Compact Stepdown Regulator Supports Low Voltages

The LTC3610 from Linear Technology is a high-efficiency, synchronous buck regulator which can deliver up to 12 A of continuous output current at voltages as low as 0.6 V. It operates from an input voltage of 4 V to 24 V, with an absolute maximum of 28 V. Its valley-current-control architecture delivers very-low-duty-cycle operation at high frequencies with excellent transient response. The operating frequency is set by an external resistor, and switching frequencies of up to 1 MHz allow the use of low-cost ceramic capacitors and low-profile inductors.

The LTC3610 uses internal switches with an R_DS(ON) of only 12 mΩ and 6.5 mΩ to deliver efficiencies as high as 95%. The regulator can also be configured for discontinuous or forced-continuous operation. The LTC3610 is available in a 64-lead, 9-mm x 9-mm QFN package. Pricing starts at $8.50 in 1000-piece quantities.