SLVS351Q September 2002 – June 2025 TPS796
PRODUCTION DATA
Knowing the device power dissipation and proper sizing of the thermal plane that is connected to the tab or pad is critical to avoiding thermal shutdown and ensuring reliable operation.
As a first-order approximation, power dissipation of the device depends on input voltage and load conditions. Use Equation 5 to approximate PD:
Power dissipation can be minimized and greater efficiency can be achieved by using the lowest possible input voltage necessary to achieve the required output voltage regulation.
The main heat conduction path for the device is through the thermal pad on the package or the GND pad for the SOT-223 (DCQ) and TO-263 (KTT) packages. As such, the thermal pad and GND pad must be soldered to a copper pad area under the device. This pad area contains an array of plated vias that conduct heat to any inner plane areas or to a bottom-side copper plane. That tab should be connected to ground.
The maximum power dissipation determines the maximum allowable junction temperature (TJ) for the device. According to Equation 6, power dissipation and junction temperature are most often related by the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (RθJA) of the combined PCB and device package and the temperature of the ambient air (TA). Equation 7 rearranges Equation 6 for output current.
Unfortunately, this thermal resistance (RθJA) is highly dependent on the heat-spreading capability built into the particular PCB design, and therefore varies according to the total copper area, copper weight, and location of the planes. The RθJA recorded in the Recommended Operating Conditions table is determined by the JEDEC standard, PCB, and copper-spreading area, and is only used as a relative measure of package thermal performance.