New Industry Products

Linear Technology Announces the LTC3714 Controller

July 09, 2001 by Jeff Shepard

Linear Technology (Milpitas, CA) announced the new LTC3714, a synchronous step-down switching regulator controller for CPU power. Designed as a CPU core dc/dc controller for the Intel mobil Pentium III Tualatin microprocessor, the device is compliant with Intel Mobile Voltage Positioning specifications.

The LTC3714 has an output voltage between 0.6V and 1.75V that is selected by a five-bit code. The controller uses a constant on-time, valley current control architecture to deliver low duty cycles without requiring a sense resistor. Operating frequency is selected by an external resistor and is compensated for variations in Vin and Vout.

The LTC3714's discontinuous mode operation provides high efficiency at light loads. A forced continuous-control pin reduces noise and rf interference and can assist secondary winding regulation by disabling the discontinuous mode when the main output is lightly loaded. An internal operational amplifier allows programmable offsets to the output voltage during power-saving modes.

Fault protection in the LTC3714 is provided by internal fold-back current limiting, an output over-voltage comparator and an optional short-circuit shutdown timer. Soft-start capability for supply sequencing is accomplished using an external timing capacitor. The regulator current-limit level is user-programmable.

Housed in a 28-lead SSOP, the LTC3714 is priced starting at $3.05 each in 1,000-piece quantities.