2008 Fairchild Semiconductor Corporation
www.fairchildsemi.com
FAN5361 Rev. 1.0.0
13
FAN5361
—
6MHz,
60
0mA
TinyBu
ck
Syn
c
hronous
Buck
Regu
lator
Applications Information
Selecting the Inductor
The output inductor must meet both the required inductance
and the energy handling capability of the application. The
inductor value affects average current limit, the PWM-to-PFM
transition point, output voltage ripple, and efficiency.
The ripple current (I) of the regulator is:
≈
Δ
SW
OUT
IN
OUT
f
L
V
I
(3)
The maximum average load current, IMAX(LOAD), is related to the
peak current limit, ILIM(PK) by the ripple current, given by:
2
I
)
PK
(
LIM
)
LOAD
(
MAX
Δ
=
(4)
The transition between PFM and PWM operation is
determined by the point at which the inductor valley current
crosses zero. The regulator DC current when the inductor
current crosses zero, IDCM, is:
2
I
IDCM
Δ
=
(5)
The FAN5361 is optimized for operation with L = 470nH, but is
stable with inductances up to 1.2
μH (nominal). The inductor
should be rated to maintain at least 80% of its value at ILIM(PK).
Efficiency is affected by the inductor DCR and inductance
value. Decreasing the inductor value for a given physical size
typically decreases the DCR; but since I increases, the RMS
current increases, as do the core and skin effect losses.
12
I
2
)
DC
(
OUT
RMS
Δ
+
=
(6)
The increased RMS current produces higher losses through
the RDS(ON) of the IC MOSFETs, as well as the inductor ESR.
Increasing the inductor value produces lower RMS currents,
but degrades transient response. For a given physical inductor
size, increased inductance usually results in an inductor with
lower saturation current.
Table 1 shows the effects of inductance higher or lower than
the recommended 470nH on regulator performance.
Output Capacitor
Table 2 suggests 0402 capacitors. 0603 capacitors may
further improve performance in that the effective capacitance
is higher. This improves transient response and output ripple.
Increasing COUT has no effect on loop stability and can
therefore be increased to reduce output voltage ripple or to
improve transient response. Output voltage ripple, VOUT, is:
+
Δ
=
Δ
ESR
f
C
I
V
SW
OUT
8
1
(7)
Input Capacitor
The 2.2
μF ceramic input capacitor should be placed as close
as possible between the VIN pin and GND to minimize the
parasitic inductance. If a long wire is used to bring power to
the IC, additional “bulk” capacitance (electrolytic or tantalum)
should be placed between CIN and the power source lead to
reduce ringing that can occur between the inductance of the
power source leads and CIN.
The effective capacitance value decreases as VIN increases
due to DC Bias effects. This has no significant impact on
regulator performance.
Table 1. Effects of Changes in Inductor Value (from 470nH Recommended Value) on Regulator Performance
Inductor Value
IMAX(LOAD)
VOUT EQ. 7
Transient Response
Increase
Decrease
Degraded
Decrease
Increase
Improved
Table 2. Recommended Passive Components and their Variation Due to DC Bias
Component Description
Vendor
Min.
Typ.
Max.
Comment
L1
470nH, 2012,
90m
Ω,1.1A
Murata LQM21PNR47MG0
Hitachi Metals JLSI-2012AG-R47(D2A)
300nH 470nH 520nH
Minimum value occurs
at maximum current
CIN
2.2
μF, X5R,
0402
Murata or Equivalent
GRM155R60J225ME15
1.0
μF2.2μF 2.4μF
Decrease primarily due
to DC bias (VIN) and
elevated temperature
COUT
4.7
μF, X5R,
0402
Murata or Equivalent GRM155R60G475M
1.6
μF4.7μF 5.2μF
Decrease primarily due
to DC bias (VOUT)