The Analog Devices LTC7821 step-down controllers, available now, operate over a wide input voltage range of 10 V to 72 V and can produce an output voltage from 0.9 V to 33.5 V. In a typical 48 V – 12 V, 20 A application, engineers can attain an efficiency of 97 percent with the LTC7821 switching at 500 kHz—three times higher switching frequency than traditional step-down solutions.

The devices’ higher switching frequencies enable the use of smaller inductances, leading to faster transient response and smaller solution size, while the soft-switched front end delivers low EMI and reduced MOSFET stress. Boasting extensive protection features, the LTC7821 controllers pre-balance capacitors during startup to prevent the inrush current associated with traditional switched capacitor circuits. The controllers’ sense resistor offers overcurrent protection, while system voltage, current and temperature are monitored for faults.

Featuring a proprietary architecture that combines a soft-switching charge pump topology with a synchronous step-down converter, the LTC7821 controllers provide superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) performance and efficiency when compared with traditional switching architectures. Operable over an input voltage range of 10 V to 72 V, the LTC7821 controllers can generate an output voltage range of 0.9 V to 33.5 V with ±1 percent accuracy.

The LTC7821 controllers’ powerful 1-Ohm N-channel MOSFET gate drivers maximize efficiency and can drive multiple MOSFETs in parallel for higher power applications. With its current mode control architecture, multiple LTC7821 devices can be operated in a parallel, multiphase configuration with excellent current sharing to enable much higher power applications. The LTC7821 step-down controllers are suitable for next-generation non-isolated intermediate bus applications in datacom and telecom. The controllers are also ideal for high current distributed power systems and emerging 48 V automotive systems.