AT2596

3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators

Immense Advance Tech.
FEATURES DESCRIPTION

Standard PSOP-8/TO-220-5L /TO-263-5L The AT2596 series of regulators are monolithic
Package integrated circuits that provide all the active

Adjustable Output Versions functions for a step-down (buck) switching regulator,

Adjustable Version Output Voltage Range 1.23V capable of driving a 3A load with excellent line and
to 37V load regulation.

VOUT Accuracy is to ± 3% Under Specified Input Requiring a minimum number of external
Voltage the Output Load Conditions components, these regulators are simple to use and

Input Voltage Range Up to 40V include internal frequency compensation, and a

Requires Only 4 External Components with High fixed-frequency oscillator.
Efficiency A standard series of inductors are available from

TTL Shutdown Capability, Low Power Standby several different manufacturers optimized for use
Mode with the AT2596 series. This feature greatly

Built-in Thermal Shutdown, Current Limit simplifies the design of switch-mode power
Protection supplies.

Uses Standard Inductors The output voltage is guaranteed to ±3% tolerance

150 KHz Fixed Frequency Internal Oscillator under specified input voltage and output load
conditions. The oscillator frequency is guaranteed to
±15%. External shutdown is included, featuring
APPLICATION
typically 100µA standby current. Self protection

Pre-Regulator for Linear Regulators features include a two stage frequency reducing

High-Efficiency Step-Down Buck Regulator current limit for the output switch and an over

On-Card/ Board Switching Regulators temperature shutdown for complete protection

Positive to Negative Converter (Buck) under fault conditions.

ORDER INFORMATION PIN CONFIGURATIONS (TOP VIEW)

AT 2596- A-TK R
IAT Shipping:
R: Tape & Reel
Circuit Type

Output Voltage:
TK: TO-220-5L
A: ADJ.5.0V
TN: TO-263-5L
SF8: PSOP-8

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
PIN DESCRIPTIONS
Pin Name Pin Description
VIN Input supply voltage.
VOUT Switching output.
FB Output voltage feedback.

ON/OFF ON/OFF Shutdown. Active is “Low” or floating.

GND Ground.

TYPICAL APPLICATION CIRCUITS

Figure 1. Typical application circuit for AT2596-Fixed version

Figure 2. Typical application circuit for AT2596-ADJ version

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
BLOCK DIAGRAM

Figure 3. Functional Block Diagram of AT2596

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS (Note 1)
Parameter Symbol Max Value Unit
Maximum supply Voltage VCC 45 V
V -0.3 to + 25 V
ON/OFF Pin Input Voltage / Feed Back Pin Voltage ON / OFF/VFB
Output Voltage to Ground (Steady State) VOUT -0.3 to + 25 V
Maximum Junction Temperature TJ 150 °C
Storage Temperature Range TSTG -65 to +150 °C
Lead Temperature (Soldering, 5sec) TLEAD 260 °C
Power Dissipation PSOP-8 (Note 2) 2770
PD mW
PD @ TA=25°C TO-263-5L (Note4) 5000
Thermal Resistance PSOP-8 (Note3) 36
RθJA °C /W
Junction to Ambient TO-263-5L (Note4) 20
Thermal Resistance PSOP-8 5.5
RθJC °C /W
Junction to Case TO-263-5L 2
ESD Rating (Human Body Model) (Note 4) VESD 2 kV

RECOMMENDED OPERATING CONDITIONS (Note 6)

Parameter Symbol Operation Conditions Unit
Supply Voltage VIN 4.5 ~ 40 V
Operating Junction Temperature Range TJ -40 to +125 °C
Operating Ambient Temperature Range TA -40 to +85 °C
Note 1: Stresses listed as the above “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are for stress
ratings. Functional operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated in the operational sections
of the specifications is not implied. Exposure to absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may remain
possibility to affect device reliability.
Note 2: Thermal Resistance is specified with the component mounted on a low effective thermal conductivity test board in free air at
TA=25°C.
Note 3: 2 square inch of FR-4, double sided, 1 oz. minimum copper weight.
Note 4: Junction to ambient thermal resistance with the TO-263-5L package tab soldered to a double sided printed circuit board with 3
2 2
in of (1 oz). Copper area on the AT2596 side of the board, and approximately 16 in of copper on the other side of the p-c
board.
Note 5: Devices are ESD sensitive. Handling precaution recommended.
Note 6: The device is not guaranteed to function outside its operating conditions.

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
AT2596-ADJ
Specifications with standard type face are for TJ=25°C, and those with boldface type apply over Full Operating Temperature Range,
Test Circuit Figure 4. Unless otherwise specified, VIN=12V. ILOAD=200mA

Typ
Parameter Symbol Conditions Min Max Unit
(Note 7)

VIN =12V, ILOAD =0.5A, VOUT =5V 1.193 1.23 1.267 V

Feedback Voltage VFB 4.5 ≤ VIN ≤ 40V, 0.2A ≤ ILOAD ≤ 3A,
1.18 1.23 1.28 V
VOUT =5V
Efficiency η VIN =12V, ILOAD =3.0A ,VOUT =5V 80 %

AT2596-5.0V
Specifications with standard type face are for TJ=25°C, and those with boldface type apply over Full Operating Temperature Range,
Test Circuit Figure 4.

Typ
Parameter Symbol Condition Min Max Unit
(Note 7)
VIN =12V, ILOAD =0.5A 4.850 5.0 5.150 V
Output Voltage VOUT 4.800 5.200
7V ≤ VIN ≤ 40V, 0.2A ≤ ILOAD ≤ 3A 5.0 V
4.750 5.250
Efficiency η VIN =12V, ILOAD =3.0A 80 %

All Output Voltage Versions

Specifications with standard type face are for TJ=25°C, and those with boldface type apply over Full Operating Temperature Range,
Unless otherwise specified, VIN=12V for the 3.3V, 5.0V and Adjustable version. ILOAD=200mA

Typ
Parameter Symbol Condition Min Max Unit
(Note 7)
Feedback Bias VFB =1.3V (Adjustable Version 50
Ib 15 nA
Current Only) 100
Oscillator Frequency FOSC (Note 8) 127 150 173 KHz
1.4
Saturation Voltage VSAT IOUT =2A (Notes 9 ,10) 1.16 V
1.5
Max Duty Cycle(ON) DC (Note 10) 100
%
Min Duty cycle(OFF) DC (Note 11) 0
Current Limit ICL Peak Current (Notes 9, 10 ) 3.4 4.5 6.0 A
Output =0V (Notes 9, 11) 25 µA
Output Leakage
IL Output= -1V(VIN=40V)(Notes
Current 1 10 mA
9,11)
Quiescent Current IQ (Note 11) 5 10 mA

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
All Output Voltage Versions
Specifications with standard type face are for TJ=25°C, and those with boldface type apply over Full Operating Temperature Range,
Unless otherwise specified, VIN=12V for the 3.3V, 5.0V and Adjustable version. ILOAD=200mA

Typ
Parameter Symbol Conditions Min Max Unit
(Note 7)
Standby Quiescent ON/OFF Pin = 5V (OFF), 200
ISTBY 100 µA
Current VIN=40V 250

ON/OFF Pin Logic VIL Low (ON) 1.3 0.6

V
Input Level VIH High (OFF) 2.0 1.3

ON/OFF Pin Input IIH VO N /OFF =2.5V (OFF) 5 15 µA

Current IIL VO N /OFF =0.5V (ON) 0.02 5 µA
Note7: Typical numbers are at 25°C and represent the most likely norm.
Note 8 :External components such as the catch diode, inductor, input and output capacitors, and voltage programming resistors can affect
switching regulator system performance.
Note 9: No diode, inductor or capacitor connected to output pin.
Note 10: Feedback pin removed from output and connected to 0V to force the output transistor switch ON.
Note 11: Feedback pin removed from output and connected to 12V, to force the output transistor switch OFF.

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 AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
TYPICAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS
(1) Switch Saturation Voltage (2) Switch Current Limit

SWITCH CURRENT (A)

SATURATION VOLATGE (V)

SWITCH CURRENT (A) ℃)

JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (℃
(3) Dropout Voltage (4) Operating Quiescent Current
INPUT-OUTPUT DIFFERENTIAL (V)

Switch Current (mA)

℃)
JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (℃ ℃)
JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (℃

(5) Shutdown Quiescent Current (6) Minimum Operating Supply Voltage

μ A)

Supply Voltage (V)

Supply Current (μ

Supply Voltage (V) ℃)

JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (℃
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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
TYPICAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS (CONTINUED)

TEST CIRCUIT AND LAYOUT GUIDELINES

Careful layout is important with any switching regulator. Rapidly switching currents associated with wiring
inductance generate voltage transients which can cause problems. To minimize inductance and ground loops,
the lengths of the leads indicated by heavy lines in Figure 4 below should be kept as short as possible. Single
point grounding (as indicated in figure 4) or ground plane construction should be used for best results. When
using the Adjustable version, place the programming resistors as close as possible to AT2596, to keep the
sensitive feedback wiring short.

Figure 4. Adjustable Output Voltage Versions

CIN =100µF, Aluminum Electrolytic

COUT =220µF, 25V, Aluminum Electrolytic
D1= Schottky
L1 = 33µH

R2
VOUT = VREF (1 + )
R1
Rev 1.4 Apr. 2015
Where V =1.23V, R1 between 1K and 5K.
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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
APPLICATION INFORMATION
Input Capacitor (CIN) The peak-to-peak inductor ripple current will be
To maintain stability, the regulator input pin must be approximately 20% to 30% of the maximum DC
by-passed with at least a 47µF electrolytic capacitor. current.
The capacitor’s leads must be kept short, and With relatively heavy load currents, the circuit
located near the regulator. operates in the continuous mode (inductor current
If the operating temperature range includes always flowing), but under light load conditions, the
temperatures below -25°C, the input capacitor value circuit should be forced to the discontinuous mode
may need to be larger. With most electrolytic (inductor current falls to zero for a period of time).
capacitors, the capacitance value decreases and This discontinuous mode of operation is perfectly
the ESR increase with lower temperatures and age. acceptable. For light loads (less than approximately
Paralleling a ceramic or solid tantalum capacitor will 200mA) it may be desirable to operate the regulator
increase the regulator stability at cold temperatures. in the discontinuous mode, primarily because of the
For maximum capacitor operating lifetime, the lower inductor values required for the discontinuous
capacitor’s RMS ripple current rating should be mode.
greater than The inductor chooses should be values suitable for
continuous mode operation, but if the inductor value
t ON R2
1.2 × ( ) × ILOAD = VREF (1 + ) chosen is prohibitively high, the designer should
T R1
t V investigate the possibility of discontinuous operation.
Where ON = OUT for a buck regulator
T VIN Inductors are available in different styles such as pot
t VOUT core, toriod, E-frame, bobbin core, etc., as well as
and ON = for a buck - boost regulator.
T VOUT + VIN different core materials, such as ferrites and
powdered iron. The least expensive, the bobbin
Inductor Selection core type, consists of wire wrapped on a ferrite rod
All switching regulators have two basic modes of core. This type of construction makes for an
operation: continuous and discontinuous. The inexpensive inductor, but since the magnetic flux is
difference between the two types relates to the not completely contained within the core, it
inductor current, whether it is flowing continuously, generates more electromagnetic interference (EMI).
or if it drops to zero for a period of time in the normal This EMI can cause problems in sensitive circuits, or
switching cycle. Each mode has distinctively can give incorrect scope readings because of
different operating characteristics, which can affect induced voltages in the scope probe.
the regulator performance and requirements. The inductors listed in the selection chart include
AT2596 can be used for both continuous and ferrite pot core construction for AIE, powdered iron
discontinuous modes of operation. toroid for Pulse Engineering, and ferrite bobbin core
for Renco.

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
APPLICATION INFORMATION (CONTINUED)
An inductor should not be operated beyond its Output Capacitor
maximum rated current because it may saturate. An output capacitor is required to filter the output
When an inductor begins to saturate, the inductance voltage and is needed for loop stability. The
decreases rapidly and the inductor begins to look capacitor should be located near the AT2596 using
mainly resistive (the DC resistance of the winding). short pc board traces. Standard aluminum
This will cause the switch current to rise very rapidly. electrolytics are usually adequate, but low ESR
Different inductor types have different saturation types are recommended for low output ripple
characteristics, and this should be kept in mind voltage and good stability. The ESR of a capacitor
when selecting an inductor. depends on many factors, some which are: the
The inductor manufacturer’s data sheets include value, the voltage rating, physical size and the type
current and energy limits to avoid inductor of construction. In general, low value or low voltage
saturation. (less than 12V) electrolytic capacitors usually have
higher ESR numbers.
Inductor Ripple Current The amount of output ripple voltage is primarily a
When the switcher is operating in the continuous function of the ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance)
mode, the inductor current waveform ranges from a of the output capacitor and the amplitude of the
triangular to a sawtooth type of waveform inductor ripple current (ΔIIND).
(depending on the input voltage). For a given input The lower capacitor values (220µF-680µF) will allow
voltage and output voltage, the peak-to-peak typically 50mV to 150mV of output ripple voltage,
amplitude of this inductor current waveform remains while larger-value capacitors will reduce the ripple to
constant. As the load current rises or falls. The approximately 20mV to 50mV.
average DC value of this waveform is equal to the Output Ripple Voltage= (ΔIIND)(ESR of COUT)
DC load current (in the buck regulator To further reduce the output ripple voltage, several
configuration). standard electrolytic capacitors may be paralleled,
If the load current drops to a low enough level, the or a higher-grade capacitor may be used.
bottom of the sawtooth current waveform will reach Such capacitors are often called “high-frequency,”
zero, and the switcher will change to a “low-inductance,” or “low-ESR.” These will reduce
discontinuous mode of operation. This is a perfectly the output ripple to 10mV or 20mV. However, when
acceptable mode of operation. Any buck switching operating in the continuous mode, reducing the ESR
regulator (no matter how large the inductor value is ) below 0.05Ω can cause instability in the regulator.
will be forced to run discontinuous if the load current Tantalum capacitors can have a very low ESR, and
is light enough. should be carefully evaluated if it is the only output
capacitor.

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
APPLICATION INFORMATION (CONTINUED)
Because of their good low temperature parasitic inductance of the output filter capacitor.
characteristics, a tantalum can be used in parallel To minimize these voltage spikes, special low
with aluminum electrolytics, with the tantalum inductance capacitors can be used, and their lead
making up 10% or 20% of the total capacitance. lengths must be kept short. Wiring inductance, stray
The capacitor’s ripple current rating at 150KHz capacitance, as well as the scope probe used to
should be at least 50% higher than the peak-to-peak evaluate these transients, all contribute to the
inductor ripple current. amplitude of these spikes.
An additional small LC filter (20µH &100µF) can be
Catch Diode added to the output to further reduce the amount of
Buck regulators require a diode to provide a return output ripple and transients. A 10 x reduction in
path for the inductor current when the switch is off. output ripple voltage and transients is possible with
This diode should be located close to the AT2596 this filter.
using short leads and short printed circuit traces.
Because of their fast switching speed and low Feedback Connection
forward voltage drop, Schottky diodes provide the When using AT2596 adjustable version, physically
best efficiency, especially in low output voltage locate both output voltage programming resistors
switching regulators (less than 5V). Fast-Recovery, near the AT2596 to avoid picking up unwanted noise.
High-Efficiency, or Ultra-Fast Recovery diodes are Avoid using resistors greater than 100KΩ because
also suitable, but some types with an abrupt turn-off of the increased chance of noise pickup.
characteristic may cause instability and EMI
problems. A fast-recovery diode with soft recovery
ON/OFF Input
characteristics is a better choice. Standard 60Hz
diodes (e.g., 1N4001 or 1N5400, etc.) are also not For normal operation, the ON/OFF pin should be
suitable. grounded or driven with a low-level TTL voltage
(typically below 1.6V). To put the regulator into
Output Voltage Ripple and Transients standby mode, drive this pin with a high-level TTL or
The output voltage of a switching power supply will CMOS signal. The ON/OFF pin can be safely
contain a sawtooth ripple voltage at the switcher pulled up to +VIN without a resistor in series with it.
frequency, typically about 1% of the output voltage, The pin should not be left open.
and may also contain short voltage spikes at the
peaks of the sawtooth waveform.
The output ripple voltage is due mainly to the
inductor sawtooth ripple current multiplied by the
ESR of the output capacitor.
The voltage spikes are present because of the fast
switching action of the output switch, and the

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AT2596
3A Set Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
PACKAGE OUTLINE DIMENSIONS

Rev 1.3 Dec. 2013

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AT2596
3A Step Down Voltage Switching Regulators
Immense Advance Tech.
PACKAGE OUTLINE DIMENSIONS

Note :
Information provided by IAT is believed to be accurate and reliable. However, we cannot assume responsibility for use of any circuitry
other than circuitry entirely embodied in an IAT product; nor for any infringement of patents or other rights of third parties that may result
from its use. We reserve the right to change the circuitry and specifications without notice.

Life Support Policy: IAT does not authorize any IAT product for use in life support devices and/or systems. Life support devices or
systems are devices or systems which, (I) are intended for surgical implant into the body or (II) support or sustain life, and whose failure
to perform, when properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided in the labeling, can be reasonably expected to result in a
significant injury to the user. Typical numbers are at 25°C and represent the most likely norm.
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