New Industry Products

Microchip Technology Introduces 1.5A LDOs in 3- and 5-pin Packages

September 12, 2006 by Jeff Shepard

Microchip Technology Inc. announced the MCP1827 and MCP1827S low output voltage, high output current Low Dropout Regulators (LDOs). The new LDOs are available in small, thermally efficient 3- and 5-pin packages, and support output currents up to 1.5A. They are well positioned to power smaller-geometry-based embedded processors/controllers and next-generation logic cores, such as those found in computer, industrial and power-supply applications.

The MCP1827 and MCP1827S LDOs support input voltages ranging from 2.3 to 6.0V and output voltages from 0.8 to 5.0V, while having a full-current dropout voltage of only 330 mV (typical). The devices feature a quiescent current of 120 microamperes (µA) for low power consumption during regulation, and they are ceramic output-capacitor stable to help reduce design costs and size. The full-featured, 5-pin MCP1827 LDO includes power-good and shutdown functions, and is available in fixed or adjustable output-voltage versions. The 3-pin MCP1827S is a more cost-effective alternative, for those applications that do not require power-good and shutdown.

"Today's newer, smaller geometry-based processors require higher output currents and lower core voltages than the previous generation of processors," said Keith Pazul, Senior Product Marketing Manager with Microchip's Analog and Interface Products Division. "These newer, more powerful processors must also operate in less space, and therefore require small, thermally efficient embedded components with superior power dissipation. With support for output currents up to 1.5A, output voltages down to 0.8V and their unique combination of features and package options, the MCP1827 and MCP1827S LDOs meet these requirements."

Applications for the MCP1827 and MCP1827S LDOs include high-performance embedded processors, controllers and next-generation logic cores such as those found in: computer applications (PC motherboards, add-in cards, graphics-processor cards); consumer applications (game consoles, liquid crystal display projection devices, high-end television devices, digital set-top boxes); as well as industrial and power-supply applications (switch-mode power supply post-regulators and automated control).

Samples of the MCP1827 and MCP1827S LDOs are available today. The MCP1827 is available in 5-pin DDPAK and TO-220 packages, at $1.09 each for the fixed-output-voltage version, and $1.17 each for the adjustable-output-voltage version – both in 10,000-unit quantities. The smaller, more cost-conscious MCP1827S LDO comes in 3-pin DDPAK and TO-220 packages for $1.00 each in 10,000-unit quantities.