FAN4860
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13
FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION
Circuit Description
The FAN4860 is a synchronous boost regulator, typically
operating at 3 MHz in Continuous Conduction Mode
(CCM), which occurs at moderate to heavy load current and
low VIN voltages.
At light−load currents, the converter switches
automatically to power−saving PFM Mode. The regulator
automatically and smoothly transitions between
quasi−fixed−frequency continuous conduction PWM Mode
and variable−frequency PFM Mode to maintain the highest
possible efficiency over the full range of load current and
input voltage.
PWM Mode Regulation
The FAN4860 uses a minimum on−time and computed
minimum off−time to regulate VOUT. The regulator achieves
excellent transient response by employing current mode
modulation. This technique causes the regulator output to
exhibit a load line. During PWM Mode, the output voltage
drops slightly as the input current rises. With a constant VIN,
this appears as a constant output resistance.
The “droop” caused by the output resistance when a load
is applied allows the regulator to respond smoothly to load
transients with negligible overshoot.
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5
Output Resistance (mA)
Input Voltage (V)
5.0
Figure 45. Output Resistance (ROUT)
3.3
5.0
VOUT
VOUT
When the regulator is in PWM CCM Mode and the target
VOUT = 5.05 V, VOUT is a function of ILOAD and can be
computed as:
VOUT +5.05 *ROUT ILOAD (eq. 1)
For example, at VIN = 3.3 V, and ILOAD = 200 mA, VOUT
drops to:
VOUT +5.05 *0.38 0.2 +4.974 V (eq. 2)
At VIN = 2.3 V, and ILOAD = 200 mA, VOUT drops to:
VOUT +5.05 *0.68 0.2 +4.914 V (eq. 3)
PFM Mode
If VOUT > VREF when the minimum off−time has ended,
the regulator enters PFM Mode. Boost pulses are inhibited
until VOUT < VREF. The minimum on−time is increased to
enable the output to pump up sufficiently with each PFM
boost pulse. Therefore, the regulator behaves like a constant
on−time regulator, with the bottom of its output voltage
ripple at 5.05 V in PFM Mode.
Table 7. OPERATING STATES
Mode Description Invoked When:
LIN Linear Startup VIN > VOUT
SS Boost Soft−Start VOUT < VREG
BST Boost Operating
Mode VOUT = VREG
Shutdown and Startup
If EN is LOW, all bias circuits are off and the regulator is
in Shutdown Mode. During shutdown, true load disconnect
between battery and load prevents current flow from VIN to
VOUT, as well as reverse flow from VOUT to VIN.
LIN State
When EN rises, if VIN > UVLO, the regulator first
attempts to bring VOUT within about 1V of VIN by using the
internal fixed current source from VIN (ILIN1). The current
is limited to about 630 mA during LIN1 Mode.
If VOUT reaches VIN−1V during LIN1 Mode, the SS state
is initiated. Otherwise, LIN1 times out after 16 clock counts
and the LIN2 Mode is entered.
In LIN2 Mode, the current source is incremented to
850 mA. If VOUT fails to reach VIN−1 V after 64 clock
counts, a fault condition is declared.
SS State
Upon the successful completion of the LIN state (VOUT >
VIN − 1 V), the regulator begins switching with boost pulses
current limited to about 50% of nominal level, incrementing
to full scale over a period of 32 clock counts.
If the output fails to achieve 90% of its set point within 96
clock counts at full−scale current limit, a fault condition is
declared.
BST State
This is the normal operating mode of the regulator. The
regulator uses a minimum tOFF−minimum tON modulation
scheme. Minimum tOFF is proportional to VIN / VOUT,
which keeps the regulator’s switching frequency reasonably
constant in CCM. tON(MIN) is proportional to VIN and is
higher if the inductor current reaches 0 before tOFF(MIN)
during the prior cycle.
To ensure that VOUT does not pump significantly above
the regulation point, the boost switch remains off as long as
FB > VREF.