Powering portable devices: alternatives to linear regulators in step-down conversion.(National Semiconductor LM2788)

EDN, February, 2003 by McIntyre, William J.; Whelpton, Eric

Highlights

* High-efficiency Baseband Power at 2.0V, 1.8V, and 1.5V Output

* 120 mA Output Current Capable

* 35 [micro]A Typical Supply Current

* No Inductors Required

In portable products such as PDAs and laptop computers--powering the microprocessor from a Li-Ion battery generally means choosing a small and power-efficient step-down DC-DC converter. In terms of efficiency, a switching regulator is the best choice. However, when component height limitations rule out the use of inductors (as sometimes happens in small devices like cell phones), a converter might take the form of a low dropout (LDO) linear regulator. The small and inexpensive LDO works most efficiently when the microprocessor voltage is close to...

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