TPS54973
SLVS453A FEBRUARY 2003 REVISED FEBRUARY 2005
www.ti.com
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
DISABLED SINKING DURING START-UP
(DSDS)
The DSDS feature enables minimal voltage drooping of
output precharge capacitors at start-up. The TPS54973 is
designed to disable the low-side MOSFET to prevent
sinking current from a precharge output capacitor during
start-up. Once the high-side MOSFET has been turned on
to the maximum duty cycle limit, the low-side MOSFET is
allowed to switch. Once the maximum duty cycle condition
is met, the converter functions as a sourcing converter until
the SS/ENA is pulled low.
UNDERVOLTAGE LOCK OUT (UVLO)
The TPS54973 incorporates an undervoltage lockout
circuit to keep the device disabled when the input voltage
(VIN) is insufficient. During power up, internal circuits are
held inactive until VIN exceeds the nominal UVLO
threshold voltage of 2.95 V. Once the UVLO start threshold
is reached, device start-up begins. The device operates
until VIN falls below the nominal UVLO stop threshold of
2.8 V. Hysteresis in the UVLO comparator and a 2.5-s
rising and falling edge deglitch circuit reduce the likelihood
of shutting the device down due to noise on VIN.
SLOW-START/ENABLE (SS/ENA)
The slow-start/enable pin provides two functions. First, the
pin acts as an enable (shutdown) control by keeping the
device turned off until the voltage exceeds the start
threshold voltage of approximately 1.2 V. When SS/ENA
exceeds the enable threshold, device start-up begins. The
reference voltage fed to the error amplifier is linearly
ramped up from 0 V to 0.891 V in 3.35 ms. Similarly, the
converter output voltage reaches regulation in
approximately 3.35 ms. Voltage hysteresis and a 2.5-s
falling edge deglitch circuit reduce the likelihood of
triggering the enable due to noise.
The second function of the SS/ENA pin provides an
external means of extending the slow-start time with a
low-value capacitor connected between SS/ENA and
AGND.
Adding a capacitor to the SS/ENA pin has two effects on
start-up. First, a delay occurs between release of the
SS/ENA pin and start-up of the output. The delay is
proportional to the slow-start capacitor value and lasts
until the SS/ENA pin reaches the enable threshold. The
start-up delay is approximately:
td + C(SS)
1.2 V
5 mA
Second, as the output becomes active, a brief ramp-up at
the internal slow-start rate may be observed before the
externally set slow-start rate takes control and the output
rises at a rate proportional to the slow-start capacitor. The
slow-start time set by the capacitor is approximately:
t(SS) + C(SS)
0.7 V
5 mA
The actual slow-start time is likely to be less than the above
approximation due to the brief ramp-up at the internal rate.
The low side MOSFET is off during the slow-start
sequence.
VBIAS REGULATOR (VBIAS)
The VBIAS regulator provides internal analog and digital
blocks with a stable supply voltage over variations in
junction temperature and input voltage. A high quality,
low-ESR, ceramic bypass capacitor is required on the
VBIAS pin. X7R or X5R grade dielectrics are
recommended because their values are more stable over
temperature. The bypass capacitor must be placed close
to the VBIAS pin and returned to AGND.
External loading on VBIAS is allowed, with the caution that
internal circuits require a minimum VBIAS of 2.70 V, and
external loads on VBIAS with ac or digital switching noise
may degrade performance. The VBIAS pin may be useful
as a reference voltage for external circuits.
VOLTAGE REFERENCE
The voltage reference system produces a precise Vref
signal by scaling the output of a temperature stable
bandgap circuit. During manufacture, the bandgap and
scaling circuits are trimmed to produce 0.891 V at the
output of the error amplifier, with the amplifier connected
as a voltage follower. The trim procedure adds to the high
precision regulation of the TPS54973, since it cancels
offset errors in the scale and error amplifier circuits.
OSCILLATOR AND PWM RAMP
The oscillator frequency can be set to internally fixed
values of 350 kHz or 550 kHz using the SYNC pin as a
static digital input. If a different frequency of operation is
required for the application, the oscillator frequency can be
externally adjusted from 280 to 700 kHz by connecting a
resistor between the RT pin and AGND and floating the
SYNC pin. The switching frequency is approximated by
the following equation, where R is the resistance from RT
to AGND:
Switching Frequency + 100 kW
R
500 [kHz]
(2)
(3)
(4)