LTC Intros LTC3731 DC/DC Switching Controller

Linear Technology Corp. (LTC, Milpitas, CA) introduced the LTC3731, a three-phase, synchronous, step-down, switching controller with integrated MOSFET drivers that is expandable to 12 phases. Housed in a narrow, 36-lead, SSOP (5.3mm wide) and a leadless QFN (5mm x 5mm), the LTC3731 is a single-IC solution for delivering up to 60A for distributed power in systems requiring dc/dc conversion from a 4.5V to 32V input source to a 0.6V to 6V output.

The LTC3731 is a scalable dc/dc step-down controller that allows multiple LTC3731s to operate in six, nine and 12 phases capable of delivering load currents as high as 240A. In addition to a simple solution, the LTC3731's precision ±5 percent output-current matching simplifies thermal management by spreading the heat evenly among its three output stages. Applications include servers, large memory banks and high-power industrial systems.

The LTC3731 incorporates a patented power-saving technique called Stage Shedding to optimize efficiency and improve battery life at light loads by eliminating the gate charging losses and switching losses of two of its output stages. Applications vary from high-end notebook PCs to embedded systems and single-board computers for industrial, instrumentation, telecom and medical systems.

The LTC3731 is priced at $4.45 each in 1,000-piece quantities.