The current mode control scheme of the LMR38020 devices allows operation over a wide range of output capacitance. The output capacitor bank is usually limited by the load transient requirements and stability rather than the output voltage ripple. Refer to Table 9-1 for typical output capacitor values for 5-V to 24-V output voltages. For a 5-V output design, TI recommends 3 × 22-µF ceramic output capacitors for this example. For other designs with other output voltages, WEBENCH can be used as a starting point for selecting the value of output capacitor.

In practice, the output capacitor has the most influence on the transient response and loop-phase margin. Load transient testing and bode plots are the best way to validate any given design and must always be completed before the application goes into production. In addition to the required output capacitance, a small ceramic placed on the output can help reduce high-frequency noise. Small-case size ceramic capacitors in the range of 1 nF to 100 nF can be very helpful in reducing spikes on the output caused by inductor and board parasitics.

Limit the maximum value of total output capacitance to approximately 10 times the design value, or 1000 µF, whichever is smaller. Large values of output capacitance can adversely affect the start-up behavior of the regulator as well as the loop stability. If values larger than noted here must be used, then a careful study of start-up at full load and loop stability must be performed.