ISL6226 Datasheet, PDF (13/17 Pages) Intersil Corporation – Advanced PWM and Linear Power Controller for Portable Applications

ISL6226
requires it. This mode conserves energy by reducing the
power dissipation associated with continuous switching.
During the time between inductor current pulses, both the
upper and lower MOSFETs are turned off. This is referred to
as ‘diode emulation mode’ because the lower MOSFET
performs the function of a diode. This diode emulation mode
prevents the output capacitor from discharging through the
lower MOSFET when the upper MOSFET is not conducting.
NOTE: the FPWM operation can intentionally be forced by tying pin
22, FPWM, to Vcc.
Operation-Mode Control
The mode-control circuit changes the converter’s mode of
operation based on the voltage polarity of the phase node
when the lower MOSFET is conducting and just before the
upper MOSFET turns on. For continuous inductor current,
the phase node is negative when the lower MOSFET is
conducting and the converter operates in fixed-frequency
PWM mode as shown in Figure 9. When the load current
decreases to the point where the inductor current flows
through the lower MOSFET in the ‘reverse’ direction, the
phase node becomes positive, and the mode is changed to
hysteretic.
A phase comparator handles the timing of the phase node
voltage sensing. A low level on the phase comparator output
indicates a negative phase voltage during the conduction
time of the lower MOSFET. A high level on the phase
comparator output indicates a positive phase voltage.
When the phase node is positive (phase comparator high),
at the end of the lower MOSFET conduction time, for eight
consecutive clock cycles, the mode is changed to hysteretic
as shown in Figure 9. The dashed lines indicate when the
phase node goes positive and the phase comparator output
goes high. The solid vertical lines at 1,2,...8 indicate the
sampling time, of the phase comparator, to determine the
polarity (sign) of the phase node. At the transition between
PWM and hysteretic mode both the upper and lower
MOSFETs are turned off. The phase node will ‘ring’ based
on the output inductor and the parasitic capacitance on the
phase node and settle out at the value of the output voltage.
The mode change from hysteretic to PWM can be caused by
one of two events. One event is the same mechanism that
causes a PWM to hysteretic transition. But instead of looking
for eight consecutive positive occurrences on the phase
node, it is looking for eight consecutive negative
occurrences on the phase node. The operation mode will be
changed from hysteretic to PWM when these eight
consecutive pulses occur. This transition technique prevents
jitter of the operation mode at load levels close to boundary.
The other mechanism for changing from hysteretic to PWM
is due to a sudden increase in the output current. This step
load causes an instantaneous decrease in the output voltage
due to the voltage drop on the output capacitor ESR and
ESL. If the decrease causes the output voltage to drop
below the hysteretic regulation level, the mode is changed to
PWM on the next clock cycle. This insures the full power
required by the increase in output current.
Gate Control Logic
The gate control logic translates generated PWM control
signals into the MOSFET gate drive signals providing
necessary amplification, level shifting and shoot-through
protection. Also, it has functions that help optimize the IC
performance over a wide range of operational conditions.
Since MOSFET switching time can vary dramatically from
type to type and with the input voltage, the gate control logic
provides adaptive dead time by monitoring the gate-to-
source voltages of both upper and lower MOSFETs. The
lower MOSFET is not turned on until the gate-to-source
voltage of the upper MOSFET has decreased to less than
approximately 1 volt. Similarly, the upper MOSFET is not
turned on until the gate-to-source voltage of the lower
MOSFET has decreased to less than approximately 1 volt.
This allows a wide variety of upper and lower MOSFETs to
be used without a concern for simultaneous conduction, or
shoot-through.
VOUT
t
I_L
t
PHASE
COMP
1 2 345 6 7 8
t
MODE
OF
OPERATION
PWM
HYSTERETIC
t
FIGURE 8. REGULATION IN HYSTERETIC MODE
I_L
t
PHASE
NODE
PHASE
COMP
t
12 3 45 6 7 8
t
MODE
OF
OPERATION
PWM
HYSTERETIC
t
FIGURE 9. MODE CONTROL WAVEFORMS
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