MIC5207 Micrel, Inc.
March 2005 7 MIC5207
drop across the part. To determine the maximum power
dissipation of the package, use the junction-to-ambient ther-
mal resistance of the device and the following basic equation:
P = T – T
D(max)
J(max) A
JA
θ
TJ(max) is the maximum junction temperature of the die,
125°C, and TA is the ambient operating temperature. θJA is
layout dependent; Table 1 shows examples of junction-to-
ambient thermal resistance for the MIC5207.
Package θθ
θθ
θJA Recommended θθ
θθ
θJA 1" Square θθ
θθ
θJC
Minimum Footprint Copper Clad
SOT-23-5 (M5) 235°C/W 170°C/W 130°C/W
Table 1. SOT-23-5 Thermal Resistance
The actual power dissipation of the regulator circuit can be
determined using the equation:
PD = (VIN – VOUT) IOUT + VIN IGND
Substituting PD(max) for PD and solving for the operating
conditions that are critical to the application will give the
maximum operating conditions for the regulator circuit. For
example, when operating the MIC5207-3.3BM5 at room
temperature with a minimum footprint layout, the maximum
input voltage for a set output current can be determined as
follows:
P125C 25C
235
D(max) =−
P425mW
D(max) =
The junction-to-ambient thermal resistance for the minimum
footprint is 220°C/W, from Table 1. The maximum power
dissipation must not be exceeded for proper operation. Using
the output voltage of 3.3V and an output current of 150mA,
the maximum input voltage can be determined. From the
Electrical Characteristics table, the maximum ground current
for 150mA output current is 3000µA or 3mA.
455mW = (VIN – 3.3V) 150mA + VIN·3mA
455mW = VIN·150mA – 495mW + VIN·3mA
920mW = VIN·153mA
VIN(max) = 6.01V
Therefore, a 3.3V application at 150mA of output current can
accept a maximum input voltage of 6V in a SOT-23-5 pack-
age. For a full discussion of heat sinking and thermal effects
on voltage regulators, refer to the Regulator Thermals sec-
tion of Micrel’s Designing with Low-Dropout Voltage Regula-
tors handbook.
Low-Voltage Operation
The MIC5207-1.8 and MIC5207-2.5 require special consid-
eration when used in voltage-sensitive systems. They may
momentarily overshoot their nominal output voltages unless
appropriate output and bypass capacitor values are chosen.
During regulator power up, the pass transistor is fully satu-
rated for a short time, while the error amplifier and voltage
reference are being powered up more slowly from the output
Applications Information
Enable/Shutdown
Forcing EN (enable/shutdown) high (> 2V) enables the regu-
lator. EN is compatible with CMOS logic gates.
If the enable/shutdown feature is not required, connect EN
(pin 3) to IN (supply input, pin 1). See Figure 1.
Input Capacitor
A 1µF capacitor should be placed from IN to GND if there is
more than 10 inches of wire between the input and the ac filter
capacitor or if a battery is used as the input.
Reference Bypass Capacitor
BYP (reference bypass) is connected to the internal voltage
reference. A 470pF capacitor (CBYP) connected from BYP to
GND quiets this reference, providing a significant reduction in
output noise. CBYP reduces the regulator phase margin;
when using CBYP, output capacitors of 2.2µF or greater are
generally required to maintain stability.
The start-up speed of the MIC5207 is inversely proportional
to the size of the reference bypass capacitor. Applications
requiring a slow ramp-up of output voltage should consider
larger values of CBYP. Likewise, if rapid turn-on is necessary,
consider omitting CBYP.
If output noise is not a major concern, omit CBYP and leave
BYP open.
Output Capacitor
An output capacitor is required between OUT and GND to
prevent oscillation. The minimum size of the output capacitor
is dependent upon whether a reference bypass capacitor is
used. 1.0µF minimum is recommended when CBYP is not
used (see Figure 2). 2.2µF minimum is recommended when
CBYP is 470pF (see Figure 1). Larger values improve the
regulator’s transient response. The output capacitor value
may be increased without limit.
The output capacitor should have an ESR (effective series
resistance) of about 5Ω or less and a resonant frequency
above 1MHz. Ultra-low-ESR capacitors can cause a low
amplitude oscillation on the output and/or underdamped
transient response. Most tantalum or aluminum electrolytic
capacitors are adequate; film types will work, but are more
expensive. Since many aluminum electrolytics have electro-
lytes that freeze at about –30°C, solid tantalums are recom-
mended for operation below –25°C.
At lower values of output current, less output capacitance is
required for output stability. The capacitor can be reduced to
0.47µF for current below 10mA or 0.33µF for currents below
1mA.
No-Load Stability
The MIC5207 will remain stable and in regulation with no load
(other than the internal voltage divider) unlike many other
voltage regulators. This is especially important in CMOS
RAM keep-alive applications.
Thermal Considerations
The MIC5207 is designed to provide 180mA of continuous
current in a very small package. Maximum power dissipation
can be calculated based on the output current and the voltage