MIC39100 Micrel Semiconductor, MIC39100 Datasheet - Page 9

• Manufacturer Part Number: MIC39100
• Description: 1A Low-Voltage Low-Dropout Regulator
• Manufacturer: Micrel Semiconductor

Applications Information
The MIC39100/1/2 is a high-performance low-dropout volt-
age regulator suitable for moderate to high-current voltage
regulator applications. Its 630mV dropout voltage at full load
and overtemperature makes it especially valuable in battery-
powered systems and as high-efficiency noise filters in post-
regulator applications. Unlike older NPN-pass transistor de-
signs, where the minimum dropout voltage is limited by the
base-to-emitter voltage drop and collector-to-emitter satura-
tion voltage, dropout performance of the PNP output of these
devices is limited only by the low V
A trade-off for the low dropout voltage is a varying base drive
requirement. Micrel’s Super eta PNP™ process reduces
this drive requirement to only 2% of the load current.
The MIC39100/1/2 regulator is fully protected from damage
due to fault conditions. Linear current limiting is provided.
Output current during overload conditions is constant. Ther-
mal shutdown disables the device when the die temperature
exceeds the maximum safe operating temperature. Tran-
sient protection allows device (and load) survival even when
the input voltage spikes above and below nominal. The
output structure of these regulators allows voltages in excess
of the desired output voltage to be applied without reverse
current flow.
Output Capacitor
The MIC39100/1/2 requires an output capacitor to maintain
stability and improve transient response. Proper capacitor
selection is important to ensure proper operation. The
MIC39100/1/2 output capacitor selection is dependent upon
the ESR (equivalent series resistance) of the output capacitor
to maintain stability. When the output capacitor is 10 F or
greater, the output capacitor should have an ESR less than
2 . This will improve transient response as well as promote
stability. Ultra-low-ESR capacitors (<100m ), such as ce-
ramic chip capacitors, may promote instability. These very
low ESR levels may cause an oscillation and/or underdamp-
ed transient response. A low-ESR solid tantalum capacitor
works extremely well and provides good transient response
and stability over temperature. Aluminum electrolytics can
also be used, as long as the ESR of the capacitor is <2 .
The value of the output capacitor can be increased without
limit. Higher capacitance values help to improve transient
response and ripple rejection and reduce output noise.
June 2000
MIC39100/39101/39102
Figure 1. Capacitor Requirements
V
IN
C
IN
MIC39100-x.x
IN
GND
OUT
CE
C
saturation voltage.
OUT
V
OUT
9
Input Capacitor
An input capacitor of 1 F or greater is recommended when
the device is more than 4 inches away from the bulk ac supply
capacitance or when the supply is a battery. Small, surface
mount, ceramic chip capacitors can be used for bypassing.
Larger values will help to improve ripple rejection by bypass-
ing the input to the regulator, further improving the integrity of
the output voltage.
Error Flag
The MIC39101 features an error flag (FLG), which monitors
the output voltage and signals an error condition when this
voltage drops 5% below its expected value. The error flag is
an open-collector output that pulls low under fault conditions
and may sink up to 10mA. Low output voltage signifies a
number of possible problems, including an overcurrent fault
(the device is in current limit) or low input voltage. The flag
output is inoperative during overtemperature conditions. A
pull-up resistor from FLG to either V
proper operation. For information regarding the minimum and
maximum values of pull-up resistance, refer to the graph in
the typical characteristics section of the data sheet.
Enable Input
The MIC39101 and MIC39102 versions feature an active-
high enable input (EN) that allows on-off control of the
regulator. Current drain reduces to “zero” when the device is
shutdown, with only microamperes of leakage current. The
EN input has TTL/CMOS compatible thresholds for simple
logic interfacing. EN may be directly tied to V
to the maximum supply voltage
Transient Response and 3.3V to 2.5V or 2.5V to 1.8V
Conversion
The MIC39100/1/2 has excellent transient response to varia-
tions in input voltage and load current. The device has been
designed to respond quickly to load current variations and
input voltage variations. Large output capacitors are not
required to obtain this performance. A standard 10 F output
capacitor, preferably tantalum, is all that is required. Larger
values help to improve performance even further.
By virtue of its low-dropout voltage, this device does not
saturate into dropout as readily as similar NPN-based de-
signs. When converting from 3.3V to 2.5V or 2.5V to 1.8V, the
NPN based regulators are already operating in dropout, with
typical dropout requirements of 1.2V or greater. To convert
down to 2.5V or 1.8V without operating in dropout, NPN-
based regulators require an input voltage of 3.7V at the very
least. The MIC39100 regulator will provide excellent perfor-
mance with an input as low as 3.0V or 2.5V respectively. This
gives the PNP based regulators a distinct advantage over
older, NPN based linear regulators.
Minimum Load Current
The MIC39100/1/2 regulator is specified between finite loads.
If the output current is too small, leakage currents dominate
and the output voltage rises. A 10mA minimum load current
is necessary for proper regulation.
MIC39100/39101/39102
IN
or V
OUT
IN
is required for
and pulled up
Micrel