AP-523
E
18
requirements of the GTL+ open drain gates). These
processor design considerations reduce the current slew
rate to the order of 1A/ns at the pins. Outside the
package, the 1A/ns current slew rate is supplied current
by local high frequency, low inductance decoupling
(C
HF
) such as ceramic capacitors. Larger bulk storage
(C
BULK
), such as electrolytic capacitors, supply current
during longer lasting changes in current demand by the
component, such as coming out of an idle condition.
Similarly, they act as a storage well for current when
entering an idle condition from a running condition.
2.80
2.85
2.90
2.95
3.00
3.05
3.10
0
30
60
90
120
150
Time (ns)
Voltage (Volts)
Current
Poorly Controlled Supply
Well Controlled Supply
Current Transients
Figure 15. Effect of Transients on a Power Supply
All of this power bypassing is required due to the
relatively slow speed at which a power supply or DC-to-
DC converter can react. A typical voltage converter has a
reaction time on the order of 1-100
m
s while the
processor’s current transients are on the order of 1 to 20
ns. Bulk capacitance supplies energy from the time the
high frequency decoupling capacitors are drained until
the power supply can react to the demand. More
correctly, the bulk capacitors in the system slow the
transient requirement seen by the power source to a rate
that it is able to supply, while the high frequency
capacitors slow the transient requirement seen by the
bulk capacitors to a rate that they can supply. Figure 15
shows a poorly controlled supply versus a well-
controlled supply during an increase in current demand.
Notice how the poorly controlled supply dips below the
allowed tolerance specification. A similar situation exists
as the current demand decreases.
A load-change transient occurs when coming out of or
entering a low power mode. For the Pentium Pro
processor this load-change transient can be on the order
of 9 Amps. These are not only quick changes in current
demand, but also long lasting average current
requirements. This occurs when the STPCLK# pin is
asserted or de-asserted and during
Auto Halt.
Auto Halt
is a low power state that the processor enters when the
HALT op-code is executed. Note that even during
normal operation the current demand can still change by
as much as 7 Amps as activity levels change within the
Pentium Pro processor component.
To maintain voltage tolerance during these changes in
current, both high frequency decoupling capacitors and
slower, high-density bulk capacitors with low ESR will
be required. These components need to be chosen based
on a thorough analysis.