AN4086
Application note
Buck voltage regulator using the PM8903
By David Toland
Introduction
The PM8903 is a compact, high-efficiency, monolithic step-down switching voltage regulator
which can deliver up to 3 A of continuous current. The IC minimizes external components
and board space by incorporating low-resistance MOSFETs into the IC. It is used in
applications including CPU, DSP and FPGA power supplies, distributed power supplies, and
for general DC/DC converters. The following features are incorporated:
■ Input voltage range of 2.8 V to 6 V
■ Adjustable output voltage to as low as 0.6 V
■ PSKIP mode for optimizing efficiency at light load
■ Undervoltage, overvoltage, overcurrent, and overtemperature protection
■ Power Good output
■ 1.1 MHz switching frequency which enables the use of a small inductor
■ Low quiescent current when shut down (<15 µA)
■ Interleaving synchronization (up to two ICs)
■ Small VFQFPN16, 3x3 mm package
June 2012 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 1/11
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Contents AN4086
Contents
1 Circuit description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 Revision history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2/11 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1
AN4086 List of figures
List of figures
Figure 1. PM8903 schematic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 2. R/C snubber circuit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Figure 3. PM8903 demonstration board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 4. PM8903 demonstration board efficiency with V
FSW = 1.1 MHz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Figure 5. Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 6. V
, VIN, IIN ripple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
OUT
Figure 7. Transient load (0 A to 1.5 A). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 8. Transient load (1.5 A to 3 A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 9. Duty cycle jitter at 3 A load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 10. V
, VIN, IIN ripple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
OUT
Figure 11. Overvoltage protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Figure 12. Shutdown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
= 3.3 V, V
IN
= 1.5 V, and
OUT
Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 3/11
Circuit description AN4086
R
OS = RFB
* V
REF
/ (V
OUT
– V
REF
)
1 Circuit description
● Output voltage setting
In Equation 1 below, the output voltage is programmed by R
formula:
Equation 1
and RFB using the
OS
where V
is 0.6 V and RFB is selected to obtain the desired regulator bandwidth (see
REF
section 6.1 of datasheet for details).
● Inductor selection
Choosing an inductor involves a compromise between dynamic response, efficiency,
cost and size. A higher inductor value will decrease the output voltage ripple, but will
increase the regulator response time to load changes.
The inductance has to be calculated to keep the ripple current (ΔI
) between 20% and
L
30% of the maximum output current, using the following equation:
Equation 2
where F
is the switching frequency, VIN is the input voltage, and V
SW
is the output
OUT
voltage.
● Output capacitor selection
The output capacitor bank will define the ripple voltage and affect the transient
response of the regulator.
During steady state operation, the output voltage ripple is affected by the ESR and the
capacitance value according to the following equations:
Equation 3
Equation 4
where ΔI
4/11 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1
is the inductor current ripple.
L
AN4086 Circuit description
I
RMSIOUT
D1D–()⋅⋅=
I
RMS
I
OUT
2
------------=
During a load transient, the output capacitor bank either supplies the load current, or
absorbs the energy stored in the inductor until the regulator reacts. The output voltage drop
that depends on the ESR (equivalent series resistance) and on the capacitive
charge/discharge is calculated according to the following:
Equation 5
where ΔI
a load application or V
is the voltage across the inductor during the transient load [D
L
for load release.
OUT
MAX
· (VIN - V
OUT
) for
MLCC capacitors typically have low ESR which is good to minimize the voltage ripple, but
they have low capacitance. Electrolytic capacitors have larger capacitance, which is good for
minimizing voltage changes during transients, but they also have higher ESR than MLCC
capacitors.
Ideally, a mix of electrolytic and MLCC capacitors can be used for minimal ripple as well as
minimizing voltage changes during transient loads.
● Input capacitor selection
The major consideration when choosing an input capacitor is the input RMS current,
which depends on the output current (I
) and the duty cycle (D) according to the
OUT
following:
Equation 6
Maximum I
occurs when D = 0.5, when .
RMS
Make sure the capacitor RMS current rating is well above the maximum operating RMS
current of the regulator. For long-term reliability, a good rule of thumb is to choose a
capacitor that will exhibit less than a 10 °C rise in temperature at max RMS current.
Most capacitor datasheets have plots that show RMS current vs. temperature.
Another consideration is the input ripple voltage - which is caused by the ESL
(equivalent series inductance) and ESR of the input capacitor and the dV/dt of the
switch node. Using low ESR and ESL ceramic capacitors are effective for lowering
input ripple voltage.
Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 5/11
Circuit description AN4086
Figure 1. PM8903 schematic
● Design tip for input voltages of 5 V to 6 V
For a 5 V input, the maximum rated voltage at the phase pin is 7 V. For a 6 V input, the
maximum rated voltage is 7.5 V with t < 100 ns.
If you use a 5 V to 6 V input voltage, the maximum voltage at the phase node should be
measured at maximum load. This measurement should be taken on the phase node
pin, using the full bandwidth setting on the oscilloscope and as short a ground as
possible on the probe. If measured voltage exceeds 7 V, an R/C snubber circuit should
be implemented at the phase node, as shown in Figure 2. Also, to be effective, the R/C
should be as close as possible to the phase node pin.
Figure 2. R/C snubber circuit
6/11 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1
AN4086 Circuit description
!-V
(IILFLHQF\
/RDG&XUUHQW$
30'HPRERDUG(IILFLHQF\
Figure 3. PM8903 demonstration board
Figure 4. PM8903 demonstration board efficiency with V
F
= 1.1 MHz
SW
= 3.3 V, V
IN
= 1 .5 V, a nd
OUT
Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 7/11
Circuit description AN4086
Ch 1: Output voltage
Ch 2: Power Good
Ch 3: Input voltage
Ch 4: Enable
Ch 1: Output voltage ripple
Ch 2: Switch node
Ch 3: Input voltage ripple
Ch 4: Input current ripple
Ch 1: Output voltage (off)
Ch 4: Output current
Ch 1: Output voltage (off)
Ch 4: Output current
Ch 3: Switch node (persistence mode)
Ch 1: Power Good
Ch 2: Output voltage
Ch 3: Feedback
Ch 4: Switch node
Figure 5. Startup Figure 6. V
Figure 7. Transient load (0 A to 1.5 A) Figure 8. Transient load (1.5 A to 3 A)
, VIN, IIN ripple
OUT
Figure 9. Duty cycle jitter at 3 A load Figure 10. V
8/11 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1
, VIN, IIN ripple
OUT
AN4086 Circuit description
Ch 1: Power Good
Ch 2: Output voltage
Ch 3: Input voltage
Ch 4: Switch node
Ch 1: Output voltage
Ch 2: Power Good
Ch 3: Input voltage
Ch 4: Enable
Figure 11. Overvoltage protection Figure 12. Shutdown
Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 9/11
Revision history AN4086
2 Revision history
Table 1. Document revision history
Date Revision Changes
05-Jun-2012 1 Initial release.
10/11 Doc ID 023053 Rev 1
AN4086
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Doc ID 023053 Rev 1 11/11
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