Datasheet

MAX1997/MAX1998
Quintuple/Triple-Output TFT LCD Power Supplies
with Fault Protection and VCOM Buffer
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Applications Information
PC Board Layout and Grounding
Careful PC board layout is extremely important for
proper operation. Use the following guidelines for good
PC board layout:
1) The high-current loops of the main step-up regula-
tors are shown in Figure 12. Minimize the area of
these loops by placing the input bypass capacitors,
output diode, and output capacitors less than 0.2in
(5mm) from the LX and PGND pins. Connect these
components with traces as wide as possible. Avoid
using vias in the high-current paths. If vias are
unavoidable, use many vias in parallel to reduce
resistance and inductance.
2) Create islands for the analog ground (GND), power
ground (PGND), and linear-regulator ground.
Connect all three ground areas (islands) at only one
location, which is the backside pad of the device.
The REF bypass capacitor and all feedback dividers
should be connected to the analog ground island
(GND). The step-up regulators input and output
capacitors, and the charge-pump components
should be a wide power ground plane. The power
ground plane should be connected to the power
ground pin (PGND) with a wide trace. Maximizing
the width of the power ground traces improves effi-
ciency and reduces output voltage ripple and noise
spikes. All the other ground connections, such as
the IN pin bypass capacitor and the linear-regulator
output capacitors, should be star-connected to the
backside of the device with wide traces. Make no
other connections between these separate ground
planes.
3) Place the IN pin and REF pin bypass capacitors as
close to the device as possible.
4) Place all feedback voltage-divider resistors as
close to their respective feedback pins as possible.
The dividers center trace should be kept short.
Placing the resistors far away causes their FB
traces to become antennas that can pick up switch-
ing noise. Care should be taken to avoid running
any feedback trace parallel to its associated drive
trace or near LX or the switching nodes in the
charge pumps.
5) Minimize the length and maximize the width of the
traces between the output capacitors and the load
for best transient responses.
6) Minimize the size of the LX node while keeping it
wide and short. Keep the LX node away from feed-
back nodes (FB, FBP, and FBN) and analog
ground. Use DC traces as a shield, if necessary.
Large ground planes on a multilayer board can pro-
vide additional shielding.
Refer to the MAX1997 evaluation kit for an example of
proper board layout.
Additional Application Circuits
Operation with Main Output Voltage >13V
The maximum output voltage of the step-up regulator is
13V, which is limited by the absolute maximum rating of
the internal power MOSFET. To achieve higher output
voltage, an external N-channel MOSFET can be cas-
coded with the internal FET (Figure 13). Since the gate
of the external FET is biased from the input supply, use
a logic-level FET to ensure that the FET is fully
enhanced at the minimum input voltage. The current
rating of the FET needs to be higher than the internal
current limit.
Disabling Input MOSFET Switch
If the input protection MOSFET is not needed, disable
the input overcurrent comparator by connecting the
OCP pin to ground, and the OCN pin to REF. Leave the
GATE pin floating (Figure 14).
Figure 14. Disabling Input MOSFET Switch
MAX1997
MAX1998
STEP-UP
REGULATOR
SWITCH
CONTROL
REF
REF
GATE
3.3V TO 5V
OCN
OCP
OCN
GND
PGND
V
P
V
MAIN
+9V
FB
LXIN
V
IN
V
N