ST's new buck converter packs 3A power
STMicroelectronics’ new DCP3603 monolithic buck converter can supply 3A from a 3mm x 1.6mm footprint, simplifying design, saving space, boosting reliablity and speeding time to market.
It has a 3.3V-to-36V input-voltage range, making it suitable for powering equipment such as smart meters, domestic appliances, and industrial 24V loads.
The DCP3603 is available with either 1MHz or 500kHz fixed switching frequency, maintaining high efficiency across the load range, reaching 93 percent at 600mA with 12Vin and 5Vout. It has power switches and compensation built-in, only an inductor, bootstrap and filter capacitors, and feedback resistors are needed to complete the circuit, ensuring a minimal bill of materials.
Designers can choose from two variants, configured for forced-PWM operation for optimal performance in noise-sensitive applications, or pulse-skipping for minimal power consumption at light load. Both variants implement frequency dithering, to reduce noise power at the switching frequency, and have extremely low quiescent current of 85µA to minimise overall power consumption. An Enable pin allows the converter to be turned off to maximise power savings.
A dedicated evaluation board, STEVAL-3603BC1, is available to help quickly evaluate the DCP3603 in new designs.
The DCP3603 is in production now, in a SOT23 6-lead package, priced from $0.44 for orders of 1000 pieces.
