19 March 20, 2009
FN6641.0
average current. It sources 15µA offset current plus the
average current of both channels in multiphase mode or
Channel 1’s current in independent mode. The share bus
(ISHARE pins connected together) voltage (VISHARE) set by
an external resistor (RISHARE) represents the average
current level of all active channel(s). The ISHARE bus
voltage compares with each reference voltage set by each
RISET and generates current share error signal for current
correction block of each cascaded controller. The share bus
impedance RISHARE should be set as RISET/NCTRL (RISET
divided by number of active current sharing controllers).
There is a 1.2V threshold for average overcurrent protection
on this pin. VISHARE is compare d wi t h a 1. 2V threshold for
average overcurrent protections. For full-scale current,
RISHARE should be 1.2V/123µA = ~10kΩ. Typically 10kΩ is
used for RSHARE and RSET.
CLKOUT/REFIN (Pin 7)
This pin has a dual function depending on the mode in which
the chip is operating. It provides a clock signal to
synchronize with other ISL8120(s) with its VSEN2- pulled
within 700mV of VCC for multiphase (3-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, or
12-phase) operation. When the VSEN2- pin is not within
700mV of VCC, ISL8120 is in dual mode (dual independent
PWM output). The clockout signal of this pin is not available
in this mode, but the ISL8120 can be synchronized to
external clock. In dual mode, this pin works as th e following
two functions:
1. An external reference (0.6V target only) can be in place
of the Channel 2’s internal reference through this pin for
DDR/tracking applications (see “Internal Reference and
System Accuracy” on pag e 33).
2. The ISL8120 operates as a dual-PWM controller for two
independent regulators with selectable phase degree
shift, which is programmed by the voltage level on REFIN
(see “DDR and Dual Mode Operation” on page 32).
FB1, FB2 (Pins 32, 10)
These pins are the inverting inp uts of the error amplifiers.
These pins should be connected to VMON1, 2 with the
compensation feedback network. No direct connection
between FB and VMON pins is allowed. With VSEN2- pulled
within 700mV of VCC, the corresponding error amplifier is
disabled and the amplifier’s output is high impedance. FB2 is
one of the two pins to determine the relati ve phase
relationship between the internal clock of both channels and
the CLKOUT signal. See “DDR and Dual Mode Operation”
on page 32.
COMP1, COMP2 (Pins 1, 9)
These pins are the error amplifier outputs. They should be
connected to FB1, FB2 pins through desired compensation
networks when both channels are operating independently.
When VSEN1-, VSEN2- are pulled within 700mV of VCC,
the corresponding error amplifier is disabled and its output
(COMP pin) is high impedance. Thus, in multiphase
operations, all other SLAVE phases ’ COMP pins can tie to
the MASTER phase’s COMP1 pin (1st phase), which
modulates each phase’s PWM pulse with a single voltage
feedback loop. While the error amplifi er is no t disabled, an
independent compensation network is required for each
cascaded IC.
VSEN1+, VSEN2+ (Pins 29, 13)
These pins are the positive inputs of the standard unity gain
operational amplifier for differential remote sense for the
corresponding channel (Channels 1 and 2), and should be
connected to the positive rail of the load/processor. Th ese
pins can also provide precisio n output voltage trimming
capability by pulling a resistor from this pin to the positive rail
of the load (trimming down) or the return (typical VSEN1-,
VSEN2- pins) of the load (trimming up). The typical input
impedance of VSEN+ with respect to VSEN- is 500kΩ. By
setting the resistor divider connected from the output voltage
to the input of th e differentia l amplifier, the desired output
voltage can be programmed. To minimize the system
accuracy error introduced by the input impe dance of the
differential amplifier, a resistor below 1k is recommended to
be used for the lower leg (ROS) of the feedba ck resistor
divider.
With VSEN2- pulled within 700mV of VCC, the
corresponding error amplifier is disabled and VSEN2+ is one
of the two pins to determine th e relative phase relationship
between the internal clock of both channels and the
CLKOUT signal. See “DDR and Dual Mode Operation” on
page 32 for details.
VSEN1-, VSEN2- (Pins 30, 12)
These pins are the negative inputs of standard unity gain
operational amplifier for differential remote sense for the
corresponding regulator (Channels 1and 2), and should be
connected to the negative rail of the load/processor.
When VSEN1-, VSEN2- are pulled within 700mV of VCC,
the corresponding error amplifier and differential amplifier
are disabled and their outputs are high impedance. Both
VSEN2+ and FB2 input signal levels determine the relative
phases between the internal controllers as well as the
CLKOUT signal. See “DDR and Dual Mode Operation” on
page 32 for details.
When configured as multiple power modules (each modu le
with independent voltage loop) operating in parallel, in order
to implement the current sharing control, a resistor (100Ω
typ) needs to be inserted between the VSEN1- pin and the
output voltage negative sense point (between VSEN1- and
lower voltage sense resistor), as shown in the “Typical
Application VIII (Multiple Power Modules in Parallel with
Current Sharing Control)” on page 11. This introduces a
correction voltage for the modules with lower load current to
keep the current distribution balanced among modules. The
module with the highest load current will automaticall y
become the master module. The recommended value for the
ISL8120