New Industry Products

Linear Technology Debuts New LT1956 Switching Regulator

August 27, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

Linear Technology Corp. (Milpitas, CA) announced its new LT1956 500kHz step-down switching regulator that features a peak switch current of 1.5A. Capable of operation from a 5.5V to 60V input, it achieves high efficiency of up to 90 percent over a wide range of input voltages and load conditions.

The device incorporates a patented slope-compensation circuit to maintain 1.5A peak switch current over the entire duty cycle range. This makes it suitable for telecommunication, industrial and automotive applications that must operate across a wide range of input voltages.

The topology is current-mode for fast transient response and high-loop stability. It can also be synchronized up to 700kHz with logic-level inputs. It also features a low shutdown supply current of only 25µA. The internal control circuitry is powered directly from the output, minimizing the power drawn from the input supply. The high switching frequency allows for the use of small, low-profile inductors.

The regulator incorporates the necessary oscillator, control and protection circuitry, and is housed in a 16-lead SSOP.