Evaluates: MAX8506/MAX8507/MAX8508
Quick Start
The MAX8506 EV kit is a fully assembled and tested
surface-mount board. Follow the steps below for board
operation. Do not turn on the power supply until all
connections are completed:
1) Verify that a shunt is connected across pins 1 and 2
of jumper JU1 (output enabled).
2) Verify that a shunt is connected across pins 2 and 3
of jumper JU2 (high-power bypass mode disabled).
3) Verify that a shunt is connected across pins 1 and 2
of jumper JU3 (PWM mode enabled).
4) Connect a voltmeter across the VOUT and the GND
pads to monitor the output voltage.
5) Connect a 2.6V to 5.5V power supply to the VIN
pad. Connect the power-supply ground terminal to
the GND pad.
6) Connect a 1V power supply to the REFIN pad.
Connect the power-supply ground terminal to the
GND pad.
7) Turn on the power supplies and verify that the out-
put voltage is 1.76V.
Detailed Description
The MAX8506 EV kit circuit board demonstrates the
MAX8506 1MHz, PWM, step-down DC-DC converter
circuit that is optimized to power the PA in wireless
applications. The EV kit requires a power supply in the
2.6V to 5.5V range, and has an output voltage dynami-
cally controlled by REFIN. The EV kit board features
jumpers that enable the user to configure the shutdown,
SKIP/PWM, and high-power (HP) bypass modes.
Shutdown Mode
The EV kit contains jumper JU1 to allow the user to
switch the MAX8506 converter from enable to shutdown
mode. Shutdown mode reduces the supply current to
0.1µA (typ) and sets the output voltage to 0V. See
Table 1 for JU1 configurations.
High-Power Bypass Mode
Jumper JU2 allows the user to enable or disable the
high-power bypass mode of the MAX8506 converter.
When the high-power mode is enabled, the converter
stops regulating the output voltage and the output volt-
age, VOUT
,
is equal to the input voltage, VIN
.
When the
high-power mode is disabled, the converter regulates
the output voltage to the programmed voltage. See
Table 2 for JU2 configuration. Removing the shunt on
jumper JU2 and applying a CMOS logic-level signal to
the HP pad on the EV kit board can also control the
high-power bypass mode.
Skip/PWM Mode
Installing a shunt across pins 2 and 3 of jumper JU3
enables skip-mode operation. This allows automatic
PWM control at medium and heavy current loads, and
skip mode at light current loads to improve efficiency
and reduce quiescent current. Installing a shunt across
pins 1 and 2 of JU3 enables forced-PWM operation.
Forced-PWM operation is desirable in sensitive RF and
data-acquisition applications to ensure that switching
harmonics do not interfere with sensitive IF and data-
MAX8506 Evaluation Kit
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Note: Please indicate that you are using the MAX8506/MAX8507/MAX8508 when contacting these component suppliers.
