MIC2207_10 Datasheet, PDF (12/18 Pages) Micrel Semiconductor – 3mm x 3mm 2MHz 3A PWM Buck Regulator

Micrel, Inc.
MIC2207
in the bill of materials on page 19. Although the range of
resistance for the FB resistors is very wide, R1 is
recommended to be 10K. This minimizes the effect the
parasitic capacitance of the FB node.
Feedforward Capacitor (C_FF)
A capacitor across the resistor from the output to the
feedback pin (R1) is recommended for most designs.
This capacitor can give a boost to phase margin and
increase the bandwidth for transient response. Also,
large values of feedforward capacitance can slow down
the turn-on characteristics, reducing inrush current. For
maximum phase boost, C_FF can be calculated as follows;
C_FF
=
2π
1
× 200kHz × R1
Bias filter
A small 10Ω resistor is recommended from the input
supply to the bias pin along with a small 0.1µF ceramic
capacitor from bias to ground. This will bypass the high
frequency noise generated by the violent switching of
high currents from reaching the internal reference and
control circuitry. Tantalum and electrolytic capacitors are
not recommended for the bias, these types of capacitors
lose their ability to filter at high frequencies.
Loop Stability and Bode Analysis
Bode analysis is an excellent way to measure small
signal stability and loop response in power supply
designs. Bode analysis monitors gain and phase of a
control loop. This is done by breaking the feedback loop
and injecting a signal into the feedback node and
comparing the injected signal to the output signal of the
control loop. This will require a network analyzer to
sweep the frequency and compare the injected signal to
the output signal. The most common method of injection
is the use of a transformer. Figure 7 demonstrates how a
transformer is used to inject a signal into the feedback
network.
Figure 7. Transformer Injection
A 50Ω resistor allows impedance matching from the
network analyzer source. This method allows the DC
loop to maintain regulation and allow the network
analyzer to insert an AC signal on top of the DC voltage.
The network analyzer will then sweep the source while
monitoring A and R for an A/R measurement. While this
is the most common method for measuring the gain and
phase of a power supply, it does have significant
limitations. First, to measure low frequency gain and
phase, the transformer needs to be high in inductance.
This makes frequencies <100Hz require an extremely
large and expensive transformer. Conversely, it must be
able to inject high frequencies. Transformers with these
wide frequency ranges generally need to be custom
made and are extremely expensive (usually to the tune
of several hundred dollars!). By using an op-amp, cost
and frequency limitations caused by an injection
transformer are completely eliminated. Figure 8
demonstrates using an op-amp in a summing amplifier
configuration for signal injection.
Network
Analyzer
“R” Input
Feedback
+8V
MIC922BC5
R1
1k
Network
Analyzer
“A” Input
Output
R3
1k
R4
1k
Network Analyzer
Source
50
Figure 8. Op Amp Injection
R1 and R2 reduce the DC voltage from the output to the
non-inverting input by half. The network analyzer is
generally a 50Ω source. R1 and R2 also divide the AC
signal sourced by the network analyzer by half. These
two signals are “summed” together at half of their
original input. The output is then amplified by 2 by R3
and R4 (the 50Ω is to balance the network analyzer’s
source impedance) and sent to the feedback signal. This
essentially breaks the loop and injects the AC signal on
top of the DC output voltage and sends it to the
feedback. By monitoring the feedback “R” and output
“A”, gain and phase are measured. This method has no
minimum frequency. Ensure that the bandwidth of the
op-amp being used is much greater than the expected
bandwidth of the power supply’s control loop. An op-amp
with >100MHz bandwidth is more than sufficient for most
power supplies (which includes both linear and
switching) and are more common and significantly
cheaper than the injection transformers previously
mentioned. The one disadvantage to using the op-amp
injection method, is the supply voltages need to be
below the maximum operating voltage of the op-amp.
Also, the maximum output voltage for driving 50Ω inputs
using the MIC922 is 3V. For measuring higher output
voltages, a 1MΩ input impedance is required for the A
and R channels. Remember to always measure the
April 2010
12
M9999-041910