#POWER TRANSISTOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR DRIVERS#

Switching regulators can be step-down converters, step-up converters, or a combination of the two, which makes them more versatile than a linear regulator.Īdvantages of switching regulators include that they are highly efficient, have better thermal performance, and can support higher current and wider V IN / V OUT applications. Their simplicity and reliability make them intuitive and simple devices for engineers, and are often highly cost-effective.įigure 1: MP2018 Linear Regulator Switching RegulatorsĪ switching regulator circuit is generally more complicated to design than a linear regulator, and requires selecting external component values, tuning control loops for stability, and careful layout design. Linear regulators, such as the MP2018, only require an input and output capacitor to operate (see Figure 1).

However, these regulators offer a few advantages: they are generally easy to design, dependable, cost-efficient, and offer low noise as well as a low output voltage ripple. Linear regulators are step-down converters, so by definition the output voltage is always below the input voltage. To maintain a constant output voltage, the linear regulator adjusts the pass device resistance by comparing the internal voltage reference to the sampled output voltage, and then driving the error to zero. Linear RegulatorsĪ linear voltage regulator utilizes an active pass device (such as a BJT or MOSFET), which is controlled by a high-gain operational amplifier. In high-efficiency switching regulators, most of the input power is transferred to the output without dissipation. Both types regulate a system’s voltage, but linear regulators operate with low efficiency and switching regulators operate with high efficiency. There are two main types of voltage regulators: linear and switching. This article will focus on DC/DC voltage regulators. While voltage regulators are most commonly used for DC/DC power conversion, some can perform AC/AC or AC/DC power conversion as well. Voltage regulators (VRs) keep the voltages from a power supply within a range that is compatible with the other electrical components. Lattice Semiconductor Reference DesignsĪ voltage regulator is a circuit that creates and maintains a fixed output voltage, irrespective of changes to the input voltage or load conditions.Switching Converters and Controllers AECQ Grade.

#POWER TRANSISTOR VOLTAGE REGULATOR DRIVERS#

BLDC Pre Drivers and Integrated Solutions.

Digital Isolators with Integrated Power.

Multi Phase Controllers & Intelli-Phase.

Power transistor voltage regulator