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ST2L01
5/14
APPLICATION HINTS
EXTERNAL CAPACITORS
Like any low-dropout regulator, the ST2L01
requires external capacitors for stability. We
suggest to solder both capacitors as close as
possible to the relative pins (1, 2 and 5).
INPUT CAPACITORS
An input capacitor, whose value is at least 1µF, is
required; the amount of the input capacitance can
be increased without limit if a good quality
tantalum or aluminum capacitor is used.
SMS X7R or Y5V ceramic multilayer capacitors
could not ensure stability in any condition because
of their variable characteristics with Frequency
and Temperature; the use of this capacitor is
strictly related to the use of the output capacitors.
For more details read the "OUTPUT CAPACITOR
SECTION".
The input capacitor must be located at a distance
of not more than 0.5" from the input pin of the
device and returned to a clean analog ground.
OUTPUT CAPACITOR
The ST2L01 is designed specifically to work with
Ceramic and Tantalum capacitors.
Special care must be taken when a Ceramic
multilayer capacitor is used.
Special care must be taken when a Ceramic
multilayer capacitor is used.
Due to their characteristics they can sometimes
have an ESR value lower than the minimum
required by the ST2L01 and their relatively large
capacitance can change a lot with the ambient
temperature.
The test results of the ST2L01 stability using
multilayer ceramic capacitors show that a
minimum value of 1µF is needed for the adjustable
regulator (set to 2.5V). This value can be
increased up to 10µF when a tantalum capacitor is
used on the input. A higher value C
O
can have an
ESR lower than the accepted minimum.
When a ceramic capacitor is used on the input the
output capacitance must be in the range from 1µF
to 2.2µFifC
I
=1µF, and from 1µFto4.7µFif
C
I
=2.2µF.
The 3.3V regulator stable with a 470nF capacitor.
This value can be increased up to 10µFifa
tantalum capacitor is used on the input. A higher
value C
O
canhaveanESRlowerthanthe
accepted minimum.
When a ceramic capacitor is used in the input the
output capacitance must be in the range from 1µF
to 2.2µFifC
I
=1µF, and from 1µFto4.7µFif
C
I
=2.2µF.
Surface-mountable solid tantalum capacitors offer
a good combination of small physical size for the
capacitance value and ESR in the range needed
by the ST2L01. The test results show good
stability for both outputs with values of at least
1µF. The value can be increased without limit for
even better performance such a transient
response and noise.
IMPORTANT; The output capacitor must maintain
its ESR in the stable region over the full operating
temperature to assure stability. Also, capacitor
tolerance and variation with temperature must be
considered to assure that the minimum amount of
capacitance is provided at all times. For this
reason, when a ceramic multilayer capacitor is
used, the better choice for temperature coefficient
is the X7R type, which holds the capacitance
within ±15%. The output capacitor should be
located not more than 0.5" from the output pins of
the device and returned to a clean analog ground.
ADJUSTABLE REGULATOR
The ST2L01 has a 1.25V reference voltage
between the output and the adjustable pins
(respectively pin 4 and 2). When a resistor R2 is
placed between these two terminals a constant
current flows through R2 and down to R1 to set
the overall (V
O2
to GND) output voltage.
Minimum load current is 1mA.
I
ADJ
is very small (typically 35µA) and constant; in
the V
O
calculation it can be ignored.