Avalanche photo diode (APD) receiver modules arewidely used in fi ber optic communication systems. AnAPD module contains the APD and a signal conditioningamplifi er, but is not completely self contained. It stillrequires signifi cant support circuitry including a highvoltage, low noise power supply and a precision currentmonitor to indicate the signal strength. The challenge issqueezing this support circuitry into applications withlimited board space. The LT®3482 addresses this challengeby integrating a monolithic DC/DC step-up converter andan accurate current monitor. The LT3482 can supportup to a 90V APD bias voltage, and the current monitorprovides better than 10% accuracy over four decades ofdynamic range (250nA to 2.5mA).
Advances in low power electronics now allow placementof battery-powered sensors and other devices in locationsfar from the power grid. Ideally, for true grid independence,the batteries should not need replacement, but instead berecharged using locally available renewable energy, suchas solar power. This Design Note shows how to producea compact battery charger that operates from a small2-cell solar panel. A unique feature of this design is thatthe DC/DC converter uses power point control to extractmaximum power from the solar panel.
Linear Technology’s DC/DC step-down μModule®regulators are complete switchmode power supplies in asurface-mount package. They include the DC/DC controller,inductor, power switches and supporting circuitry.These highly integrated regulators also provide an easysolution for applications that require negative outputvoltages. In other words, these products can operate asinverting buck-boost regulators. As a result, the lowestpotential in the circuit is not the standard 0V, but –VOUT,which must be tied to the μModule regulator’s GND. Allsignals are now referred to –VOUT.
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.
High voltage buck DC/DC controllers such as the LTC3890(dual output) and LTC3891 (single output) are popular inautomotive applications due to their extremely wide 4V to60V input voltage range, eliminating the need for a snubberand voltage suppression circuitry. These controllersare also well suited for 48V telecom applications whereno galvanic isolation is required.
A recent trend in the design of portable devices has beento use ceramic capacitors to filter DC/DC converter inputs.Ceramic capacitors are often chosen because of theirsmall size, low equivalent series resistance (ESR) and highRMS current capability. Also, recently, designers havebeen looking to ceramic capacitors due to shortages oftantalum capacitors.
The LTM4600 DC/DC μModule regulator is a complete highpower density stepdown regulator for 10A continuous (14Apeak) loads. The device has two voltage options: 20VINmaximum for the LTM4600EV and 28VIN maximum for theLTM4600HVEV each housed in a small 15mm ¥ 15mm ¥2.8mm LGA surface mount package.
The latest generation of Texas Instruments (TI) boardmountedpower modules utilizes a pin interconnect technologythat improves surface-mount manufacturability.These modules are produced as a double-sided surfacemount(DSSMT) subassembly, yielding a case-less constructionwith subcomponents located on both sides of theprinted circuit board (PCB). Products produced in theDSSMT outline use the latest high-efficiency topologiesand magnetic-component packaging. This providescustomers with a high-efficiency, ready-to-use switchingpower module in a compact, space-saving package. Bothnonisolated point-of-load (POL) switching regulators andthe isolated dc/dc converter modules are being producedin the DSSMT outline.TI’s plug-in power product line offers power modules inboth through-hole and surface-mount packages. The surfacemountmodules produced in the DSSMT outline use asolid copper interconnect with an integral solder ball fortheir
