CCFL Backlight Chips Give Boost To LCD Light Output

Designed to generate the high voltage (up to 2000V) needed for powering cold-cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) used for backlighting LCDs, ML4877 and ML4878 chips employ a differential-drive architecture that boosts LCD light output by reducing the effects of parasitic capacitance in CCFL bulbs. The architecture also gives the LCDs a deep dimming capability, which is important in automotive, aircraft display, and other low-light applications. High-power applications (up to 30W of light output) in 13" to 21" displays using from 1 to 8 backlight bulbs are targeted by ML4877, while ML4878 is best suited for low-power (up to 2.5W) LCDs used in consumer and industrial applications such as automobiles, avionics, test equipment, copy machines, game displays, factory equipment, process controls, and ATM terminals. The ML4877 comes in 20-pin SSOPs and the ML4878 is housed in 14-pin SOICs.