Dual, High-Efficiency, Step-Down
Controller with High Impedance in Shutdown
∆i = VBATT - VOUT
∆t
L
IPEAK
ILOAD = IPEAK / 2
IPEAK
ILOAD
ILIMIT
0 ON-TIME
TIME
Figure 4. Pulse-Skipping/Discontinuous Crossover Point
circuit to work properly. Otherwise, the sense circuitry
in the MAX8743 interprets the MOSFET gate as “off”
while there is actually still charge left on the gate. Use
very short, wide traces measuring 10 to 20 squares (50
to 100 mils wide if the MOSFET is 1in from the
MAX8743).
The dead time at the other edge (DH turning off) is
determined by a fixed 35ns (typ) internal delay.
The internal pulldown transistor that drives DL low is
robust, with a 0.5Ω typical on-resistance. This helps
prevent DL from being pulled up during the fast rise
time of the inductor node, due to capacitive coupling
from the drain to the gate of the low-side synchronous-
rectifier MOSFET. However, for high-current applica-
tions, some combinations of high- and low-side FETs
might be encountered that will cause excessive gate-
drain coupling, which can lead to efficiency-killing,
EMI-producing shoot-through currents. This is often
remedied by adding a resistor in series with BST, which
increases the turn-on time of the high-side FET without
degrading the turn-off time (Figure 6).
0
TIME
Figure 5. ‘‘Valley’’ Current-Limit Threshold Point
MAX8743
+5V
VIN
BST
5Ω
DH
LX
Figure 6. Reducing the Switching-Node Rise Time
POR, UVLO, and Soft-Start
Power-on reset (POR) occurs when VCC rises above
approximately 2V, resetting the fault latch and prepar-
ing the PWM for operation. Below 4.05V (min), the VCC
undervoltage-lockout (UVLO) circuitry inhibits switching
by keeping DH and DL low.
Soft-start allows a gradual increase of the internal cur-
rent-limit level during startup to reduce the input surge
currents. When ON1 or ON2 goes high, the respective
digital soft-start timer begins to ramp up the maximum
allowed current limit in five steps. During the first step,
the controller limits the current limit to only 20% of the full
current limit. The current limit is increased by 20% every
425µs. 100% current limit is available after 1.7ms ±50%.
A continuously adjustable analog soft-start function can
be realized by adding a capacitor in parallel with the
ILIM external resistor-divider network. This soft-start
method requires a minimum interval between power-
down and power-up to discharge the capacitor.
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