Datasheet

LTM4624
14
4624fb
For more information www.linear.com/LTM4624
APPLICATIONS INFORMATION
3. θ
JCtop
, the thermal resistance from junction to top of
the product case, is determined with nearly all of the
component power dissipation flowing through the top of
the package. As the electrical connections of the typical
µModule regulator are on the bottom of the package, it
is rare for an application to operate such that most of
the heat flows from the junction to the top of the part.
As in the case of θ
JCbottom
, this value may be useful
for comparing packages but the test conditions don’t
generally match the user’s application.
4. θ
JB
, the thermal resistance from junction to the printed
circuit board, is the junction-to-board thermal resistance
where almost all of the heat flows through the bottom
of the µModule package and into the board, and is really
the sum of the θ
JCbottom
and the thermal resistance of
the bottom of the part through the solder joints and
through a portion of the board. The board temperature
is measured a specified distance from the package.
A graphical representation of the aforementioned ther
-
mal resistances is given in Figure 5; blue resistances are
contained within the μModule regulator
, whereas green
resistances are external to the µModule package.
As
a practical matter, it should be clear to the reader that
no individual or sub-group of the four thermal resistance
parameters defined by JESD 51-12 or provided in the
Pin Configuration section replicates or conveys normal
operating conditions of a μModule regulator. For example,
in normal board-mounted applications, never does 100%
of the device’s total power loss (heat) thermally conduct
exclusively through the top or exclusively through bot
-
tom of the µModule package—as the standard defines
for θ
JCtop
and θ
JCbottom
, respectively. In practice, power
loss is thermally dissipated in both directions away from
the package—granted, in the absence of a heat sink and
airflow, a majority of the heat flow is into the board.
Within the LTM4624 be aware there are multiple power
devices and components dissipating power, with a con
-
sequence that the thermal resistances relative to different
junctions of components or die are not exactly linear with
respect to total package power loss. To reconcile this
complication without sacrificing modeling simplicity—
but also, not ignoring practical realities—an approach
has been taken using FEA software modeling along with
laboratory testing in a controlled environment chamber
to reasonably define and correlate the thermal resistance
Figure 5. Graphical Representation of JESD 51-12 Thermal Coefficients
4624 F05
µMODULE DEVICE
JUNCTION-TO-CASE (TOP)
RESISTANCE
JUNCTION-TO-BOARD RESISTANCE
JUNCTION-TO-AMBIENT THERMAL RESISTANCE COMPONENTS
CASE (TOP)-TO-AMBIENT
RESISTANCE
BOARD-TO-AMBIENT
RESISTANCE
JUNCTION-TO-CASE
(BOTTOM) RESISTANCE
JUNCTION AMBIENT
CASE (BOTTOM)-TO-BOARD
RESISTANCE