
OPERATING
CONSIDERATIONS
PA10 PA10A
GENERAL
Please read the “General Operating Considerations” section,
which covers stability, supplies, heatsinking, mounting, current
limit, SOA interpretation, and specification interpretation. Addi-
tional information can be found in the application notes. For
information on the package outline, heatsinks, and mounting
hardware, consult the “Accessory and Package Mechanical Data”
section of the data book.
SAFE OPERATING AREA (SOA)
The output stage of most power amplifiers has three distinct
limitations:
1. The current handling capability of the transistor geometry and
the wire bonds.
2. The second breakdown effect which occurs whenever the
simultaneous collector current and collector-emitter voltage
exceeds specified limits.
3. The junction temperature of the output transistors.
The SOA curves combine the effect of these limits. For a given
application, the direction and magnitude of the output current
should be calculated or measured and checked against the SOA
curves. This is simple for resistive loads but more complex for
reactive and EMF generating loads. However, the following guide-
lines may save extensive analytical efforts.
1. Capacitive and dynamic* inductive loads up to the following
maximum are safe with the current limits set as specified.
CAPACITIVE LOAD
I
LIM
= 2A
80
μ
F
250
μ
F
500
μ
F
1,200
μ
F
4,000
μ
F
20,000
μ
F
**
INDUCTIVE LOAD
I
LIM
= 2A
55mH
150mH
200mH
250mH
400mH
1,500mH
**
±
V
S
50V
40V
35V
30V
25V
20V
15V
I
LIM
= 5A
75
μ
F
150
μ
F
250
μ
F
500
μ
F
1,600
μ
F
5,000
μ
F
25,000
μ
F
I
LIM
= 5A
7.5mH
11mH
15mH
24mH
38mH
75mH
100mH
*If the inductive load is driven near steady state conditions, allowing the output
voltage to drop more than 8V below the supply rail with I
= 5A or 20V below
the supply rail with I
= 2A while the amplifier is current limiting, the inductor
must be capacitively coupled or the current limit must be lowered to meet SOA
criteria.
**Second breakdown effect imposes no limitation but thermal limitations must
still be observed.
2. The amplifier can handle any EMF generating or reactive load
and short circuits to the supply rail or shorts to common if the
current limits are set as follows at T
C
= 85
°
C:
5.0
3.0
2.0
1.5
1.0
.7
.5
.3
.2
10
15
20
25 30
35 40
50
60
70 80
100
SUPPLY TO OUTPUT DIFFERENTIAL VOLTAGE V –V (V)
O
S
S
SECONDBREAKDOWN
Tc = 25°C
Tc = 85°C
Tc = 125°C
steady state
t=05m
t=1m
t=5m
SHORT TO
±
V
C, L, OR EMF LOAD
.26A
.38A
.49A
.65A
.84A
1.1A
1.4A
SHORT TO
COMMON
.84A
1.1A
1.2A
1.4A
1.7A
2.2A
2.9A
±
V
S
50V
40V
35V
30V
25V
20V
15V
These simplified limits may be exceeded with further analysis using the operat-
ing conditions for a specific application.
CURRENT LIMITING
Refer to Application Note 9, "Current Limiting", for details of both
fixed and foldover current limit operation. Visit the Apex web site
at www.apexmicrotech.com for a copy of the Power Design
spreadsheet (Excel) which plots current limits vs. steady state
SOA. Beware that current limit should be thought of as a +/–20%
function initially and varies about 2:1 over the range of –55
°
C to
125
°
C.
For fixed current limit, leave pin 7 open and use equations 1 and 2.
R
CL
= 0.65/L
CL
I
CL
= 0.65/R
CL
Where:
I
CL
is the current limit in amperes.
R
CL
is the current limit resistor in ohms.
For certain applications, foldover current limit adds a slope to
the current limit which allows more power to be delivered to the
load without violating the SOA. For maximum foldover slope,
ground pin 7 and use equations 3 and 4.
(1)
(2)
0.65 + (Vo * 0.014)
I
CL
=
(3)
R
CL
0.65 + (Vo * 0.014)
R
CL
=
(4)
I
CL
Where:
Vo is the output voltage in volts.
Most designers start with either equation 1 to set R
CL
for the
desired current at 0v out, or with equation 4 to set R
at the
maximum output voltage. Equation 3 should then be used to plot
the resulting foldover limits on the SOA graph. If equation 3 results
in a negative current limit, foldover slope must be reduced. This
can happen when the output voltage is the opposite polarity of the
supply conducting the current.
In applications where a reduced foldover slope is desired, this
can be achieved by adding a resistor (R
) between pin 7 and
ground. Use equations 4 and 5 with this new resistor in the circuit.
0.65 + Vo
*
0.14
10.14 + R
FO
R
CL
I
CL
=
(5)
0.65 + Vo
*
0.14
10.14 + R
FO
R
CL
=
(6)
I
CL
Where:
R
FO
is in K ohms.
This data sheet has been carefully checked and is believed to be reliable, however, no responsibility is assumed for possible inaccuracies or omissions. All specifications are subject to change without notice.
PA10U REV. L MARCH 1999
1999 Apex Microtechnology Corp.