FAN53200
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11
Application Information
Selecting the Inductor
The output inductor must meet both the required
inductance and the energy−handling capability of the
application. The inductor value affects the average current
limit, the output voltage ripple, and the efficiency.
The ripple current (DI) of the regulator is:
DI[VOUT
VIN @ǒVIN *VOUT
L@fSW Ǔ(eq. 3)
The maximum average load current, IMAX(LOAD), is
related to the peak current limit, ILIM(PK)by the ripple
current such that:
IMAX(LOAD) +ILIM(PK) *DI
2(eq. 4)
The FAN53200 is optimized for operation with L =
330 nH, but is stable with inductances up to 1.0 mH
(nominal). The inductor should be rated to maintain at least
80% of its value at ILIM(PK). Failure to do so lowers the
amount of DC current the IC can deliver.
Efficiency is affected by the inductor DCR and inductance
value. Decreasing the inductor value for a given physical
size typically decreases the DCR; but since DI increases, the
RMS current increases, as do core and skin−effect losses.
IRMS +IOUT(DC) 2)DI2
12
Ǹ(eq. 5)
The increased RMS current produces higher losses
through the RDS(ON) of the IC MOSFETs as well as the
inductor ESR.
Increasing the inductor value produces lower RMS
currents, but degrades transient response. For a given
physical inductor size, increased inductance usually results
in an inductor with lower saturation current.
Table 13. EFFECTS OF INDUCTOR VALUE (from
330 nH Recommended) on Regulator Performance
IMAX(LOAD) DVOUT
qua
on
Transient Response
Increase Decrease Degraded
Inductor Current Rating
The current limit circuit can allow substantial peak
currents to flow through L1 under worst−case conditions. If
it is possible for the load to draw such currents, the inductor
should be capable of sustaining the current or failing in a safe
manner.
For space−constrained applications, a lower current rating
for L1 can be used. The FAN53200 may still protect these
inductors in the event of a short circuit, but may not be able
to protect the inductor from failure if the load is able to draw
higher currents than the DC rating of the inductor.
Output Capacitor and VOUT Ripple
Table 14 suggests 0805 capacitors, but 0603 capacitors
may be used if space is at a premium. Due to voltage effects,
the 0603 capacitors have a lower in−circuit capacitance than
the 0805 package, which can degrade transient response and
output ripple.
Increasing COUT has negligible effect on loop stability
and can be increased to reduce output voltage ripple or to
improve transient response. Output voltage ripple, DVOUT,
is calculated by:
DVOUT +DILƪfSW @COUT @ESR2
2@D@(1*D))1
8@fSW @COUTƫ
(eq. 6)
where COUT is the effective output capacitance.
The capacitance of COUT decreases at higher output
voltages, which results in higher DVOUT. Equation 6 is only
valid for Continuous Current Mode (CCM) operation,
which occurs when the regulator is in PWM Mode.
For large COUT values, the regulator may fail to start under
a load. If an inductor value greater than 1.0 mH is used, at
least 30 mF of COUT should be used to ensure stability.
The lowest DVOUT is obtained when the IC is in PWM
Mode and, therefore, operating at 2.4 MHz. In PFM Mode,
fSW is reduced, causing DVOUT to increase.
ESL Effects
The Equivalent Series Inductance (ESL) of the output
capacitor network should be kept low to minimize the
square−wave component of output ripple that results from
the division ratio COUT ESL and the output inductor (LOUT).
The square−wave component due to the ESL can be
estimated as:
DVOUT(SQ) [VIN @ESLCOUT
L1 (eq. 7)
A good practice to minimize this ripple is to use multiple
output capacitors to achieve the desired COUT value. For
example, to obtain COUT = 20 mF, a single 22 mF 0805 would
produce twice the square wave ripple as two x 10 mF 0805.
To minimize ESL, try to use capacitors with the lowest
ratio of length to width. 0805s have lower ESL than 1206s.
If low output ripple is a chief concern, some vendors
produce 0508 or 0612 capacitors with ultra−low ESL.
Placing additional small−value capacitors near the load also
reduces the high−frequency ripple components.
Input Capacitor
The ceramic input capacitors should be placed as close as
possible between the VIN pin and PGND to minimize the
parasitic inductance. If a long wire is used to bring power to
the IC, additional “bulk” capacitance (electrolytic or
tantalum) should be placed between CIN and the power
source lead to reduce under−damped ringing that can occur
between the inductance of the power source leads and CIN.