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20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
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HMC920LP5E
v07.1013
ACTIVE BIAS CONTROLLER
Negative Voltage Generator (VNEGOUT)
The HMC920LP5E has an internal regulated charge pump block to generate negative voltage (VNEGOUT) required
for depletion mode devices. The HMC920LP5E generates -2.5V at the VNEGOUT output in default configuration.
Contact factory if a voltage rail different than -2.5V is required.
The HMC920LP5E is designed to reject the ripple on the VNEGOUT by isolating VNEGOUT from the VGATE.
The negative voltage is required only for depletion mode devices, and it can be disabled through the VGATEFB and
VNEGFB pins. See Table-1 how to set the operation mode.
Enable/Disable (EN)
The active bias control loop is enabled when EN is pulled up to VDIG, and it is disabled when it is pulled down to GND.
If EN is left floating HMC920LP5E is enabled through the internal weak pull-up. Note that LDOCC, VDIG and VNEG
operation is independent of EN condition. EN signal controls the operation of only VGATE and VDRAIN outputs. When
EN pulled down to GND, HMC920LP5E discharges VDRAIN down to GND and it pulls the VGATE down to VNEG.
Please see the Active Bias Control Loop section for detailed explanation.
Where V
DRAIN
is the supply voltage of the external amplifier and I
DRAIN
is the desired constant bias current through the
external amplifier.
To ensure stable operation of the LDOCC output, bypass LDOCC to AGND with a 10礔 tantalum capacitor (with R
ESR
> 200m&).
The HMC920LP5E has power foldback and short circuit protection, refer to the respective section for detailed
description of these features.
V
LDOCC
= V
DRAIN
+ I
DRAIN
x 0.5 (3)
Place the R8 and R5 as close as possible to the LDOFB.
High Voltage Linear Regulator (LDOCC/VDRAIN)
The HMC920LP5E has an adjustable high-voltage, high-current linear regulator (LDOCC) to provide the drain supply
rail of the external RF amplifier. The LDOCC output can source up to 500mA loads. The LDOCC output can be
adjusted to regulate any voltage level from 3V to 15V through external resistors R8 and R5.
To adjust the LDOCC, set R5 to 10k& and determine the value of R8 using the equation (2):
R8 =     x (VDOCC - 2) (2)
R5
2
The LDOCC output is connected to the VDRAIN output through an internal MOSFET (R
DS-ON
= 0.5&) switch.
This internal MOSFET is controlled through power-up sequencing which ensures that no voltage is applied to drain of
the external amplifier until the gate voltage is pulled down to VNEG(ensuring external amplifier disabled). Connect the
external amplifier to the VDRAIN output to use power-up sequencing feature.
Note that there will be a voltage drop from LDOCC to VDRAIN due to finite RDS_ON resistance of the internal switch.
To compensate for this voltage drop choose the LDOCC value as shown in equation (3).