12.1.1 PCB Layout Recommendation
When laying out the PCB, use the following guidelines to ensure proper operation of the IC. These items are also shown in the layout diagram of Figure 58.
- There are several signals paths that conduct fast changing currents or voltages that can interact with stray inductance or parasitic capacitance to generate noise or degrade the power supply's performance. To help eliminate these problems, the VIN pin should be bypassed to ground with a low-ESR ceramic bypass capacitor with X5R or X7R dielectric. This capacitor provides the ac current into the internal power MOSFETs. Connect the (+) terminal of the input capacitor as close as possible to the VIN pin, and connect the (–) terminal of the input capacitor as close as possible to the PGND pin. Take care to minimize the loop area formed by the bypass capacitor connections, the VIN pins, and the power ground PGND connections.
- Because the LX connection is the switching node, the output inductor should be located close to the LX pin, and the area of the PCB conductor minimized to prevent excessive capacitive coupling. Keep the switching node, LX, away from all sensitive small-signal nodes.
- Connect V7V decoupling capacitor connected close to the IC, between the V7V and the power ground PGND pin. This capacitor carries the MOSFET drivers’ current peaks.
- Place the output filter capacitor of buck converter close to SW_IN pins. Try to minimize the ground conductor length while maintaining adequate width.
- AGND pin should be separately routed to the (–) terminal of V7V bypass capacitor to avoid switching grounding path. TI recommends a ground plane connecting to this ground path.
- The compensation should be as close as possible to the COMP pins. The COMP and ROSC pins are sensitive to noise, so the components associated to these pins should be located as close as possible to the IC and routed with minimal lengths of trace. Flood all unused areas on all layers with copper. Flooding with copper reduces the temperature rise of power components. You can connect the copper areas to PGND, AGND, VIN, or any other dc rail in the system.
- There is no electric signal internally connected to thermal pad in the device. Nevertheless, connect exposed pad beneath the IC to ground. Always solder thermal pad to the board and have as many vias as possible on the PCB to enhance power dissipation.