Linear Technology Corp. (LTC, Milpitas, CA) introduced the new LTC4210, a tiny hot-swap controller that provides active current limiting for over-current transients and latches off an external n-channel MOSFET during short-circuit faults for supplies from 2.7V to 16.5V. The six-pin, SOT-23 package and minimal external components allow the LTC4210 to be placed very close to the MOSFET and sense resistor to save board space.
The LTC4210 offers flexibility while requiring only a few external components. The external sense resistor and MOSFET allow the user to set the maximum current limit as appropriate for the application. A single capacitor sets the timing for several functions, including the circuit-breaker response time. An internal under-voltage lockout holds the circuit off until the supply reaches 2.5V, eliminating an external resistor divider.
Specified for the commercial and industrial temperature ranges, the LTC4210 is available in the six-pin, SOT-23 package and versions are available for either automatic retry after a fault (LTC4210-1) or latch-off (LTC4210-2). Pricing starts at $1.65 each for 1,000-piece quantities.
