SNVSCU2A August 2024 – August 2024 LM5137-Q1
ADVANCE INFORMATION
Input capacitors are necessary to limit the input ripple voltage to the buck power stage due to switching-frequency AC currents. TI recommends using X7S or X7R dielectric ceramic capacitors to provide low impedance and high RMS current rating over a wide temperature range. To minimize the parasitic inductance in the switching power loop, position the input capacitors as close as possible to the drain of the high-side MOSFET and the source of the low-side MOSFET. Use Equation 15 to calculate the input capacitor RMS current for a single-channel buck regulator.
The highest input capacitor RMS current occurs at D = 0.5, at which point the RMS current rating of the input capacitors is approximately equal to half the output current.
Ideally, the DC component of input current is provided by the input voltage source and the AC component by the input ceramic capacitors. Neglecting inductor ripple current, the input capacitors source current of amplitude (IOUT − IIN) during the D interval and sink IIN during the 1−D interval. Thus, the input capacitors conduct a square-wave current of peak-to-peak amplitude equal to the output current. It follows that the resultant capacitive component of AC ripple voltage is a triangular waveform. Together with the ESR-related ripple component, use Equation 16 to calculate the peak-to-peak ripple voltage amplitude.
Use Equation 17 to calculate the input capacitance required for a particular load current, based on an input voltage ripple specification of ΔVIN.
Place low-ESR ceramic capacitors in parallel with a higher valued bulk capacitance to provide optimized input filtering for the regulator and damping to mitigate the effects of input parasitic inductance resonating with high-Q ceramics. While dependent on switching frequency and load current level, four 10μF, 50V, X7R, ceramic decoupling capacitors are usually sufficient for 12V battery automotive applications. As outlined in Section 8.1.1.5, select the input bulk capacitor equal to three to four times the derated ceramic value and make sure the bulk capacitor is rated for the full operating temperature range.
Of course, a two-channel buck regulator with 180° out-of-phase interleaved switching provides input ripple current cancellation and reduced input capacitor current stress. The previous equations represent valid calculations when one output is disabled and the other output is fully loaded.