Datasheet

VIN
GND
V
IN
V
O
C
in1
C
O1
Loop 1
Loop 2
VOUT
High
di/dt
LMZ23603
www.ti.com SNVS711I –MARCH 2011–REVISED OCTOBER 2013
PC BOARD LAYOUT GUIDELINES
PC board layout is an important part of DC-DC converter design. Poor board layout can disrupt the performance
of a DC-DC converter and surrounding circuitry by contributing to EMI, ground bounce and resistive voltage drop
in the traces. These can send erroneous signals to the DC-DC converter resulting in poor regulation or instability.
Good layout can be implemented by following a few simple design rules.
Figure 53.
1. Minimize area of switched current loops.
From an EMI reduction standpoint, it is imperative to minimize the high di/dt paths during PC board layout as
shown in Figure 53. The high current loops that do not overlap have high di/dt content that will cause
observable high frequency noise on the output pin if the input capacitor (Cin1) is placed at a distance away
from the LMZ23603. Therefore place C
IN1
as close as possible to the LMZ23603 VIN and PGND exposed
pad. This will minimize the high di/dt area and reduce radiated EMI. Additionally, grounding for both the input
and output capacitor should consist of a localized top side plane that connects to the PGND exposed pad
(EP).
2. Have a single point ground.
The ground connections for the feedback, soft-start, and enable components should be routed to the AGND
pin of the device. This prevents any switched or load currents from flowing in the analog ground traces. If not
properly handled, poor grounding can result in degraded load regulation or erratic output voltage ripple
behavior. Additionally provide the single point ground connection from pin 4 (AGND) to EP/PGND.
3. Minimize trace length to the FB pin.
Both feedback resistors, R
FBT
and R
FBB
should be located close to the FB pin. Since the FB node is high
impedance, maintain the copper area as small as possible. The traces from R
FBT
, R
FBB
should be routed
away from the body of the LMZ23603 to minimize possible noise pickup.
4. Make input and output bus connections as wide as possible.
This reduces any voltage drops on the input or output of the converter and maximizes efficiency. To optimize
voltage accuracy at the load, ensure that a separate feedback voltage sense trace is made to the load. Doing
so will correct for voltage drops and provide optimum output accuracy.
5. Provide adequate device heat-sinking.
Use an array of heat-sinking vias to connect the exposed pad to the ground plane on the bottom PCB layer.
If the PCB has a plurality of copper layers, these thermal vias can also be employed to make connection to
inner layer heat-spreading ground planes. For best results use a 6 x 10 via array with minimum via diameter
of 8mils thermal vias spaced 59mils (1.5 mm). Ensure enough copper area is used for heat-sinking to keep
the junction temperature below 125°C.
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