Layout is a critical portion of good power supply design. See Figure 8-16 for a PCB layout example. Key guidelines to follow for the layout are:
- Make VIN, PGND, and SW traces as wide as possible
to reduce trace impedance and improve heat dissipation. Use vias and traces
on others layers to reduce VIN and PGND trace impedance.
- Use multiple vias near the PGND pins and use the layer directly below the device to connect them together, which helps to minimize noise and can help heat dissipation.
- Use vias near both VIN pins and provide a low impedance connection between them through an internal layer.
- Place a 1-μF/25-V/X6R or better dielectric ceramic capacitors from each VIN to PGND pins and place them as close as possible to the device on the same side of the PCB. Place the remaining ceramic input capacitance next to these high frequency bypass capacitors. The remaining input capacitance can be placed on the other side of the board but use as many vias as possible to minimize impedance between the capacitors and the pins of the IC.
- Place the inductor as close as possible to the device to minimize the length of the SW node routing.
- Place the bottom resistor in the FB divider as close as possible to the FB and GOSNS pins of the IC. Also keep the upper feedback resistor and the feedforward capacitor near the IC. Connect the FB divider to the output voltage at the desired point of regulation.
- Use vias on the AGND islands on top layer to connect to AGND layer island on an internal layer. Connect the internal AGND island to PGND at one point.
- Return the FSEL and MSEL resistors to a quiet AGND island.