February 29, 2008
LM2673
SIMPLE SWITCHER® 3A Step-Down Voltage Regulator with
Adjustable Current Limit
General Description
The LM2673 series of regulators are monolithic integrated
circuits which provide all of the active functions for a step-
down (buck) switching regulator capable of driving up to 3A
loads with excellent line and load regulation characteristics.
High efficiency (>90%) is obtained through the use of a low
ON-resistance DMOS power switch. The series consists of
fixed output voltages of 3.3V, 5V and 12V and an adjustable
output version.
The SIMPLE SWITCHER concept provides for a complete
design using a minimum number of external components. A
high fixed frequency oscillator (260KHz) allows the use of
physically smaller sized components. A family of standard in-
ductors for use with the LM2673 are available from several
manufacturers to greatly simplify the design process.
Other features include the ability to reduce the input surge
current at power-ON by adding a softstart timing capacitor to
gradually turn on the regulator. The LM2673 series also has
built in thermal shutdown and resistor programmable current
limit of the power MOSFET switch to protect the device and
load circuitry under fault conditions. The output voltage is
guaranteed to a ±2% tolerance. The clock frequency is con-
trolled to within a ±11% tolerance.
Features
Efficiency up to 94%
Simple and easy to design with (using off-the-shelf
external components)
Resistor programmable peak current limit over a range of
2A to 5A.
150 mΩ DMOS output switch
3.3V, 5V and 12V fixed output and adjustable (1.2V to
37V ) versions
±2%maximum output tolerance over full line and load
conditions
Wide input voltage range: 8V to 40V
260 KHz fixed frequency internal oscillator
Softstart capability
−40 to +125°C operating junction temperature range
Applications
Simple to design, high efficiency (>90%) step-down
switching regulators
Efficient system pre-regulator for linear voltage regulators
Battery chargers
Typical Application
10091303
SIMPLE SWITCHER® is a registered trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation
© 2008 National Semiconductor Corporation 100913 www.national.com
LM2673 SIMPLE SWITCHER 3A Step-Down Voltage Regulator with Adjustable Current Limit
Connection Diagrams and Ordering Information
TO-263 Package
Top View
10091301
Order Number
LM2673S-3.3, LM2673S-5.0,
LM2673S-12 or LM2673S-ADJ
See NSC Package Number TS7B
TO-220 Package
Top View
10091302
Order Number
LM2673T-3.3, LM2673T-5.0,
LM2673T-12 or LM2673T-ADJ
See NSC Package Number TA07B
Top View
10091335
LLP-14
See NS package Number SRC14A
Ordering Information for LLP Package
Output Voltage Order Information Package Marking Supplied As
12 LM2673SD-12 S0002SB 250 Units on Tape and Reel
12 LM2673SDX-12 S0002SB 2500 Units on Tape and Reel
3.3 LM2673SD-3.3 S0002TB 250 Units on Tape and Reel
3.3 LM2673SDX-3.3 S0002TB 2500 Units on Tape and Reel
5.0 LM2673SD-5.0 S0002UB 250 Units on Tape and Reel
5.0 LM2673SDX-5.0 S0002UB 2500 Units on Tape and Reel
ADJ LM2673SD-ADJ S0002VB 250 Units on Tape and Reel
ADJ LM2673SDX-ADJ S0002VB 2500 Units on Tape and Reel
www.national.com 2
LM2673
Absolute Maximum Ratings (Note 1)
If Military/Aerospace specified devices are required,
please contact the National Semiconductor Sales Office/
Distributors for availability and specifications.
Input Supply Voltage 45V
Softstart Pin Voltage −0.1V to 6V
Switch Voltage to Ground (Note 13) −1V to VIN
Boost Pin Voltage VSW + 8V
Feedback Pin Voltage −0.3V to 14V
Power Dissipation Internally
Limited
ESD (Note 2) 2 kV
Storage Temperature Range −65°C to 150°
C
Soldering Temperature
Wave 4 sec, 260°C
Infrared 10 sec, 240°C
Vapor Phase 75 sec, 219°C
Operating Ratings
Supply Voltage 8V to 40V
Junction Temperature Range (TJ)−40°C to 125°C
Electrical Characteristics Limits appearing in bold type face apply over the entire junction temperature range
of operation, −40°C to 125°C. Specifications appearing in normal type apply for TA = TJ = 25°C. RADJ = 8.2K
LM2673-3.3
Symbol Parameter Conditions Typical Min Max Units
(Note 3) (Note 4) (Note 4)
VOUT Output Voltage VIN = 8V to 40V, 100mA IOUT 3A 3.3 3.234/3.201 3.366/3.399 V
ηEfficiency VIN = 12V, ILOAD = 3A 86 %
LM2673-5.0
Symbol Parameter Conditions Typical Min Max Units
(Note 3) (Note 4) (Note 4)
VOUT Output Voltage VIN = 8V to 40V, 100mA IOUT 3A 5.0 4.900/4.850 5.100/5.150 V
ηEfficiency VIN = 12V, ILOAD = 3A 88 %
LM2673-12
Symbol Parameter Conditions Typical Min Max Units
(Note 3) (Note 4) (Note 4)
VOUT Output Voltage VIN = 15V to 40V, 100mA IOUT 3A 12 11.76/11.64 12.24/12.36 V
ηEfficiency VIN = 24V, ILOAD = 3A 94 %
LM2673-ADJ
Symbol Parameter Conditions Typ Min Max Units
(Note 3) (Note 4) (Note 4)
VFB Feedback Voltage VIN = 8V to 40V, 100mA IOUT 3A
VOUT Programmed for 5V 1.21 1.186/1.174 1.234/1.246 V
ηEfficiency VIN = 12V, ILOAD = 3A 88 %
3 www.national.com
LM2673
All Output Voltage Versions
Electrical Characteristics
Limits appearing in bold type face apply over the entire junction temperature range of operation, −40°C to 125°C.
Specifications appearing in normal type apply for TA = TJ = 25°C. Unless otherwise specified, RADJ = 8.2K, VIN=12V for the 3.3V,
5V and Adjustable versions and VIN=24V for the 12V version.
Symbol Parameter Conditions Typ Min Max Units
DEVICE PARAMETERS
IQQuiescent Current VFEEDBACK = 8V 4.2 6 mA
For 3.3V, 5.0V, and ADJ Versions
VFEEDBACK = 15V
For 12V Versions
VADJ Current Limit
Adjust Voltage
1.21 1.181/1.169 1.229/1.246 V
ICL Current Limit RADJ = 8.2KΩ, (Note 5) 4.5 3.8/3.6 5.25/5.4 A
ILOutput Leakage
Current
VIN = 40V, Softstart Pin = 0V
VSWITCH = 0V
VSWITCH = −1V
1.0
6
1.5
15
mA
mA
RDS(ON) Switch On-
Resistance
ISWITCH = 3A 0.15 0.17/0.29 Ω
fOOscillator
Frequency
Measured at Switch Pin 260 225 280 kHz
D Duty Cycle Maximum Duty Cycle 91 %
Minimum Duty Cycle 0 %
IBIAS Feedback Bias
Current
VFEEDBACK = 1.3V
ADJ Version Only
85 nA
VSFST Softstart Threshold
Voltage
0.63 0.53 0.74 V
ISFST Softstart Pin
Current
Softstart Pin = 0V 3.7 6.9 μA
θJA Thermal
Resistance
T Package, Junction to Ambient 65
(Note 6)
θJA T Package, Junction to Ambient 45
(Note 7)
θJC T Package, Junction to Case 2
θJA S Package, Junction to Ambient 56 °C/W
(Note 8)
θJA S Package, Junction to Ambient 35
(Note 9)
θJA S Package, Junction to Ambient 26
(Note 10)
θJC S Package, Junction to Case 2 ++
θJA SD Package, Junction to Ambient 55
°C/W
(Note 11)
θJA SD Package, Junction to Ambient 29
(Note 12)
www.national.com 4
LM2673
Note 1: Absolute Maximum Ratings are limits beyond which damage to the device may occur. Operating Ratings indicate conditions under which of the device
is guaranteed. Operating Ratings do not imply guaranteed performance limits. For guaranteed performance limits and associated test condition, see the electrical
Characteristics tables.
Note 2: ESD was applied using the human-body model, a 100pF capacitor discharged through a 1.5 kΩ resistor into each pin.
Note 3: Typical values are determined with TA = TJ = 25°C and represent the most likely norm.
Note 4: All limits are guaranteed at room temperature (standard type face) and at temperature extremes (bold type face). All room temperature limits are 100%
tested during production with TA = TJ = 25°C. All limits at temperature extremes are guaranteed via correlation using standard standard Quality Control (SQC)
methods. All limits are used to calculate Average Outgoing Quality Level (AOQL).
Note 5: The peak switch current limit is determined by the following relationship: ICL=37,125/ RADJ.
Note 6: Junction to ambient thermal resistance (no external heat sink) for the 7 lead TO-220 package mounted vertically, with ½ inch leads in a socket, or on a
PC board with minimum copper area.
Note 7: Junction to ambient thermal resistance (no external heat sink) for the 7 lead TO-220 package mounted vertically, with ½ inch leads soldered to a PC
board containing approximately 4 square inches of (1 oz.) copper area surrounding the leads.
Note 8: Junction to ambient thermal resistance for the 7 lead TO-263 mounted horizontally against a PC board area of 0.136 square inches (the same size as
the TO-263 package) of 1 oz. (0.0014 in. thick) copper.
Note 9: Junction to ambient thermal resistance for the 7 lead TO-263 mounted horizontally against a PC board area of 0.4896 square inches (3.6 times the area
of the TO-263 package) of 1 oz. (0.0014 in. thick) copper.
Note 10: Junction to ambient thermal resistance for the 7 lead TO-263 mounted horizontally against a PC board copper area of 1.0064 square inches (7.4 times
the area of the TO-263 package) of 1 oz. (0.0014 in. thick) copper. Additional copper area will reduce thermal resistance further. See the thermal model in Switchers
Made Simple® software.
Note 11: Junction to ambient thermal resistance for the 14-lead LLP mounted on a PC board copper area equal to the die attach paddle.
Note 12: Junction to ambient thermal resistance for the 14-lead LLP mounted on a PC board copper area using 12 vias to a second layer of copper equal to die
attach paddle. Additional copper area will reduce thermal resistance further. For layout recommendations, refer to Application Note AN-1187.
Note 13: The absolute maximum specification of the 'Switch Voltage to Ground' applies to DC voltage. An extended negative voltage limit of -8V applies to a
pulse of up to 20 ns, -6V of 60 ns and -3V of up to 100 ns.
5 www.national.com
LM2673
Typical Performance Characteristics
Normalized
Output Voltage
10091304
Line Regulation
10091305
Efficiency vs Input Voltage
10091306
Efficiency vs ILOAD
10091307
Switch Current Limit
10091308
Operating Quiescent Current
10091309
www.national.com 6
LM2673
Switching Frequency
10091312
Feedback Pin Bias Current
10091313
Load Transient Response for Continuous Mode
VIN = 20V, VOUT = 5V
L = 33 μH, COUT = 200 μF, COUTESR = 26 mΩ
10091317
A: Output Voltage, 100 mV//div, AC-Coupled.
B: Load Current: 500 mA to 3A Load Pulse
Horizontal Time Base: 100 μs/div
Load Transient Response for Discontinuous Mode
VIN = 20V, VOUT = 5V,
L = 10 μH, COUT = 400 μF, COUTESR = 13 mΩ
10091318
A: Output Voltage, 100 mV/div, AC-Coupled.
B: Load Current: 200 mA to 3A Load Pulse
Horizontal Time Base: 200 μs/div
7 www.national.com
LM2673
Continuous Mode Switching Waveforms
VIN = 20V, VOUT = 5V, ILOAD = 3A
L = 33 μH, COUT = 200 μF, COUTESR = 26 mΩ
10091315
A: VSW Pin Voltage, 10 V/div.
B: Inductor Current, 1 A/div
C: Output Ripple Voltage, 20 mV/div AC-Coupled
Horizontal Time Base: 1 μs/div
Discontinuous Mode Switching Waveforms
VIN = 20V, VOUT = 5V, ILOAD = 500 mA
L = 10 μH, COUT = 400 μF, COUTESR = 13 mΩ
10091316
A: VSW Pin Voltage, 10 V/div.
B: Inductor Current, 1 A/div
C: Output Ripple Voltage, 20 mV/div AC-Coupled
Horizontal Time Base: 1 μs//iv
Block Diagram
10091314
* Active Inductor Patent Number 5,514,947
† Active Capacitor Patent Number 5,382,918
www.national.com 8
LM2673
Application Hints
The LM2673 provides all of the active functions required for
a step-down (buck) switching regulator. The internal power
switch is a DMOS power MOSFET to provide power supply
designs with high current capability, up to 3A, and highly ef-
ficient operation.
The LM2673 is part of the SIMPLE SWITCHER family of
power converters. A complete design uses a minimum num-
ber of external components, which have been pre-determined
from a variety of manufacturers. Using either this data sheet
or a design software program called LM267X Made Simple
(version 2.0) a complete switching power supply can be de-
signed quickly. The software is provided free of charge and
can be downloaded from National Semiconductor's Internet
site located at http://www.national.com.
SWITCH OUTPUT
This is the output of a power MOSFET switch connected di-
rectly to the input voltage. The switch provides energy to an
inductor, an output capacitor and the load circuitry under con-
trol of an internal pulse-width-modulator (PWM). The PWM
controller is internally clocked by a fixed 260KHz oscillator. In
a standard step-down application the duty cycle (Time ON/
Time OFF) of the power switch is proportional to the ratio of
the power supply output voltage to the input voltage. The volt-
age on pin 1 switches between Vin (switch ON) and below
ground by the voltage drop of the external Schottky diode
(switch OFF).
INPUT
The input voltage for the power supply is connected to pin 2.
In addition to providing energy to the load the input voltage
also provides bias for the internal circuitry of the LM2673. For
guaranteed performance the input voltage must be in the
range of 8V to 40V. For best performance of the power supply
the input pin should always be bypassed with an input ca-
pacitor located close to pin 2.
C BOOST
A capacitor must be connected from pin 3 to the switch output,
pin 1. This capacitor boosts the gate drive to the internal
MOSFET above Vin to fully turn it ON. This minimizes con-
duction losses in the power switch to maintain high efficiency.
The recommended value for C Boost is 0.01μF.
GROUND
This is the ground reference connection for all components in
the power supply. In fast-switching, high-current applications
such as those implemented with the LM2673, it is recom-
mended that a broad ground plane be used to minimize signal
coupling throughout the circuit
CURRENT ADJUST
A key feature of the LM2673 is the ability to tailor the peak
switch current limit to a level required by a particular applica-
tion. This alleviates the need to use external components that
must be physically sized to accommodate current levels (un-
der shorted output conditions for example) that may be much
higher than the normal circuit operating current requirements.
A resistor connected from pin 5 to ground establishes a cur-
rent (I(pin 5) = 1.2V / RADJ) that sets the peak current through
the power switch. The maximum switch current is fixed at a
level of 37,125 / RADJ.
FEEDBACK
This is the input to a two-stage high gain amplifier, which
drives the PWM controller. It is necessary to connect pin 6 to
the actual output of the power supply to set the dc output volt-
age. For the fixed output devices (3.3V, 5V and 12V outputs),
a direct wire connection to the output is all that is required as
internal gain setting resistors are provided inside the LM2673.
For the adjustable output version two external resistors are
required to set the dc output voltage. For stable operation of
the power supply it is important to prevent coupling of any
inductor flux to the feedback input.
SOFTSTART
A capacitor connected from pin 7 to ground allows for a slow
turn-on of the switching regulator. The capacitor sets a time
delay to gradually increase the duty cycle of the internal power
switch. This can significantly reduce the amount of surge cur-
rent required from the input supply during an abrupt applica-
tion of the input voltage. If softstart is not required this pin
should be left open circuited. Please see the CSS softstart ca-
pacitor section for further information regarding softstart ca-
pacitor values.
DAP (LLP PACKAGE)
The Die Attach Pad (DAP) can and should be connected to
PCB Ground plane/island. For CAD and assembly guidelines
refer to Application Note AN-1187 at http://
power.national.com.
9 www.national.com
LM2673
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
10091323
FIGURE 1. Basic circuit for fixed output voltage applications.
10091324
FIGURE 2. Basic circuit for adjustable output voltage applications
Power supply design using the LM2673 is greatly simplified
by using recommended external components. A wide range
of inductors, capacitors and Schottky diodes from several
manufacturers have been evaluated for use in designs that
cover the full range of capabilities (input voltage, output volt-
age and load current) of the LM2673. A simple design proce-
dure using nomographs and component tables provided in
this data sheet leads to a working design with very little effort.
Alternatively, the design software, LM267X Made Simple
(version 6.0), can also be used to provide instant component
selection, circuit performance calculations for evaluation, a
bill of materials component list and a circuit schematic.
The individual components from the various manufacturers
called out for use are still just a small sample of the vast array
of components available in the industry. While these compo-
nents are recommended, they are not exclusively the only
components for use in a design. After a close comparison of
component specifications, equivalent devices from other
manufacturers could be substituted for use in an application.
Important considerations for each external component and an
explanation of how the nomographs and selection tables were
developed follows.
INDUCTOR
The inductor is the key component in a switching regulator.
For efficiency the inductor stores energy during the switch ON
time and then transfers energy to the load while the switch is
OFF.
Nomographs are used to select the inductance value required
for a given set of operating conditions. The nomographs as-
sume that the circuit is operating in continuous mode (the
current flowing through the inductor never falls to zero). The
magnitude of inductance is selected to maintain a maximum
ripple current of 30% of the maximum load current. If the ripple
current exceeds this 30% limit the next larger value is select-
ed.
The inductors offered have been specifically manufactured to
provide proper operation under all operating conditions of in-
put and output voltage and load current. Several part types
www.national.com 10
LM2673
are offered for a given amount of inductance. Both surface
mount and through-hole devices are available. The inductors
from each of the three manufacturers have unique character-
istics.
Renco: ferrite stick core inductors; benefits are typically low-
est cost and can withstand ripple and transient peak currents
above the rated value. These inductors have an external
magnetic field, which may generate EMI.
Pulse Engineering: powdered iron toroid core inductors;
these also can withstand higher than rated currents and, be-
ing toroid inductors, will have low EMI.
Coilcraft: ferrite drum core inductors; these are the smallest
physical size inductors and are available only as surface
mount components. These inductors also generate EMI but
less than stick inductors.
OUTPUT CAPACITOR
The output capacitor acts to smooth the dc output voltage and
also provides energy storage. Selection of an output capaci-
tor, with an associated equivalent series resistance (ESR),
impacts both the amount of output ripple voltage and stability
of the control loop.
The output ripple voltage of the power supply is the product
of the capacitor ESR and the inductor ripple current. The ca-
pacitor types recommended in the tables were selected for
having low ESR ratings.
In addition, both surface mount tantalum capacitors and
through-hole aluminum electrolytic capacitors are offered as
solutions.
Impacting frequency stability of the overall control loop, the
output capacitance, in conjunction with the inductor, creates
a double pole inside the feedback loop. In addition the ca-
pacitance and the ESR value create a zero. These frequency
response effects together with the internal frequency com-
pensation circuitry of the LM2673 modify the gain and phase
shift of the closed loop system.
As a general rule for stable switching regulator circuits it is
desired to have the unity gain bandwidth of the circuit to be
limited to no more than one-sixth of the controller switching
frequency. With the fixed 260KHz switching frequency of the
LM2673, the output capacitor is selected to provide a unity
gain bandwidth of 40KHz maximum. Each recommended ca-
pacitor value has been chosen to achieve this result.
In some cases multiple capacitors are required either to re-
duce the ESR of the output capacitor, to minimize output
ripple (a ripple voltage of 1% of Vout or less is the assumed
performance condition), or to increase the output capacitance
to reduce the closed loop unity gain bandwidth (to less than
40KHz). When parallel combinations of capacitors are re-
quired it has been assumed that each capacitor is the exact
same part type.
The RMS current and working voltage (WV) ratings of the
output capacitor are also important considerations. In a typi-
cal step-down switching regulator, the inductor ripple current
(set to be no more than 30% of the maximum load current by
the inductor selection) is the current that flows through the
output capacitor. The capacitor RMS current rating must be
greater than this ripple current. The voltage rating of the out-
put capacitor should be greater than 1.3 times the maximum
output voltage of the power supply. If operation of the system
at elevated temperatures is required, the capacitor voltage
rating may be de-rated to less than the nominal room tem-
perature rating. Careful inspection of the manufacturer's
specification for de-rating of working voltage with temperature
is important.
INPUT CAPACITOR
Fast changing currents in high current switching regulators
place a significant dynamic load on the unregulated power
source. An input capacitor helps to provide additional current
to the power supply as well as smooth out input voltage vari-
ations.
Like the output capacitor, the key specifications for the input
capacitor are RMS current rating and working voltage. The
RMS current flowing through the input capacitor is equal to
one-half of the maximum dc load current so the capacitor
should be rated to handle this. Paralleling multiple capacitors
proportionally increases the current rating of the total capac-
itance. The voltage rating should also be selected to be 1.3
times the maximum input voltage. Depending on the unregu-
lated input power source, under light load conditions the
maximum input voltage could be significantly higher than nor-
mal operation and should be considered when selecting an
input capacitor.
The input capacitor should be placed very close to the input
pin of the LM2673. Due to relative high current operation with
fast transient changes, the series inductance of input con-
necting wires or PCB traces can create ringing signals at the
input terminal which could possibly propagate to the output or
other parts of the circuitry. It may be necessary in some de-
signs to add a small valued (0.1μF to 0.47μF) ceramic type
capacitor in parallel with the input capacitor to prevent or min-
imize any ringing.
CATCH DIODE
When the power switch in the LM2673 turns OFF, the current
through the inductor continues to flow. The path for this cur-
rent is through the diode connected between the switch output
and ground. This forward biased diode clamps the switch out-
put to a voltage less than ground. This negative voltage must
be greater than −1V so a low voltage drop (particularly at high
current levels) Schottky diode is recommended. Total effi-
ciency of the entire power supply is significantly impacted by
the power lost in the output catch diode. The average current
through the catch diode is dependent on the switch duty cycle
(D) and is equal to the load current times (1-D). Use of a diode
rated for much higher current than is required by the actual
application helps to minimize the voltage drop and power loss
in the diode.
During the switch ON time the diode will be reversed biased
by the input voltage. The reverse voltage rating of the diode
should be at least 1.3 times greater than the maximum input
voltage.
BOOST CAPACITOR
The boost capacitor creates a voltage used to overdrive the
gate of the internal power MOSFET. This improves efficiency
by minimizing the on resistance of the switch and associated
power loss. For all applications it is recommended to use a
0.01μF/50V ceramic capacitor.
RADJ, ADJUSTABLE CURRENT LIMIT
A key feature of the LM2673 is the ability to control the peak
switch current. Without this feature the peak switch current
would be internally set to 5A or higher to accommodate 3A
load current designs. This requires that both the inductor
(which could saturate with excessively high currents) and the
catch diode be able to safely handle up to 5A which would be
conducted under load fault conditions.
If an application only requires a load current of 2A or so the
peak switch current can be set to a limit just over the maxi-
mum load current with the addition of a single programming
resistor. This allows the use of less powerful and more cost
effective inductors and diodes.
11 www.national.com
LM2673
The peak switch current is equal to a factor of 37,125 divided
by RADJ. A resistance of 8.2KΩ sets the current limit to typi-
cally 4.5A. For predictable control of the current limit it is
recommended to keep the peak switch current greater than
1A. For lower current applications 500mA and 1A switching
regulators, the LM2674 and LM2672, are available.
When the power switch reaches the current limit threshold it
is immediately turned OFF and the internal switching fre-
quency is reduced. This extends the OFF time of the switch
to prevent a steady state high current condition. As the switch
current falls below the current limit threshold, the switch will
turn back ON. If a load fault continues, the switch will again
exceed the threshold and switch back OFF. This will result in
a low duty cycle pulsing of the power switch to minimize the
overall fault condition power dissipation.
Css SOFTSTART CAPACITOR
This optional capacitor controls the rate at which the LM2673
starts up at power on. The capacitor is charged linearly by an
internal current source. This voltage ramp gradually increas-
es the duty cycle of the power switch until it reaches the
normal operating duty cycle defined primarily by the ratio of
the output voltage to the input voltage. The softstart turn-on
time is programmable by the selection of Css.
The formula for selecting a softstart capacitor is:
Where:
ISST = Softstart Current, 3.7μA typical
tSS = Softstart time, from design requirements
VSST = Softstart Threshold Voltage, 0.63V typical
VOUT = Output Voltage, from design requirements
VSCHOTTKY = Schottky Diode Voltage Drop, typically 0.5V
VIN = Maximum Input Voltage, from design requirements
If this feature is not desired, leave the Softstart pin (pin 7)
open circuited
With certain softstart capacitor values and operating condi-
tions, the LM2673 can exhibit an overshoot on the output
voltage during turn on. Especially when starting up into no
load or low load, the softstart function may not be effective in
preventing a larger voltage overshoot on the output. With
larger loads or lower input voltages during startup this effect
is minimized. In particular, avoid using softstart capacitors
between 0.033µF and 1µF.
ADDITIONAL APPLICATION INFORMATION
When the output voltage is greater than approximately 6V,
and the duty cycle at minimum input voltage is greater than
approximately 50%, the designer should exercise caution in
selection of the output filter components. When an application
designed to these specific operating conditions is subjected
to a current limit fault condition, it may be possible to observe
a large hysteresis in the current limit. This can affect the out-
put voltage of the device until the load current is reduced
sufficiently to allow the current limit protection circuit to reset
itself.
Under current limiting conditions, the LM267x is designed to
respond in the following manner:
1. At the moment when the inductor current reaches the
current limit threshold, the ON-pulse is immediately
terminated. This happens for any application condition.
2. However, the current limit block is also designed to
momentarily reduce the duty cycle to below 50% to avoid
subharmonic oscillations, which could cause the inductor
to saturate.
3. Thereafter, once the inductor current falls below the
current limit threshold, there is a small relaxation time
during which the duty cycle progressively rises back
above 50% to the value required to achieve regulation.
If the output capacitance is sufficiently ‘large’, it may be pos-
sible that as the output tries to recover, the output capacitor
charging current is large enough to repeatedly re-trigger the
current limit circuit before the output has fully settled. This
condition is exacerbated with higher output voltage settings
because the energy requirement of the output capacitor
varies as the square of the output voltage (½CV2), thus re-
quiring an increased charging current.
A simple test to determine if this condition might exist for a
suspect application is to apply a short circuit across the output
of the converter, and then remove the shorted output condi-
tion. In an application with properly selected external compo-
nents, the output will recover smoothly.
Practical values of external components that have been ex-
perimentally found to work well under these specific operating
conditions are COUT = 47µF, L = 22µH. It should be noted that
even with these components, for a device’s current limit of
ICLIM, the maximum load current under which the possibility of
the large current limit hysteresis can be minimized is ICLIM/2.
For example, if the input is 24V and the set output voltage is
18V, then for a desired maximum current of 1.5A, the current
limit of the chosen switcher must be confirmed to be at least
3A.
SIMPLE DESIGN PROCEDURE
Using the nomographs and tables in this data sheet (or use
the available design software at http://www.national.com) a
complete step-down regulator can be designed in a few sim-
ple steps.
Step 1: Define the power supply operating conditions:
Required output voltage
Maximum DC input voltage
Maximum output load current
Step 2: Set the output voltage by selecting a fixed output
LM2673 (3.3V, 5V or 12V applications) or determine the re-
quired feedback resistors for use with the adjustable LM2673
−ADJ
Step 3: Determine the inductor required by using one of the
four nomographs, Figure 3 through Figure 6. Table 1 provides
a specific manufacturer and part number for the inductor.
Step 4: Using Table 3 (fixed output voltage) or Table 6 (ad-
justable output voltage), determine the output capacitance
required for stable operation. Table 2 provides the specific
capacitor type from the manufacturer of choice.
Step 5: Determine an input capacitor from Table 4 for fixed
output voltage applications. Use Table 2 to find the specific
capacitor type. For adjustable output circuits select a capac-
itor from Table 2 with a sufficient working voltage (WV) rating
greater than Vin max, and an rms current rating greater than
one-half the maximum load current (2 or more capacitors in
parallel may be required).
Step 6: Select a diode from Table 5. The current rating of the
diode must be greater than I load max and the Reverse Volt-
age rating must be greater than Vin max.
Step 7: Include a 0.01μF/50V capacitor for Cboost in the de-
sign and then determine the value of a softstart capacitor if
desired.
Step 8: Define a value for RADJ to set the peak switch current
limit to be at least 20% greater than Iout max to allow for at
www.national.com 12
LM2673
least 30% inductor ripple current (±15% of Iout). For designs
that must operate over the full temperature range the switch
current limit should be set to at least 50% greater than Iout
max (1.5 x Iout max).
FIXED OUTPUT VOLTAGE DESIGN EXAMPLE
A system logic power supply bus of 3.3V is to be generated
from a wall adapter which provides an unregulated DC volt-
age of 13V to 16V. The maximum load current is 2.5A. A
softstart delay time of 50mS is desired. Through-hole com-
ponents are preferred.
Step 1: Operating conditions are:
Vout = 3.3V
Vin max = 16V
Iload max = 2.5A
Step 2: Select an LM2673T-3.3. The output voltage will have
a tolerance of
±2% at room temperature and ±3% over the full operating
temperature range.
Step 3: Use the nomograph for the 3.3V device ,Figure 3. The
intersection of the 16V horizontal line (Vin max) and the 2.5A
vertical line (Iload max) indicates that L33, a 22μH inductor, is
required.
From Table 1, L33 in a through-hole component is available
from Renco with part number RL-1283-22-43 or part number
PE-53933 from Pulse Engineering.
Step 4: Use Table 3 to determine an output capacitor. With a
3.3V output and a 33μH inductor there are four through-hole
output capacitor solutions with the number of same type ca-
pacitors to be paralleled and an identifying capacitor code
given. Table 2 provides the actual capacitor characteristics.
Any of the following choices will work in the circuit:
1 x 220μF/10V Sanyo OS-CON (code C5)
1 x 1000μF/35V Sanyo MV-GX (code C10)
1 x 2200μF/10V Nichicon PL (code C5)
1 x 1000μF/35V Panasonic HFQ (code C7)
Step 5: Use Table 4 to select an input capacitor. With 3.3V
output and 22μH there are three through-hole solutions.
These capacitors provide a sufficient voltage rating and an
rms current rating greater than 1.25A (1/2 Iload max). Again
using Table 2 for specific component characteristics the fol-
lowing choices are suitable:
1 x 1000μF/63V Sanyo MV-GX (code C14)
1 x 820μF/63V Nichicon PL (code C24)
1 x 560μF/50V Panasonic HFQ (code C13)
Step 6: From Table 5 a 3A or more Schottky diode must be
selected. The 20V rated diodes are sufficient for the applica-
tion and for through-hole components two part types are
suitable:
1N5820
SR302
Step 7: A 0.01μF capacitor will be used for Cboost. For the
50mS softstart delay the following parameters are to be used:
ISST: 3.7μA
tSS: 50mS
VSST: 0.63V
VOUT: 3.3V
VSCHOTTKY: 0.5V
VIN: 16V
Using Vin max ensures that the softstart delay time will be at
least the desired 50mS.
Using the formula for Css a value of 0.148μF is determined
to be required. Use of a standard value 0.22μF capacitor will
produce more than sufficient softstart delay.
Step 8: Determine a value for RADJ to provide a peak switch
current limit of at least 2.5A plus 50% or 3.75A.
Use a value of 10KΩ.
ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT DESIGN EXAMPLE
In this example it is desired to convert the voltage from a two
battery automotive power supply (voltage range of 20V to
28V, typical in large truck applications) to the 14.8VDC alter-
nator supply typically used to power electronic equipment
from single battery 12V vehicle systems. The load current re-
quired is 2A maximum. It is also desired to implement the
power supply with all surface mount components. Softstart is
not required.
Step 1: Operating conditions are:
Vout = 14.8V
Vin max = 28V
Iload max = 2A
Step 2: Select an LM2673S-ADJ. To set the output voltage
to 14.9V two resistors need to be chosen (R1 and R2 in Figure
2). For the adjustable device the output voltage is set by the
following relationship:
Where VFB is the feedback voltage of typically 1.21V.
A recommended value to use for R1 is 1K. In this example
then R2 is determined to be:
R2 = 11.23KΩ
The closest standard 1% tolerance value to use is 11.3KΩ
This will set the nominal output voltage to 14.88V which is
within 0.5% of the target value.
Step 3: To use the nomograph for the adjustable device, Fig-
ure 6, requires a calculation of the inductor Volt•microsecond
constant (E•T expressed in V•μS) from the following formula:
where VSAT is the voltage drop across the internal power
switch which is Rds(ON) times Iload. In this example this would
be typically 0.15Ω x 2A or 0.3V and VD is the voltage drop
across the forward bisased Schottky diode, typically 0.5V.
The switching frequency of 260KHz is the nominal value to
use to estimate the ON time of the switch during which energy
is stored in the inductor.
For this example E•T is found to be:
13 www.national.com
LM2673
Using Figure 6, the intersection of 27V•μS horizontally and
the 2A vertical line (Iload max) indicates that L38 , a 68μH in-
ductor, should be used.
From Table 1, L38 in a surface mount component is available
from Pulse Engineering with part number PE-54038S.
Step 4: Use Table 6 to determine an output capacitor. With a
14.8V output the 12.5 to 15V row is used and with a 68μH
inductor there are three surface mount output capacitor solu-
tions. Table 2 provides the actual capacitor characteristics
based on the C Code number. Any of the following choices
can be used:
1 x 33μF/20V AVX TPS (code C6)
1 x 47μF/20V Sprague 594 (code C8)
1 x 47μF/20V Kemet T495 (code C8)
Important Note: When using the adjustable device in low
voltage applications (less than 3V output), if the nomograph,
Figure 6, selects an inductance of 22μH or less, Table 6 does
not provide an output capacitor solution. With these condi-
tions the number of output capacitors required for stable
operation becomes impractical. It is recommended to use ei-
ther a 33μH or 47μH inductor and the output capacitors from
Table 6.
Step 5: An input capacitor for this example will require at least
a 35V WV rating with an rms current rating of 1A (1/2 Iout
max). From Table 2 it can be seen that C12, a 33μF/35V ca-
pacitor from Sprague, has the required voltage/current rating
of the surface mount components.
Step 6: From Table 5 a 3A Schottky diode must be selected.
For surface mount diodes with a margin of safety on the volt-
age rating one of five diodes can be used:
SK34
30BQ040
30WQ04F
MBRS340
MBRD340
Step 7: A 0.01μF capacitor will be used for Cboost.
The softstart pin will be left open circuited.
Step 8: Determine a value for RADJ to provide a peak switch
current limit of at least 2A plus 50% or 3A.
Use a value of 12.4KΩ.
LLP PACKAGE DEVICES
The LM2673 is offered in the 14 lead LLP surface mount
package to allow for a significantly decreased footprint with
equivalent power dissipation compared to the TO-263. For
details on mounting and soldering specifications, refer to Ap-
plication Note AN-1187.
www.national.com 14
LM2673
Inductor Selection Guides
For Continuous Mode Operation
10091319
FIGURE 3. LM2673-3.3
10091320
FIGURE 4. LM2673-5.0
10091321
FIGURE 5. LM2673-12
10091322
FIGURE 6. LM2673-ADJ
15 www.national.com
LM2673
Table 1. Inductor Manufacturer Part Numbers
Inductor
Reference
Number
Inductance
(µH)
Current
(A)
Renco Pulse Engineering Coilcraft
Through Hole Surface
Mount
Through
Hole
Surface
Mount
Surface Mount
L23 33 1.35 RL-5471-7 RL1500-33 PE-53823 PE-53823S DO3316-333
L24 22 1.65 RL-1283-22-43 RL1500-22 PE-53824 PE-53824S DO3316-223
L25 15 2.00 RL-1283-15-43 RL1500-15 PE-53825 PE-53825S DO3316-153
L29 100 1.41 RL-5471-4 RL-6050-100 PE-53829 PE-53829S DO5022P-104
L30 68 1.71 RL-5471-5 RL6050-68 PE-53830 PE-53830S DO5022P-683
L31 47 2.06 RL-5471-6 RL6050-47 PE-53831 PE-53831S DO5022P-473
L32 33 2.46 RL-5471-7 RL6050-33 PE-53932 PE-53932S DO5022P-333
L33 22 3.02 RL-1283-22-43 RL6050-22 PE-53933 PE-53933S DO5022P-223
L34 15 3.65 RL-1283-15-43 PE-53934 PE-53934S DO5022P-153
L38 68 2.97 RL-5472-2 PE-54038 PE-54038S
L39 47 3.57 RL-5472-3 PE-54039 PE-54039S
L40 33 4.26 RL-1283-33-43 PE-54040 PE-54040S
L41 22 5.22 RL-1283-22-43 PE-54041 P0841
L44 68 3.45 RL-5473-3 PE-54044
L45 10 4.47 RL-1283-10-43 P0845 DO5022P-103HC
Inductor Manufacturer Contact Numbers
Coilcraft Phone (800) 322-2645
FAX (708) 639-1469
Coilcraft, Europe Phone +44 1236 730 595
FAX +44 1236 730 627
Pulse Engineering Phone (619) 674-8100
FAX (619) 674-8262
Pulse Engineering, Phone +353 93 24 107
Europe FAX +353 93 24 459
Renco Electronics Phone (800) 645-5828
FAX (516) 586-5562
www.national.com 16
LM2673
Capacitor Selection Guides
Table 2. Input and Output Capacitor Codes
Capacitor
Reference
Code
Surface Mount
AVX TPS Series Sprague 594D Series Kemet T495 Series
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C1 330 6.3 1.15 120 6.3 1.1 100 6.3 0.82
C2 100 10 1.1 220 6.3 1.4 220 6.3 1.1
C3 220 10 1.15 68 10 1.05 330 6.3 1.1
C4 47 16 0.89 150 10 1.35 100 10 1.1
C5 100 16 1.15 47 16 1 150 10 1.1
C6 33 20 0.77 100 16 1.3 220 10 1.1
C7 68 20 0.94 180 16 1.95 33 20 0.78
C8 22 25 0.77 47 20 1.15 47 20 0.94
C9 10 35 0.63 33 25 1.05 68 20 0.94
C10 22 35 0.66 68 25 1.6 10 35 0.63
C11 15 35 0.75 22 35 0.63
C12 33 35 1 4.7 50 0.66
C13 15 50 0.9
17 www.national.com
LM2673
Input and Output Capacitor Codes (continued)
Capacitor
Reference
Code
Through Hole
Sanyo OS-CON SA Series Sanyo MV-GX Series Nichicon PL Series Panasonic HFQ Series
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C (µF) WV (V) Irms
(A)
C1 47 6.3 1 1000 6.3 0.8 680 10 0.8 82 35 0.4
C2 150 6.3 1.95 270 16 0.6 820 10 0.98 120 35 0.44
C3 330 6.3 2.45 470 16 0.75 1000 10 1.06 220 35 0.76
C4 100 10 1.87 560 16 0.95 1200 10 1.28 330 35 1.01
C5 220 10 2.36 820 16 1.25 2200 10 1.71 560 35 1.4
C6 33 16 0.96 1000 16 1.3 3300 10 2.18 820 35 1.62
C7 100 16 1.92 150 35 0.65 3900 10 2.36 1000 35 1.73
C8 150 16 2.28 470 35 1.3 6800 10 2.68 2200 35 2.8
C9 100 20 2.25 680 35 1.4 180 16 0.41 56 50 0.36
C10 47 25 2.09 1000 35 1.7 270 16 0.55 100 50 0.5
C11 220 63 0.76 470 16 0.77 220 50 0.92
C12 470 63 1.2 680 16 1.02 470 50 1.44
C13 680 63 1.5 820 16 1.22 560 50 1.68
C14 1000 63 1.75 1800 16 1.88 1200 50 2.22
C15 220 25 0.63 330 63 1.42
C16 220 35 0.79 1500 63 2.51
C17 560 35 1.43
C18 2200 35 2.68
C19 150 50 0.82
C20 220 50 1.04
C21 330 50 1.3
C22 100 63 0.75
C23 390 63 1.62
C24 820 63 2.22
C25 1200 63 2.51
Capacitor Manufacturer Contact Numbers
Nichicon Phone (847) 843-7500
FAX (847) 843-2798
Panasonic Phone (714) 373-7857
FAX (714) 373-7102
AVX Phone (845) 448-9411
FAX (845) 448-1943
Sprague/Vishay Phone (207) 324-4140
FAX (207) 324-7223
Sanyo Phone (619) 661-6322
FAX (619) 661-1055
Kemet Phone (864) 963-6300
FAX (864) 963-6521
www.national.com 18
LM2673
Table 3. Output Capacitors for Fixed Output Voltage Application
Output
Voltage (V)
Inductance
(µH)
Surface Mount
AVX TPS Series Sprague 594D Series Kemet T495 Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
3.3
10 4 C2 3 C1 4 C4
15 4 C2 3 C1 4 C4
22 3 C2 2 C7 3 C4
33 2 C2 2 C6 2 C4
5
10 4 C2 4 C6 4 C4
15 3 C2 2 C7 3 C4
22 3 C2 2 C7 3 C4
33 2 C2 2 C3 2 C4
47 2 C2 1 C7 2 C4
12
10 4 C5 3 C6 5 C9
15 3 C5 2 C7 4 C8
22 2 C5 2 C6 3 C8
33 2 C5 1 C7 2 C8
47 2 C4 1 C6 2 C8
68 1 C5 1 C5 2 C7
100 1 C4 1 C5 1 C8
Output
Voltage (V)
Inductance
(µH)
Through Hole
Sanyo OS-CON SA
Series Sanyo MV-GX Series Nichicon PL Series Panasonic HFQ
Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
3.3
10 1 C3 1 C10 1 C6 2 C6
15 1 C3 1 C10 1 C6 2 C5
22 1 C5 1 C10 1 C5 1 C7
33 1 C2 1 C10 1 C13 1 C5
5
10 2 C4 1 C10 1 C6 2 C5
15 1 C5 1 C10 1 C5 1 C6
22 1 C5 1 C5 1 C5 1 C5
33 1 C4 1 C5 1 C13 1 C5
47 1 C4 1 C4 1 C13 2 C3
12
10 2 C7 2 C5 1 C18 2 C5
15 1 C8 1 C5 1 C17 1 C5
22 1 C7 1 C5 1 C13 1 C5
33 1 C7 1 C3 1 C11 1 C4
47 1 C7 1 C3 1 C10 1 C3
68 1 C7 1 C2 1 C10 1 C3
100 1 C7 1 C2 1 C9 1 C1
No. represents the number of identical capacitor types to be connected in parallel
C Code indicates the Capacitor Reference number in Table 2 for identifying the specific component from the manufacturer.
19 www.national.com
LM2673
Table 4. Input Capacitors for Fixed Output Voltage Application
(Assumes worst case maximum input voltage and load current for a given inductance value)
Output
Voltage (V)
Inductance
(µH)
Surface Mount
AVX TPS Series Sprague 594D Series Kemet T495 Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
3.3
10 2 C5 1 C7 2 C8
15 3 C9 1 C10 3 C10
22 * * 2 C13 3 C12
33 * * 2 C13 2 C12
5
10 2 C5 1 C7 2 C8
15 2 C5 1 C7 2 C8
22 3 C10 2 C12 3 C11
33 * * 2 C13 3 C12
47 * * 1 C13 2 C12
12
10 2 C7 2 C10 2 C7
15 2 C7 2 C10 2 C7
22 3 C10 2 C12 3 C10
33 3 C10 2 C12 3 C10
47 * * 2 C13 3 C12
68 * * 2 C13 2 C12
100 * * 1 C13 2 C12
Output
Voltage (V)
Inductance
(µH)
Through Hole
Sanyo OS-CON SA
Series Sanyo MV-GX Series Nichicon PL Series Panasonic HFQ
Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
3.3
10 1 C7 2 C4 1 C5 1 C6
15 1 C10 1 C10 1 C18 1 C6
22 * * 1 C14 1 C24 1 C13
33 * * 1 C12 1 C20 1 C12
5
10 1 C7 2 C4 1 C14 1 C6
15 1 C7 2 C4 1 C14 1 C6
22 * * 1 C10 1 C18 1 C13
33 * * 1 C14 1 C23 1 C13
47 * * 1 C12 1 C20 1 C12
12
10 1 C9 1 C10 1 C18 1 C6
15 1 C10 1 C10 1 C18 1 C6
22 1 C10 1 C10 1 C18 1 C6
33 * * 1 C10 1 C18 1 C6
47 * * 1 C13 1 C23 1 C13
68 * * 1 C12 1 C21 1 C12
100 * * 1 C11 1 C22 1 C11
* Check voltage rating of capacitors to be greater than application input voltage.
No. represents the number of identical capacitor types to be connected in parallel
C Code indicates the Capacitor Reference number in Table 2 for identifying the specific component from the manufacturer.
www.national.com 20
LM2673
Table 5. Schottky Diode Selection Table
Reverse
Voltage
(V)
Surface Mount Through Hole
3A 5A or More 3A 5A or More
20V SK32 1N5820
SR302
30V SK33 MBRD835L 1N5821
30WQ03F 31DQ03
40V SK34 MBRB1545CT 1N5822
30BQ040 6TQ045S MBR340 MBR745
30WQ04F 31DQ04 80SQ045
MBRS340 SR403 6TQ045
MBRD340
50V or
More
SK35 MBR350
30WQ05F 31DQ05
SR305
Diode Manufacturer Contact Numbers
International Rectifier Phone (310) 322-3331
FAX (310) 322-3332
Motorola Phone (800) 521-6274
FAX (602) 244-6609
General
Semiconductor
Phone (516) 847-3000
FAX (516) 847-3236
Diodes, Inc. Phone (805) 446-4800
FAX (805) 446-4850
21 www.national.com
LM2673
Table 6. Output Capacitors for Adjustable Output Voltage Applications
Output Voltage
(V)
Inductance
(µH)
Surface Mount
AVX TPS Series Sprague 594D Series Kemet T495 Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
1.21 to 2.50 33* 7 C1 6 C2 7 C3
47* 5 C1 4 C2 5 C3
2.5 to 3.75 33* 4 C1 3 C2 4 C3
47* 3 C1 2 C2 3 C3
3.75 to 5
22 4 C1 3 C2 4 C3
33 3 C1 2 C2 3 C3
47 2 C1 2 C2 2 C3
5 to 6.25
22 3 C2 3 C3 3 C4
33 2 C2 2 C3 2 C4
47 2 C2 2 C3 2 C4
68 1 C2 1 C3 1 C4
6.25 to 7.5
22 3 C2 1 C4 3 C4
33 2 C2 1 C3 2 C4
47 1 C3 1 C4 1 C6
68 1 C2 1 C3 1 C4
7.5 to 10
33 2 C5 1 C6 2 C8
47 1 C5 1 C6 2 C8
68 1 C5 1 C6 1 C8
100 1 C4 1 C5 1 C8
10 to 12.5
33 1 C5 1 C6 2 C8
47 1 C5 1 C6 2 C8
68 1 C5 1 C6 1 C8
100 1 C5 1 C6 1 C8
12.5 to 15
33 1 C6 1 C8 1 C8
47 1 C6 1 C8 1 C8
68 1 C6 1 C8 1 C8
100 1 C6 1 C8 1 C8
15 to 20
33 1 C8 1 C10 2 C10
47 1 C8 1 C9 2 C10
68 1 C8 1 C9 2 C10
100 1 C8 1 C9 1 C10
20 to 30
33 2 C9 2 C11 2 C11
47 1 C10 1 C12 1 C11
68 1 C9 1 C12 1 C11
100 1 C9 1 C12 1 C11
30 to 37
10 4 C13 8 C12
15 3 C13 5 C12
22 No Values Available 2 C13 4 C12
33
1 C13 3 C12
47 1 C13 2 C12
68 1 C13 2 C12
www.national.com 22
LM2673
Output Capacitors for Adjustable Output Voltage Applications (continued)
Output Voltage
(V)
Inductance
(µH)
Through Hole
Sanyo OS-CON SA
Series Sanyo MV-GX Series Nichicon PL Series Panasonic HFQ
Series
No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code No. C Code
1.21 to 2.50 33* 2 C3 5 C1 5 C3 3 C
47* 2 C2 4 C1 3 C3 2 C5
2.5 to 3.75 33* 1 C3 3 C1 3 C1 2 C5
47* 1 C2 2 C1 2 C3 1 C5
3.75 to 5
22 1 C3 3 C1 3 C1 2 C5
33 1 C2 2 C1 2 C1 1 C5
47 1 C2 2 C1 1 C3 1 C5
5 to 6.25
22 1 C5 2 C6 2 C3 2 C5
33 1 C4 1 C6 2 C1 1 C5
47 1 C4 1 C6 1 C3 1 C5
68 1 C4 1 C6 1 C1 1 C5
6.25 to 7.5
22 1 C5 1 C6 2 C1 1 C5
33 1 C4 1 C6 1 C3 1 C5
47 1 C4 1 C6 1 C1 1 C5
68 1 C4 1 C2 1 C1 1 C5
7.5 to 10
33 1 C7 1 C6 1 C14 1 C5
47 1 C7 1 C6 1 C14 1 C5
68 1 C7 1 C2 1 C14 1 C2
100 1 C7 1 C2 1 C14 1 C2
10 to 12.5
33 1 C7 1 C6 1 C14 1 C5
47 1 C7 1 C2 1 C14 1 C5
68 1 C7 1 C2 1 C9 1 C2
100 1 C7 1 C2 1 C9 1 C2
12.5 to 15
33 1 C9 1 C10 1 C15 1 C2
47 1 C9 1 C10 1 C15 1 C2
68 1 C9 1 C10 1 C15 1 C2
100 1 C9 1 C10 1 C15 1 C2
15 to 20
33 1 C10 1 C7 1 C15 1 C2
47 1 C10 1 C7 1 C15 1 C2
68 1 C10 1 C7 1 C15 1 C2
100 1 C10 1 C7 1 C15 1 C2
20 to 30
33 1 C7 1 C16 1 C2
47 No Values 1 C7 1 C16 1 C2
68 Available 1 C7 1 C16 1 C2
100 1 C7 1 C16 1 C2
30 to 37
10 1 C12 1 C20 1 C10
15 1 C11 1 C20 1 C11
22 No Values 1 C11 1 C20 1 C10
33 Available 1 C11 1 C20 1 C10
47 1 C11 1 C20 1 C10
68 1 C11 1 C20 1 C10
* Set to a higher value for a practical design solution. See Applications Hints section
No. represents the number of identical capacitor types to be connected in parallel
C Code indicates the Capacitor Reference number in Table 2 for identifying the specific component from the manufacturer.
23 www.national.com
LM2673
Physical Dimensions inches (millimeters) unless otherwise noted
TO-263 Surface Mount Power Package
Order Number LM2673S-3.3, LM2673S-5.0,
LM2673S-12 or LM2673S-ADJ
NS Package Number TS7B
www.national.com 24
LM2673
TO-220 Power Package
Order Number LM2673T-3.3, LM2673T-5.0,
LM2673T-12 or LM2673T-ADJ
NS Package Number TA07B
14-Lead LLP Package
NS Package Number SRC14A
25 www.national.com
LM2673
Notes
LM2673 SIMPLE SWITCHER 3A Step-Down Voltage Regulator with Adjustable Current Limit
For more National Semiconductor product information and proven design tools, visit the following Web sites at:
Products Design Support
Amplifiers www.national.com/amplifiers WEBENCH www.national.com/webench
Audio www.national.com/audio Analog University www.national.com/AU
Clock Conditioners www.national.com/timing App Notes www.national.com/appnotes
Data Converters www.national.com/adc Distributors www.national.com/contacts
Displays www.national.com/displays Green Compliance www.national.com/quality/green
Ethernet www.national.com/ethernet Packaging www.national.com/packaging
Interface www.national.com/interface Quality and Reliability www.national.com/quality
LVDS www.national.com/lvds Reference Designs www.national.com/refdesigns
Power Management www.national.com/power Feedback www.national.com/feedback
Switching Regulators www.national.com/switchers
LDOs www.national.com/ldo
LED Lighting www.national.com/led
PowerWise www.national.com/powerwise
Serial Digital Interface (SDI) www.national.com/sdi
Temperature Sensors www.national.com/tempsensors
Wireless (PLL/VCO) www.national.com/wireless
THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT ARE PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION
(“NATIONAL”) PRODUCTS. NATIONAL MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY
OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS PUBLICATION AND RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO
SPECIFICATIONS AND PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. NO LICENSE, WHETHER EXPRESS,
IMPLIED, ARISING BY ESTOPPEL OR OTHERWISE, TO ANY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS IS GRANTED BY THIS
DOCUMENT.
TESTING AND OTHER QUALITY CONTROLS ARE USED TO THE EXTENT NATIONAL DEEMS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT
NATIONAL’S PRODUCT WARRANTY. EXCEPT WHERE MANDATED BY GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS, TESTING OF ALL
PARAMETERS OF EACH PRODUCT IS NOT NECESSARILY PERFORMED. NATIONAL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR
APPLICATIONS ASSISTANCE OR BUYER PRODUCT DESIGN. BUYERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCTS AND
APPLICATIONS USING NATIONAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO USING OR DISTRIBUTING ANY PRODUCTS THAT INCLUDE
NATIONAL COMPONENTS, BUYERS SHOULD PROVIDE ADEQUATE DESIGN, TESTING AND OPERATING SAFEGUARDS.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN NATIONAL’S TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE FOR SUCH PRODUCTS, NATIONAL ASSUMES NO
LIABILITY WHATSOEVER, AND NATIONAL DISCLAIMS ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY RELATING TO THE SALE
AND/OR USE OF NATIONAL PRODUCTS INCLUDING LIABILITY OR WARRANTIES RELATING TO FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR INFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT, COPYRIGHT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
RIGHT.
LIFE SUPPORT POLICY
NATIONAL’S PRODUCTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN LIFE SUPPORT DEVICES OR
SYSTEMS WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND GENERAL
COUNSEL OF NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION. As used herein:
Life support devices or systems are devices which (a) are intended for surgical implant into the body, or (b) support or sustain life and
whose failure to perform when properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided in the labeling can be reasonably expected
to result in a significant injury to the user. A critical component is any component in a life support device or system whose failure to perform
can be reasonably expected to cause the failure of the life support device or system or to affect its safety or effectiveness.
National Semiconductor and the National Semiconductor logo are registered trademarks of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other
brand or product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Copyright© 2008 National Semiconductor Corporation
For the most current product information visit us at www.national.com
National Semiconductor
Americas Technical
Support Center
Email:
new.feedback@nsc.com
Tel: 1-800-272-9959
National Semiconductor Europe
Technical Support Center
Email: europe.support@nsc.com
German Tel: +49 (0) 180 5010 771
English Tel: +44 (0) 870 850 4288
National Semiconductor Asia
Pacific Technical Support Center
Email: ap.support@nsc.com
National Semiconductor Japan
Technical Support Center
Email: jpn.feedback@nsc.com
www.national.com