Low-dropout regulator

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Schematic of a low-dropout regulator A low-dropout or LDO regulator is a D linear voltage regulator which can operate with a very small input!output differential voltage"#$% &he advantages of a low dropout voltage include a lower minimum operating voltage, higher efficiency operation and lower heat dissipation"#'% &he main components are a power F(& and a differential amplifier )error amplifier*" +ne input of the differential amplifier monitors the fraction of the output determined ,y the resistor ratio of R1 and R2" &he second input to the differential amplifier is from a sta,le voltage reference ),andgap reference*" -f the output voltage rises too high relative to the reference voltage, the drive to the power F(& changes to maintain a constant output voltage" For the circuit given in the figure the output voltage is given as

Overview
&he ad.usta,le low-dropout regulator de,uted on April $', $/00 in an Electronic Design article entitled 1Break Loose from Fixed IC Regulators1" &he article was written ,y 2o,ert Do,kin, an - designer then working for 3ational Semiconductor" 4ecause of this, 3ational Semiconductor claims the title of 1LDO inventor1"#5% Do,kin later left 3ational in $/6$ and founded 7inear &echnology where he is currently chief technology officer"#8%

Regulation
7ow-dropout )7D+* regulators work in the same way as all linear voltage regulators" &he main difference ,etween 7D+ and non-7D+ regulators is their schematic topology" -nstead of an emitter follower topology, low-dropout regulators utili9e open collector or open drain topology" &his ena,les transistor saturation, which allows the voltage drop from the unregulated voltage to the regulated voltage to ,e as low as the saturation voltage across the transistor" -f a ,ipolar transistor is used, as opposed to a field-effect transistor or JF(&, significant additional power may ,e lost to control it, whereas non-7D+ regulators take that power from voltage drop itself" For high voltages under very low -n-+ut difference there will ,e significant power loss in the control circuit"#:%

4ecause the power control element functions as an inverter, another inverting amplifier is re;uired to control it, which increases schematic comple<ity compared to a simple voltage sta,ili9er"#citation needed% =ower F(&s may ,e prefera,le to reduce power consumption, ,ut this poses pro,lems when the regulator is used for low input voltage, as F(&s usually re;uire : to $>? to close completely" =ower F(&s may also increase the cost"

Quiescent current
Among other important characteristics is the ;uiescent current )the current flowing through the system when no load is present*, which creates a difference ,etween the input and output currents" &he series pass element, topologies, and am,ient temperature are the primary contri,utors to ;uiescent current" @uiescent current and input!output drop limit the efficiency of 7D+ regulators and should thus ,e minimi9ed"

Specifications
7D+ is characteri9ed ,y its drop-out voltage, ;uiescent current, load regulation, line regulation, ma<imum current )which is decided ,y the si9e of the pass transistor*, speed )how fast it can respond as the load varies*, voltage variations in the output ,ecause of sudden transients in the load current, output capacitor and its e;uivalent series resistance"#A% Speed is indicated ,y the rise time of the current at the output as it varies from >mA load current )no load* to the ma<imum load current" &his is ,asically decided ,y the ,andwidth of the error amplifier" +ne should also make sure that there is no positive feed,ack" So there is a need to do fre;uency compensation either internally or e<ternally ,y having only one pole )dominant pole* within its BC4"