Compact and low-noise LDO regulators maintain battery life for mobile and wearables

Toshiba Electronics Europe GmbH has released the TCR5FM series of 35 LDO regulators to stabilise the DC power line for small devices, such as smartphones and wearables. The LDO regulators help handle the challenge engineers face when designing battery-powered devices to switch from low-power mode to high-speed processing, thereby maximising performance and battery life. This mode switching can inherently destabilise the DC power line, needing LDO regulators with fast load transient response.

The new series improves load transient response from standby by approximately 80% compared to the company's existing TCR3RM series. By quickly detecting output-voltage fluctuations and providing fast feedback, variations in output voltage are decreased, even during sudden load changes. In addition to fast transient response, the series improves noise handling with a high ripple rejection ratio of 91dB (typ.), enabling low-noise voltage outputs. This high performance is achieved by combining a bandgap circuit, a low-pass filter that passes only extremely low frequencies, and a high-speed, low-noise operational amplifier. These combined features make the new LDO regulators appropriate for noise-sensitive applications, such as CMOS sensors and power supplies for high-frequency circuits, thereby assisting DC power line stabilisation.

The TCR5FM series supports a maximum output current of 500mA and an operating temperature range that extends up to +125C. The new series includes 35 products, delivering output voltages from 0.9V to 5V, giving engineers options suited to their specific end applications. Furthermore, the series is housed in a small DFN4D package measuring 1mm x 1mm, ideal for mobile and wearable devices that need high-density mounting.