Linear Technology Corp. (LTC, Milpitas, CA) introduced its LTC4068, a standalone, linear, single-cell, lithium-ion (Li-Ion), lithium-polymer battery charger that allows system designers to program charge cycle termination properly with a system load concurrently applied to the battery. Applications include PDAs, lightweight portable medical and test equipment, and large color screen cell phones.
The LTC4068 is offered in a low-profile (0.75 mm), 3 mm x 3 mm, DFN (lead-less) package. The total solution footprint is less than 25 mm² since an external MOSFET, sense resistor and blocking diode are not required. The LTC4068 can also charge a Li-Ion battery from a USB port. To preserve battery energy, the LTC4068 draws only 6 µA from the battery terminal in standby and 2 µA in shutdown mode. Furthermore, to ensure safety at turn on, the IC's soft-start function limits the inrush current. The LTC4068 is also equipped with a 1 ms filter to ensure that transient loads created by switching regulators, for example, do not force premature charge cycle termination.
The LTC4068 is rated for operation from -40 °C to +85 °C. Pricing for the LTC4068 for 1,000-piece quantities begins at $1.70 each.
