TI intros 200-mA linear regulators with auto low-power mode

BANGALORE, INDIA: Texas Instruments Inc. (TI) has introduced a family of 200-mA, low dropout regulators (LDOs), which offer an auto low-power mode that combines ultra-low quiescent current of less than 8 uA with fast transient response while maintaining low noise and a high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR).

With 70 percent lower quiescent current than existing solutions, the LDOs increase battery runtime without sacrificing performance in noise-sensitive applications, such as smartphones, MP3 players, RF modules, remote controls, ZigBee network systems and handheld consumer devices.

Typical high-performance LDOs require the load quiescent current to be 25 uA or less. Auto low-power mode allows the TPS727xx to achieve less than 8 uA without an additional mode pin and automatically switches to and from low power depending on load current.

In addition, the use of auto low-power mode eliminates the need to modify software drivers to control the mode pin, which speeds and simplifies the design process. It also reduces cost by eliminating the need for a general purpose input/output (GPIO) pin and overhead firmware.

Key features and benefits
* Low-power operation with innovative auto low-power mode, ultra-low quiescent current of 8 uA, fast transient response ±50mV for 200mA, low noise 32uVRMS and high PSRR 70dB at 1kHz helps increase battery runtime without sacrificing noise.
* Enables use of small 1.0 uF ceramic capacitors, which allows for a smaller overall solution.
* Provides low dropout of 130 mV, plus stable and accurate output voltage range of 0.9-5 V, which increases system reliability.
* Factory EEPROM programming of the output voltage provides the flexibility to quickly sample and release custom VOUT versions.