsan off-the-shelf transformer with two secondary windingsto produce ±12V, and a –3.3V rail is needed, a negativebuck converter can produce the –3.3V output from the–12V rail.
The LTC®3610 is a high power monolithic synchronousstep-down DC/DC regulator that can deliver up to 12Aof continuous output current from a 4V to 24V (28Vmaximum) input supply. It is a member of a high currentmonolithic regulator family (see Table 1) that featuresintegrated low RDS(ON) N-channel top and bottomMOSFETs. This results in a high effi ciency and highpower density solution with few external Components.This regulator family uses a constant on-time valleycurrent mode architecture that is capable of operatingat very low duty cycles at high frequency and with veryfast transient response. All are available in low profi le(0.9mm max) QFN packages.
Each year Vishay releases thousands of new Components that enable our customers to create new and superior end products. We recognize that offering unique component solutions helps improve the performance of next-generation devices, overcome technical barriers, and create new markets.
As environmental concerns over traditional lighting increaseand the price of LEDs decreases, high power LEDsare fast becoming a popular lighting solution for offl ineapplications. In order to meet the requirements of offl inelighting—such as high power factor, high effi ciency, isolationand TRIAC dimmer compatibility—prior LED driversused many external discrete Components, resulting incumbersome solutions. The LT®3799 solves complexity,space and performance problems by integrating all therequired functions for offl ine LED lighting.
The voltage range of Linear Technology’s PowerPath® circuitscan be easily extended with just a few Components, thusallowing them to meet the needs of virtually all applications.This application note presents solutions for circuits thatmust withstand large negative voltages, a reverse adapterinput for example, and circuits that must withstand largepositive inputs, such as automotive load-dump.
As logic systems get larger and more complex, theirsupply current requirements continue to rise. Systemsrequiring 100A are fairly common. A high current powersupply to meet such requirements usually requires parallelingseveral power regulators to alleviate the thermalstress on the individual power Components. A powersupply designer is left with the choice of how to drive theseparalleled regulators: brute-force single-phase or smartPolyPhaseTM.
Notebook and palmtop systems need a multiplicity ofregulated voltages developed from a single battery. Smallsize, light weight, and high efficiency are mandatory forcompetitive solutions in this area. Small increases inefficiency extend battery life, making the final productmuch more usable with no increase in weight. Additionally,high efficiency minimizes the heat sinks needed onthe power regulating Components, further reducing systemweight and size.
