Micrel, Inc.
MIC4685
Functional Diagram
VIN
IN
Bootstrap
Charger
Enable
Internal
Regulator
R1
R2
⎛
⎜
⎝
⎞
⎟
VOUT = VREF
+1
⎠
⎛ VOUT
⎞
R1= R2
–1
⎟
200kHz
Oscillator
Thermal
Shutdown
Current
Limit
⎜
V
⎝
⎠
REF
VREF = 1.235V
Com-
parator
VOUT
COUT
SW
FB
Driver
Reset
R1
R2
Error
Amp
1.235V
Bandgap
Reference
MIC4685
Figure 1. Adjustable Regulator
A higher feedback voltage increases the error amplifier
output voltage. higher error amplifier voltage
Functional Description
The MIC4685 is a variable duty cycle switch-mode
regulator with an internal power switch. Refer to the
above block diagram.
A
(comparator inverting input) causes the comparator to
detect only the peaks of the sawtooth, reducing the duty
cycle of the comparator output. A lower feedback voltage
increases the duty cycle. The MIC4685 uses a voltage-
mode control architecture.
Supply Voltage
The MIC4685 operates from a +4V to +30V (34V
transient) unregulated input. Highest efficiency operation
is from a supply voltage around +12V. See the efficiency
curves in the “Typical Characteristics” section on page 5.
Output Switching
When the internal switch is ON, an increasing current
flows from the supply VIN, through external storage
inductor L1, to output capacitor COUT and the load.
Energy is stored in the inductor as the current increases
with time.
Enable/Shutdown
The enable (EN) input is TTL compatible. Tie the input
high if unused. A logic-high enables the regulator. A
logic-low shuts down the internal regulator which
reduces the current to typically 150µA when VEN = 0V.
When the internal switch is turned OFF, the collapse of
the magnetic field in L1 forces current to flow through
fast recovery diode D1, charging COUT
.
Feedback
Output Capacitor
In the adjustable version, an external resistive voltage
divider is required from the output voltage to ground,
center tapped to the FB pin. See Table 1 and Table 2 for
recommended resistor values.
External output capacitor COUT provides stabilization and
reduces ripple.
Return Paths
During the ON portion of the cycle, the output capacitor
and load currents return to the supply ground. During the
OFF portion of the cycle, current is being supplied to the
output capacitor and load by storage inductor L1, which
means that D1 is part of the high-current return path.
Duty Cycle Control
A fixed-gain error amplifier compares the feedback
signal with a 1.235V bandgap voltage reference. The
resulting error amplifier output voltage is compared to a
200kHz sawtooth waveform to produce a voltage
controlled variable duty cycle output.
M9999-012610
January 2010
10