DC/DC Converter Finds Stability Using Ceramic Capacitor

Capable of stable operation using an inexpensive low ESR ceramic capacitor, the LTC3405A dc/dc step-down converter delivers outputs up to 300 mA continuous and voltages as low as 0.8V from an input voltage from 2.5 to 5.5V. A synchronous switching topology achieves efficiencies up to 96%, while 0.7_ internal switches eliminate the need for an external Schottky diode. Standard features include a 1.5 MHz switching frequency, ±2% output vol-tage regulation, 100% duty cycle, and a compact footprint in a ThinSOT package. Quiescent current is 20 µA, and shutdown current is less than 1 µA. Pricing starts at $1.61 each/1,000. LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORP., Milpitas, CA. (800) 454-6327.