Sub-Bandgap, 800 mA LP3878 and LP3879 Provide Low-Noise Regulation in Medical and Measurement Devices, Power Supplies that Drive ASICs, FPGAs and DSPs
National Semiconductor Corporation introduced a family of low-noise linear regulators that provide low-noise regulation in power supplies for noise-sensitive systems. Applications for the adjustable-output LP3878 and fixed-output LP3879 include medical instrumentation, wireless routers and power supplies used in application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and digital signal processors (DSPs).
Key Features of the LP3878/9
The output voltage of the LP3878 is adjustable from 1.0V to 5.5V, while the LP3879 has fixed output options of 1.0V and 1.2V. Both products feature the following specifications:
- 800 mA maximum continuous output current
- Designed for use with low-ESR ceramic capacitors for a lower solution cost compared to tantalum capacitors, as well as reduced high-frequency noise
- Very low typical output noise of 18 uV, which is ideal for noise-sensitive applications
- Sense option that improves load regulation for distant output traces
- Less than 10 uA quiescent current in shutdown, which is important for portable applications
- Over-temperature and over-current protection to protect the regulator and the system application
Pricing and Availability
The LP3878, available now in 8-lead PSOP and LLP® packages, is priced at $0.85 in 1,000-unit quantities. The LP3879, is also available in 8-lead PSOP and LLP packages, is priced at $0.85 in 1,000-unit quantities. Lead-free package options are also available.
