MIC5216 Datasheet, PDF (6/12 Pages) Micrel Semiconductor – 500mA-Peak Output LDO Regulator Preliminary Information

MIC5216
Applications Information
The MIC5216 is designed for 150mA to 200mA output current
applications where a high current spike (500mA) is needed
for short, startup conditions. Basic application of the device
will be discussed initially followed by a more detailed discus-
sion of higher current applications.
Enable/Shutdown
Forcing EN (enable/shutdown) high (> 2V) enables the regu-
lator. EN is compatible with CMOS logic. If the enable/
shutdown feature is not required, connect EN to IN (supply
input). See Figure 5.
Input Capacitor
A 1µF capacitor should be placed from IN to GND if there is
more than 10 inches of wire between the input and the ac filter
capacitor or if a battery is used as the input.
Output Capacitor
An output capacitor is required between OUT and GND to
prevent oscillation. 1µF minimum is recommended. Larger
values improve the regulator’s transient response. The out-
put capacitor value may be increased without limit.
The output capacitor should have an ESR (equivalent series
resistance) of about 5Ω or less and a resonant frequency
above 1MHz. Ultralow-ESR capacitors could cause oscilla-
tion and/or underdamped transient response. Most tantalum
or aluminum electrolytic capacitors are adequate; film types
will work, but more expensive. Many aluminum electrolytics
have electrolytes that freeze at about –30°C, so solid tanta-
lums are recommended for operation below –25°C.
At lower values of output current, less output capacitance is
needed for stability. The capacitor can be reduced to 0.47µF
for current below 10mA or 0.33µF for currents below 1mA.
No-Load Stability
The MIC5216 will remain stable and in regulation with no load
(other than the internal voltage divider) unlike many other
voltage regulators. This is especially important in CMOS
RAM keep-alive applications.
Error Flag Ouput
The error flag is an open-collector output and is active (low)
when an undervoltage of approximately 5% below the nomi-
nal output voltage is detected. A pullup resistor from IN to
FLAG is shown in all schematics.
If an error indication is not required, FLAG may be left open
and the pullup resistor may be omitted.
Thermal Considerations
The MIC5216 is designed to provide 200mA of continuous
current in two very small profile packages. Maximum power
dissipation can be calculated based on the output current and
the voltage drop across the part. To determine the maximum
power dissipation of the package, use the thermal resistance,
junction-to-ambient, of the device and the following basic
equation.
( ) _{PD(MAX) =}
T_J(MAX) – T_A
θ_JA
Micrel
T_J(MAX) is the maximum junction temperature of the die,
125°C, and T_A is the ambient operating temperature. θ_JA is
layout dependent; table 1 shows examples of thermal resis-
tance, junction-to-ambient, for the MIC5216.
Package
θ_JA Recommended θ_JA 1" Square θ_JC
Minimum Footprint Copper Clad
MM8™ (MM)
160°C/W
70°C/W 30°C/W
SOT-23-5 (M5)
220°C/W
170°C/W 130°C/W
Table 1. MIC5216 Thermal Resistance
The actual power dissipation of the regulator circuit can be
determined using one simple equation.
P_D = (V_IN – V_OUT) I_OUT + V_IN I_GND
Substituting P_D(MAX) for P_D and solving for the operating
conditions that are critical to the application will give the
maximum operating conditions for the regulator circuit. For
example, if we are operating the MIC5216-3.3BM5 at room
temperature, with a minimum footprint layout, we can deter-
mine the maximum input voltage for a set output current.
P_D(MAX) =
(125°C – 25°C)
220°C/W
P_D(MAX) = 455mW
The thermal resistance, junction-to-ambient, for the mini-
mum footprint is 220°C/W, taken from table 1. The maximum
power dissipation number cannot be exceeded for proper
operation of the device. Using the output voltage of 3.3V, and
an output current of 150mA, we can determine the maximum
input voltage. Ground current, maximum of 3mA for 150mA
of output current, can be taken from the Electrical Character-
istics section of the data sheet.
455mW = (V_IN – 3.3V) 150mA + V_IN × 3mA
V_IN


455mW + 3.3V (150mA)
150mA + 3mA

V_IN = 6.2V_MAX
Therefore, a 3.3V application at 150mA of output current can
accept a maximum input voltage of 6.2V in a SOT-23-5
package. For a full discussion of heat sinking and thermal
effects on voltage regulators, refer to the Regulator Thermals
section of Micrel’s Designing with Low-Dropout Voltage Regu-
lators handbook.
Peak Current Applications
The MIC5216 is designed for applications where high start-
up currents are demanded from space constrained regula-
tors. This device will deliver 500mA start-up current from a
SOT-23-5 or MM8 package, allowing high power from a very
low profile device. The MIC5216 can subsequently provide
output current that is only limited by the thermal characteris-
tics of the device. You can obtain higher continuous currents
from the device with the proper design. This is easily proved
with some thermal calculations.
If we look at a specific example, it may be easier to follow. The
MIC5216 can be used to provide up to 500mA continuous
MIC5216
6
January 2000