A 1.5A, high efficiency, synchronous buck regulator that can be easily paralleled for higher-current applications has been developed by Linear Technology Corp.
The device is adjustable down to 0V with a single resistor. The new switching regulator architecture uses a 50µA current reference, combined with a single resistor to set the output voltage. This design enables easy current sharing between multiple regulators, setting the output voltage for all of the regulators with a single external resistor.
The LTC3600 has a wide input voltage capability from 4V to 15V making it ideal for dual-cell Li-Ion applications, as well as fixed 5V and 12V intermediate bus systems and synchronous rectification delivers efficiencies as high as 96 percent.
The design allows dynamic adjustment of output voltage from 0V to VIN-0.5V, offering virtually rail-to-rail performance.
The device has the ability to provide zero output enabling it to power down individual rails in the system as needed. The on-chip trimmed reference achieves accuracy of ±1 percent.
Output regulation and transient response are independent of output voltage.
Output voltage tracking or soft start is easily programmed via the ISET pin for applications that require power sequencing.
Linear Technology
