Most circuit designers are familiar with diode dynamiccharacteristics such as charge storage, voltage dependentcapacitance and reverse recovery time. Less commonlyacknowledged and manufacturer specifi ed is diode forwardturn-on time. This parameter describes the timerequired for a diode to turn on and clamp at its forwardvoltage drop. Historically, this extremely short time, unitsof nanoseconds, has been so small that user and vendoralike have essentially ignored it. It is rarely discussed andalmost never specifi ed. Recently, switching regulator clockrate and transition time have become faster, making diodeturn-on time a critical issue. Increased clock rates aremandated to achieve smaller magnetics size; decreasedtransition times somewhat aid overall effi ciency but areprincipally needed to minimize IC heat rise. At clock speedsbeyond about 1MHz, transition time losses are the primarysource of die heating.
Abstract: Using a wafer-level package (WLP) can reduce the overall size and cost of your solution.However when using a WLP IC, the printed circuit board (PCB) layout can become more complex and, ifnot carefully planned, result in an unreliable design. This article presents some PCB designconsiderations and general recommendations for choosing a 0.4mm- or 0.5mm-pitch WLP for yourapplication.
Abstract: We don't expect manufacturers to produce clothes that in one size that fits everyone. In thesame way, one ESD component can't solve all issues—each application has different ESD requirements.Knowing that "one size fits all" cannot apply to power design, the power designer, or the engineering"super hero," must consider all the potential disruptions to a steady flow of power and thenvarious waysto mitigate them. This tutorial describes voltage- and current-limiting devices and risetime reducers tomanage the power. It also points to free and low-cost software tools to help design lowpass filters, checkcapacitor self-resonance, and simulate circuits.
Abstract: With its small size and large load (10W) capability, the MAX13256 H-bridge transformer driver is an attractive solution forcharging supercapacitors (supercaps). However, a large capacitance on the output of the circuit can force the driver into fault modeat startup, due to the high initial charge current. This application note presents a solution that allows users to charge a largecapacitance without going into fault.
Typical industrial and automotive applications requiremultiple high current, low voltage power supply solutionsto drive everything from disc drives to microprocessors.For many of these applications, particularly thosethat have size constraints, the LT3501® dual step-downconverter is an attractive solution because it’s compactand inexpensive compared to a 2-chip solution. The dualconverter accommodates a 3V to 25V input voltage rangeand is capable of supplying up to 3A per channel. Thecircuit in Figure 1 produces 3.3V and 1.8V.
The LTC3546 is a dual output current mode buck regulatorwith fl exible output current partitioning. Beyondthe advantages normally associated with dual outputregulators (reduced size, cost, EMI and part count, withimproved effi ciency), the LTC3546’s outputs can bepartitioned for either 3A and 1A outputs, or two 2A outputs.This increases its application range and simplifi esmultiple supply rail designs. A confi gurable Burst Mode®clamp for each output sets the current transition levelbetween Burst Mode operation and forced continuousconduction mode to optimize effi ciency over the entireoutput range. An adjustable switching frequency up to4MHz and internal power MOSFET switches allow forsmall and compact footprints.
