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FEATURES DESCRIPTION
LED drive current up to 350mA The CAT4201 is a high efficiency step-down converter
12V and 24V system compatible optimized to drive high current LEDs. A patented
switching control algorithm allows highly efficient and
Handles transients up to 40V accurate LED current regulation. A single RSET
Single Pin Control and Dimming function resistor sets the full scale LED string current up to
Power Efficiency up to 94% 350mA from supplies as high as 28V.
Drives LED strings of up to 20 volts The switching architecture of the CAT4201 results in
Open and short LED protection extremely low internal power dissipation allowing the
Parallel configuration for higher output current device to be housed in a tiny package without the
need for dedicated heat sinking. The device is
RoHS-compliant TSOT-23 5-lead package compatible with switching frequencies of up to 1MHz,
making it ideal for applications requiring small footprint
APPLICATIONS and low value external inductors.
12V and 24V Lighting Systems
Analog dimming and LED shutdown control is
Automotive and Aircraft Lighting provided via a single input pin, CTRL. Additional
General lighting features include overload current protection and
High Brightness 350mA LEDs thermal shutdown. The device is available in the low
profile 5-lead thin SOT23 package and is ideal for
space constrained applications.
ORDERING INFORMATION
Quantity Package
Part Number per Reel Marking
CAT4201TD-GT3 3000 TF For Ordering Information details, see page 14.
* Plated Finish: NiPdAu
9V C1
CTRL 1 5 VBAT
4.7µF
D C2
GND 2 CAT4201 VBAT 300mA
CAT4201 10µF
RSET 3 4 SW RSET
R1 L
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
VIN = 13V, ambient temperature of 25ºC (over recommended operating conditions unless specified otherwise)
Symbol Parameter Conditions Min Typ Max Units
Operating Supply Current on
IQ 0.4 1 mA
VBAT pin
Idle Mode Supply Current on
ISD CTRL = GND 90 µA
VBAT pin
VFB RSET Pin Voltage 2 LEDs with ILED= 300mA 1.15 1.2 1.25 V
R1 = 33kΩ 100
ILED Programmed LED Current R1 = 10kΩ 270 300 330 mA
R1 = 8.25kΩ 350
CTRL Voltage for 100%
VCTRL-FULL 2.6 3.1 V
Brightness
CTRL Voltage to Enable
VCTRL-EN LED enable voltage threshold 0.9 1.2 V
LEDs
CTRL Voltage to Shutdown
VCTRL-SD LED disable voltage threshold 0.4 0.9 V
LEDs
VCTRL = 3V 40 80 µA
ICTRL CTRL pin input bias VCTRL = 12V 200
RSW Switch “On” Resistance ISW = 300mA 0.9 1.5 Ω
TSD Thermal Shutdown 150 ºC
THYST Thermal Hysteresis 20 ºC
η Efficiency Typical Application Circuit 86 %
Notes:
(1) Stresses above those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings
only, and functional operation of the device at these or any other conditions outside of those listed in the operational sections of this
specification is not implied. Exposure to any absolute maximum rating for extended periods may affect device performance and reliability.
(2) The VBAT pin voltage should be at least 3V greater than the total sum of the LED forward voltages in order to operate at nominal LED
current.
(3) During power-up, the slew rate of the input supply should be greater than 5µs.
Input Operating Supply Current Idle Mode Supply Current (CTRL = 0V)
1.0 200
QUIESCENT CURRENT [mA]
0.8
0.2 50
0.0
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 0
INPUT VOLTAGE [V] 0 4 8 12 16 20 24
INPUT VOLTAGE [V]
150
1.20
100
1.15
50
0 1.10
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 -40 0 40 80 120
CTRL VOLTAGE [V] TEMPERATURE [°C]
0.4 100
0.2
0.0 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
CTRL VOLTAGE [V] RSET [kΩ]
Switching Frequency vs. Input Voltage (1 LED) Switching Frequency vs. Input Voltage (2 LEDs)
500 700
600 150mA
400
500
150mA
300 400
300 300mA
200
300mA 200
100
100
0 0
8 12 16 20 24 28 8 12 16 20 24 28
INPUT VOLTAGE [V] INPUT VOLTAGE [V]
VIN = 13V
1.6
SW RESISTANCE [Ω]
400 150mA
1.2
300
0.8
300mA
200
0.4
100 0
-40 0 40 80 120 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
TEMPERATURE [°C] INPUT VOLTAGE [V]
Efficiency vs. Input Voltage (1 LED) Efficiency vs. Input Voltage (2 LEDs)
100 100
150mA
95 95
EFFICIENCY [%]
EFFICIENCY [%]
90 90
150mA
85 85
300mA
80 80
300mA
75 75
70 70
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
INPUT VOLTAGE [V] INPUT VOLTAGE [V]
4
90
2
85 0
-2
80
-4
1 LED
75 -6
-8
70 -10
100 150 200 250 300 350 -40 0 40 80 120
LED CURRENT [mA] TEMPERATURE [°C]
LED Current vs. Input Voltage (1 LED) LED Current vs. Input Voltage (2 LEDs)
350 350
VF = 3.3V VF = 3.3V
300 300
300mA 300mA
LED CURRENT [mA]
250 250
200 200
V F = 3.1V VF = 3.1V
150 150
150mA 150mA
100 100
50 50
0 0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
INPUT VOLTAGE [V] INPUT VOLTAGE [V]
1 LED 2 LEDs
LED current L inductor C2 Capacitor L inductor C2 Capacitor
(mA) (µH) (µF) (µH) (µF)
10 2.2
≥150 22 4.7
22 4.7
33 4.7
< 150 47 2.2
47 10
Note: Larger C2 capacitor values allow to reduce further the LED ripple current if needed.
PIN DESCRIPTION
Pin Name Function
1 CTRL Analog dimming control and shutdown pin.
2 GND Ground reference.
3 RSET RSET pin. A resistor connected between the pin and ground sets the average LED current.
4 SW Interface to the inductor.
5 VBAT Supply voltage for the device.
PIN FUNCTION
VBAT is the supply input to the device. Typical current GND is the ground reference pin. This pin should be
conduction into this pin is less than 1mA and voltage connected directly to the ground plane on the PCB.
transients of up to 40V can be applied. To ensure
accurate LED current regulation, the VBAT voltage SW pin is the drain terminal of the internal low
should be 3V higher than the total forward voltage of resistance high-voltage power MOSFET. The inductor
the LED string. A bypass capacitor of 4.7µF or larger and the Schottky diode anode should be connected to
is recommended between VBAT and GND. the SW pin. Voltages of up to 40V can be safely
handled on the SW pin. Traces going to the SW pin
CTRL is the analog dimming and control input. An should be as short as possible with minimum loop
internal pull-down current of 20µA allows the LEDs to area. The device can handle safely “open-LED” or
shutdown if CTRL is left floating. Voltages of up to “shorted-LED” fault conditions.
40V can be safely handled by the CTRL input pin.
When the CTRL voltage is less than 0.9V (typ), the RSET pin is regulated at 1.2V. A resistor connected
LEDs will shutdown to zero current. When the CTRL between the RSET pin and ground sets the LED full-
voltage is greater than about 2.6V, full scale scale brightness current. The external resistance
brightness is applied to the LED output. At voltages of value and the CTRL pin voltage determine the LED
less than around 2.6V, the LED current is current during analog dimming.
progressively dimmed until shutdown.
For lamp replacement applications, or applications
where operation in dropout mode is expected, it is
recommended that the CTRL pin voltage be derived
from the LED cathode terminal.
VBAT
30kΩ
CTRL
7V
20µA OFF-Time Control SW
EN
PWM
Controller
RSET GND
BASIC OPERATION
The CAT4201 is a high efficiency step-down regulator LED Pin Current
designed to drive series connected high-power LEDs. The LED current is set by the external RSET resistor
LED strings with total forward voltages of up to 20V connected to the regulated output of the RSET pin. An
can be driven with bias currents of up to 350mA. overall current gain ratio of approximately 2.5A/mA
exists between the average LED current and the
During the first switching phase, an integrated high RSET current, hence the following equation can be
voltage power MOSFET allows the inductor current to used to calculate the LED current.
charge linearly until the peak maximum level is
reached, at which point the MOSFET is switched off LED Current (A) ≅ 2.5 x VRSET (V) / RSET (kΩ)
and the second phase commences, allowing the Table 2 lists the various LED currents and the
inductor current to then flow through the Schottky associated RSET resistors.
diode circuit and discharge linearly back to zero
current. LED current (A) RSET (kΩ)
0.10 33
The switching architecture ensures the device will
always operate at the cross-over point between 0.15 21
Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) and Discon- 0.20 15
tinuous Conduction Mode (DCM). This operating 0.25 12
mode results in an average LED current which is 0.30 10
equal to half of the peak switching current.
0.35 8.25
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Input Voltage Range L I rated LED current
Part Number
The minimum supply voltage required to maintain (µH) (A) (A)
adequate regulation is set by the cathode terminal CDRH6D26-100 10 1.5 0.35
voltage of the LED string (i.e the VBAT voltage minus CDRH6D26-220 22 1.0 0.35
the LED string voltage). When the LED cathode
terminal falls below 3V, a loss of regulation occurs. CDRH6D28-330 33 0.92 0.35
CDRH6D28-470 47 0.8 0.35
For applications which may occasionally need to CDRH6D28-560 56 0.73 0.35
experience supply “dropout” conditions, it is
recommended that the CTRL input be used to sense Table 3. Sumida inductors
the LED cathode voltage. The CTRL pin can either be
tied directly to the cathode terminal (for Lamp Capacitor Selection
Replacement) or connected via a pass-transistor for A 10μF ceramic capacitor C2 across the LED(s)
PWM lighting applications. keeps the LED ripple current within ± 15% of nominal
for most applications. If needed, a larger capacitor can
Figure 2 shows the regulation performance obtained be used to further reduce the LED current ripple. Any
in dropout, when the CTRL pin is configured to sense resistance in series with the LED (0.5Ω or more)
the LED cathode voltage. contributes to reduce the ripple current. The capacitor
voltage rating should be equivalent to the maximum
expected supply voltage so as to allow for “Open-
400 LED” fault conditions. The capacitor value is
independent of the switching frequency or the overall
efficiency.
LED CURRENT [mA]
300
300mA A 4.7μF ceramic input capacitor C1 is recommended
to minimize the input current ripple generated on the
200 supply. Using a larger capacitor value further reduces
the ripple noise appearing on the supply rail.
150mA
100
If a constant capacitance is needed across
temperature and voltage, X5R or X7R dielectric
0 capacitors are recommended.
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
CTRL VOLTAGE [V] Schottky Diode
The peak repetitive current rating of the Schottky
Figure 2. “Dropout” configured LED Current diode must be greater than the peak current flowing
(as shown in Typical Application on page 1) through the inductor. Also the continuous current
rating of the Schottky must be greater than the
Inductor Selection average LED current. The voltage rating of the diode
For 350mA LED current drive levels, a 22µH inductor should be greater than the peak supply voltage
value is recommended to provide suitable switching transient preventing any breakdown or leakage.
frequency across a wide range of input supply values. Central Semiconductor Schottky diode CMDSH05-4
For LED current of 150mA or less, a 33µH or 47µH (40V, 500mA rated) is recommended. Schottky diodes
inductor is more suitable. rated at 400mA (or higher) continuous current are fine
for most applications.
The inductor must have a maximum current rating
which equals or exceeds twice the programmed LED Note: Schottky diodes with extremelly low forward voltages (VF) are
not recommended, as they may cause an increase in the
current. For example, when driving LEDs at 350mA, LED current.
an inductor with at least 700mA current rating must be
used. Minor improvements in efficiency can be
achieved by selecting inductors with lower series
resistance.
VBAT
13V C1
4.7µF
D C2
Figure 3. PWM at 1kHz on CTRL Pin VBAT
CAT4201 10µF
RSET
L
300 Rmax R1
CTRL SW
GND 22µH
250 Q1
R2
LED CURRENT [mA]
PWM NPN
control
200 1kΩ
OFF ON
150
0
100 80 60 40 20 0
DUTY CYCLE [%]
R1 C2
U2
4.7µF
1kΩ D2
VBAT
C3
U3
4.7µF
D3
VBAT
CAT4201
RSET
R3 L3
CTRL SW
8.3kΩ 22µH
GND
A2 A θ
L
b A1 c L2
L1
For current Tape and Reel information, download the PDF file from:
http://www.catsemi.com/documents/tapeandreel.pdf.
Notes:
(1) All dimensions are in millimeters. Angles in degrees.
(2) Complies with JEDEC standard MO-193.
CAT 4201 TD -G T3
Notes:
(1) All packages are RoHS-compliant (Lead-free, Halogen-free).
(2) The standard plated finish is NiPdAu on all pins.
(3) The device used in the above example is a CAT4201TD-GT3 (TSOT-23, NiPdAu, Tape & Reel).
(4) For additional package and temperature options, please contact your nearest Catalyst Semiconductor Sales office.