
Microsemi 
Linfinity Microelectronics Division 
11861 Western Avenue, Garden Grove, CA. 92841, 714-898-8121, Fax: 714-893-2570 
Page 7
Copyright 
 2000 
Rev. 2.1d, 2001-03-15 
W
M
.
LX8384x-xx
5A Low Dropout Positive Regulators 
P
RODUCTION
A  M I C R O S E M I  C O M P A N Y
LOAD REGULATION (continued) 
Even when the circuit is configured optimally, parasitic 
resistance can be a significant source of error. A 100 mil. wide 
PC trace built from 1 oz. copper-clad circuit board material has a 
parasitic resistance of about 5 milliohms per inch of its length at 
room temperature. If a 3-terminal regulator used to supply 2.50 
volts is connected by 2 inches of this trace to a load which draws 
5 amps of current, a 50 millivolt drop will appear between the 
regulator and the load. Even when the regulator output voltage is 
precisely 2.50 volts, the load will only see 2.45 volts, which is a 
2% error. It is important to keep the connection between the 
regulator output pin and the load as short as possible, and to use 
wide traces or heavy-gauge wire.  
The minimum specified output capacitance for the regulator 
should be located near the regulator package. If several capacitors 
are used in parallel to construct the power system output 
capacitance, any capacitors beyond the minimum needed to meet 
the specified requirements of the regulator should be located near 
the sections of the load that require rapidly-changing amounts of 
current. Placing capacitors near the sources of load transients will 
help ensure that power system transient response is not impaired 
by the effects of trace impedance. 
To maintain good load regulation, wide traces should be used 
on the input side of the regulator, especially between the input 
capacitors and the regulator. Input capacitor ESR must be small 
enough that the voltage at the input pin does not drop below  
V
IN(MIN)
 during transients.  
V
V
+
=
X)
DROPOUT(MA
V
OUT
where: V
IN(MIN)
V
OUT
V
DROPOUT(MAX)
  the specified dropout voltage for the 
 installed regulator. 
THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS 
The LX8384/84A/84B regulators have internal power and 
thermal limiting circuitry designed to protect each device under 
overload conditions. For continuous normal load conditions, 
however, maximum junction temperature ratings must not be 
exceeded. It is important to give careful consideration to all 
sources of thermal resistance from junction to ambient. This 
includes junction to case, case to heat sink interface, and heat 
sink thermal resistance itself.  
Junction-to-case thermal resistance is specified from the IC 
junction to the back surface of the case directly opposite the die. 
This is the lowest resistance path for heat flow. Proper mounting 
is required to ensure the best possible thermal flow from this area 
of the package to the heat sink. Thermal compound at the case to 
heat sink interface is strongly recommended. If the case of the 
device must be electrically isolated, a thermally conductive 
spacer can be used, as long as its added contribution to thermal 
resistance is considered. Note that the case of all devices in this 
series is electrically connected to the output.  
 the lowest allowable instantaneous 
 voltage at the input pin. 
 the designed output voltage for the 
 power supply system. 
Example 
Given: 
Find:  
Solution: The junction temperature is: 
T
=
P
V
IN
V
OUT
 = 
I
OUT
T
A
R
300 ft/min airflow available 
= 
5V 
2.8V 
5.0A 
50°C 
2.7°C/W for TO-220 
= 
= 
= 
Proper Heat Sink to keep IC’s junction temperature 
below 125°C.** 
A
J
T
)
R
R
(R
+
+
+
D
where: 
P
D
Dissipated power. 
Thermal resistance from the junction to 
the mounting tab of the package. 
Thermal resistance through the 
interface between the IC and the 
surface on which it is mounted. 
(1.0°C/W at 6 in-lbs mounting screw 
torque). 
Thermal resistance from the mounting 
surface to ambient (thermal resistance 
of the heat sink). 
Heat Sink Temperature. 
T
C
T
S
T
A
R
 T 
R
R
T
S
T
J
R
θ
JT
R
θ
CS
R
θ
SA
First, find the maximum allowable thermal resistance of the 
heat sink: 
T
T
R
=
(
)
CS
D
A
J
SA
R
R
P
+
11.0W
5.0A 
2.8V
5.0V
(
=
×
=
=
D
D
P
P
)
I
V
(V
OUT
OUT
IN(MAX)
C/W
°
C/W)
°
1.0
C/W
°
(2.7
5.0A
=
1
*
2.8V)
R
(5.0V
C
50
C
125
+
°
°
=
R
Next, select a suitable heat sink.  The selected heat sink must 
have R
< 3.1°C/W.  Thermalloy heatsink 6296B has R
3.0°C/W with 300ft/min air flow. 
Finally, verify that junction temperature remains within speci-
fication using the selected heat sink: 
1.0
C/W
11W(2.7
=
J
T
 = 
C
124
C
50
C/W)
°
3.0
C/W
°
°
+
+
°
+
°
=
J
T
** Although the device can operate up to 150°C junction, it is recommended for long 
term reliability to keep the junction temperature below 125°C whenever possible. 
A
P
P
L
I
C
A
T
I
O
N
S