JAJSFU6C July 2018 – July 2019 LM5180
ADVANCE INFORMATION for pre-production products; subject to change without notice.
The LM5180 has a flexible and easy-to-use soft-start control pin, SS/BIAS. The soft-start feature prevents inrush current impacting the LM5180 and the input supply when power is first applied. This is achieved by controlling the voltage at the output of the internal error amplifier. Soft start is achieved by slowly ramping up the target regulation voltage when the device is first enabled or powered up. Selectable and adjustable start-up timing options include a 6-ms internally-fixed soft start and an externally-programmable soft start.
The simplest way to use the LM5180 is to leave SS/BIAS open. The LM5180 employs an internal soft-start control ramp and starts up to the regulated output voltage in 6 ms.
However, in applications with a large amount of output capacitance, higher VOUT or other special requirements, the soft-start time can be extended by connecting an external capacitor CSS from SS/BIAS to GND. A longer soft-start time further reduces the supply current needed to charge the output capacitors while sourcing the required load current. When the EN/UVLO voltage exceeds the UVLO rising threshold and a delay of 20 µs expires, an internal current source ISS of 5 µA charges CSS and generates a ramp to control the primary current amplitude. Calculate the soft-start capacitance for a desired soft-start time, tSS, using Equation 12.
CSS is discharged by an internal FET when switching is disabled by EN/UVLO or thermal shutdown.