New Industry Products

National Semi Intros LP2966 IC

February 28, 1999 by Jeff Shepard

National Semiconductor Corp. (Santa Clara, CA) introduced the LP2966, a dual high-current micropower device intended for circuits requiring up to 150mA for each output. The regulator operates with a low dropout voltage of 135mV at 150mA load current, the lowest in its category, according to National Semiconductor. Applications include wireless and portable equipment such as pagers, cellular phones and GPS receivers. With fixed outputs from 1.8V to 5.0V, the LP2966 provides 16 different voltage options for each output, allowing fast customization. Line and load regulation are 0.1mV/V and 0.12mV/mA, respectively. Quiescent current is less than 1uA (max) in power-saving sleep mode. A built-in error flag for each output goes low when the corresponding output drops 10 percent below nominal. CMOS logic-compatible shutdown controls allow each regulator to be switched on and off independently. The logic-controlled shutdown (on/off pins) prolongs system-on time between battery replacement or battery charges. Overcurrent and thermal-limiting features protect the LP2966 against fault conditions. Housed in an 8-lead MSOP package, the LP2966IMM is priced at $0.79 each in quantities of 1,000.