DocID022166 Rev 3

11/17

LDCL015

Application information

17

7

Application information

7.1

General operation

The main feature of the LDCL015 is its capability to operate with or without input and output

capacitors. To achieve this goal, the LDO architecture is based on a robust operational

amplifier which has sufficient phase margin over all positions of the output capacitor pole.

The LDCL015 can operate with a 100 nF output capacitor, but also without an output

capacitor, showing in both configurations good supply voltage rejection, stability and

dynamic performance.

7.2

Thermal and short-circuit protection

The LDCL015 is self-protected from short-circuit condition and overtemperature. When the

output load is higher than that supported by the device, the output current is increased until

the limit of 220 mA (typ) is reached, at which point the current is kept constant even when

the load impedance is zero.

Thermal protection acts when the junction temperature reaches 170 °C. At this point the IC

is completely shut down. As soon as the junction temperature falls back below 150 °C, the

device begins operating again.

To calculate the maximum power that the device can dissipate while keeping the junction

Equation 1

7.3

Output voltage setting for ADJ version

In the adjustable version, the output voltage can be set from 0.8 V up to the input voltage,

minus the voltage drop across the pass transistor (dropout voltage), by connecting a resistor

divider between the ADJ pin and the output, thus allowing remote voltage sensing.

The resistor divider should be selected using the following equation:

Equation 2

It is recommended to use resistors with values in the range of 10 k

Ω to 50 kΩ. Lower values

can also be suitable, but will increase current consumption.

7.4

Enable pin

The LDCL015 features an enable function. When the EN voltage is higher than 2 V, the

device is ON; if it is lower than 0.8 V, the device is OFF.

In shutdown mode, the current consumption is lower than 1 µA.

The EN pin does not have an internal pull-up, which means that it cannot be left floating if it

is not used.