LTC3719
2-Phase, High Efficiency,
Step-Down Controller for
AMD Opteron™ CPUs
U
DESCRIPTIO
FEATURES
■
Output Stages Operate Antiphase Reducing Input
and Output Capacitance Requirements and Power
Supply Induced Noise
Dual Input Supply Capability for Load Sharing
5-Bit AMD CPU VID Code:
VOUT = 0.8V to 1.55V
±1% Output Voltage Accuracy
True Remote Sensing Differential Amplifier
Power Good Output Voltage Monitor
Supports Active Voltage Positioning
Current Mode Control Ensures Current Sharing
OPTI-LOOP® Compensation Minimizes COUT
Three Operational Modes: PWM, Burst and Cycle Skip
Programmable Fixed Frequency: 150kHz to 300kHz
Wide VIN Range: 4V to 36V Operation
Adjustable Soft-Start Current Ramping
Internal Current Foldback and Short-Circuit Shutdown
Overvoltage Soft Latch Eliminates Nuisance Trips
Available in 36-Lead Narrow (0.209) SSOP Package
■
Servers and Workstations
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
U
APPLICATIO S
, LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
OPTI-LOOP and Burst Mode are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
AMD Opteron is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
The LTC®3719 is a 2-phase, VID programmable, synchronous step-down switching regulator controller that drives
two N-channel external power MOSFET stages in a fixed frequency architecture. The 2-phase controller drives its 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.
An operating mode select pin (FCB) can be used to select
among three modes including Burst Mode® operation for
highest efficiency. An internal differential amplifier provides
true remote sensing of the regulated supply’s positive and
negative output terminals as required in high current applications.
The RUN/SS pin provides soft-start and optional timed,
short-circuit shutdown. Current foldback limits MOSFET
dissipation during short-circuit conditions when the
overcurrent latchoff is disabled. OPTI-LOOP compensation
allows the transient response to be optimized for a wide
range of output capacitors and ESR values.
U
TYPICAL APPLICATIO
VIN
FCB
RUN/SS
220pF
3.3k
ITH
LTC3719
SGND
PGOOD
5 VID BITS
TG1
VID0–VID4
EAIN
ATTENOUT
S
BOOST1
0.47µF
VIN
5V TO 28V
0.002Ω
1µH
SW1
S
D1
BG1
PGND
SENSE1 +
SENSE1 –
TG2
BOOST2
ATTENIN
BG2
VDIFFOUT
INTVCC
VOS –
SENSE2 +
VOS +
SENSE2 –
VDD_CORE
0.8V TO 1.55V
45A
0.002Ω
0.47µF
1µH
SW2
D2
+
0.1µF
10µF
35V
×6
10µF
+
COUT
270µF
2V
×4
3716 F01
Figure 1. High Current Dual Phase Step-Down Converter
sn3719 3719fs
1
LTC3719
U
W W
W
ABSOLUTE
AXI U RATI GS
U
W
U
PACKAGE/ORDER I FOR ATIO
(Note 1)
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,
VBIAS, ATTENIN, ATTENOUT, PGOOD, NO_CPU,
VID0–VID4, Voltages ...............................7V to – 0.3V
Boosted Driver Voltage (BOOST-SW) ..........7V to – 0.3V
PLLFLTR, PLLIN, VDIFFOUT,
FCB Voltages ................................... INTVCC to – 0.3V
ITH Voltage ................................................2.7V to – 0.3V
Peak Output Current fOSC
Controller 2-Controller 1 Phase
50
kΩ
– 15
15
µA
µA
180
Deg
PGOOD Output
VPGL
PGOOD Voltage Low
IPGOOD = 2mA
0.1
IPGOOD
PGOOD Leakage Current
VPGOOD = 5V
VPG
PGOOD Trip Level, Either Controller
VEAIN with Respect to Set Output Voltage
VEAIN Ramping Negative
VEAIN Ramping Positive
0.3
V
±1
µA
–8
8
– 10
10
– 12
12
%
%
0.995
1
1.005
V/V
Differential Amplifier/Op Amp Gain Block
ADA
Differential Amplifier Gain
VAMPMD = 0V
CMRRDA
Common Mode Rejection Ratio
0V < VCM < 5V; VAMPMD = 0V
RIN
Input Resistance
Measured at VOS + Input; VAMPMD = 0V
Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are those values beyond which the
life of a device may be impaired.
Note 2: The LTC3719EG is guaranteed to meet performance specifications
from 0°C to 70°C. Specifications over the – 40°C to 85°C operating
temperature range are assured by design, characterization and correlation
with statistical process controls.
Note 3: TJ is calculated from the ambient temperature TA and power
dissipation PD according to the following formula:
LTC3719EG: TJ = TA + (PD • 85°C/W)
Note 4: The LTC3719 is tested in a feedback loop that servos VITH to a
specified voltage and measures the resultant VEAIN.
46
55
dB
80
kΩ
Note 5: Dynamic supply current is higher due to the gate charge being
delivered at the switching frequency. See Applications Information.
Note 6: Rise and fall times are measured using 10% and 90% levels. Delay
times are measured using 50% levels.
Note 7: The minimum on-time condition corresponds to the on inductor
peak-to-peak ripple current ≥ 40% IMAX (see Minimum On-Time
Considerations in the Applications Information section).
Note 8: Each built-in pull-up resistor attached to the VID inputs also has a
series diode to allow input voltages higher than the VIDVCC supply without
damage or clamping (see the Applications Information section).
sn3719 3719fs
4
LTC3719
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Efficiency vs Load Current
(3 Operating Modes) (Figure 12)
100
100
100
80
80
90
70
50
EFFICIENCY (%)
FORCED
CONTINUOUS
MODE
60
CONSTANT
FREQUENCY
(BURST DISABLED)
40
20
10
0
0.01
0.1
10
1
LOAD CURRENT (A)
VIN = 8V
60
VIN = 12V
VIN = 20V
40
1
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
0.1
50
100
600
400
200
200
150
100
50
SHUTDOWN
0
0
20
15
10
25
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
30
35
0
10
30
20
CURRENT (mA)
40
50
4.95
4.90
4.85
4.80
EXTVCC SWITCHOVER THRESHOLD
4.75
4.70
– 50 – 25
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3719 G06
Maximum Current Sense Threshold
vs Percent of Nominal Output
Voltage (Foldback)
Maximum Current Sense Threshold
vs Duty Factor
Internal 5V LDO Line Reg
INTVCC VOLTAGE
5.00
3719 G05
3719 G04
75
5.1
20
5.05
INTVCC AND EXTVCC SWITCH VOLTAGE (V)
EXTVCC VOLTAGE DROP (mV)
800
15
10
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
INTVCC and EXTVCC Switch
Voltage vs Temperature
250
ON
5
3719 G03
EXTVCC Voltage Drop
1000
SUPPLY CURRENT (µA)
60
3719 G02
Supply Current vs Input Voltage
and Mode
5
70
0
100
3719 G01
0
80
VOUT = 1.55V
VEXTVCC = 0V
FREQ = 200kHz
VFCB = 0V
20
VIN = 5V
VOUT = 1.55V
FREQ = 200kHz
EFFICIENCY (%)
VIN = 5V
30
80
ILOAD = 1mA
70
5.0
60
4.8
4.7
50
VSENSE (mV)
4.9
VSENSE (mV)
INTVCC VOLTAGE (V)
IOUT = 20A
VOUT = 1.55V
Burst Mode
OPERATION
90
EFFICIENCY (%)
Efficiency vs Input Voltage
(Figure 12)
Efficiency vs Load Current
(Figure 12)
25
4.6
50
40
30
20
4.5
10
0
4.4
0
5
20
15
25
10
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
30
35
3719 G07
0
20
40
60
DUTY FACTOR (%)
80
100
3719 G08
0
50
100
0
25
75
PERCENT OF NOMINAL OUTPUT VOLTAGE (%)
3719 G09
sn3719 3719fs
5
LTC3719
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum Current Sense Threshold
vs VRUN/SS (Soft-Start)
80
90
80
VSENSE(CM) = 1.55V
80
70
76
40
60
VSENSE (mV)
VSENSE (mV)
60
VSENSE (mV)
Current Sense Threshold
vs ITH Voltage
Maximum Current Sense Threshold
vs Sense Common Mode Voltage
72
68
50
40
30
20
10
20
0
64
–10
–20
0
0
1
2
3
5
4
60
6
0
VRUN/SS (V)
3719 G10
FCB = 0V
VIN = 15V
FIGURE 1
1
1.5
VITH (V)
2
2.5
SENSE Pins Total Source Current
100
VOSENSE = 0.7V
2.0
50
ISENSE (µA)
–0.1
–0.2
0.5
3719 G12
VITH vs VRUN/SS (Soft-Start)
2.5
VITH (V)
NORMALIZED VOUT (%)
0
3719 G11
Load Regulation
0.0
–30
2
1
COMMON MODE VOLTAGE (V)
1.5
1.0
–0.3
0
–50
0.5
–0.4
0
5
15
10
LOAD CURRENT (A)
20
0
25
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
VSENSE COMMON MODE VOLTAGE (V)
3719 G14
Maximum Current Sense
Threshold vs Temperature
3719 G15
RUN/SS Current vs Temperature
Soft-Start Up (Figure 12)
1.8
80
1.6
RUN/SS CURRENT (µA)
78
VSENSE (mV)
0
VRUN/SS (V)
3719 G13
76
74
72
VITH
1V/DIV
1.4
1.2
VOUT
1V/DIV
1.0
VRUN/SS
2V/DIV
0.8
0.6
0.4
100ms/DIV
0.2
70
–50
–100
–25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3719 G16
0
–50
–25
0
25
50
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
3718 G18
125
3719 G17
sn3719 3719fs
6
LTC3719
U W
TYPICAL PERFOR A CE CHARACTERISTICS
Load Step (Figure 12)
VIN = 12V, VOUT = 1.55V, ILOAD = 3A
VIN = 12V, VOUT = 1.25V
VOUT(AC)
50mV/DIV
VOUT(AC)
50mV/DIV
VOUT(AC)
50mV/DIV
IL1
5A/DIV
IL1
5A/DIV
IL2
5A/DIV
ILOAD
10A/DIV
200µs/DIV
R5, R7 = 2mΩ
10µs/DIV
3719 G19
Current Sense Pin Input Current
vs Temperature
3719 G26
Oscillator Frequency
vs Temperature
350
–10
–9
–8
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
300
8
FREQUENCY (kHz)
EXTVCC SWITCH RESISTANCE (Ω)
VPLLFLTR = 2.4V
–11
6
4
200
VPLLFLTR = 0V
150
100
50
0
–50 –25
50
25
0
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
0
– 50 – 25
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3719 G22
3719 G21
Undervoltage Lockout
vs Temperature
VRUN/SS Shutdown Latch
Thresholds vs Temperature
4.5
SHUTDOWN LATCH THRESHOLDS (V)
3.50
3.45
3.40
3.35
3.30
3.25
3.20
–50 –25
250
2
3719 G20
UNDERVOLTAGE LOCKOUT (V)
–7
–50 –25
10µs/DIV
3719 G25
10
VOUT = 1.55V
R5, R7 = 2mΩ
FCB = INTVCC
EXTVCC Switch Resistance
vs Temperature
–12
VIN = 12V, VOUT = 1.55V, ILOAD = 3A
IL2
5A/DIV
FCB = OPEN
CURRENT SENSE INPUT CURRENT (µA)
Constant Frequency Mode
(Figure 12)
Burst Mode Operation (Figure 12)
50
25
75
0
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3719 G23
LATCH ARMING
4.0
3.5
3.0
LATCHOFF
THRESHOLD
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
–50
–25
0
25
50
75
TEMPERATURE (°C)
100
125
3719 G24
sn3719 3719fs
7
LTC3719
U
U
U
PI FU CTIO S
RUN/SS (Pin 1): Combination of Soft-Start, Run Control
Input and Short-Circuit Detection Timer. A capacitor to
ground at this pin sets the ramp time to full current output.
Forcing this pin below 0.8V causes the IC to shut down all
internal circuitry. All functions are disabled in shutdown.
SENSE1+,
SENSE2+
(Pins 2,14): The (+) Input to Each
Differential Current Comparator. The ITH pin voltage and
built-in offsets between SENSE– and SENSE+ pins in
conjunction with RSENSE set the current trip threshold.
SENSE1–, SENSE2– (Pins 3,13): The (–) Input to the
Differential Current Comparators.
EAIN (Pin 4): Input to the error amplifier that compares the
feedback voltage to the internal 0.6V reference voltage.
This pin is normally connected to a resistive divider from
the output of the differential amplifier (DIFFOUT).
PLLFLTR (Pin 5): The phase-locked loop’s lowpass filter
is tied to this pin. Alternatively, this pin can be driven with
an AC or DC voltage source to vary the frequency of the
internal oscillator. Do not apply voltage to this pin prior to
application of VIN.
PLLIN (Pin 6): External Synchronization Input to Phase
Detector. This pin is internally terminated to SGND with
50kΩ. The phase-locked loop will force the rising top gate
signal of controller 1 to be synchronized with the rising
edge of the PLLIN signal.
FCB (Pin 7): Forced Continuous Control Input. This input
acts on both output stages. Pulling this pin below 0.6V
will force continuous synchronous operation. Do not
leave this pin floating without a decoupling capacitor.
ITH (Pin 8): Error Amplifier Output and Switching Regulator Compensation Point. Both current comparator’s thresholds increase with this control voltage. The normal voltage
range of this pin is from 0V to 2.4V
SGND (Pin 9): Signal Ground. This pin is common to both
controllers. Route separately to the PGND pin.
VDIFFOUT (Pin 10): Output of a Differential Amplifier. This
pin provides true remote output voltage sensing. VDIFFOUT
normally drives an external resistive divider that sets the
output voltage.
VOS–, VOS+ (Pins 11, 12): Inputs to an Operational Amplifier. Internal precision resistors configure it as a differential amplifier whose output is VDIFFOUT.
ATTENOUT (Pin 15): Voltage Feedback Signal Resistively
Divided According to the VID Programming Code.
NO_CPU (Pin 16): Open-Drain Logic Output. NO_CPU is
pulled to ground if VID0 to VID3 are all high.
VID0–VID4 (Pins 17,18, 19, 20, 21): VID Control Logic
Input Pins.
VBIAS (Pin 22): Supply Pin for the VID Control Circuit.
ATTENIN (Pin 23): The Input to the VID Controlled Resistive Divider.
TG2, TG1 (Pins 24, 35): High Current Gate Drives for Top
N-Channel MOSFETS. These are the outputs of floating
drivers with a voltage swing equal to INTVCC superimposed on the switch node voltage SW.
sn3719 3719fs
8
LTC3719
U
U
U
PI FU CTIO S
SW2, SW1 (Pins 25, 34): Switch Node Connections to
Inductors. Voltage swing at these pins is from a Schottky
diode (external) voltage drop below ground to VIN.
BOOST2, BOOST1 (Pins 26, 33): Bootstrapped Supplies
to the Topside Floating Drivers. External capacitors are connected between the BOOST and SW pins, and Schottky
diodes are connected between the BOOST and INTVCC pins.
BG2, BG1 (Pins 27, 31): High Current Gate Drives for
Bottom N-Channel MOSFETS. Voltage swing at these pins
is from ground to INTVCC.
control circuits are powered from this voltage source.
Decouple to power ground with a 1µF ceramic capacitor
placed directly adjacent to the IC and minimum of 4.7µF
additional tantalum or other low ESR capacitor.
EXTVCC (Pin 30): External Power Input to an Internal
Switch. This switch closes and supplies INTVCC, bypassing the internal low dropout regulator whenever EXTVCC is
higher than 4.7V. See EXTVCC Connection in the Applications Information section. Do not exceed 7V on this pin
and ensure VEXTVCC ≤ VINTVCC.
PGND (Pin 28): Driver Power Ground. Connect to sources
of bottom N-channel MOSFETS and the (–) terminals of CIN.
VIN (Pin 32): Main Supply Pin. Should be closely decoupled to the IC’s signal ground pin.
INTVCC (Pin 29): Output of the Internal 5V Linear Low
Dropout Regulator and the EXTVCC Switch. The driver and
PGOOD (Pin 36): Open-Drain Logic Output. PGOOD is
pulled to ground when the voltage on the EAIN pin is not
within ±10% of its set point.
sn3719 3719fs
9
LTC3719
W
FU CTIO AL DIAGRA
U
U
PLLIN
PHASE DET
fIN
50k
DUPLICATE FOR SECOND
CONTROLLER CHANNEL
CLK1
CLP
OSCILLATOR
BOOST
CLK2
TO SECOND
CHANNEL
PGOOD
–
DROP
OUT
DET
S
0.66V
+
BOT
Q
40k
+
B
BG
COUT
PGND
+
0.55V
CIN
INTVCC
BOT
0.54V
+
SW
–
+
CB
D1
SWITCH
LOGIC
–
DB
FCB
TOP ON
Q
R
TG
TOP
EAIN
VOS
VIN
INTVCC
RLP PLLFLTR
–
40k
SHDN
L
1
RSENSE
VOUT
2
–
A1
VOS +
+
40k
40k
I1
–
+
DIFFOUT
–
++
–
–
4.5V
0.18µA
SLOPE
COMP
+
–
30k SENSE
45k
45k
2.4V
+
–
FCB
–
EA
+
VREF
0.60V
OV
4.8V
–
EXTVCC
5V
+
5V
LDO
REG
0.60V
EAIN
+
–
SHDN
RST
5VFB
6V
+
ATTENIN
VFB
0.66V
CC
1.2µA
INTVCC
RUN
SOFTSTART
INTERNAL
SUPPLY
SGND
4
+
30k SENSE
+
–
FCB
VIN
INTVCC
I2
0.86V
5VFB
3V
3
ITH
RUN/SS
CC2
RC
CSS
10k
5-BIT VID DECODER
ATTENOUT
TYPICAL ALL
VID PINS
40k
R1
NO_CPU
VID0
VID1
VID2
VID3
VID4
VBIAS
3719 FBD
sn3719 3719fs
10
LTC3719
U
OPERATIO
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
Main Control Loop
The LTC3719 uses a constant frequency, current mode
step-down architecture with the two output stages operating 180 degrees out of phase. During normal operation,
each top MOSFET is turned on when the clock for that
channel sets the RS latch, and turned off when the main
current comparator, I1, resets the RS latch. The peak
inductor current at which I1 resets the RS latch is controlled by the voltage on the ITH pin, which is the output of
error amplifier EA. The EAIN pin receives the voltage
feedback signal, which is compared to the internal reference voltage by the EA. When the load current increases,
it causes a slight decrease in VEAIN relative to the 0.6V
reference, which in turn causes the ITH voltage to increase
until the average inductor current matches the new load
current. After the top MOSFET has turned off, the bottom
MOSFET is turned on until either the inductor current
starts to reverse, as indicated by current comparator I2, or
the beginning of the next cycle.
The top MOSFET drivers are biased from floating bootstrap capacitor CB, which normally is recharged during
each off cycle through an external diode when the top
MOSFET turns off. As VIN decreases to a voltage close to
VOUT, the loop may enter dropout and attempt to turn on
the top MOSFET continuously. The dropout detector detects this and forces the top MOSFET off for about 500ns
every tenth cycle to allow CB to recharge.
The main control loop is shut down by pulling the RUN/
SS pin low. Releasing RUN/SS allows an internal 1.2µA
current source to charge soft-start capacitor CSS. When
CSS reaches 1.5V, the main control loop is enabled with
the ITH voltage clamped at approximately 30% of its
maximum value. As CSS continues to charge, the ITH pin
voltage is gradually released allowing normal, full-current
operation.
Low Current Operation
The FCB pin selects between two modes of low current
operation. When the FCB pin voltage is below 0.6V, the
controller forces continuous PWM current mode opera-
tion. In this mode, the top and bottom MOSFETs are
alternately turned on to maintain the output voltage
independent of direction of inductor current. When the
FCB pin is below VINTVCC␣ –␣ 2V but greater than 0.6V, the
controller enters Burst Mode operation. Burst Mode
operation sets a minimum output current level before
inhibiting the top switch and turns off the synchronous
MOSFET(s) when the inductor current goes negative.
This combination of requirements will, at low currents,
force the ITH pin below a voltage threshold that will
temporarily inhibit turn-on of both output MOSFETs until
the output voltage drops. There is 60mV of hysteresis in
the burst comparator B tied to the ITH pin. This hysteresis
produces output signals to the MOSFETs that turn them
on for several cycles, followed by a variable “sleep”
interval depending upon the load current. The resultant
output voltage ripple is held to a very small value by
having the hysteretic comparator after the error amplifier
gain block.
Constant Frequency Operation
When the FCB pin is tied to INTVCC, Burst Mode operation
is disabled and a forced minimum peak output current
requirement is removed. This provides constant frequency,
discontinuous (preventing reverse inductor current) current operation over the widest possible output current
range. This constant frequency operation is not as efficient
as Burst Mode operation, but does provide a lower noise,
constant frequency operating mode down to approximately 1% of designed maximum output current.
Continuous Current (PWM) Operation
Tying the FCB pin to ground will force continuous current
operation. This is the least efficient operating mode, but
may be desirable in certain applications. The output can
source or sink current in this mode. When sinking current
while in forced continuous operation, current will be
forced back into the main power supply potentially boosting the input supply to dangerous voltage levels—
BEWARE!
sn3719 3719fs
11
LTC3719
U
OPERATIO
(Refer to Functional Diagram)
Frequency Synchronization
The phase-locked loop allows the internal oscillator to be
synchronized to an external source via the PLLIN pin. The
output of the phase detector at the PLLFLTR pin is also the
DC frequency control input of the oscillator that operates
over a 140kHz to 310kHz range corresponding to a DC
voltage input from 0V to 2.4V. When locked, the PLL aligns
the turn on of the top MOSFET to the rising edge of the
synchronizing signal. When PLLIN is left open, the PLLFLTR
pin goes low, forcing the oscillator to minimum frequency.
Input capacitance ESR requirements and efficiency losses
are substantially reduced because the peak current drawn
from the input capacitor is effectively divided by two and
power loss is proportional to the RMS current squared. A
two stage, single output voltage implementation can
reduce input path power loss by 75% and radically reduce
the required RMS current rating of the input capacitor(s).
INTVCC/EXTVCC Power
Power for the top and bottom MOSFET drivers and most
of the IC circuitry is derived from INTVCC. When the
EXTVCC pin is left open, an internal 5V low dropout
regulator supplies INTVCC power. If the EXTVCC pin is
taken above 4.8V, the 5V regulator is turned off and an
internal switch is turned on connecting EXTVCC to INTVCC.
This allows the INTVCC power to be derived from a high
efficiency external source such as the output of the regulator itself or a secondary winding, as described in the
Applications Information section. An external Schottky
diode can be used to minimize the voltage drop from
EXTVCC to INTVCC in applications requiring greater than
the specified INTVCC current. Voltages up to 7V can be
applied to EXTVCC for additional gate drive capability.
Differential Amplifier
This controller includes a true unity-gain differential amplifier. Sensing both VOUT + and VOUT – benefits regulation in high current applications and/or applications
having electrical interconnection losses. The amplifier is
a unity-gain stable, 2MHz gain-bandwidth, >120dB openloop 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.
Output Overvoltage Protection
An overvoltage comparator, 0V, guards against transient
overshoots (>10%) as well as other more serious conditions that may overvoltage the output. In this case, the top
MOSFET is turned off and the bottom MOSFET is turned on
until the overvoltage condition is cleared.
Power Good (PGOOD)
The PGOOD pin is connected to the drain of an internal
MOSFET. The MOSFET turns on when the output voltage
is not within ±10% of its nominal output level as determined by the feedback divider. When the output is within
±10% of its nominal value, the MOSFET is turned off within
10µs and the PGOOD pin should be pulled up by an
external resistor to a source of up to 7V.
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.
sn3719 3719fs
12
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
RSENSE Selection For Output Current
RSENSE1,2 are chosen based on the required peak output
current. The LTC3719 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.
Assuming a common input power source for each output
stage and allowing a margin for variations in the
LTC3719 and external component values yields:
RSENSE = N
50mV
IMAX
where N = 2 for 2 phase. For more than 2 phase use the
LTC1629-6 plus the LTC3719.
Operating Frequency
The LTC3719 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 PhaseLocked Loop and Frequency Synchronization 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.
2.5
PLLFLTR PIN VOLTAGE (V)
The basic LTC3719 application circuit is shown in
Figure␣ 1 on the first page. External component selection
begins with the selection of the inductors based on ripple
current requirements and continues with the current
sensing resistors using the calculated peak inductor
current and/or maximum current limit. Next, the power
MOSFETs, 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). Current mode control
allows the ability to connect the two output stages to two
different input power supply rails. A heavy output load can
take some power from each input supply according to the
selection of the RSENSE resistors.
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
120
170
220
270
OPERATING FREQUENCY (kHz)
320
3719 F02
Figure 2. Operating Frequency vs VPLLFLTR
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
MOSFET gate charge and transition losses increase
directly with frequency. 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:
PolyPhase is a registered trademark of Linear Technology Corporation.
sn3719 3719fs
13
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
V
V
∆IL = OUT 1 − OUT
f •L
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 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 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.
1.0
1-PHASE
2-PHASE
0.9
0.8
0.6
VO/fL
∆IO(P-P)
0.7
0.5
0.4
0.3
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
0.2
0.1
0
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 inductor type selected. As
inductance increases, core losses go down. Unfortunately, increased inductance requires more turns of wire
and therefore copper losses will increase.
0.1
0.2
0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
DUTY FACTOR (VOUT/VIN)
0.8
0.9
3719 F03
Figure 3. Normalized Output Ripple Current
vs Duty Factor [IRMS ≈ 0.3 (∆IO(P–P))]
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.
Inductor Core Selection
Once the values for L1 and L2 are known, the type of
inductor must be selected. High efficiency converters
Two external power MOSFETs must be selected for each
output stage with the LTC3719: 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 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) < 1V) 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.
Selection criteria for the power MOSFETs include the “ON”
resistance RDS(ON), reverse transfer capacitance CRSS,
input voltage and maximum output current. When the
Kool Mµ is a registered trademark of Magnetics, Inc.
sn3719 3719fs
14
LTC3719
U
U
W
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
LTC3719 is operating in continuous mode the duty factors
for the top and bottom MOSFETs of each output stage are
given by:
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 C RSS f
2
( )
(
( )
)( )
2
PSYNC
I
V –V
= 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
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.
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.
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 Schottky (depending on output current) 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 closed 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.
In the graph of Figure 4, the 2-phase local maximum input
RMS capacitor currents are reached when:
VOUT 2k − 1
=
VIN
4
where k = 1, 2
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.
sn3719 3719fs
15
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
DC LOAD CURRENT
RMS INPUT RIPPLE CURRNET
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
0.6
COUT required ESR < 4(RSENSE) and
0.5
COUT > 1/(16f)(RSENSE)
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
3719 F04
Figure 4. Normalized RMS Input Ripple Current
vs Duty Factor for 1 and 2 Output Stages
It is important to note that the efficiency loss is proportional to the input RMS current squared and therefore a
2-phase 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 +
16fC OUT
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:
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 I TH
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
through-hole 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, POSCAPs, Panasonic SP caps, 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.
sn3719 3719fs
16
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
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
LTC3719. 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 LTC3719 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 LTC3719 VIN
current is limited to less than 24mA from a 24V supply:
TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(24V)(85°C/W) = 119°C
Use of the EXTVCC pin reduces the junction temperature␣ to:
TJ = 70°C + (24mA)(5V)(85°C/W) = 80.2°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.
EXTVCC Connection
When the voltage applied to EXTVCC rises above 4.7V, the
internal regulator is turned off and an internal switch
closes, connecting the EXTVCC pin to the INTVCC pin
thereby supplying internal and MOSFET gate driving power
to the IC. 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 a
separate 5V supply during normal operation (4.7V <
VEXTVCC < 7V) and from the internal regulator when the
external 5V supply is not available. 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 LTC3719’s VIN pin and a Schottky diode
between the EXTVCC and the VIN pin, to prevent current
from backfeeding VIN.
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,
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.
The LTC3719 contains an internal P-channel MOSFET
switch connected between the EXTVCC and INTVCC pins.
sn3719 3719fs
17
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
Output Voltage
The LTC3719 has a true remote voltage sense capablity.
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 corrects for DC drops in both the power and
ground paths. The differential amplifier output signal is
divided down and compared with the internal precision
0.6V voltage reference by the error amplifier.
Table 1. VID Output Voltage Programming
CODE
VID4
VID3
VID2
VID1
VID0
OUTPUT
00000
GND
GND
GND
GND
GND
1.550
00001
GND
GND
GND
GND
Float
1.525
00010
GND
GND
GND
Float
GND
1.500
00011
GND
GND
GND
Float
Float
1.475
00100
GND
GND
Float
GND
GND
1.450
00101
GND
GND
Float
GND
Float
1.425
00110
GND
GND
Float
Float
GND
1.400
00111
GND
GND
Float
Float
Float
1.375
01000
GND
Float
GND
GND
GND
1.350
The output voltage is digitally programmed as defined in
Table 1 using the VID0 to VID4 logic input pins. The VID
logic inputs program a precision, 0.25% internal feedback
resistive divider. The LTC3719 has an output voltage range
of 0.8V to 1.55V in 25mV steps.
01001
GND
Float
GND
GND
Float
1.325
01010
GND
Float
GND
Float
GND
1.300
01011
GND
Float
GND
Float
Float
1.275
01100
GND
Float
Float
GND
GND
1.250
01101
GND
Float
Float
GND
Float
1.225
Between the ATTENOUT pin and ground is a variable
resistor, R1, whose value is controlled by the five VID input
pins (VID0 to VID4). Another resistor, R2, between the
ATTENIN and the ATTENOUT pins completes the resistive
divider. The output voltage is thus set by the ratio of
(R1␣ +␣ R2) to R1.
01110
GND
Float
Float
Float
GND
1.200
01111
GND
Float
Float
Float
Float
1.175
10000
Float
GND
GND
GND
GND
1.150
10001
Float
GND
GND
GND
Float
1.125
10010
Float
GND
GND
Float
GND
1.100
10011
Float
GND
GND
Float
Float
1.075
Each VID digital input is pulled up by a 40k resistor in series
with a diode from VBIAS. Therefore, it must be grounded to
get a digital low input, and can be either floated or connected to VBIAS to get a digital high input. The series diode
is used to prevent the digital inputs from being damaged
or clamped if they are driven higher than VBIAS. The digital
inputs accept CMOS voltage levels.
10100
Float
GND
Float
GND
GND
1.050
10101
Float
GND
Float
GND
Float
1.025
10110
Float
GND
Float
Float
GND
1.000
10111
Float
GND
Float
Float
Float
0.975
11000
Float
Float
GND
GND
GND
0.950
11001
Float
Float
GND
GND
Float
0.925
11010
Float
Float
GND
Float
GND
0.900
11011
Float
Float
GND
Float
Float
0.875
11100
Float
Float
Float
GND
GND
0.850
11101
Float
Float
Float
GND
Float
0.825
11110
Float
Float
Float
Float
GND
0.800
11111
Float
Float
Float
Float
Float
Shutdown
Output Voltage Programming
VBIAS is the supply voltage for the VID section. It is
normally connected to INTVCC but can be driven from
other sources. If it is driven from another source, that
source must be in the range of 2.7V to 5.5V and must be
alive prior to enabling the LTC3719.
sn3719 3719fs
18
LTC3719
U
U
W
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
3.3V OR 5V
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 soft-start
capacitor, CSS. 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
C SS = 1.25s/µF C SS
1.2µA
The time for the output current to ramp up is then:
tIRAMP
INTVCC
VIN
Soft-Start/Run Function
(
)
3V − 1.5V
=
C SS = 1.25s/µF C SS
1.2µA
By pulling the RUN/SS pin below 0.8V the LTC3719 is put
into low current shutdown (IQ < 40µA). The RUN/SS pins
can be driven directly from logic as shown in Figure 5.
Diode D1 in Figure 5 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).
D1
RUN/SS
RSS*
RSS*
D1*
RUN/SS
CSS
CSS
*OPTIONAL TO DEFEAT OVERCURRENT LATCHOFF
3719 F06
Figure 5. RUN/SS Pin Interfacing
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 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 the 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:
tLO1 ≈ (CSS • 0.6V)/(1.2µA) = 5 • 105 (CSS)
If the overload occurs after start-up, the voltage on CSS 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 5. This resistance shortens the soft-start
period and prevents the discharge of the RUN/SS capacitor during a severe overcurrent and/or short-circuit
sn3719 3719fs
19
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
condition. When deriving the 5µA current from VIN as in
the figure, current latchoff is always defeated. The diode
connecting this pull-up resistor to INTVCC, as in Figure␣ 5,
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.
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:
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 6.
2.4V
PHASE
DETECTOR
RLP
10k
CLP
EXTERNAL
OSC
PLLFLTR
PLLIN
50k
DIGITAL
PHASE/
FREQUENCY
DETECTOR
CSS > (COUT )(VOUT)(10-4)(RSENSE)
The minimum recommended soft-start capacitor of CSS =
0.1µF will be sufficient for most applications.
Phase-Locked Loop and Frequency Synchronization
The LTC3719 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
LTC3719 is 140kHz to 310kHz.
The phase detector used is an edge sensitive digital type
which provides zero degrees phase shift between the
OSC
3719 F07
Figure 6. Phase-Locked Loop Block Diagram
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
LTC3719 PLLIN pin must be driven from a low impedance
source such as a logic gate located close to the pin.
sn3719 3719fs
20
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
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 =10k and CLP is 0.01µF to
0.1µF.
FCB Pin Operation
The following table summarizes the possible states available on the FCB pin:
Table 2
FCB Pin
Condition
0V to 0.55V
Forced Continuous (Current Reversal
Allowed—Burst Inhibited)
0.65V < VFCB < 4.3V (typ)
Minimum Peak Current Induces
Burst Mode Operation
No Current Reversal Allowed
> 4.8V
Burst Mode Operation Disabled
Constant Frequency Mode Enabled
No Current Reversal Allowed
No Minimum Peak Current
Minimum On-Time Considerations
Minimum on-time, tON(MIN), is the smallest time duration
that the LTC3719 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:
Active Voltage Positioning
tON(MIN) <
VOUT
()
VIN f
If the duty cycle falls below what can be accommodated by
the minimum on-time, the LTC3719 will begin to skip
cycles resulting in variable 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 LTC3719 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 ripple current and voltage ripple.
If an application can operate close to the minimum
on-time 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).
Active voltage positioning can be used to minimize peakto-peak output voltage excursion under worst-case transient loading conditions. The open-loop DC gain of the
control loop is reduced depending upon the maximum
load step specifications. Active voltage positioning can
easily be added to the LTC3719 by loading the ITH pin with
a resistive divider having a Thevenin equivalent voltage
source equal to the midpoint operating voltage of the error
amplifier, or 1.2V (see Figure 7).
The resistive load reduces the DC loop gain while maintaining the linear control range of the error amplifier. The
worst-case peak-to-peak output voltage deviation due to
transient loading can theoretically be reduced to half or
alternatively the amount of output capacitance can
be reduced for a particular application. A complete
explanation is included in Design Solutions 10 or the
LTC1736 data sheet. (See www.linear-tech.com)
INTVCC
RT2
ITH
RT1
RC
LTC3719
CC
3719 F08
Figure 7. Active Voltage Positioning Applied to the LTC3719
sn3719 3719fs
21
LTC3719
U
W
U
U
APPLICATIO S I FOR ATIO
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 LTC3719 circuits: 1) I2R losses, 2) Topside
MOSFET transition losses, 3) INTVCC regulator current
and 4) LTC3719 VIN current (including loading on the
differential amplifier output).
1) I2R losses are predicted from the DC resistances of the
fuse (if used), MOSFET, inductor, current sense resistor,
and input and output capacitor ESR. In continuous mode
the average output current flows through L and RSENSE,
but is “chopped” between the topside MOSFET and the
synchronous MOSFET. If the two MOSFETs have approximately the same RDS(ON), then the resistance of one
MOSFET can simply be summed with the resistances of L,
RSENSE and ESR to obtain I2R losses. For example, if each
RDS(ON) = 10mΩ, RL = 10mΩ, and RSENSE = 5mΩ, then the
total resistance is 25mΩ. This results in losses ranging
from 2% to 8% as the output current increases from 3A to
15A per output stage for a 5V output, or a 3% to 12% loss
per output stage for a 3.3V output. Efficiency varies as the
inverse square of VOUT for the same external components
and output power level. The combined effects of increasingly lower output voltages and higher currents required
by high performance digital systems is not doubling but
quadrupling the importance of loss terms in the switching
regulator system!
2) Transition losses apply only to the topside MOSFET(s),
and are significant only when operating at high input
voltages (typically 12V or greater). Transition losses can
be estimated from:
2 IO(MAX)
Transition Loss = (1.7)VIN
C RSS f
2
3) INTVCC current is the sum of the MOSFET driver and
control currents. The MOSFET driver current results from
switching the gate capacitance of the power MOSFETs.
Each time a MOSFET gate is switched from low to high to
low again, a packet of charge dQ moves from INTVCC to
ground. The resulting dQ/dt is a current out of INTVCC that
is typically much larger than the control circuit current. In
continuous mode, IGATECHG = (QT + QB), where QT and QB
are the gate charges of the topside and bottom side
MOSFETs.
Supplying INTVCC power through the EXTVCC switch input
from an output-derived source will scale the VIN current
required for the driver and control circuits by the ratio
(Duty Factor)/(Efficiency). For example, in a 20V to 5V
application, 10mA of INTVCC current results in approximately 3mA of VIN current. This reduces the mid-current
loss from 10% or more (if the driver was powered directly
from VIN) to only a few percent.
4) 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
(