PTH04000W
www.ti.com
SLTS247A–JUNE 2005–REVISED JULY 2005
CAPACITOR RECOMMENDATIONS for the PTH04000W WIDE-OUTPUT
ADJUST POWER MODULES
Input Capacitor
The minimum required input capacitor(s) is 47-µF of ceramic capacitance, in either an X5R or X7R temperature
tolerance. The ceramic capacitors should be located within 0.5 inch (1,27 cm) of the regulator's input pins.
Electrolytic capacitors can also be used at the input, but only in addition to the required ceramic capacitance.
The minimum ripple current rating for nonceramic capacitors should be at least 200 mA rms. The ripple current
rating of electrolytic capacitors is a major consideration when they are used at the input.
When specifying regular tantalum capacitors for use at the input, a minimum voltage rating of 2 × (maximum dc
voltage + ac ripple) is highly recommended. This is standard practice to ensure reliability. Polymer-tantalum
capacitors are not affected by this requirement.
For improved ripple reduction on the input bus, additional ceramic capacitors can be used to complement the
minimum requirement.
Output Capacitors (Optional)
For applications with load transients (sudden changes in load current), the regulator response benefits from
additional external output capacitance. The recommended output capacitance of 47 µF allows the module to
meet its transient response specification. A high-quality computer-grade electrolytic capacitor should be
adequate.
Electrolytic capacitors should be located close to the load circuit. These capacitors provide decoupling over the
frequency range, 2 kHz to 150 kHz. Aluminum electrolytic capacitors are suitable for ambient temperatures
above 0°C. For operation below 0°C, tantalum or Os-Con-type capacitors are recommended. When using one or
more nonceramic capacitors, the calculated equivalent ESR should be no lower than 4 mΩ (7 mΩ using the
manufacturer's maximum ESR for a single capacitor). A list of preferred low-ESR type capacitors are identified in
Table 3.
Ceramic Capacitors
Above 150 kHz the performance of aluminum electrolytic capacitors becomes less effective. To further improve
the reflected input ripple current, or the output transient response, multilayer ceramic capacitors must be added.
Ceramic capacitors have low ESR and their resonant frequency is higher than the bandwidth of the regulator.
When placed at the output, their combined ESR is not critical as long as the total value of ceramic capacitance
does not exceed 150 µF. Also, to prevent the formation of local resonances, do not exceed the maximum
number of capacitors specified in the capacitor table.
Tantalum Capacitors
Additional tantalum type capacitors can be used at both the input and output, and are recommended for
applications where the ambient operating temperature can be less than 0°C. The AVX TPS, Sprague
593D/594/595, and Kemet T495/T510/T520 capacitors series are suggested over many other tantalum types due
to their rated surge, power dissipation, and ripple current capability. As a caution, many general-purpose
tantalum capacitors have considerably higher ESR and lower ripple current capability. These capacitors are also
less reliable as they have lower power dissipation capability and surge current ratings. Tantalum capacitors that
do not have a stated ESR or surge current rating are not recommended for power applications. When specifying
Os-Con and polymer-tantalum capacitors for the output, the minimum ESR limit is encountered well before the
maximum capacitance value is reached.
Capacitor Table
The capacitor table, Table 3, identifies the characteristics of capacitors from a number of vendors with
acceptable ESR and ripple current (rms) ratings. The recommended number of capacitors required at both the
input and output buses is identified for each capacitor type. This is not an extensive capacitor list. Capacitors
from other vendors are available with comparable specifications. Those listed are for guidance. The rms rating
and ESR (at 100 kHz) are critical parameters necessary to insure both optimum regulator performance and long
capacitor life.
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