LTC1871 OPERATION MOSFET RDS(ON). If the ITH pin drops below 0.30V, the When an external clock signal drives the MODE/SYNC Burst Mode comparator B1 will turn off the power MOSFET pin at a rate faster than the chip’s internal oscillator, the and scale back the quiescent current of the IC to 250μA oscillator will synchronize to it. In this synchronized mode, (sleep mode). In this condition, the load current will be Burst Mode operation is disabled. The constant frequency supplied by the output capacitor until the ITH voltage rises associated with synchronized operation provides a more above the 50mV hysteresis of the burst comparator. At controlled noise spectrum from the converter, at the ex- light loads, short bursts of switching (where the average pense of overall system effi ciency of light loads. inductor current is 20% of its maximum value) followed When the oscillator’s internal logic circuitry detects a by long periods of sleep will be observed, thereby greatly synchronizing signal on the MODE/SYNC pin, the in- improving converter effi ciency. Oscilloscope waveforms ternal oscillator ramp is terminated early and the slope illustrating Burst Mode operation are shown in Figure 3. compensation is increased by approximately 30%. As Pulse-Skip Mode Operation a result, in applications requiring synchronization, it is recommended that the nominal operating frequency of With the MODE/SYNC pin tied to a DC voltage above 2V, the IC be programmed to be about 75% of the external Burst Mode operation is disabled. The internal, 0.525V clock frequency. Attempting to synchronize to too high an buffered ITH burst clamp is removed, allowing the ITH external frequency (above 1.3fO) can result in inadequate pin to directly control the current comparator from no slope compensation and possible subharmonic oscillation load to full load. With no load, the ITH pin is driven below (or jitter). 0.30V, the power MOSFET is turned off and sleep mode is invoked. Oscilloscope waveforms illustrating this mode The external clock signal must exceed 2V for at least 25ns, of operation are shown in Figure 4. and should have a maximum duty cycle of 80%, as shown in Figure 5. The MOSFET turn on will synchronize to the rising edge of the external clock signal. VIN = 3.3V MODE/SYNC = 0V VOUT = 5V (Burst Mode OPERATION) IOUT = 500mA VOUT 50mV/DIV 2V TO 7V IL MODE/ 5A/DIV SYNC tMIN = 25ns 0.8T T T = 1/f 10μs/DIV 1871 F03 O Figure 3. LTC1871 Burst Mode Operation GATE D = 40% (MODE/SYNC = 0V) at Low Output Current VIN = 3.3V MODE/SYNC = INTVCC VOUT = 5V (PULSE-SKIP MODE) I I L OUT = 500mA VOUT 50mV/DIV 1871 F05 Figure 5. MODE/SYNC Clock Input and Switching Waveforms for Synchronized Operation IL 5A/DIV 2μs/DIV 1871 F04 Figure 4. LTC1871 Low Output Current Operation with Burst Mode Operation Disabled (MODE/SYNC = INTVCC) 1871fe 10