Ultra-low-power LDO linear voltage regulator boasts quiescent current (IQ) of sub-25 nA

Texas Instruments introduced an ultra-low-power low-dropout (LDO) linear voltage regulator with the industry’s lowest quiescent current (I_Q) of sub-25 nA – one-tenth that of competing ultra-small devices. The new regulator features low I_Q control at light loads even in dropout conditions, allowing engineers to at least double the battery life of their applications. In addition, it provides best-in-class transient response for faster wake-up, improving application response times and dynamic performance. The small solution footprint helps engineers design smaller, lighter, more efficient products quickly by reducing power-supply solution size, and its common industry packages allow for pin-to-pin drop-in replacement in existing designs.

The TPS7A02 helps engineers solve critical design challenges in many power-sensitive, high-precision and low-power applications such as in the grid infrastructure, building automation, medical equipment and wearables markets.

The device joins TI’s portfolio of low-I_Q LDO linear regulators that enable designers to prolong system life. By implementing the TPS7A02 with other ultra-low I_Q devices – such as TI’s family of ultra-low-power MSP430 microcontrollers (MCUs), the SimpleLink CC2642R MCU, the TLV8802 nanopower operational amplifier or the TMP1075 low-power temperature sensor – engineers can further optimize battery life and performance in their systems.

Key features and benefits :

• Extended application run times, longer system lifetime: The TPS7A02’s ultra-low I_Q control at light loads allows engineers to at least double the battery life for applications using a standard battery chemistry, such as lithium-ion. For example, using the TPS7A02 in wireless video doorbell and security camera designs, engineers can achieve 24 months or more of battery life (up to four times the industry standard). In addition, the TPS7A02’s ultra-low shutdown I_Q of 3 nA can extend battery shelf life by as much as five times in portable medical and wearable applications compared to competing devices.
• Faster wake-up, better dynamic performance: The TPS7A02 can settle in less than 5 us for 1-to-50-mA load transients – half the time of competing devices – enabling engineers to design applications with shorter response times and better dynamic performance. With the ability to quickly respond to rapidly changing loads while providing minimal variation in output voltage, the TPS7A02 can benefit high-precision, low-power applications such as wireless Internet of Things (IoT) and portable medical devices, which require clean power to accurately acquire signals from around the body.
• Smaller solution footprint, faster time to market: The TPS7A02 automatically transitions from an I_Q-saving, low-load state to a high-load, fast-transient state without the need for any external circuitry or components. As a result, engineers can use the TPS7A02 to shrink the solution size by 70%, adding more functionality to their designs in space-constrained applications or lowering system cost by using smaller boards.

Pre-production samples of the TPS7A02 are now available through the TI store in a 4-pin small outline no-lead (X2SON) package measuring 1 mm by 1 mm. A 5-pin small outline transistor (SOT-23) package measuring 2.9 mm by 1.6 mm will become available later this year. In addition, a 4-pin die-size ball grid array (DSBGA) package measuring 0.65 mm by 0.65 mm will become available in early 2020. Pricing starts at US$0.49 in 1,000-unit quantities. The universal LDO linear voltage regulator evaluation module, MULTIPKGLDOEVM-823, is available for US$20.