APPLICATION NOTE 970 HEXFET Power MOSFETs In Low Dropout Linear Post-Regulators (HEXEET is 2 trademark of Intemationel Rectifier) by Ajit Dubhashi ‘Advances ity switched mode power conversion techniques have made it possible to achieve significant im- ‘provements inthe efficiency, reliabili 1y, size, weight and cost of power sup- Plies. "Power supplies today are available in a wide variety and range of targeted towards boards conta ‘mix of digital and analog ‘Typically, the SV output represents the bbolk of the output power and, hence, the control loop is closed around this ‘output. For Well designed power sup- plies, the open loop ourput impedance Is low enough so that the change in pulse width due to total load change is Spproximately 10% maximum at cons tant input vollage. This change in pulse width causes a 10% change in the ‘unregulated 12V outputs. Thus, linear post regulators are frequently used to Resp the 12 outputs within specifice ‘von for critical analog loads such as AD ‘converters and precision op-amps. The Joads are typically low current (approx: ‘imately LA) and low overhead voltages fare. desired. ‘Three terminal fixed Wolage regulators such as LM78XX, LMT9XX offer an easy solution o this problem because of their simplicity Tiacie popelarity ix limited. however, due to two major drawbacks: 1. Remote wtnge sensing i no pos ble; as a result, compensation ‘waning voliage’ drupe vannot be ‘made, 2, Being implemented in bipolar technology they need a high in- ovvourput differential voluge which beat, lowers efficiency, ‘and severly limits the output current. ‘Duc to these shortcomings, ntarna- tional Rectifier HEXFET power ‘MOSFETs find wide application in the design of low voltage dc linear regulators, In this application, as in ‘thers, they offer many advaniages such 1, The current required for alow for- ‘ward drop is nearly zero while Dipolar devices require hundreds of milliamps. veg ae [igure 14, An approximate compariaon of output characteristics 3. The resistive characteristics of the HEXFET power MOSFET are most suited fora low dropout linear regulator. This isthe prime advan- tage they have over bipolars as shown in Figure 1a. Bipolas behave like a constant voltage source in seties witha variable voltage source, ‘as shown in Figure Tb. This imposes ‘a minimum dropout voltage limit on the regulators equal wo me constant voltage value (e.g., 0.25 volts forL P| er — ouvaLent cincuTS wveu1s——|}- f° (21006 Figure tb, Output equivalent crouts | rae he one 4 ‘Figure 2. Bias supply generation &o oto wes REGULATED is Figere 3. Nopatve wage regulator ‘the 2N3055A). As the 2N30S5A re- ‘quires a large base current, a Darl- ington such as the TIP1O0 may be ‘used which further increases the ‘overhead voltage of the TIPIOO 10 about 0.7 vols 4. As power MOSFETS are majority ‘carn devices, they have no siorage time. This is important as. low ‘dropout applications require opera- tion near the saturation region for 8 bipolar. Circuit transient response is therefore bener than that of a bipolar regulator, An example of this is shown in Figure 5. {y sod negative resistance than MOSFET low dropout regulator, which i unconditionally sable due to its less than unity gain. (6. HEXFETs can take up to four times their rated currents. in transient ‘overloads while bipoars are narmal- ly limited to 1.5 times the rated current ‘The only disadvantage that N-channel power MOSFETs have when used as a high side switch is that they need bias supply of approximately 10 volis above the positive rail Fortunately, asthe tn ur rive currents are very low, the bias supply can be generated from the swit- ching power supply itself. A few charge ‘pamp possibilives have been detailed in Figure 2, These circuit use an IRFDO2O ina 4pin HEXDIP, and at 1 amp bas «4 drop of a mere 150 millivolts, while the 2N3055 at 1 amp would have a drop ‘of 0.3 vols. The control element used is an TLA31 3terminal inexpensive voltage controlied current sink used as. ‘an adjustable shunt regulator. A negative voltage regulator is shown in Figure 3. The prineipie uf operation is the same for the circuits in Figures 2 ‘and 3, namely, that if the output voltage ‘tends to increase, the sink) through the ‘controller increases, This causes & ‘>. A comparison with an LM17 linear regulator in the steady state (Figure 4b) compared in Figures 4 (a,b, c, 4) which reveals ‘that the HEXFET regulator has a much ‘smaller average output error. Simple ‘current limiting can be achieved byLM 317 REGULATOR 1RZ20 REGULATOR ro a Neel vers (0) Wit 10 UF output tte capacitor (2) Wh 10 uF output Mar capacitor LM 317 REGULATOR IRFZ20 REGULATOR {e) Winout output capacitor (4) winoun ouput expactor ‘Figure 5. Transient response compasinon of regulators oad change of mA to 500 mA} AN-970Figure 6, Curren limi implementation Figure 7. Battery operates equipment iteime comparison ‘using a fow additional components ac detailed in Figure 6. Low dropout regulation is especially ‘mportnt in battery operated equipment in terms of useful battery fe. As Figure 7 shows, an instrument with a bipolar voltage regulator would have a shorter ANS70 life time at it would nead an input- In summary, International Rectifier ‘outpot differential of at least 0.2 to HEXFET power MOSFET devices of- (0.6V. This is much more than x HEX- fer an excellent alternative to bipolars FET regulator requires, which would as low drop-out linear regulators chiefly regulate down oa few tens of milivolt because ofthe HEXFET's resistive out- ‘of differential voltage. Depending on put characteristics and high input the slope of the battery voltage profile, impedance. a 4 sizeable increase in equipment life ‘could result