LTC1929IG

LTC1929/LTC1929-PG 2-Phase, High Efficiency, Synchronous Step-Down Switching Regulators U FEATURES ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ DESCRIPTIO The LTC®1929/LTC1929-PG are 2-phase, single output, synchronous step-down current mode switching regulator controllers that drive N-channel external power MOSFET stages in a phase-lockable fixed frequency architecture. The 2-phase controllers drive their two output stages out of phase at frequencies up to 300kHz to minimize the RMS ripple currents in both input and output capacitors. The 2-phase technique effectively multiplies the fundamental frequency by two, improving transient response while operating each channel at an optimum frequency for efficiency. Thermal design is also simplified. 2-Phase Single Output Controller Reduces Required Input Capacitance and Power Supply Induced Noise Current Mode Control Ensures Current Sharing Phase-Lockable Fixed Frequency: 150kHz to 300kHz True Remote Sensing Differential Amplifier OPTI-LOOPTM Compensation Improves Transient Response ±1% Output Voltage Accuracy Power Good Output Voltage Monitor (LTC1929-PG) Wide VIN Range: 4V to 36V Operation Very Low Dropout Operation: 99% Duty Cycle Adjustable Soft-Start Current Ramping Internal Current Foldback Short-Circuit Shutdown Timer with Defeat Option Overvoltage Soft-Latch Eliminates Nuisance Trips Available in 28-Lead SSOP Package An internal differential amplifier provides true remote sensing of the regulated supply’s positive and negative output terminals as required by high current applications. The RUN/SS pin provides soft-start and a defeatable, timed, latched short-circuit shutdown to shut down both channels. Internal foldback current limit provides protection for the external synchronous MOSFETs in the event of an output fault. OPTI-LOOP compensation allows the transient response to be optimized over a wide range of output capacitance and ESR values. U APPLICATIO S ■ ■ ■ Desktop Computers Internet/Network Servers Large Memory Arrays DC Power Distribution Systems , LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation. OPTI-LOOP is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation. U ■ TYPICAL APPLICATIO 10Ω VIN 0.1µF TG1 BOOST1 LTC1929 SW1 RUN/SS BG1 0.47µF D1 L1 1µH 0.002Ω PGND 1000pF SENSE1 + ITH SENSE1 – 100pF TG2 SGND BOOST2 VDIFFOUT 16k BG2 EAIN INTVCC – + VOS VOS + SENSE2 VOUT 1.6V/40A 0.47µF SW2 16k D2 + 10k VIN 5V TO 28V 10µF 35V CERAMIC ×4 0.1µF L2 1µH 0.002Ω 10µF SENSE2 – COUT: T510E108K004AS L1, L2: CEPH149-1ROMC + COUT 1000µF 4V ×2 1929 F01 Figure 1. High Current 2-Phase Step-Down Converter 1 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W W W ABSOLUTE AXI U RATI GS U W U PACKAGE/ORDER I FOR ATIO (Note 1) ORDER PART NUMBER TOP VIEW Input Supply Voltage (VIN).........................36V to – 0.3V Topside Driver Voltages (BOOST1,2) .........42V to – 0.3V Switch Voltage (SW1, 2) .............................36V to – 5 V SENSE1+, SENSE2 +, SENSE1–, SENSE2 – Voltages ........................ (1.1)INTVCC to – 0.3V EAIN, VOS+, VOS–, EXTVCC, INTVCC, RUN/SS, AMPMD Voltages ..........................7V to – 0.3V Boosted Driver Voltage (BOOST-SW) ..........7V to – 0.3V PLLFLTR, PLLIN, VDIFFOUT Voltages .... INTVCC to – 0.3V ITH Voltage ................................................2.7V to – 0.3V Peak Output Current 120dB open-loop gain design. The amplifier has an output slew rate of 5V/µs and is capable of driving capacitive loads with an output RMS current typically up to 25mA. The amplifier is not capable of sinking current and therefore must be resistively loaded to do so. Power Good (PGOOD) Pin (LTC1929-PG Only) The PGOOD pin is connected to an open drain of a MOSFET. The MOSFET turns on and pulls the pin low when the output is not within ±7.5% of its nominal output level as determined by its resistive feedback divider. When the output meets the ±7.5% requirement, the MOSFET is turned off within 10µs and the pin is allowed to be pulled up by an external source. Short-Circuit Detection The RUN/SS capacitor is used initially to limit the inrush current from the input power source. Once the controllers have been given time, as determined by the capacitor on the RUN/SS pin, to charge up the output capacitors and provide full load current, the RUN/SS capacitor is then used as a short-circuit timeout circuit. If the output voltage falls to less than 70% of its nominal output voltage the RUN/SS capacitor begins discharging assuming that the output is in a severe overcurrent and/or short-circuit condition. If the condition lasts for a long enough period as determined by the size of the RUN/SS capacitor, the controller will be shut down until the RUN/SS pin voltage is recycled. This built-in latchoff can be overidden by providing a current >5µA at a compliance of 5V to the RUN/SS pin. This current shortens the soft-start period but also prevents net discharge of the RUN/SS capacitor during a severe overcurrent and/or short-circuit condition. Foldback current limiting is activated when the output voltage falls below 70% of its nominal level whether or not the short-circuit latchoff circuit is enabled. U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO The basic LTC1929 application circuit is shown in Figure␣ 1 on the first page. External component selection is driven by the load requirement, and begins with the selection of RSENSE1, 2. Once RSENSE1, 2 are known, L1 and L2 can be chosen. Next, the power MOSFETs and D1 and D2 are selected. The operating frequency and the inductor are chosen based mainly on the amount of ripple current. Finally, CIN is selected for its ability to handle the input ripple current (that PolyPhaseTM operation minimizes) and COUT is chosen with low enough ESR to meet the output ripple voltage and load step specifications (also minimized with PolyPhase). Current mode architecture provides inherent current sharing between output stages. The circuit shown in Figure␣ 1 can be configured for operation up to an input voltage of 28V (limited by the external MOSFETs). RSENSE Selection For Output Current RSENSE1, 2 are chosen based on the required output current. The LTC1929 current comparator has a maximum threshold of 75mV/RSENSE and an input common mode range of SGND to 1.1( INTVCC). The current comparator threshold sets the peak inductor current, yielding a maximum average output current IMAX equal to the peak value less half the peak-to-peak ripple current, ∆IL. Allowing a margin for variations in the LTC1929 and external component values yields: RSENSE = 2(50mV/IMAX) PolyPhase is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation. 11 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO When using the controller in very low dropout conditions, the maximum output current level will be reduced due to internal compensation required to meet stability criterion for buck regulators operating at greater than 50% duty factor. A curve is provided to estimate this reduction in peak output current level depending upon the operating duty factor. Operating Frequency The LTC1929 uses a constant frequency, phase-lockable architecture with the frequency determined by an internal capacitor. This capacitor is charged by a fixed current plus an additional current which is proportional to the voltage applied to the PLLFLTR pin. Refer to Phase-Locked Loop and Frequency Synchronization in the Applications Information section for additional information. A graph for the voltage applied to the PLLFLTR pin vs frequency is given in Figure␣ 2. As the operating frequency is increased the gate charge losses will be higher, reducing efficiency (see Efficiency Considerations). The maximum switching frequency is approximately 310kHz. PLLFLTR PIN VOLTAGE (V) 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 MOSFET gate charge and transition losses. In addition to this basic tradeoff, the effect of inductor value on ripple current and low current operation must also be considered. The PolyPhase approach reduces both input and output ripple currents while optimizing individual output stages to run at a lower fundamental frequency, enhancing efficiency. The inductor value has a direct effect on ripple current. The inductor ripple current ∆IL per individual section, N, decreases with higher inductance or frequency and increases with higher VIN or VOUT: ∆IL = VOUT  VOUT   1−  fL  VIN  where f is the individual output stage operating frequency. In a 2-phase converter, the net ripple current seen by the output capacitor is much smaller than the individual inductor ripple currents due to the ripple cancellation. The details on how to calculate the net output ripple current can be found in Application Note 77. Figure 3 shows the net ripple current seen by the output capacitors for the 1- and 2-phase configurations. The output ripple current is plotted for a fixed output voltage as the duty factor is varied between 10% and 90% on the x-axis. The output ripple current is normalized against the inductor ripple current at zero duty factor. The graph can be used in place of tedious calculations, simplifying the design process. 0.5 1.0 1-PHASE 2-PHASE 0.9 0 120 170 220 270 OPERATING FREQUENCY (kHz) 0.8 320 0.7 0.6 VO/fL Figure 2. Operating Frequency vs VPLLFLTR ∆IO(P-P) 1929 F02 0.5 0.4 0.3 Inductor Value Calculation and Output Ripple Current The operating frequency and inductor selection are interrelated in that higher operating frequencies allow the use of smaller inductor and capacitor values. So why would anyone ever choose to operate at lower frequencies with larger components? The answer is efficiency. A higher frequency generally results in lower efficiency because of 12 0.2 0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 DUTY FACTOR (VOUT/VIN) 0.8 0.9 1929 F03 Figure 3. Normalized Output Ripple Current vs Duty Factor [IRMS ≈ 0.3 (∆IO(P–P))] LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Accepting larger values of ∆IL allows the use of low inductances, but can result in higher output voltage ripple. A reasonable starting point for setting ripple current is ∆IL = 0.4(IOUT)/2, where IOUT is the total load current. Remember, the maximum ∆IL occurs at the maximum input voltage. The individual inductor ripple currents are determined by the inductor, input and output voltages. EXTVCC Pin Connection). Consequently, logic-level threshold MOSFETs must be used in most applications. The only exception is if low input voltage is expected (VIN < 5V); then, sublogic-level threshold MOSFETs (VGS(TH) < 3V) should be used. Pay close attention to the BVDSS specification for the MOSFETs as well; most of the logic-level MOSFETs are limited to 30V or less. Inductor Core Selection Selection criteria for the power MOSFETs include the “ON” resistance RDS(ON), reverse transfer capacitance CRSS, input voltage, and maximum output current. When the LTC1929 is operating in continuous mode the duty factors for the top and bottom MOSFETs of each output stage are given by: Once the values for L1 and L2 are known, the type of inductor must be selected. High efficiency converters generally cannot afford the core loss found in low cost powdered iron cores, forcing the use of more expensive ferrite, molypermalloy, or Kool Mµ® cores. Actual core loss is independent of core size for a fixed inductor value, but it is very dependent on inductance selected. As inductance increases, core losses go down. Unfortunately, increased inductance requires more turns of wire and therefore copper losses will increase. Ferrite designs have very low core loss and are preferred at high switching frequencies, so design goals can concentrate on copper loss and preventing saturation. Ferrite core material saturates “hard,” which means that inductance collapses abruptly when the peak design current is exceeded. This results in an abrupt increase in inductor ripple current and consequent output voltage ripple. Do not allow the core to saturate! Molypermalloy (from Magnetics, Inc.) is a very good, low loss core material for toroids, but it is more expensive than ferrite. A reasonable compromise from the same manufacturer is Kool Mµ. Toroids are very space efficient, especially when you can use several layers of wire. Because they lack a bobbin, mounting is more difficult. However, designs for surface mount are available which do not increase the height significantly. Power MOSFET, D1 and D2 Selection Two external power MOSFETs must be selected for each output stage with the LTC1929: One N-channel MOSFET for the top (main) switch, and one N-channel MOSFET for the bottom (synchronous) switch. The peak-to-peak drive levels are set by the INTVCC voltage. This voltage is typically 5V during start-up (see Main Switch Duty Cycle = VOUT VIN V –V  Synchronous Switch Duty Cycle =  IN OUT    VIN The MOSFET power dissipations at maximum output current are given by: 2 I  V PMAIN = OUT  MAX  1 + δ RDS(ON) + VIN  2   2 I k VIN  MAX  CRSS f  2  ( ) ( ) ( )( ) 2 I  V –V PSYNC = IN OUT  MAX  1 + δ RDS(ON) VIN  2  ( ) where δ is the temperature dependency of RDS(ON) and k is a constant inversely related to the gate drive current. Both MOSFETs have I2R losses but the topside N-channel equation includes an additional term for transition losses, which peak at the highest input voltage. For VIN < 20V the high current efficiency generally improves with larger MOSFETs, while for VIN > 20V the transition losses rapidly increase to the point that the use of a higher RDS(ON) device with lower CRSS actual provides higher efficiency. The Kool Mµ is a registered trademark of Magnetics, Inc. 13 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO 0.5 DC LOAD CURRENT The term (1 + δ) is generally given for a MOSFET in the form of a normalized RDS(ON) vs. Temperature curve, but δ = 0.005/°C can be used as an approximation for low voltage MOSFETs. CRSS is usually specified in the MOSFET characteristics. The constant k = 1.7 can be used to estimate the contributions of the two terms in the main switch dissipation equation. 0.6 RMS INPUT RIPPLE CURRNET synchronous MOSFET losses are greatest at high input voltage when the top switch duty factor is low or during a short-circuit when the synchronous switch is on close to 100% of the period. 0.4 1-PHASE 2-PHASE 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 DUTY FACTOR (VOUT/VIN) 0.8 0.9 1929 F04 The Schottky diodes, D1 and D2 shown in Figure 1 conduct during the dead-time between the conduction of the two large power MOSFETs. This helps prevent the body diode of the bottom MOSFET from turning on, storing charge during the dead-time, and requiring a reverse recovery period which would reduce efficiency. A 1A to 3A (depending on output current) Schottky diode is generally a good compromise for both regions of operation due to the relatively small average current. Larger diodes result in additional transition losses due to their larger junction capacitance. CIN and COUT Selection In continuous mode, the source current of each top N-channel MOSFET is a square wave of duty cycle VOUT/ VIN. A low ESR input capacitor sized for the maximum RMS current must be used. The details of a close form equation can be found in Application Note 77. Figure 4 shows the input capacitor ripple current for a 2-phase configuration with the output voltage fixed and input voltage varied. The input ripple current is normalized against the DC output current. The graph can be used in place of tedious calculations. The minimum input ripple current can be achieved when the input voltage is twice the output voltage. The minimum is not quite zero due to inductor ripple current. In the graph of Figure 4, the local maximum input RMS capacitor currents are reached when: VOUT 2k − 1 = VIN 4 14 where k = 1, 2. Figure 4. Normalized RMS Input Ripple Current vs Duty Factor for 1 and 2 Output Stages These worst-case conditions are commonly used for design because even significant deviations do not offer much relief. Note that capacitor manufacturer’s ripple current ratings are often based on only 2000 hours of life. This makes it advisable to further derate the capacitor, or to 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. Always consult the capacitor manufacturer if there is any question. It is important to note that the efficiency loss is proportional to the input RMS current squared and therefore a 2-stage implementation results in 75% less power loss when compared to a single phase design. Battery/input protection fuse resistance (if used), PC board trace and connector resistance losses are also reduced by the reduction of the input ripple current in a 2-phase system. The required amount of input capacitance is further reduced by the factor, 2, due to the effective increase in the frequency of the current pulses. The selection of COUT is driven by the required effective series resistance (ESR). Typically once the ESR requirement has been met, the RMS current rating generally far exceeds the IRIPPLE(P-P) requirements. The steady state output ripple (∆VOUT) is determined by:  1  ∆VOUT ≈ ∆IRIPPLE  ESR +  16 fCOUT   LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Where f = operating frequency of each stage, COUT = output capacitance and ∆IRIPPLE = combined inductor ripple currents. The output ripple varies with input voltage since ∆IL is a function of input voltage. The output ripple will be less than 50mV at max VIN with ∆IL = 0.4IOUT(MAX)/2 assuming: COUT required ESR < 4(RSENSE) and COUT > 1/(16f)(RSENSE) The emergence of very low ESR capacitors in small, surface mount packages makes very physically small implementations possible. The ability to externally compensate the switching regulator loop using the ITH pin (OPTI-LOOP compensation) allows a much wider selection of output capacitor types. OPTI-LOOP compensation effectively removes constraints on output capacitor ESR. The impedance characteristics of each capacitor type are significantly different than an ideal capacitor and therefore require accurate modeling or bench evaluation during design. Manufacturers such as Nichicon, United Chemicon and Sanyo should be considered for high performance throughhole capacitors. The OS-CON semiconductor dielectric capacitor available from Sanyo and the Panasonic SP surface mount types have the lowest (ESR)(size) product of any aluminum electrolytic at a somewhat higher price. An additional ceramic capacitor in parallel with OS-CON type capacitors is recommended to reduce the inductance effects. In surface mount applications, multiple capacitors may have to be paralleled to meet the ESR or RMS current handling requirements of the application. Aluminum electrolytic and dry tantalum capacitors are both available in surface mount configurations. New special polymer surface mount capacitors offer very low ESR also but have much lower capacitive density per unit volume. In the case of tantalum, it is critical that the capacitors are surge tested for use in switching power supplies. Several excellent choices are the AVX TPS, AVX TPSV or the KEMET T510 series of surface mount tantalums, available in case heights ranging from 2mm to 4mm. Other capacitor types include Sanyo OS-CON, Nichicon PL series and Sprague 595D series. Consult the manufacturer for other specific recommendations. A combination of capacitors will often result in maximizing performance and minimizing overall cost and size. INTVCC Regulator An internal P-channel low dropout regulator produces 5V at the INTVCC pin from the VIN supply pin. The INTVCC regulator powers the drivers and internal circuitry of the LTC1929. The INTVCC pin regulator can supply up to 50mA peak and must be bypassed to power ground with a minimum of 4.7µF tantalum or electrolytic capacitor. An additional 1µF ceramic capacitor placed very close to the IC is recommended due to the extremely high instantaneous currents required by the MOSFET gate drivers. High input voltage applications in which large MOSFETs are being driven at high frequencies may cause the maximum junction temperature rating for the LTC1929 to be exceeded. The supply current is dominated by the gate charge supply current, in addition to the current drawn from the differential amplifier output. The gate charge is dependent on operating frequency as discussed in the Efficiency Considerations section. The supply current can either be supplied by the internal 5V regulator or via the EXTVCC pin. When the voltage applied to the EXTVCC pin is less than 4.7V, all of the INTVCC load current is supplied by the internal 5V linear regulator. Power dissipation for the IC is higher in this case by (IIN)(VIN – INTVCC) and efficiency is lowered. The junction temperature can be estimated by using the equations given in Note 1 of the Electrical Characteristics. For example, the LTC1929 VIN current is limited to less than 24mA from a 24V supply: TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(24V)(95°C/W) = 125°C Use of the EXTVCC pin reduces the junction temperature to: TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(5V)(95°C/W) = 81.4°C The input supply current should be measured while the controller is operating in continuous mode at maximum VIN and the power dissipation calculated in order to prevent the maximum junction temperature from being exceeded. 15 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO EXTVCC Connection The LTC1929 contains an internal P-channel MOSFET switch connected between the EXTVCC and INTVCC pins. When the voltage applied to EXTVCC rises above 4.7V, the internal regulator is turned off and the switch closes, connecting the EXTVCC pin to the INTVCC pin thereby supplying internal and MOSFET gate driving power. The switch remains closed as long as the voltage applied to EXTVCC remains above 4.5V. This allows the MOSFET driver and control power to be derived from the output during normal operation (4.7V < VEXTVCC < 7V) and from the internal regulator when the output is out of regulation (start-up, short-circuit). Do not apply greater than 7V to the EXTVCC pin and ensure that EXTVCC < VIN + 0.3V when using the application circuits shown. If an external voltage source is applied to the EXTVCC pin when the VIN supply is not present, a diode can be placed in series with the LTC1929’s VIN pin and a Schottky diode between the EXTVCC and the VIN pin, to prevent current from backfeeding VIN. Significant efficiency gains can be realized by powering INTVCC from the output, since the VIN current resulting from the driver and control currents will be scaled by the ratio: (Duty Factor)/(Efficiency). For 5V regulators this means connecting the EXTVCC pin directly to VOUT. However, for 3.3V and other lower voltage regulators, additional circuitry is required to derive INTVCC power from the output. The following list summarizes the four possible connections for EXTVCC: OPTIONAL EXTVCC CONNECTION 5V < VSEC < 7V + CIN 1. EXTVCC left open (or grounded). This will cause INTVCC to be powered from the internal 5V regulator resulting in a significant efficiency penalty at high input voltages. 2. EXTVCC connected directly to VOUT. This is the normal connection for a 5V regulator and provides the highest efficiency. 3. EXTVCC connected to an external supply. If an external supply is available in the 5V to 7V range, it may be used to power EXTVCC providing it is compatible with the MOSFET gate drive requirements. 4. EXTVCC connected to an output-derived boost network. For 3.3V and other low voltage regulators, efficiency gains can still be realized by connecting EXTVCC to an outputderived voltage which has been boosted to greater than 4.7V but less than 7V. This can be done with either the inductive boost winding as shown in Figure 5a or the capacitive charge pump shown in Figure 5b. The charge pump has the advantage of simple magnetics. Topside MOSFET Driver Supply (CB,DB) (Refer to Functional Diagram) External bootstrap capacitors CB1 and CB2 connected to the BOOST1 and BOOST2 pins supply the gate drive voltages for the topside MOSFETs. Capacitor CB in the Functional Diagram is charged though diode DB from INTVCC when the SW pin is low. When the topside MOSFET turns on, the driver places the CB voltage across the gatesource of the desired MOSFET. This enhances the MOSFET and turns on the topside switch. The switch node voltage, + VIN VIN 1N4148 TG1 EXTVCC + 1µF VOUT T1 BAT85 N-CH LTC1929 VN2222LL BAT85 EXTVCC SW1 VOUT L1 + + COUT BG1 0.22µF RSENSE RSENSE SW1 BAT85 TG1 VSEC N-CH LTC1929 + VIN CIN VIN COUT BG1 N-CH N-CH PGND PGND 1929 F05b 1929 F05a Figure 5a. Secondary Output Loop with EXTVCC Connection 16 Figure 5b. Capacitive Charge Pump for EXTVCC LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO SW, rises to VIN and the BOOST pin rises to VIN + VINTVCC. The value of the boost capacitor CB needs to be 30 to 100 times that of the total input capacitance of the topside MOSFET(s). The reverse breakdown of DB must be greater than VIN(MAX). The final arbiter when defining the best gate drive amplitude level will be the input supply current. If a change is made that decreases input current, the efficiency has improved. If the input current does not change then the efficiency has not changed either. Output Voltage The LTC1929 has a true remote voltage sense capability. The sensing connections should be returned from the load back to the differential amplifier’s inputs through a common, tightly coupled pair of PC traces. The differential amplifier rejects common mode signals capacitively or inductively radiated into the feedback PC traces as well as ground loop disturbances. The differential amplifier output signal is divided down and compared with the internal precision 0.8V voltage reference by the error amplifier. The differential amplifier can be used in either of two configurations according to the voltage applied to the AMPMD pin (LTC1929 only). The first configuration, with the connections illustrated in the Functional Diagram, utilizes a set of internal precision resistors to enable precision instrumentation-type measurement of the output voltage. This configuration is activated when the AMPMD pin is tied to ground and is the default for the LTC1929-PG. When the AMPMD pin is tied to INTVCC, the resistors are disconnected and the amplifier inputs are made directly available. The amplifier can then be used as a general purpose op amp. The amplifier has a 0V to 3V common mode input range limitation due to the internal switching of its inputs. The output is an NPN emitter follower without any internal pull-down current. A DC resistive load to ground is required in order to sink current. The output will swing from 0V to 10V (VIN ≥ VDIFFOUT + 2V). Soft-Start/Run Function The RUN/SS pin provides three functions: 1) Run/Shutdown, 2) soft-start and 3) a defeatable short-circuit latchoff timer. Soft-start reduces the input power sources’ surge currents by gradually increasing the controller’s current limit ITH(MAX). The latchoff timer prevents very short, extreme load transients from tripping the overcurrent latch. A small pull-up current (>5µA) supplied to the RUN/ SS pin will prevent the overcurrent latch from operating. The following explanation describes how the functions operate. An internal 1.2µA current source charges up the CSS capacitor. When the voltage on RUN/SS reaches 1.5V, the controller is permitted to start operating. As the voltage on RUN/SS increases from 1.5V to 3.0V, the internal current limit is increased from 25mV/RSENSE to 75mV/RSENSE. The output current limit ramps up slowly, taking an additional 1.4s/µF to reach full current. The output current thus ramps up slowly, reducing the starting surge current required from the input power supply. If RUN/SS has been pulled all the way to ground there is a delay before starting of approximately: tDELAY = ( ) 1.5V CSS = 1.25s / µF CSS 1.2µA The time for the output current to ramp up is then: tIRAMP = ( ) 3V − 1.5V CSS = 1.25s / µF CSS 1.2µA By pulling both RUN/SS controller pins below 0.8V the LTC1929 is put into low current shutdown (IQ < 40µA). The RUN/SS pins can be driven directly from logic as shown in Figure 6. Diode D1 in Figure 6 reduces the start delay but allows CSS to ramp up slowly providing the soft-start function. The RUN/SS pin has an internal 6V zener clamp (see Functional Diagram). Fault Conditions: Overcurrent Latchoff The RUN/SS pin also provides the ability to latch off the controllers when an overcurrent condition is detected. The RUN/SS capacitor, CSS, is used initially to limit the inrush current of both controllers. After the controllers have been started and been given adequate time to charge up the output capacitors and provide full load current, the RUN/SS capacitor is used for a short-circuit timer. If the output voltage falls to less than 70% of its nominal value, 17 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO after CSS reaches 4.1V, CSS begins discharging on the assumption that the output is in an overcurrent condition. If the condition lasts for a long enough period as determined by the size of CSS, the controller will be shut down until the RUN/SS pin voltage is recycled. If the overload occurs during start-up, the time can be approximated by: If the overload occurs after start-up the voltage on the RUN/SS capacitor will continue charging and will provide additional time before latching off: tLO2 ≈ (CSS • 3V)/(1.2µA) = 2.5 • 106 (CSS) This built-in overcurrent latchoff can be overridden by providing a pull-up resistor, RSS, to the RUN/SS pin as shown in Figure 6. This resistance shortens the soft-start period and prevents the discharge of the RUN/SS capacitor during a severe overcurrent and/or short-circuit condition. When deriving the 5µA current from VIN as in the figure, current latchoff is always defeated. The diode connecting of this pull-up resistor to INTVCC, as in Figure␣ 6, eliminates any extra supply current during shutdown while eliminating the INTVCC loading from preventing controller start-up. Why should you defeat current latchoff? During the prototyping stage of a design, there may be a problem with noise pickup or poor layout causing the protection circuit to latch off the controller. Defeating this feature allows troubleshooting of the circuit and PC layout. The internal short-circuit and foldback current limiting still remains active, thereby protecting the power supply system from failure. A decision can be made after the design is complete whether to rely solely on foldback current limiting or to enable the latchoff feature by removing the pull-up resistor. 3.3V OR 5V D1 INTVCC RUN/SS RSS* Phase-Locked Loop and Frequency Synchronization The LTC1929 has a phase-locked loop comprised of an internal voltage controlled oscillator and phase detector. This allows the top MOSFET turn-on to be locked to the rising edge of an external source. The frequency range of the voltage controlled oscillator is ±50% around the center frequency fO. A voltage applied to the PLLFLTR pin of 1.2V corresponds to a frequency of approximately 220kHz. The nominal operating frequency range of the LTC1929 is 140kHz to 310kHz. The phase detector used is an edge sensitive digital type which provides zero degrees phase shift between the external and internal oscillators. This type of phase detector will not lock up on input frequencies close to the harmonics of the VCO center frequency. The PLL hold-in range, ∆fH, is equal to the capture range, ∆fC: ∆fH = ∆fC = ±0.5 fO (150kHz-300kHz) The output of the phase detector is a complementary pair of current sources charging or discharging the external filter network on the PLLFLTR pin. A simplified block diagram is shown in Figure 7. 2.4V RLP 10k PHASE DETECTOR EXTERNAL OSC CLP PLLFLTR RSS* D1* CSS > (COUT )(VOUT)(10-4)(RSENSE) The minimum recommended soft-start capacitor of CSS = 0.1µF will be sufficient for most applications. tLO1 ≈ (CSS • 0.6V)/(1.2µA) = 5 • 105 (CSS) VIN The value of the soft-start capacitor CSS may need to be scaled with output voltage, output capacitance and load current characteristics. The minimum soft-start capacitance is given by: PLLIN RUN/SS CSS 50k DIGITAL PHASE/ FREQUENCY DETECTOR OSC CSS *OPTIONAL TO DEFEAT OVERCURRENT LATCHOFF Figure 6. RUN/SS Pin Interfacing 18 1929 F06 1929 F07 Figure 7. Phase-Locked Loop Block Diagram LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO If the external frequency (fPLLIN) is greater than the oscillator frequency f0SC, current is sourced continuously, pulling up the PLLFLTR pin. When the external frequency is less than f0SC, current is sunk continuously, pulling down the PLLFLTR pin. If the external and internal frequencies are the same but exhibit a phase difference, the current sources turn on for an amount of time corresponding to the phase difference. Thus the voltage on the PLLFLTR pin is adjusted until the phase and frequency of the external and internal oscillators are identical. At this stable operating point the phase comparator output is open and the filter capacitor CLP holds the voltage. The LTC1929 PLLIN pin must be driven from a low impedance source such as a logic gate located close to the pin. The loop filter components (CLP, RLP) smooth out the current pulses from the phase detector and provide a stable input to the voltage controlled oscillator. The filter components CLP and RLP determine how fast the loop acquires lock. Typically RLP =10kΩ and CLP is 0.01µF to 0.1µF. Minimum On-Time Considerations Minimum on-time tON(MIN) is the smallest time duration that the LTC1929 is capable of turning on the top MOSFET. It is determined by internal timing delays and the gate charge required to turn on the top MOSFET. Low duty cycle applications may approach this minimum on-time limit and care should be taken to ensure that tON(MIN) < VOUT () VIN f If the duty cycle falls below what can be accommodated by the minimum on-time, the LTC1929 will begin to skip cycles resulting in nonconstant frequency operation. The output voltage will continue to be regulated, but the ripple current and ripple voltage will increase. The minimum on-time for the LTC1929 is generally less than 200ns. However, as the peak sense voltage decreases the minimum on-time gradually increases. This is of particular concern in forced continuous applications with low ripple current at light loads. If the duty cycle drops below the minimum on-time limit in this situation, a significant amount of cycle skipping can occur with correspondingly larger current and voltage ripple. If an application can operate close to the minimum ontime limit, an inductor must be chosen that has a low enough inductance to provide sufficient ripple amplitude to meet the minimum on-time requirement. As a general rule, keep the inductor ripple current of each phase equal to or greater than 15% of IOUT(MAX) at VIN(MAX). Efficiency Considerations The percent 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. Percent 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, four main sources usually account for most of the losses in LTC1929 circuits: 1) LTC1929 VIN current (including loading on the differential amplifier output), 2) INTVCC regulator current, 3) I2R losses and 4) Topside MOSFET transition losses. 1) The VIN current has two components: the first is the DC supply current given in the Electrical Characteristics table, which excludes MOSFET driver and control currents; the second is the current drawn from the differential amplifier output. VIN current typically results in a small (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. If the ratio of CLOAD to COUT is greater than 1:50, the switch rise time should be controlled so that the load rise time is limited to approximately 25 • CLOAD. Thus a 10µF capacitor would require a 250µs rise time, limiting the charging current to about 200mA. Automotive Considerations: Plugging into the Cigarette Lighter As battery-powered devices go mobile, there is a natural interest in plugging into the cigarette lighter in order to conserve or even recharge battery packs during operation. But before you connect, be advised: you are plugging into the supply from hell. The main battery line in an automobile is the source of a number of nasty potential transients, including load-dump, reverse-battery, and double-battery. Load-dump is the result of a loose battery cable. When the cable breaks connection, the field collapse in the alternator can cause a positive spike as high as 60V which takes several hundred milliseconds to decay. Reverse-battery is just what it says, while double-battery is a consequence of tow truck operators finding that a 24V jump start cranks cold engines faster than 12V. The network shown in Figure 8 is the most straightforward approach to protect a DC/DC converter from the ravages of an automotive battery line. The series diode prevents current from flowing during reverse-battery, while the transient suppressor clamps the input voltage during load-dump. Note that the transient suppressor should not conduct during double-battery operation, but must still clamp the input voltage below breakdown of the converter. Although the LT1929 has a maximum input voltage of 36V, most applications will be limited to 30V by the MOSFET BVDSS. 50A IPK RATING 12V TRANSIENT VOLTAGE SUPPRESSOR GENERAL INSTRUMENT 1.5KA24A VIN LTC1929 1929 F08 Figure 8. Automotive Application Protection 21 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Design Example As a design example, assume VIN = 5V (nominal), VIN␣ =␣ 5.5V (max), VOUT = 1.8V, IMAX = 20A, TA = 70°C and f␣ =␣ 300kHz. The inductance value is chosen first based on a 30% ripple current assumption. The highest value of ripple current occurs at the maximum input voltage. Tie the FREQSET pin to the INTVCC pin for 300kHz operation. The minimum inductance for 30% ripple current is: L≥ ≥ VOUT  VOUT   1−  VIN  f ∆I  ( ) (  1.8 V   1−  300kHz 30% 10 A  5.5V  1.8 V ≥ 1.35µH )( )( ) A 1.5µH inductor will produce 27% ripple current. The peak inductor current will be the maximum DC value plus one half the ripple current, or 11.4A. The minimum ontime occurs at maximum VIN: tON(MIN) = VOUT 1.8 V = = 1.1µs VINf (5.5V )(300kHz) The RSENSE resistors value can be calculated by using the maximum current sense voltage specification with some accomodation for tolerances: 50mV RSENSE = ≈ 0.004Ω 11.4A The power dissipation on the topside MOSFET can be easily estimated. Using a Siliconix Si4420DY for example; RDS(ON) = 0.013Ω, CRSS = 300pF. At maximum input voltage with TJ (estimated) = 110°C at an elevated ambient temperature: PMAIN = 22 ( ) [1+ (0.005)(110°C − 25°C)] 2 0.013Ω + 1.7(5.5V ) (10 A )(300pF ) (300kHz) = 0.65W 1.8 V 10 5.5V 2 The worst-case power disipated by the synchronous MOSFET under normal operating conditions at elevated ambient temperature and estimated 50°C junction temperature rise is: ( ) (1.48)(0.013Ω) 5.5V − 1.8 V 10 A 5.5V = 1.29W PSYNC = 2 A short-circuit to ground will result in a folded back current of about: ISC = ( )  = 6.6A  25mV 1 200ns 5.5V +  0.004Ω 2  1.5µH    The worst-case power disipated by the synchronous MOSFET under short-circuit conditions at elevated ambient temperature and estimated 50°C junction temperature rise is: ( ) (1.48)(0.013Ω) 5.5V − 1.8 V 6.6 A 5.5V = 564mW PSYNC = 2 which is less than half of the normal, full-load dissipation. Incidentally, since the load no longer dissipates power in the shorted condition, total system power dissipation is decreased by over 99%. The duty factor for this application is: DF = VO 1.8 V = = 0.36 VIN 5V Using Figure 4, the RMS ripple current will be: IINRMS = (20A)(0.23) = 4.6ARMS An input capacitor(s) with a 4.6ARMS ripple current rating is required. The output capacitor ripple current is calculated by using the inductor ripple already calculated for each inductor and multiplying by the factor obtained from Figure␣ 3 along with the calculated duty factor. The output ripple in LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U U W U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO continuous mode will be highest at the maximum input voltage since the duty factor is < 50%. The maximum output current ripple is: ( ) VOUT 0.3 at 33% D F fL 1.8 V 0.3 ∆ICOUTMAX = 300kHz 1.5µH ∆ICOUT = ( = 1.2ARMS )( ( ) ) VOUTRIPPLE = 20mΩ 1.2ARMS = 24mVRMS PC Board Layout Checklist When laying out the printed circuit board, the following checklist should be used to ensure proper operation of the LTC1929. These items are also illustrated graphically in the layout diagram of Figure␣ 11. Check the following in your layout: 1) Are the signal and power grounds segregated? The LTC1929 signal ground pin should return to the (–) plate of COUT separately. The power ground returns to the sources of the bottom N-channel MOSFETs, anodes of the Schottky diodes, and (–) plates of CIN, which should have as short lead lengths as possible. 2) Does the LTC1929 VOS+ pin connect to the (+) plate(s) of COUT? Does the LTC1929 VOS– pin connect to the (–) plate(s) of COUT? The resistive divider R1, R2 must be connected between the VDIFFOUT and signal ground and any feedforward capacitor across R1 should be as close as possible to the LTC1929. 3) Are the SENSE – and SENSE + leads routed together with minimum PC trace spacing? The filter capacitors between SENSE + and SENSE – pin pairs should be as close as possible to the LTC1929. Ensure accurate current sensing with Kelvin connections. 4) Do the (+) plates of CIN connect to the drains of the topside MOSFETs as closely as possible? This capacitor provides the AC current to the MOSFETs. Keep the input current path formed by the input capacitor, top and bottom MOSFETs, and the Schottky diode on the same side of the PC board in a tight loop to minimize conducted and radiated EMI. 5) Is the INTVCC 1µF ceramic decoupling capacitor connected closely between INTVCC and the power ground pin? This capacitor carries the MOSFET driver peak currents. A small value is used to allow placement immediately adjacent to the IC. 6) Keep the switching nodes, SW1 (SW2), away from sensitive small-signal nodes. Ideally the switch nodes should be placed at the furthest point from the LTC1929. 7) Use a low impedance source such as a logic gate to drive the PLLIN pin and keep the lead as short as possible. The diagram in Figure 9 illustrates all branch currents in a 2-phase switching regulator. It becomes very clear after studying the current waveforms why it is critical to keep the high-switching-current paths to a small physical size. High electric and magnetic fields will radiate from these “loops” just as radio stations transmit signals. The output capacitor ground should return to the negative terminal of the input capacitor and not share a common ground path with any switched current paths. The left half of the circuit gives rise to the “noise” generated by a switching regulator. The ground terminations of the synchronous MOSFETs and Schottky diodes should return to the bottom plate(s) of the input capacitor(s) with a short isolated PC trace since very high switched currents are present. A separate isolated path from the bottom plate(s) of the input capacitor(s) should be used to tie in the IC power ground pin (PGND) and the signal ground pin (SGND). This technique keeps inherent signals generated by high current pulses from taking alternate current paths that have finite impedances during the total period of the switching regulator. External OPTILOOP compensation allows overcompensation for PC layouts which are not optimized but this is not the recommended design procedure. 23 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO Simplified Visual Explanation of How a 2-Phase Controller Reduces Both Input and Output RMS Ripple Current A multiphase power supply significantly reduces the amount of ripple current in both the input and output capacitors. The RMS input ripple current is divided by, and the effective ripple frequency is multiplied up by the number of phases used (assuming that the input voltage is greater than the number of phases used times the output voltage). The output ripple amplitude is also reduced by, and the effective ripple frequency is increased by the number of phases used. Figure 10 graphically illustrates the principle. The worst-case RMS ripple current for a single stage design peaks at twice the value of the output voltage . The worst-case RMS ripple current for a two stage design results in peaks at 1/4 and 3/4 of input voltage. When the RMS current is calculated, higher effective duty factor results and the peak current levels are divided as long as the currents in each stage are balanced. Refer to Application Note 19 for a detailed description of how to calculate RMS current for the single stage switching regulator. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate how the input and output currents are reduced by using an additional phase. The input current peaks drop in half and the frequency is doubled for this 2-phase converter. The input capacity requirement is thus reduced theoretically by a factor of four! Ceramic input capacitors with their unbeatably low ESR characteristics can be used. 24 Figure 4 illustrates the RMS input current drawn from the input capacitance vs the duty cycle as determined by the ratio of input and output voltage. The peak input RMS current level of the single phase system is reduced by 50% in a 2-phase solution due to the current splitting between the two stages. An interesting result of the 2-phase solution is that the VIN which produces worst-case ripple current for the input capacitor, VOUT = VIN/2, in the single phase design produces zero input current ripple in the 2-phase design. The output ripple current is reduced significantly when compared to the single phase solution using the same inductance value because the VOUT/L discharge current term from the stage that has its bottom MOSFET on subtracts current from the (VIN - VOUT)/L charging current resulting from the stage which has its top MOSFET on. The output ripple current is: ∆IRIPPLE = ( )   2VOUT  1 − 2D 1 − D fL  1 − 2D + 1    where D is duty factor. The input and output ripple frequency is increased by the number of stages used, reducing the output capacity requirements. When VIN is approximately equal to 2(VOUT) as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, very low input and output ripple currents result. LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U W U U APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO SW1 L1 RSENSE1 D1 VIN VOUT RIN CIN + + COUT RL Figure 9. Instantaneous Current Path Flow in a Multiple Phase Switching Regulator Figure 10. Single and 2-Phase Current Waveforms 25 26 R2 2.7k C11 1nF R3 10k R6 8.06k C15 470pF R5 10k C10 100pF C9 0.01µF C7 0.1µF R7 8.06k C17 1000pF C1 1000pF 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 SENSE1 – AMPMD 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 C13 2.2µF C8 0.47µF C3, C4: OS-CON 6SP680M C18–C21: T510E108M004 L1, L2: SUMIDA CEP149-1R0MC Q1–Q8: FDS6670A OR FDS7760A C12 1µF R1 10Ω C14 10µF 1 3 2 + Figure 11. 5V Input, 1.6V/40A CPU Power Supply SENSE2 + TG2 SW2 VOS + SENSE2 – BOOST2 BG2 VOS – VDIFFOUT PGND INTVCC ITH SGND EXTVCC BG1 PLLIN NC VIN PLLFLTR BOOST1 SW1 SENSE1 + EAIN NC TG1 RUN/SS U1 LTC1929 C2 1µF + R9 50Ω C18 C16 0.47µF D1 BAT54A C19 + Q7 Q5 C20 Q3 Q1 C22 1µF R10 50Ω + Q8 Q6 C21 Q4 + C4 VIN+ VIN– 5V VOSENSE + REMOTE SENSE VOSENSE – VOUT – 1.6V/40A VOUT + R8 0.002Ω R4 0.002Ω 1929 F11 C24 10µF C3 L1 1µH L2 1µH + Q2 C23 1µF LTC1929/LTC1929-PG TYPICAL APPLICATIO S U LTC1929/LTC1929-PG U TYPICAL APPLICATIO S 100 EFFICIENCY (%) 90 80 70 60 VIN = 5V VOUT = 1.6V 50 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 LOAD CURRENT (A) 35 40 1929 F12 Figure 12. Efficiency Plot for Circuit of Figure 11 U PACKAGE DESCRIPTIO Dimensions in inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted. G Package 28-Lead Plastic SSOP (0.209) (LTC DWG # 05-08-1640) 10.07 – 10.33* (0.397 – 0.407) 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 7.65 – 7.90 (0.301 – 0.311) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5.20 – 5.38** (0.205 – 0.212) 1.73 – 1.99 (0.068 – 0.078) 0° – 8° 0.13 – 0.22 (0.005 – 0.009) 0.55 – 0.95 (0.022 – 0.037) NOTE: DIMENSIONS ARE IN MILLIMETERS *DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE MOLD FLASH. MOLD FLASH SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.152mm (0.006") PER SIDE **DIMENSIONS DO NOT INCLUDE INTERLEAD FLASH. INTERLEAD FLASH SHALL NOT EXCEED 0.254mm (0.010") PER SIDE 0.65 (0.0256) BSC 0.25 – 0.38 (0.010 – 0.015) 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. 0.05 – 0.21 (0.002 – 0.008) G28 SSOP 1098 27 LTC1929/LTC1929-PG 28