11.1 Layout Guidelines
Consider the following points before starting the layout design.
- The input bypass capacitor for VLDOIN must be placed as close as possible to the pin with short and wide connections.
- The output capacitor for VO must be placed close to the pin with short and wide connection to avoid additional ESR or ESL trace inductance.
- VOSNS must be connected to the positive node of VO output capacitors as a separate trace from the high current power line. This configuration is strongly recommended to avoid additional ESR, ESL, or both. If sensing the voltage at the point of the load is required, TI recommends to attach the output capacitors at that point. Also, it is recommended to minimize any additional ESR, ESL, or both of ground trace between the GND pin and the output capacitors.
- Consider adding low-pass filter at VOSNS if the ESR of the VO output capacitors is larger than 2 mΩ.
- REFIN can be connected separately from VLDOIN. Remember that this sensing potential is the reference voltage of REFOUT. Avoid any noise-generating lines.
- The negative node of the VO output capacitors and the REFOUT capacitor must be tied together by avoiding common impedance to the high current path of the VO source/sink current.
- The GND and PGND pins must be connected to the thermal land underneath the die pad with multiple vias connecting to the internal system ground planes (for better result, use at least two internal ground planes). Use as many vias as possible to reduce the impedance between PGND/GND and the system ground plane. Also, place bulk caps close to the DIMM load point, route the VOSNS to the DIMM load sense point.
- To effectively remove heat from the package, properly prepare the thermal land. Apply solder directly to the thermal pad of the package. The wide traces of the component and the side copper connected to the thermal land pad help to dissipate heat. Numerous vias 0,33 mm in diameter connected from the thermal land to the internal/solder side ground planes must also be used to help dissipation.
- See the TPS51200-EVM User's Guide (SLUU323) for detailed layout recommendations.