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.
The LTC®4151 is a high side power monitor that includesa 12-bit ADC for measuring current and voltage, as wellas the voltage on an auxiliary input. Data is read throughthe widely used I2C interface. An unusual feature in thisdevice is its 7V to 80V operating range, allowing it to coverapplications from 12V automotive to 48V telecom.
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.
Once relegated to the hinterlands of low cost indicatorlights, the LED is again in the spotlight of the lightingworld. LED lighting is now ubiquitous, from car headlightsto USB-powered lava lamps. Car headlights exemplifyapplications that capitalize on the LED’s clear advantages—unwavering high quality light output, tough-assteelrobustness, inherent high effi ciency—while a USBlava lamp exemplifi es applications where only LEDs work.Despite these clear advantages, their requirement forregulated voltage and current make LED driver circuitsmore complex than the venerable light bulb, but some newdevices are closing the gap. For instance, the LTM®8040μModule™ LED driver integrates all the driver circuitryinto a single package, allowing designers to refocus theirtime and effort on the details of lighting design criticalto a product’s success.
The LTC®4155 and LTC4156 are dual multiplexed-inputbattery chargers with PowerPath™ control, featuring I2Cprogrammability and USB On-The-Go for systems suchas tablet PCs and other high power density applications.The LTC4155’s float voltage (VFLOAT) range is optimizedfor Li-Ion batteries, while the LTC4156 is optimized forlithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)batteries, supportingsystem loads to 4A with up to 3.5A of battery chargecurrent. I2C controls a broad range of functions and USBOn-The-Go functionality is controlled directly from theUSB connector ID pin.
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.
The LTC®4099 high effi ciency USB power manager andLi-Ion/Polymer battery charger seamlessly managespower distribution from multiple sources in portableapplications. It is differentiated from other USB powermanagers by its bidirectional I2C port that allows the hostmicroprocessor to control and monitor all aspects of theUSB power management and battery charging processes.In addition, a programmable interrupt generation functionalerts the host microprocessor to changes in device statusand provides unprecedented control of power managementfunctions. This high degree of confi gurability allowspost-layout changes in operation, even changes in thefi eld, and it allows a single qualifi ed device to be usedin a variety of products, thus reducing design time andeasing inventory management.
An essential component of a noise-free audio device isa clean power supply, but few switching regulators canoperate at high efficiency while keeping the switchingfrequency out of the audio band. The LTC®3620 fills thisvoid. It is a high efficiency 15mA buck regulator with aprogrammable minimum switching frequency, making itpossible to virtually eliminate audible switching noise. Theinternal synchronous switches and low quiescent currentof this buck regulator provide the ability to maintain highefficiency, while its small footprint makes it ideal for tiny,low power audio applications.
What would happen if someone connected 24V to your12V circuits? If the power and ground lines were inadvertentlyreversed, would the circuits survive? Does yourapplication reside in a harsh environment, where the inputsupply can ring very high or even below ground? Evenif these events are unlikely, it only takes one to destroya circuit board.
In a recent discussion with a system designer, the requirementfor his power supply was to regulate 1.5Vand deliver up to 40A of current to a load that consistedof four FPGAs. This is up to 60W of power that must bedelivered in a small area with the lowest height profi lepossible to allow a steady fl ow of air for cooling. Thepower supply had to be surface mountable and operateat high enough effi ciency to minimize heat dissipation.He also demanded the simplest possible solution so histime could be dedicated to the more complex tasks. Asidefrom precise electrical performance, this solution had toremovethe heat generated during DC to DC conversionquickly so that the circuit and the ICs in the vicinity do notoverheat. Such a solution requires an innovative designto meet these criteria:
