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Dio
odes Incorporrated

ZXLD1371
60V HIGH ACCURACY
A BUCK/BOOS
ST/BUCK-BO
OOST LED DRIVER-CONT
D TROLLER

Descriptio
on Pin
n Assignme
ents
The ZXLD137 71 is an LED D driver contrroller IC for driving
d
external MOSFETs to drive high current LEDs. It is a multi- TSSOP
P-16EP
topology contrroller enabling it to efficientlyy control the current
c ADJ 1 16 GI
through seriess connected LE EDs. The multii-topology enab bles it
REF 2 15 PWM
to operate in buck,
b boost andd buck-boost co onfigurations.
TADJ 3 14 FLAG
The 60V capa ability coupled
d with its multi-topology cap
pability
SHP 4 13 ISM
b used in a wide range of ap
enables it to be pplications and
d drive
STATUS 5 12 VIN
in excess of 155 LEDs in serie
es.
SGND 6 11 VAUX
The ZXLD137 71 is a modiffied hystereticc controller ussing a
PGND 7 10 GATE
patent pendingg control sche
eme providing high output current
c
accuracy in all
a three mod des of operatiion. High acccuracy N/C 8 9 N/C
dimming is acchieved througgh DC control and high frequency
PWM control.
The ZXLD1371 uses two pin ns for fault diag
gnosis. A flag output
o
highlights a fa
ault, while the multi-level stattus pin gives further
f
information on the exact faultt.

Features
• 0.5% typiccal output curre
ent accuracy
• 5 to 60V operating
o voltag
ge range
• LED driveer supports Buc ck, Boost and Buck-boost
B
• configurattions
• Wide dyna amic range dimmming
o 10:1 DCD dimming
o 1000:1 dimming rang ge at 500Hz
• Up to 1MHHz switching
• High tempperature controol of LED curren
nt using TADJ
• Available in Automotiv ve Grade wiith AEC-Q100 0 and
TS16949 certification
• Available in “Green” Mo olding Compou und (No Br, Sbb) with
lead Free Finish/ RoHS Compliant (No ote 1)
N
Note 1: EU Directtive 2002/95/EC (R
RoHS) & 2011/65/E
EU (RoHS 2). All ap
pplicable
RoHS exeemptions applied.

Typical Ap
pplication Circuit
VIN 8V to 22V
ILED
L
ILED = 1A 1 to 6
LEDs
R1 R
Rth REF
0R05 10
00%
L1
H
33µH D1
C1 N
VAUX VIN ISM PDS3100
PWM
10µF
T
TH1 TADJ
GI
RGI2
75k ADJ D1371 GATE
ZXLD Q1
COUT
FLAG DMN6068LK3
REF 10
0µF
STATUS
R
R4 TADJ
1.8
8k SHP NC SGND PGND
10
0%
C2
RGI1 TH
H1
330pF
24k 10
0k
The
ermally connected 70°C 85°C TLED
Thermal netw
work response in Buck configuratio
on with:
8kΩ and TH1 = 10k
Rth = 1.8 1 Ω (beta = 390 00)
Buck-Boos
st Diagram Utilizing Thermistor and TADJ Curve Sh
howing LED Current vs. TLED
ZXLD1371 1 of 42 Febru
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ZXLD1371
Pin Descriptions

Pin Type
Pin Description
Name (Note 2)
Adjust input (for dc output current control)
Connect to REF to set 100% output current.
ADJ 1 I Drive with dc voltage (125mV<VADJ< 1.25V) to adjust output current from 10% to 100%
of set value. The ADJ pin has an internal clamp that limits the internal node to less than
3V. This provides some failsafe should they get overdriven
REF 2 O Internal 1.25V reference voltage output
Temperature Adjust input for LED thermal current control
Connect thermistor/resistor network to this pin to reduce output current above a preset
TADJ 3 I temperature threshold.
Connect to REF to disable thermal compensation function. (See section on thermal
control.)
Shaping capacitor for feedback control loop
SHP 4 I/O Connect 330pF ±20% capacitor from this pin to ground to provide loop compensation
Operation status output (analog output)
Pin is at 4.5V (nominal) during normal operation.
STATUS 5 O Pin switches to a lower voltage to indicate specific operation warnings or fault
conditions. (See section on STATUS output.)
Status pin voltage is low during shutdown mode
SGND 6 P Signal ground (Connect to 0V)
PGND 7 P Power ground - Connect to 0V and pin 8 to maximize copper area
Not Connected internally – recommend connection to pin 7, (PGND), to maximize PCB
N/C 8 - copper for thermal dissipation
Not Connected internally – recommend connection pin 10 (GATE) to permit wide copper
N/C 9 trace to gate of MOSFET
GATE 10 O Gate drive output to external NMOS transistor – connect to pin 9
Auxiliary positive supply to internal switch gate driver
At VIN < 8V; a bootstrap circuit is recommended to ensure adequate gate drive voltage
(see Applications section)
VAUX 11 P At VIN > 8V; connect to VIN
At VIN >24V; to reduce power dissipation, VAUX can be connected to an 8V to 15V
auxiliary power supply (see Applications section). Decouple to ground with capacitor
close to device (see Applications section)
Input supply to device 5V to 60V
VIN 12 P Decouple to ground with capacitor close to device (refer to Applications section)
Current monitor input. Connect current sense resistor between this pin and VIN
ISM 13 I The nominal voltage, VSENSE, across the resistor is 218mV fixed in Buck mode and
initially 225mV in Boost and Buck-Boost modes, varying with duty cycle.
Flag open drain output
FLAG 14 O Pin is high impedance during normal operation
Pin switches low to indicate a fault, or warning condition
Digital PWM output current control
Pin driven either by open Drain or push-pull 3.3V or 5V logic levels.
Drive with frequency higher than 100Hz to gate output ‘on’ and ‘off’ during dimming
PWM 15 I control.
The device enters standby mode when PWM pin is driven with logic low level for more
than 15ms nominal (Refer to application section for more details)
Gain setting input
Used to set the device in Buck mode or Boost, Buck-boost modes and to control the
sense voltage in Boost and Buck-boost modes
Connect to ADJ pin for Buck mode operation
GI 16 I For Boost and Buck-boost modes, connect to resistive divider from ADJ to SGND. The
GI divider is required to compensate for duty cycle gating in the internal feedback loop
(see Application section). The GI pin has an internal clamp that limits the internal node to
less than 3V. This provides some failsafe should it become overdriven.
EP PAD P Exposed paddle. Connect to 0V plane for electrical and thermal management
Notes: 2. Type refers to whether or not pin is an Input, Output, Input/Output or Power supply pin.

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ZXLD1371
Functional Block Diagram

Absolute Maximum Ratings (Voltages to GND Unless Otherwise Stated) (Note 3)

Symbol Parameter Rating Unit

VIN Input supply voltage -0.3 to 65 V
VAUX Auxiliary supply voltage -0.3 to 65 V
VISM Current monitor input relative to GND -0.3 to 65 V
VSENSE Current monitor sense voltage (VIN-VISM) -0.3 to 5 V
VGATE Gate driver output voltage -0.3 to 20 V
IGATE Gate driver continuous output current 18 mA
VFLAG Flag output voltage -0.3 to 40 V
VPWM, VADJ, VTADJ, VGI,
Other input pins -0.3 to 5.5 V
VPWM
TJ Maximum junction temperature 150 °C
TST Storage temperature -55 to 150 °C
Stresses greater than the 'Absolute Maximum Ratings' specified above, may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only; functional
operation of the device at these or any other conditions exceeding those indicated in this specification is not implied. Device reliability may be affected by
exposure to absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods of time.
Semiconductor devices are ESD sensitive and may be damaged by exposure to ESD events. Suitable ESD precautions should be taken when handling and
transporting these devices.

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ZXLD1371

Package Thermal Data

Thermal Resistance Package Typical Unit

Junction-to-Ambient, θJA (Note 4) TSSOP-16 EP 50 °C/W
Junction-to-Case, θJC TSSOP-16 EP 23 °C/W

Recommended Operating Conditions (-40°C ≤ TJ ≤ 125°C)

Symbol Parameter Performance/Comment Min Max Unit

Normal Operation 8.0 60
VIN Input supply voltage range (Note 5) Reduced performance V
5.0 8.0
operation
Normal Operation 8.0 60
VAUX Auxiliary supply voltage range (Note 6) (Note 5) Reduced performance V
5.0 8.0
operation
VSENSE Differential input voltage VIN-VISM, with 0 ≤ VADJ ≤ 2.5 0 450 mV
External dc control voltage applied to ADJ pin to DC brightness control mode
VADJ 0.125 1.25 V
adjust output current from 10% to 100%
IREF Reference external load current REF sourcing current 1 mA
fmax Recommended switching frequency range (Note 7) 300 1000 kHz
VTADJ Temperature adjustment (TADJ) input voltage range 0 VREF V
To achieve 1000:1 resolution 100 500 Hz
fPWM Recommended PWM dimming frequency range
To achieve 500:1 resolution 100 1000 Hz
tPWMH/L PWM pulse width in dimming mode PWM input high or low 0.002 10 ms
VPWMH PWM pin high level input voltage 2 5.5 V
VPWML PWM pin low level input voltage 0 0.4 V
TJ Operating Junction Temperature Range -40 125 °C
GI Gain setting ratio for boost and buck-boost modes Ratio= VGI/VADJ 0.20 0.50
Notes: 3. For correct operation SGND and PGND should always be connected together.
4. Measured on “High Effective Thermal Conductivity Test Board" according to JESD51.
5. Device starts up above 5.4V and as such the minimum applied supply voltage has to be above 5.4V (plus any noise margin). The ZXLD1371 will,
however, continue to function when the input voltage is reduced from ≥ 8V down to 5.0V.
When operating with input voltages below 8V the output current and device parameters may deviate from their normal values; and is dependent
on power MOSFET switch, load and ambient temperature conditions. To ensure best operation in Boost and Buck-boost modes with input
voltages, VIN, between 5.0 and 8V a suitable boot-strap network on VAUX pin is recommended.
Performance in Buck mode will be reduced at input voltages (VIN, VAUX) below 8V. – a boot-strap network cannot be implemented in buck mode.
6. VAUX can be driven from a voltage higher than VIN to provide higher efficiency at low VIN voltages, but to avoid false operation; a voltage should
not be applied to VAUX in the absence of a voltage at VIN. VAUX can also be operated at a lower voltage than VIN to increase efficiencies at high
VIN.
7. The device contains circuitry to control the switching frequency to approximately 400kHz. The maximum and minimum operating frequency is not
tested in production.

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Electrical Characteristics (Test conditions: VIN = VAUX = 12V, TA = 25°C, unless otherwise specified.)

Symbol Parameter Conditions Min Typ Max Units

Supply and reference parameters
Under-Voltage detection threshold
VUV- VIN or VAUX falling (Note 8) 4.5 V
Normal operation to switch disabled
Under-Voltage detection threshold
VUV+ VIN or VAUX rising (Note 8) 4.9 V
Switch disabled to normal operation
IQ-IN Quiescent current into VIN PWM pin floating. 1.5 3 mA
IQ-AUX Quiescent current into VAUX Output not switching 150 300 µA
ISB-IN Standby current into VIN. PWM pin grounded 90 150 µA
ISB-AUX Standby current into VAUX. for more than 15ms 0.7 10 µA
VREF Internal reference voltage No load 1.237 1.25 1.263 V
Change in reference voltage with output Sourcing 1mA -5
ΔVREF mV
current Sinking 25µA 5
VREF_LINE Reference voltage line regulation VIN = VAUX, 8.0V<VIN = <60V -60 -90 dB
VREF-TC Reference temperature coefficient ±50 ppm/°C
DC-DC converter parameters
VADJ ≤ 1.25V 100 nA
IADJ ADJ input current (Note 9)
VADJ = 5.0V 5 µA
GI Voltage threshold for boost and buck-
VGI VADJ = 1.25V 0.8 V
boost modes selection (Note 9)
VGI ≤ 1.25V 100 nA
IGI GI input current (Note 9)
VGI = 5.0V 5 µA
IPWM PWM input current VPWM = 5.5V 36 100 µA
PWM pulse width
tPWMoff PWM input low 10 15 25 ms
(to enter shutdown state)
Thermal shutdown upper threshold
TSDH Temperature rising. 150 ºC
(GATE output forced low)
Thermal shutdown lower threshold
TSDL Temperature falling. 125 ºC
(GATE output re-enabled)
High-Side Current Monitor (Pin ISM)
IISM Input Current Measured into ISM pin VISM = 12V 11 20 µA
Accuracy of nominal VSENSE threshold
VSENSE_acc ±0.25 ±2 %
voltage VADJ = 1.25V
VSENSE-OC Over-current sense threshold voltage 300 350 375 mV
Notes: 8. UVLO levels are such that all ZXLD1371 will function above 5.4V for rising supply voltages and function down to 5V for falling supply voltages.
9. The ADJ and GI pins have an internal clamp that limits the internal node to less than 3V. This provides some failsafe should those pins get
overdriven.

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ZXLD1371
Electrical Characteristics (cont.) (Test conditions: VIN = VAUX = 12V, TA = 25°C, unless otherwise specified.)

Symbol Parameter Conditions Min Typ Max Units

Output Parameters
VFLAGL FLAG pin low level output voltage Output sinking 1mA 0.5 V
IFLAGOFF FLAG pin open-drain leakage current VFLAG = 40V 1 µA
Normal operation 4.2 4.5 4.8
Out of regulation (VSHP out of range)
3.3 3.6 3.9
(Note 11)
STATUS Flag no-load output voltage VIN under-voltage (VIN < UVLO) 3.3 3.6 3.9
VSTATUS V
(Note 10) Switch stalled (tON or tOFF > 100µs) 3.3 3.6 3.9
Over-temperature (TJ > 125°C) 1.5 1.8 2.1
Excess sense resistor current
0.6 0.9 1.2
(VSENSE > 0.32V)
RSTATUS Output impedance of STATUS output Normal operation 10 kΩ
Driver output (PIN GATE)
No load Sourcing 1mA
VGATEH High level output voltage 10 11 V
(Note 12)
VGATEL Low level output voltage Sinking 1mA, (Note 13) 0.5 V
VIN = VAU X= VISM = 18V
VGATECL High level GATE CLAMP voltage 12.8 15 V
IGATE = 1mA
Charging or discharging gate of
Dynamic peak current available during
IGATE external switch with QG = 10nC and ±300 mA
rise or fall of output voltage
400kHz
Time to assert ‘STALL’ flag and
tSTALL warning on STATUS output GATE low or high 100 170 µs
(Note 14)
LED Thermal control circuit (TADJ) parameters
Onset of output current reduction
VTADJH Upper threshold voltage 560 625 690 mV
(VTADJ falling)
Output current reduced to <10% of
VTADJL Lower threshold voltage 380 440 500 mV
set value (VTADJ falling)
ITADJ TADJ pin Input current VTADJ = 1.25V 1 µA
Notes: 10. In the event of more than one fault/warning condition occurring, the higher priority condition will take precedence.
For example ‘Excessive coil current’ and ‘Out of regulation’ occurring together will produce an output of 0.9V on the STATUS pin.
These STATUS pin voltages apply for an input voltage to VIN of 7.5V < VIN < 60V. Below 7.5V the STATUS pin voltage levels reduce and
therefore may not report the correct status. For 5.4V < VIN < 7.5V the flag pin still reports any error by going low. At low VIN in Boost and
Buck-boost modes an over-current status may be indicated when operating at high boost ratios – this due to the feedback loop increasing
the sense voltage.
For more information see the Application Information section about Flag/Status levels.
11. Flag is asserted if VSHP < 1.5V or VSHP > 2.5V
12. GATE is switched to the supply voltage VAUX for low values of VAUX (5V ≤ VAUX ≤ ~12V). For VAUX > 12V, GATE is clamped internally to prevent
it exceeding 15V.
13. GATE is switched to PGND by an NMOS transistor
14. If tON exceeds tSTALL, the device will force GATE low to turn off the external switch and then initiate a restart cycle. During this phase, ADJ is
grounded internally and the SHP pin is switched to its nominal operating voltage, before operation is allowed to resume. Restart cycles will be
repeated automatically until the operating conditions are such that normal operation can be sustained. If tOFF exceeds tSTALL, the switch will
remain off until normal operation is possible.

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Typical Characteristics
3

2.5

SUPPLY CURRENT (mA)

2

1.5

0.5

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
SUPPLY VOLTAGE (V)
Supply Voltage vs. Supply Current

1.252

1.2515

1.251
REFERENCE VOLTAGE (V)

1.2505

1.25

1.2495

1.249

1.2485

1.248
-40 -25 -10 5 20 35 50 65 80 95 110 125
JUNCTION TEMPERATURE (°C)
Reference Voltage vs. Junction Temperature

100%
T A=25°C
90% L=33µH
RS=146mΩ
Buck Mode
80% 2 LEDs

70%

60%
DUTY (%)

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%
6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)
Duty Cycle vs. Input Voltage

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Typical Characteristics – Linear/DC Dimming
750 750

600 600

SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

Switching
Frequency
LED CURRENT (mA)

450 450

300 300

T A=25°C
VAUX=VIN=12V
150 2 LEDs, L=33µH 150
RS=300mΩ

0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25
ADJ VOLTAGE (V)
Led Current and Switching Frequency vs.
ADJ Voltage in Buck Mode
700 1400

600 1200
Switching

SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

Frequency
500 1000
LED CURRENT (mA)

400 800

300 600
LED
Current
200 400

TA = 25°C
VAUX = VIN = 24V
100 200
8 LEDs, L = 33µH
GI = 0.23, RS = 300mΩ

0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25
ADJ VOLTAGE (V)
LED Current and Switching Frequency vs.
ADJ Voltage in Buck-Boost Mode
350 700

300 600
Switching
ILED
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

Frequency
250 500
LED CURRENT (mA)

200 400

150 300

100 TA=25°C 200

VAUX=VIN=12V
12 LEDs, L=33µH
50 GI=0.23, RS=300mΩ 100

0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25
ADJ VOLTAGE (V)
LED Current and Switching Frequency vs.
ADJ Voltage in Boost Mode

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odes Incorporrated

ZXLD1371
Typical Characteris
C stics – PWM
M/Thermal Dimming
1500

T A = 25°C
1250 VIN = VAUX = 24V
L = 33µH, RS =150mΩ
fPWM = 100Hzz ILED
1000
LED CURRENT (mA)

750

500

250

0
0 10 20
0 30 4
40 50 60 70 80 90 100
PWM DUTY CYCLE
P E (%)
LED Current
C vs. PWM Duty
D Cycle

ILED vs
s. Time - PW
WM Pin Trans
sient Respon
nse
100%

80%
LED CURRENT DIMMING FACTOR

60%

40%

20%

0%
0 250
0 50
00 750 1000 1250
TADJ
A PIN VOLTAGE (mV)
(
LED Current Dimming Factor vs
s. TADJ Voltage

ZXLD1371 9 of 42 Febru
uary 2012
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Typical Characteristics – Buck Mode – RS = 75mΩ – L = 33µH – ILED = 2.9A
3.2

3.1

LED CURRENT (A)

3.0

2.9

2.8

2.7

2.6
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)

700
TA = 25°C, VAUX = VIN
600 L = 15µH, RS = 75mΩ 4 LEDs
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

CIN = 100µF, VLED = 3.8V

500
2 LEDs
1 LED 3 LEDs

400

300 4 LEDs
L = 22µH

200

100

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)

700

600

500
EFFICIENCY (%)

400

300

100

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)

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Typical Characteristics – Buck Mode – RS =150mΩ - L = 33µH – ILED = 1.45A
700

T A = 25°C, VIN = V AUX,

600 L = 33µH, RS = 150mΩ
CIN = 100µF

LED CURRENT (A)

400

300
1 ~ 16 LEDs

200
1 LED

100

0
5 10 10 15 20 20 25 25 30 30 35 40
INPUT VOLTAGE (V)

1000

900

800
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

700

600

500

400
12 LEDs 14 LEDs
300 10 LEDs 16 LEDs
8 LEDs

200 6 LEDs
4 LEDs

100 2 LEDs 5 LEDs

3 LEDs

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
VIN (V)

100 10 LEDs 14 LEDs 16 LEDs

8 LEDs 12 LEDs
5 LEDs 6 LEDs
3 LEDs 4 LEDs
95
2 LEDs

90
EFFICIENCY (%)

85

1 LED
80

75

70
TA = 25°C, VIN = VAUX,
65 L = 33µH, RS = 150mΩ
CIN = 100µF

60
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
VIN (V)

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Typical Characteristics – Boost Mode – ILED = 350mA – RS = 150mΩ – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.45

0.40

0.35
LED CURRENT (A)

0.30

0.25

0.20

0.15
5 8 11 14 17 20 23 26 29 32 35 38 41 44 47 50
VIN (V)

800

700
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
VIN (V)

100 12 LEDs 14 LEDs 16 LEDs

8 LEDs 10 LEDs
4 LEDs 6 LEDs

90

80
EFFICIENCY (%)

70

60
TA = 25°C, VAUX = VIN
L = 33µH, RS = 150mΩ ,
50
R9 = 120kΩ , R10 = 36kΩ
CIN = 100µF

40

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Typical Characteristics – Boost Mode – ILED = 350mA – GIRATIO = 0.23 – Bootstrap comparison
0.45
T A = 25°C, L = 33µH
0.43 RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ
R10 = 36kΩ, CIN = 100µF
0.41 8 LEDs

0.39
LED CURRENT (A)

0.37

0.35

0.33 8 LEDs Bootstrap

0.31

0.29

0.27

0.25
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

500
8 LEDs Bootstrap
450
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

400

350

300

250
8 LEDs
200

150

100 TA = 25°C, L = 33µH

RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ
50 R10 = 36kΩ, CIN = 100µF

0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

100

90

8 LEDs Bootstrap
80
EFFICIENCY %

70

60
8 LEDs
TA = 25°C, L = 33µH
RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ
50
R10 = 36kΩ, CIN = 100µF

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

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ZXLD1371
Typical Characteristics – Boost Mode – ILED = 350mA – RS = 150mΩ – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.45

0.43

0.41 L = 33µH

0.39
LED CURRENT (A)

L = 68µH
0.37

0.35

0.33
L = 100µH
0.31
TA = 25° C, VAUX = VIN

0.29 8 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ

R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF
0.27

0.25
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)
500

450 L = 33µH
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

400

350

300
L = 68µH
250

200

150
L = 100µH TA = 25°C, VAUX = VIN
100
8 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ,
50 R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF
0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)
100

L = 100µH
90

80
EFFICIENCY %

L = 68µH

70

60
L = 33µH T A = 25°C, V AUX = V IN
8 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ,
50 R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
VIN (V)

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Typical Characteristics – Boost Mode – 8 LEDs – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.60

0.50

ILED = 500mA
LED CURRENT (A)

0.40

0.30
ILED = 350mA T A = 25°C, V AUX = VIN
8 LEDs, L = 33µH
R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF
0.20

ILED = 150mA
0.10
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

800

700
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

ILED = 150mA
600

500

400

300 ILED = 350mA

ILED = 500mA
200
T A = 25°C, V AUX = VIN
8 LEDs, L = 33µH
100 R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF

0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

100
ILED = 500mA

90

ILED = 150mA ILED = 350mA

80
EFFICIENCY (%)

70

60

TA = 25° C, VAUX = VIN

50 8 LEDs, L = 33µH
R9 = 120kΩ , R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)

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Typical Characteristics – Buck-Boost Mode – RS = 150mΩ - ILED = 350mA – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.450

0.425 5 LEDs

6 LEDs
0.400
LED CURRENT (A) 2 LEDs
0.375 3 LEDs 4 LEDs

0.350
1 LED
0.325 7 LEDs

8 LEDs
0.300
9 LEDs TA = 25°C, L = 33µH,
0.275 Rs = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ,
R10 = 36kΩ, VAUX = VIN

0.250
5 8 11 14 17 20

900

800

700
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

600

500

400

300

200

100

0
5 8 14 17 20
VIN (V)
90 6 LEDs

85

80
9 LEDs
5 LEDs
75 4 LEDs 3 LEDs
2 LEDs
EFFICIENCY %

70
8 LEDs
65 1 LED
7 LEDs
60

55
TA = 25°C, L = 33µH,
50
Rs = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ,
R10 = 36kΩ, VAUX = VIN
45

40
5 8 11 14 17 20

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Typical Characteristics – Buck-Boost Mode – RS = 150mΩ - ILED = 350mA – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.45
TA = 25°C, L = 33µH
0.43 RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ
R10 = 36kΩ
0.41 5 LEDs

0.39
LED CURRENT (A)

0.37

0.35

0.33 5 LEDs Bootstrap

0.31

0.29

0.27

0.25
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
VIN (V)
600

500
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

400

300

200

100

0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

90
5 LEDs Bootstrap
85

80
5 LEDs
75
EFFICIENCY %

70

65

60

55
T A = 25°C, L = 33H
50 RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ,
R10 = 36kΩ, CIN = 100µF
45

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
VIN (V)

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Typical Characteristics – Buck-Boost Mode – RS = 150mΩ - ILED = 350mA – GIRATIO = 0.23
0.450

0.425

LED CURRENT (A) 0.400

0.375

0.350

0.325

0.300

0.275

0.250
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

600

500
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

L = 33µH

400

300 L = 68µH
L = 100µH

200

T A = 25°C, V IN = VAUX,
100 5 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ
R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ
CIN = 100µF
0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

90
L = 100µH
85

80

75
L = 68µH
EFFICIENCY %

70

65

60

55
L = 33µH
TA = 25°C, VIN = VAUX,
50
5 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ
R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ
45 CIN = 100µF

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

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Typical Characteristics – Buck-Boost Mode –5 LEDs GIRATIO = 0.23
0.60

0.55
ILED = 500mA

0.50
LED CURRENT (A)
0.45

0.40
ILED = 350mA
0.35

0.30 TA = 25°C, VIN = VAUX, 5 LEDs

L = 33µH, R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ
0.25 CIN = 100µF

0.20

0.15
ILED = 150mA
0.10
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

1000
900
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

ILED = 150mA
800

700

600
ILED = 350mA
500

400
ILED = 500mA

300

200 TA = 25°C, VIN = VAUX, 5 LEDs,

L = 33µH, R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ
100 CIN = 100µF

0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

90
ILED = 500mA
85

80

75
EFFICIENCY %

ILED = 150mA
70

65

60

55
ILED = 350mA
TA = 25°C, VIN = VAUX, 5 LEDs
50
L = 33µH, R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ
CIN = 100µF
45

40
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

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Applications Information
The ZXLD1371 is a high accuracy hysteretic inductive buck/boost/buck-boost controller designed to be used with an
external NMOS switch for current-driving single or multiple series-connected LEDs. The device can be configured to
operate in buck, boost, or buck-boost modes by suitable configuration of the external components as shown in the
schematics shown in the device operation description.

DEVICE DESCRIPTION
a) Buck mode – the most simple buck circuit is shown in Figure 1
Control of the LED current buck mode is achieved by
sensing the coil current in the sense resistor Rs, connected
between the two inputs of a current monitor within the
control loop block. An output from the control loop drives
the input of a comparator which drives the gate of the
external NMOS switch transistor Q1 via the internal Gate
Driver. When the switch is on, the drain voltage of Q1 is
near zero. Current flows from VIN, via Rs, LED, coil and
switch to ground. This current ramps up until an upper
threshold value is reached (see Figure 2). At this point
GATE goes low, the switch is turned off and the drain
voltage increases to VIN plus the forward voltage, VF, of the
schottky diode D1. Current flows via Rs, LED, coil and D1
back to VIN. When the coil current has ramped down to a
lower threshold value, GATE goes high, the switch is
turned on again and the cycle of events repeats, resulting
in continuous oscillation. The feedback loop adjusts the
NMOS switch duty cycle to stabilize the LED current in
response to changes in external conditions, including input
voltage and load voltage.

Figure 1. Buck configuration

The average current in the sense resistor, LED and coil is
+11V to
equal to the average of the maximum and minimum 15V typ.
threshold currents. The ripple current (hysteresis) is equal
GATE tOFF tON
to the difference between the thresholds. The control loop
voltage
maintains the average LED current at the set level by
adjusting the switch duty cycle continuously to force the
0V
average sense resistor current to the value demanded by
the voltage on the ADJ pin. This minimizes variation in
output current with changes in operating conditions. VIN + VF
Q1
The control loop also regulates the switching frequency by Drain
varying the level of hysteresis. The hysteresis has a defined voltage
minimum (typ 5%) and a maximum (typ 30%). The
frequency may deviate from nominal in some conditions. 0V
This depends upon the desired LED current, the coil
inductance and the voltages at the input and the load. Loop
compensation is achieved by a single external capacitor C2, IPK
connected between SHP and SGND.
Coil &
LED
The control loop sets the duty cycle so that the sense current
voltage is
0A
VADJ
VSENSE = 0.218
VREF

Therefore, Sense
voltage
0.218 VADJ
ILED = (Buck mode) VIN - VISM
RS VREF Mean = 218mV
Equation 1
Figure 2. Operating waveforms (Buck mode)
If the ADJ pin is connected to the REF pin, this simplifies to

0.218
ILED = (Buck mode).
RS

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Applications Information (cont.)
b) Boost and Buck-Boost modes – the most simple boost/buck-boost circuit is shown in Figure 3
Control in Boost and Buck-boost mode is achieved by
sensing the coil current in the series resistor Rs, connected
between the two inputs of a current monitor within the
control loop block. An output from the control loop drives
the input of a comparator which drives the gate of the
external NMOS switch transistor Q1 via the internal Gate
Driver. When the switch is on, the drain voltage of Q1 is
near zero. Current flows from VIN, via Rs, coil and switch
to ground. This current ramps up until an upper threshold
value is reached (see Figure 4). At this point GATE goes
low, the switch is turned off and the drain voltage increases
to either:
1) the load voltage VLEDS plus the forward
voltage of D1 in Boost configuration,
or
2) the load voltage VLEDS plus the forward voltage
of D1 plus VIN in Buck-boost configuration.
Current flows via Rs, coil, D1 and LED back to VIN (Buck-
boost mode), or GND (Boost mode). When the coil current
has ramped down to a lower threshold value, GATE goes
high, the switch is turned on again and the cycle of events Figure 3. Boost and Buck-boost configuration
repeats, resulting in continuous oscillation.
The feeback loop adjusts the NMOS switch duty cycle to
stabilize the LED current in response to changes in external
conditions, including input voltage and load voltage. Loop
compensation is achieved by a single external capacitor
C2, connected between SHP and SGND. Note that in
reality, a load capacitor COUT is used, so that the LED
current waveform shown is smoothed.

The average current in the sense resistor and coil, IRS, is

equal to the average of the maximum and minimum
threshold currents and the ripple current (hysteresis) is
equal to the difference between the thresholds.

The average current in the LED, ILED, is always less than

IRS. The feedback control loop adjusts the switch duty
cycle, D, to achieve a set point at the sense resistor. This
controls IRS. During the interval tOFF, the coil current flows
through D1 and the LED load. During tON, the coil current
flows through Q1, not the LEDs. Therefore the set point is
modified by D using a gating function to control ILED
indirectly. In order to compensate internally for the effect of
the gating function, a control factor, GI_ADJ is used.
GI_ADJ is set by a pair of external resistors, RGI1 and RGI2.
(Figure 3.) This allows the sense voltage to be adjusted to
an optimum level for power efficiency without significant
error in the LED controlled current.
RGI1
GI_ADJ = Equation 2
RGI1 +RGI2
(Boost and Buck-boost modes)

The control loop sets the duty cycle so that the sense
resistor current is
0.225 GI_ADJ VADJ
IRS = Equation 3 Figure 4. Operating waveforms (Boost and
RS 1-D VREF
Buck-boost modes)
(Boost and Buck-boost modes)
IRS equals the coil current. The coil is connected only to the switch and the schottky diode. The schottky diode passes the
LED current. Therefore the average LED current is the coil current multiplied by the schottky diode duty cycle, 1-D.

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Applications Information (cont.)

0.225 VADJ
ILED = IRS 1-D = GI_ADJ (Boost and Buck-boost) Equation 4
RS VREF

This shows that the LED current depends on the ADJ pin voltage, the reference voltage and 3 resistor values (RS, RGI1
and RGI2). It is independent of the input and output voltages.

If the ADJ pin is connected to the REF pin, this simplifies to

0.225
ILED = GI_ADJ (Boost and Buck-boost)
RS

Now ILED is dependent only on the 3 resistor values.

Considering power dissipation and accuracy, it is useful to know how the mean sense voltage varies with input voltage and
other parameters.

GI_ADJ VADJ
VRS = IRS RS = 0.225 (Boost and Buck-boost) Equation 5
1-D VREF

This shows that the sense voltage varies with duty cycle in Boost and Buck-boost configurations.

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Applications Information (cont.)
APPLICATION CIRCUIT DESIGN
External component selection is driven by the characteristics of the load and the input supply, since this will determine the
kind of topology being used for the system. Component selection begins with the current setting procedure, the
inductor/frequency setting and the MOSFET selection. Finally after selecting the freewheeling diode and the output
capacitor (if needed), the application section will cover the PWM dimming and thermal feedback. The full procedure is
greatly accelerated by the web Calculator spreadsheet, which includes fully automated component selection, and is
available on the Diodes web site. However the full calculation is also given here.

Please note the following particular feature of the web Calculator. The GI ratio can be set for Automatic calculation, or it can
be fixed at a chosen value. When optimizing a design, it is best first to optimize for the chosen voltage range of most
interest, using the Automatic setting. In order to subsequently evaluate performance of the circuit over a wider input voltage
range, fix the GI ratio in the Calculator input field, and then set the desired input voltage range.

Some components depend upon the switching frequency and the duty cycle. The switching frequency is regulated by the
ZXLD1371 to a large extent, depending upon conditions. This is discussed in a later paragraph dealing with coil selection.

Duty Cycle Calculation and Topology Selection

The duty cycle is a function of the input and output voltages. Approximately, the MOSFET switching duty cycle is
VOUT
DBUCK ≈ for Buck
VIN
VOUT - VIN
DBOOST ≈ for Boost Equation 6
VOUT
VOUT
DBB ≈ for Buck-Boost
VOUT + VIN

Because D must always be a positive number less than 1, these equations show that

VOUT < VIN for Buck (voltage step-down)

VOUT > VIN for Boost (voltage step-up)
VOUT > or = or < VIN for Buck-boost (voltage step-down or step-up)

This allows us to select the topology for the required voltage range.

More exact equations are used in the web Calculator. These are:

VOUT + VF + IOUT RS +RCOIL

DBUCK = for Buck
VIN + VF - VDSON
VOUT - VIN + IIN RS +RCOIL + VF
DBOOST = for Boost Equation 7
VOUT + VF - VDSON
VOUT + VF + IIN +IOUT RS +RCOIL
DBB = for Buck-boost
VOUT + VIN + VF - VDSON
where VF = schottky diode forward voltage, estimated for the expected coil current, ICOIL
VDSON = MOSFET drain source voltage in the ON condition (dependent on RDSON and drain current = ICOIL)
RCOIL = DC winding resistance of L1

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Applications Information (cont.)
The additional terms are relatively small, so the exact equations will only make a significant difference at lower operating
voltages at the input and output, i.e. low input voltage or a small number of LEDs connected in series. The estimates of VF
and VDSON depend on the coil current. The mean coil current, ICOIL depends upon the topology and upon the mean terminal
currents as follows:
ICOIL = ILED for Buck
ICOIL = IIN for Boost Equation 8
ICOIL = IIN + ILED for Buck-boost

ILED is the target LED current and is already known. IIN will be calculated with some accuracy later, but can be estimated
now from the electrical power efficiency. If the expected efficiency is roughly 90%, the output power POUT is 90% of the
input power, PIN, and the coil current is estimated as follows.

POUT ≈ 0.9 PIN

or
ILED N VLED ≈ 0.9 IIN VIN

where N is the number of LEDs connected in series, and VLED is the forward voltage drop of a single LED at ILED.

ILED N VLED
So IIN ≈ Equation 9
0.9 VIN

Equation 9 can now be used to find ICOIL in Equation 8, which can then be used to estimate the small terms in Equation 7.
This completes the calculation of Duty Cycle and the selection of Buck, Boost or Buck-boost topology.

An initial estimate of duty cycle is required before we can choose a coil. In Equation 7, the following approximations are
recommended:

VF = 0.5V
IIN × (RS+RCOIL) = 0.5V
IOUT × (RS+RCOIL) = 0.5V
VDSON = 0.1V
(IIN+IOUT)(RS+RCOIL) = 1.1V

Then Equation 7 becomes

VOUT + 1
DBUCK ≈ for Buck
VIN + 0.4
VOUT - VIN + 1
DBOOST ≈ for Boost Equation 7a
VOUT + 0.4
VOUT + 1.6
DBB ≈ for Buck-boost
VOUT + VIN + 0.4

Setting the LED Current

The LED current requirement determines the choice of the sense resistor Rs. This also depends on the voltage on the ADJ
pin and the voltage on the GI pin, according to the topology required.

The ADJ pin may be connected directly to the internal 1.25V reference (VREF) to define the nominal 100% LED current. The
ADJ pin can also be driven with an external dc voltage between 125mV and 1.25V to adjust the LED current proportionally
between 10% and 100% of the nominal value.

For a divider ratio GI_ADJ greater than 0.65V, the ZXLD1371 operates in Buck mode when VADJ = 1.25V. If GI_ADJ is less
than 0.65V (typical), the device operates in Boost or buck-Boost mode, according to the load connection. This 0.65V
threshold varies in proportion to VADJ, i.e., the Buck mode threshold voltage is 0.65 VADj /1.25 V.

ADJ and GI are high impedance inputs within their normal operating voltage ranges. An internal 1.3V clamp protects the
device against excessive input voltage and limits the maximum output current to approximately 4% above the maximum
current set by VREF if the maximum input voltage is exceeded.

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Applications Information (cont.)
Buck topology
In Buck mode, GI is connected to ADJ as in Figure 5. The LED
current depends only upon RS, VADJ and VREF. From Equation 1
above,
⎛ 0.218 ⎞⎛ V ADJ ⎞
RSBUCK = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ Equation 10
⎝ ILED ⎠⎝ VREF ⎠
If ADJ is directly connected to VREF, this becomes:

⎛ 0.218 ⎞
RSBUCK = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ ILED ⎠

Figure 5. Setting LED Current in Buck

Configuration
Boost and Buck-boost topology
For Boost and Buck-boost topologies, the LED current depends
upon the resistors, RS, RGI1, and RGI2 as in Equations 4 and 2
above. There is more than one degree of freedom. That is to say,
there is not a unique solution. From Equation 4,
⎛ 0.225 ⎞ ⎛ ⎞
RSBoostBB = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ GI _ ADJ⎜⎜ V ADJ ⎟⎟ Equation 11
I
⎝ LED ⎠ V
⎝ REF ⎠
If ADJ is connected to REF, this becomes
⎛ 0.225 ⎞
RSBoostBB = ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ GI _ ADJ
⎝ ILED ⎠
GI_ADJ is given by Equation 2, repeated here for convenience:
⎛ RGI1 ⎞
GI _ ADJ = ⎜ ⎟
⎝ RGI1 + RGI2 ⎠

Figure 6. Setting LED current in Boost and

Buck-boost configurations

Note that from considerations of ZXLD1371 input bias current, the recommended limits for RGI1 are:
22kΩ < RGI1 < 100kΩ Equation 12
The additional degree of freedom allows us to select GI_ADJ within limits but this may affect overall performance a little.
As mentioned above, the working voltage range at the GI pin is restricted. The permitted range of GI_ADJ in Boost or
Buck-boost configuration is
0.2 < GI_ADJ < 0.5 Equation 13
The mean voltage across the sense resistor is
VRS = ICOIL RS Equation 14
Note that if GI_ADJ is made larger, these equations show that RS is increased and VRS is increased. Therefore, for the
same coil current, the dissipation in RS is increased. So, in some cases, it is better to minimize GI_ADJ. However,
consider Equation 5. If ADJ is connected to REF, this becomes
⎛ GI _ ADJ ⎞
VRS = 0.225 ⎜ ⎟
⎝ 1− D ⎠
This shows that VRS becomes smaller than 225mV if GI_ADJ < 1 - D. If also D is small, VRS can become too small. For
example if D = 0.2, and GI_ADJ is the minimum value of 0.2, then VRS becomes 0.225* 0.2 / 0.8 = 56.25 mV. This will
increase the LED current error due to small offsets in the system, such as mV drop in the copper printed wiring circuit, or
offset uncertainty in the ZXLD1371. If now, GI_ADJ is increased to 0.4 or 0.5, VRS is increased to a value greater than
100mV.

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Applications Information (cont.)

This will give small enough ILED error for most practical purposes. Satisfactory operation will be obtained if VRS is more than
about 80mV. This means GI_ADJ should be greater than (1-DMIN) * 80/225 = (1- DMIN) * 0.355.

There is also a maximum limit on VRS which gives a maximum limit for GI_ADJ. If VRS exceeds approximately 300mV, or
133% of 225mV, the STATUS output may indicate an over-current condition. This will happen for larger DMAX. Therefore,
together with the requirement of Equation 13, the recommended range for GI_ADJ is

0.355 ( 1-DMIN) < GI_ADJ < 1.33 ( 1-DMAX ) Equation 15

An optimum compromise for GI_ADJ has been suggested, i.e.

GI_ADJAUTO = 1 - DMAX Equation 16

This value has been used for the “Automatic” setting of the web Calculator. If 1-DMAX is less than 0.2, then GI_ADJ is set to
0.2. If 1- DMAX is greater than 0.5 then GI_ADJ is set to 0.5.

Once GI_ADJ has been selected, a value of RGI1 can be selected from Equation 12. Then RGI2 is calculated as follows,
rearranging Equation 2:

1-GI_ADJ
RGI2 = RGI1 Equation 17
GI_ADJ

For example to drive 12 LEDS at a current of 350mA from a 12V supply requires Boost configuration. Each LED has a
forward voltage of 3.2V at 350mA, so Vout = 3.2*12 = 38.4V. From Equation 6, the duty cycle is approximately

VOUT -VIN 38.4-12

= = 0.6875
VOUT 38.4

From Equation 16, we set GI_ADJ to 1 – D = 0.3125.

IF RGI1 = 33kΩ, then from Equation 17, RGI2 = 33000 * ( 1 -0.3125 ) / 0.3125 = 72.6kΩ. Let us choose the preferred value
RGI2 = 75kΩ. Now GI_ADJ is adjusted to the new value, using Equation 2.

RGI1 33k
GI_ADJ = = =0.305
RGI1 +RGI2 33k +75k

Now we calculate Rs from Equation 11. Assume ADJ is connected to REF.

0.225 VADJ 0.225

RSBoostBB = GI_ADJ = * 0.305 = 0.196 Ω
ILED VREF 0.35

A preferred value of RSBoostBB = 0.2Ω will give the desired LED current with an error of 2% due to the preferred value
selection.

Table 1 shows typical resistor values used to determine the GI_ADJ ratio with E24 series resistors.

Table 1
GI ratio RGI1 RG2
0.2 30kΩ 120kΩ
0.25 33kΩ 100kΩ
0.3 39kΩ 91kΩ
0.35 30kΩ 56kΩ
0.4 100kΩ 150kΩ
0.45 51kΩ 62kΩ
0.5 30kΩ 30kΩ
This completes the LED current setting.

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Applications Information (cont.)
Inductor Selection and frequency Control
The selection of the inductor coil, L1, requires knowledge of the switching frequency and current ripple, and also depends on
the duty cycle to some extent. In the hysteretic converter, the frequency depends upon the input and output voltages and
the switching thresholds of the current monitor. The peak-to-peak coil current is adjusted by the ZXLD1371 to control the
frequency to a fixed value. This is done by controlling the switching thresholds within particular limits. This effectively much
reduces the overall frequency range for a given input voltage range. Where the input voltage range is not excessive, the
frequency is regulated to approximately 390kHz. This is helpful in terms of EMC and other system requirements. Figure 7
shows practical results of switching frequency driving 8 LEDs at 350mA.
500

450 L = 33µH
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

400

350

300
L = 68µH
250

200

150
L = 100µH TA = 25°C, VAUX = VIN
100
8 LEDs, RS = 150mΩ,
50 R9 = 120kΩ, R10 = 36kΩ,
CIN = 100µF
0
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
VIN (V)
Figure 7. Frequency vs. VIN for Boost LED Driver with
350mA LED Current and Various Inductor Values

For larger input voltage variation, or when the choice of coil inductance is not optimum, the switching frequency may depart
from the regulated value, but the regulation of LED current remains successful. If desired, the frequency can to some extent
be increased by using a smaller inductor, or decreased using a larger inductor. The web Calculator will evaluate the
frequency across the input voltage range and the effect of this upon power efficiency and junction temperatures.

Determination of the input voltage range for which the frequency is regulated may be required. This calculation is very
involved, and is not given here. However the performance in this respect can be evaluated within the web Calculator for the
chosen inductance.

The inductance is given as follows in terms of peak-to-peak ripple current in the coil, ΔIL and the MOSFET on time, tON.
tON
L1 = VIN - N VLED - IOUT RDSON + RCOIL + RS for Buck
∆IL
tON
L1 = VIN - IIN RDSON + RCOIL + RS for Boost Equation 18
∆IL
tON
L1 = VIN - (IIN + IOUT ) RDSON + RCOIL + RS for Buck-boost
∆IL

Therefore In order to calculate L1, we need to find IIN, tON, and ΔIL. The effects of the resistances are small and will be
estimated.

IIN is estimated from Equation 9.

tON is related to switching frequency, f, and duty cycle, D, as follows:

D
tON = Equation 19
f

As the regulated frequency is known, and we have already found D from Equation 7 or the approximation Equation 7b, this
allows calculation of tON.

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Applications Information (cont.)
The ZXLD1371 sets the ripple current, ΔIL, to between nominally 10% and 30% of the mean coil current, ICOIL, which is found
from Equation 8. The device adjusts the ripple current within this range in order to regulate the switching frequency. We
therefore need to use a ΔIL value of 20% of ICOIL to find an inductance which is optimized for the input voltage range. The
range of ripple current control is also modulated by other circuit parameters as follows.
VADJ 1-D
∆ILMAX = 0.06 +0.24 I
VREF GI_ADJ COIL
VADJ 1-D
∆ILMIN = 0.02 +0.08 I Equation 20
VREF GI_ADJ COIL
VADJ 1-D
∆ILMID = 0.04 +0.16 I
VREF GI_ADJ COIL

If ADJ is connected to REF, this simplifies to

1-D
∆ILMAX = 0.3 I
GI_ADJ COIL
1-D
∆ILMIN = 0.1 I Equation 20a
GI_ADJ COIL
1-D
∆ILMID = 0.2 I
GI_ADJ COIL

where ΔILMID is the value we must use in Equation 18. We have now established the inductance value.

The chosen coil should saturate at a current greater than the peak sensed current. This saturation current is the DC current
for which the inductance has decreased by 10% compared to the low current value.
Assuming ±10% ripple current, we can find this peak current from Equation 8, adjusted for ripple current:

ICOILPEAK = 1.1 ILED for Buck

ICOILPEAK = 1.1 IINMAX for Boost Equation 21
ICOILPEAK = 1.1 IINMAX + ILED for Buck-boost

where IINMAX is the value of IIN at minimum VIN.

The mean current rating is also a factor, but normally the saturation current is the limiting factor.

The following websites may be useful in finding suitable components

www.coilcraft.com
www.niccomp.com
www.wuerth-elektronik.de

MOSFET Selection
The ZXLD1371 requires an external NMOS FET as the main power switch with a voltage rating at least 15% higher than
the maximum circuit voltage to ensure safe operation during the overshoot and ringing of the switch node. The current
rating is recommended to be at least 10% higher than the average transistor current. The power rating is then verified by
calculating the resistive and switching power losses.

P = Presistive + Pswitching

Resistive power losses

The resistive power losses are calculated using the RMS transistor current and the MOSFET on-resistance.
Calculate the current for the different topologies as follows:

Buck mode
IMOSFETMAX = ILED

Boost / Buck-boost mode

ILED
IMOSFETMAX =
1 − D MAX

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Applications Information (cont.)
During the on-time, the MOSFET switch current is equal to the coil current. The rms MOSFET current is ICOIL √D where
ICOIL is the mean coil current. Therefore the approximate RMS current in the MOSFET during tON is:
Buck mode

IMOSFETRMS = ILED D
Boost / Buck-boost mode

D
IMOSFETRMS = x ILED
1− D
The resistive power dissipation of the MOSFET is:

Presistive = IMOSFETRMS2 x RDS(ON)

Switching power losses

Calculating the switching MOSFET's switching loss depends on many factors that influence both turn-on and turn-off.
Using a first order rough approximation, the switching power dissipation of the MOSFET is:
C x V2IN x fsw x ILOAD
Pswitching = RSS
IGATE

where
CRSS is the MOSFET's reverse-transfer capacitance (a data sheet parameter),
fSW is the switching frequency,
IGATE is the MOSFET gate-driver's sink/source current at the MOSFET's turn-on threshold.

Matching the MOSFET with the controller is primarily based on the rise and fall time of the gate voltage. The best rise/fall
time in the application is based on many requirements, such as EMI (conducted and radiated), switching losses, lead/circuit
inductance, switching frequency, etc. How fast a MOSFET can be turned on and off is related to how fast the gate
capacitance of the MOSFET can be charged and discharged. The relationship between C (and the relative total gate
charge Qg), turn-on/turn-off time and the MOSFET driver current rating can be written as:
dV ⋅ C Qg
dt = =
I I
where
dt = turn-on/turn-off time
dV = gate voltage
C = gate capacitance = Qg/V
I = drive current – constant current source (for the given voltage value)

Here the constant current source” I ” usually is approximated with the peak drive current at a given driver input voltage.
Example 1)
Using the DMN6068 MOSFET (VDS(MAX) = 60V, ID(MAX) = 8.5A):
Æ QG = 10.3nC at VGS = 10V
ZXLD1371 IPEAK = I GATE = 300mA
Qg 10 .3nC
dt = = = 35ns
IPEAK 300mA

Assuming that cumulatively the rise time and fall time can account for a maximum of 10% of the period, the maximum
frequency allowed in this condition is:
tPERIOD = 20*dt Æ f = 1/ tPERIOD = 1.43MHz
This frequency is well above the max frequency the device can handle, therefore the DNM6068 can be used with the
ZXLD1371 in the whole spectrum of frequencies recommended for the device (from 300kHz to 1MHz).

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Example 2)
Using the ZXMN6A09K (VDS(MAX) = 60V, ID(MAX) = 12.2A):
Æ QG = 29nC at VGS = 10V
ZXLD1371 IPEAK = 300mA
Qg 29nC
dt = = = 97ns
IPEAK 300mA
Assuming that cumulatively the rise time and fall time can account for a maximum of 10% of the period, the maximum
frequency allowed in this condition is:
tPERIOD = 20*dt Æ f = 1/ tPERIOD = 515kHz
This frequency is within the recommended frequency range the device can handle, therefore the ZXMN6A09K is
recommended to be used with the ZXLD1371 for frequencies from 300kHz to 500kHz).
The recommended total gate charge for the MOSFET used in conjunction with the ZXLD1371 is less than 30nC.

Junction Temperature Estimation

Finally, the ZXLD1371 junction temperature can be estimated using the following equations:
Total supply current of ZXLD1371:
IQTOT ≈ IQ + f • QG
Where IQ = total quiescent current IQ-IN + IQ-AUX
Power consumed by ZXLD1371
PIC = VIN • (IQ + f • Qg)
Or in case of separate voltage supply, with VAUX < 15V
PIC = VIN • IQ-IN + Vaux • (IQ-AUX + f • Qg)
TJ = TA + PIC • θJA =
TA + PIC • (θJC + θCA)
Where the total quiescent current IQTOT consists of the static supply current (IQ) and the current required to charge and
discharge the gate of the power MOSFET. Moreover the part of thermal resistance between case and ambient depends on
the PCB characteristics.
2.5

2
POWER DISSIPATION (mW)

1.5

0.5

0
-40 -25 -10 5 20 35 50 65 80 95 110 125
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (°C)

Figure 8. Power derating curve for ZXLD1370

mounted on test board according to JESD51

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Diodes Selection
For maximum efficiency and performance, the rectifier (D1) should be a fast low capacitance Schottky diode* with low
reverse leakage at the maximum operating voltage and temperature. The Schottky diode also provides better efficiency
than silicon PN diodes, due to a combination of lower forward voltage and reduced recovery time.
It is important to select parts with a peak current rating above the peak coil current and a continuous current rating higher
than the maximum output load current. In particular, it is recommended to have a voltage rating at least 15% higher than
the maximum transistor voltage to ensure safe operation during the ringing of the switch node and a current rating at least
10% higher than the average diode current. The power rating is verified by calculating the power loss through the diode.
The higher forward voltage and overshoot due to reverse recovery time in silicon diodes will increase the peak voltage on
the Drain of the external MOSFET. If a silicon diode is used, care should be taken to ensure that the total voltage appearing
on the Drain of the external MOSFET, including supply ripple, does not exceed the specified maximum value.
*A suitable Schottky diode for a switching current of up to about 1.5A would be PDS3100 (Diodes Inc).

Output Capacitor
An output capacitor may be required to limit interference or for specific EMC purposes. For boost and buck-boost
regulators, the output capacitor provides energy to the load when the freewheeling diode is reverse biased during the first
switching subinterval. An output capacitor in a buck topology will simply reduce the LED current ripple below the inductor
current ripple. In other words, this capacitor changes the current waveform through the LED(s) from a triangular ramp to a
more sinusoidal version without altering the mean current value.
In all cases, the output capacitor is chosen to provide a desired current ripple of the LED current (usually recommended to
be less than 40% of the average LED current).
Buck:
ΔIL −PP
COUTPUT =
8 x fSW x rLED x ΔILED −PP

Boost and Buck-boost

D x Δ IL −PP
C OUTPUT =
fSW x rLED x ΔILED −PP
where:
• ΔIL-PP is the ripple of the inductor current, usually ± 20% of the average sensed current
• ΔILED-PP is the ripple of the LED current, it should be <40% of the LEDs average current
• fsw is the switching frequency (From graphs and calculator)
• rLED is the dynamic resistance of the LEDs string (n times the dynamic resistance of the single LED from the
datasheet of the LED manufacturer).
The output capacitor should be chosen to account for derating due to temperature and operating voltage. It must also have
the necessary RMS current rating. The minimum RMS current for the output capacitor is calculated as follows:
Buck
ILED−PP
ICOUTPUT RMS =
12
Boost and Buck-boost

DMAX
ICOUTPUTRMS = ILED
1 − DMAX
Ceramic capacitors with X7R dielectric are the best choice due to their high ripple current rating, long lifetime, and
performance over the voltage and temperature ranges.

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Input Capacitor
The input capacitor can be calculated knowing the input voltage ripple ΔVIN-PP as follows:
Buck
D x(1 − D)x ILED
CIN = Use D = 0.5 as worst case
fSW x ΔVIN −PP
Boost
ΔIL −PP
CIN =
8 x fSW x ΔVIN−PP
Buck-boost
D x ILED
C IN = Use D = DMAX as worst case
f SW x Δ VIN − PP

The minimum RMS current for the output capacitor is calculated as follows:
Buck
ICIN −RMS = ILED x Dx(1 − D) use D=0.5 as worst case
Boost
IL −PP
ICIN −RMS =
12
Buck-boost
D
ICIN−RMS = ILED x Use D=DMAX as worst case
(1 − D)

LED Current Dimming

The ZXLD1371 has 3 dimming methods for reducing the average LED current
1. DC dimming using the ADJ pin
2. PWM dimming using the PWM pin
3. DC dimming for thermal protection using the TADJ pin.

DC Dimming
The ZXLD1371 has a clamp on the ADJ pin to prevent over-driving of the LED current which results in the maximum
voltage being applied to internal circuitry is the reference voltage. This provides a 10:1 dynamic range of dc LED current
adjustment.

The equation for DC dimming of the LED current is approximately:

VADJ 750 750

ILED_DIM =ILED_NOM
VREF
Where
SWITCHING FREQUENCY (kHz)

ILED_DIM is the dimmed LED current 600 600

Switching
ILED_NOM is the LED current with VADJ = 1.25V Frequency
LED CURRENT (mA)

One consequence of DC dimming is that as the ADJ pin 450 450

voltage is reduced the sense voltage will also be reduced
which has an impact on accuracy and switching frequency
especially at lower ADJ pin voltages. 300
300

TA=25°C
VAUX =VIN =12V
150 2 LEDs 150
L=33µH
RS=300mΩ

0 0
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25
ADJ VOLTAGE (V)
Figure 9. LED Current and switching frequency vs.
ADJ Voltage
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PWM Output Current Control & Dimming
The ZXLD1371 has a dedicated PWM dimming input that allows a wide dimming frequency range from 100Hz to 1kHz with
up to 1000:1 resolution; however higher dimming frequencies can be used – at the expense of dimming dynamic range and
accuracy.
Typically, for a PWM frequency of 1kHz, the error on the current linearity is lower than 5%; in particular the accuracy is
better than 1% for PWM from 5% to 100%. This is shown in the graph below:

Buck mode - L=33uH - Rs = 150mΩ - PWM @ 1kHz

1500.00 10%
9%
1250.00
8%
7%
LED current [mA]

1000.00
6%
750.00 5%

Error
4%
500.00
3%
2%
250.00
1%
0.00 0%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
PWM

PWM @ 1kHz Error

Figure 10. LED Current Linearity and Accuracy with PWM Dimming at 1kHz
For a PWM frequency of 100Hz, the error on the current linearity is lower than 2.5%; it becomes negligible for PWM greater
than 5%. This is shown in the graph below:

Buck mode - L=33uH - Rs = 150mΩ - PWM @ 100Hz

1500.00 10%
9%
1250.00
8%
7%
LED current [mA]

1000.00
6%

750.00 5%
Error

4%
500.00
3%
2%
250.00
1%
0.00 0%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
PWM

PWM @ 100Hz Error

Figure 11. LED Current Linearity and Accuracy with PWM Dimming at 100Hz
The PWM pin is designed to be driven by both 3.3V and 5V logic levels and as such doesn’t require open collector/drain
drive. It can also be driven by an open drain/collector transistor. In this case the designer can either use the internal pull-up
network or an external pull-up network in order to speed-up PWM transitions, as shown in the Boost/ Buck-Boost section.

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LED current can be adjusted digitally, by applying a low 2µs
Gate < 10 ms
frequency PWM logic signal to the PWM pin to turn the
controller on and off. This will produce an average output
current proportional to the duty cycle of the control signal.
During PWM operation, the device remains powered up
and only the output switch is gated by the control signal.
0V
The PWM signal can achieve very high LED current
resolution. In fact, dimming down from 100% to 0, a
minimum pulse width of 2µs can be achieved resulting in
very high accuracy. While the maximum recommended PWM
pulse is for the PWM signal is10ms.
< 10 ms

0V
2µs
Figure 12. PWM Dimming Minimum and
Maximum Pulse
The device can be put in standby by taking the PWM pin to ground, or pulling it to a voltage below 0.4V with a suitable open
collector NPN or open drain NMOS transistor, for a time exceeding 15ms (nominal). In the shutdown state, most of the
circuitry inside the device is switched off and residual quiescent current will be typically 90µA. In particular, the Status pin
will go down to GND while the FLAG and REF pins will stay at their nominal values.

Figure 13. Stand-by State From PWM Signal

Thermal Control of LED Current

For thermal control of the LEDs, the ZXLD1371 monitors the voltage on the TADJ pin and reduces output current if the
voltage on this pin falls below 625mV. An external NTC thermistor and resistor can therefore be connected as shown below
to set the voltage on the TADJ pin to 625mV at the required temperature threshold. This will give 100% LED current below
the threshold temperature and a falling current above it as shown in the graph. The temperature threshold can be altered by
adjusting the value of Rth and/or the thermistor to suit the requirements of the chosen LED.
The Thermal Control feature can be disabled by connecting TADJ directly to REF.
Here is a simple procedure to design the thermal feedback circuit:
1) Select the temperature threshold Tthreshold at which the current must start to decrease
2) Select the Thermistor TH1 (both resistive value at 25˚C and beta)
3) Select the value of the resistor Rth as Rth = TH at Tthreshold

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Figure 14. Thermal Feedback Network

The thermistor resistance, RT, at a temperature of T degrees Kelvin is given by
1 1
B -
RT = R R e T TR

Where
RR is the thermistor resistance at the reference temperature, TR
TR is the reference temperature, in Kelvin, normally 273 + 25 = 298K (25°C)
B is the “beta” value of the thermistor.
For example,

1) Temperature threshold Tthreshold = 273 + 70 = 343K (70˚C)

2) TH1 = 10kΩ at 25˚C and B = 3900 Æ RT = 1.8kΩ @ 70˚C

3) Rth = RT at Tthreshold = 1.8kΩ

Over-Temperature Shutdown
The ZXLD1371 incorporates an over-temperature shutdown circuit to protect against damage caused by excessive die
temperature. A warning signal is generated on the STATUS output when die temperature exceeds 125°C nominal and the
output is disabled when die temperature exceeds 150°C nominal. Normal operation resumes when the device cools back
down to 125°C.

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FLAG/STATUS Outputs
The FLAG/STATUS outputs provide a warning of extreme operating or fault conditions. FLAG is an open-drain logic
output, which is normally off, but switches low to indicate that a warning, or fault condition exists. STATUS is a DAC
output, which is normally high (4.5V), but switches to a lower voltage to indicate the nature of the warning/fault.
Conditions monitored, the method of detection and the nominal STATUS output voltage are given in the following table
(Note 15):
Table 2
Severity Monitored
Warning/Fault condition FLAG Nominal STATUS voltage
(Note 16) parameters
Normal operation H 4.5V
1 VAUX < 5.0V L 4.5V
Supply under-voltage
2 VIN < 5.6V L < 3.6V
Output current out of regulation VSHP outside normal
2 L 3.6V
(Note 17) voltage range
Driver stalled with switch ‘on’, or
2 tON, or tOFF > 100µs L 3.6V
‘off’ (Note 18)
Device temperature above
maximum recommended 3 TJ > 125°C L 1.8V
operating value
Sense resistor current IRS above 4 L 0.9V
VSENSE > 0.3V
specified maximum
Notes: 15. These STATUS pin voltages apply for an input voltage,VIN, of 7.5V < VIN < 60V. Below 7.5V the STATUS pin voltage levels reduce and therefore
may not report the correct status. For 5.4V < VIN < 7.5V the flag pin still reports an error by going low. At low VIN in Boost and Buck-boost modes
an over-current status may be indicated when operating at high boost ratios -– this due to the feedback loop increasing the sense voltage.
16. Severity 1 denotes lowest severity.
17. This warning will be indicated if the output power demand is higher than the available input power; the loop may not be able to maintain
regulation.
18. This warning will be indicated if the gate pin stays at the same level for greater than 100µs (e.g. the output transistor cannot pass enough current
to reach the upper switching threshold).

Figure 15. Status levels

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In the event of more than one fault/warning condition occurring, the higher severity condition will take precedence. E.g.
‘Excessive coil current’ and ‘Out of regulation’ occurring together will produce an output of 0.9V on the STATUS pin.
If VADJ>1.7V, VSENSE may be greater than the excess coil current threshold in normal operation and an error will be
reported. Hence, STATUS and FLAG are only guaranteed for VADJ<=VREF.

Diagnostic signals should be ignored during the device

start – up for 100μs. The device start up sequence will VREF
be initiated both during the first power on of the device

FLAG
or after the PWM signal is kept low for more than
15ms, initiating the standby state of the device.
0V
In particular, during the first 100μs the diagnostic is
signaling an over-current then an out-of-regulation
O ut of
status. These two events are due to the charging of

STATUS
re g u la tio n

the inductor and are not true fault conditions.

O ver
C u rre n t

Coil current 2 2 5 m V /R 1

0A
100us

Figure 16. Diagnostic during Start-up

Reduced Input Voltage Operation
To facilitate operation in automotive and other applications, that have large transient reductions in system supply voltage,
the ZXLD1371 is now capable of operating down to input voltages as low as 5.0V. Care must be taken when operating at
these lower supply voltages to ensure that the external MOSFET is correctly enhanced and that the boosting ratio is not
increased to excessive amounts where both the duty cycle and peak-switch current limits are not exceeded. The device
will operate down to 5.0V, but for reliable start up VIN must be higher than 5.4V. The designer should also take into
account any noise that may occur on the supply lines.

In Buck-boost and Boost modes (most common topologies for applications likely to require transient operation down to
supply voltages approaching 5.0V) as the input voltage reduces then the peak switch current will increase the ZXLD1371
compensates for this by allowing the sense voltage to increase while maintaining regulation of the LED current. However if
the boost ratio (switch output voltage/input voltage) is increased too much then the sense voltage could be increased too
much causing an over-current flag to be triggered and/or loss of regulation.
In addition to this, increased power dissipation will occur in the external MOSFET switch – especially if the external
MOSFET has a large threshold. One way of overcoming this is to apply a boot-strap network to the VAUX pin – see next
section.
If the ZXLD1371 is used in buck mode at low voltages then the boot-strap network cannot be implemented and so a low
threshold MOSFET with low gate capacitance should be used. Some loss of regulation is expected to occur at voltages
below 6V – see Buck mode Typical Characteristics Section.
When using the ZXLD1371 in applications with transient input voltage excursions we recommend using the web calculator
to optimize operation over the normal operating band. Then change the input range to include the transient excursion while
keeping the optimized component selection to check expected function during the transient input voltage conditions.

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Boosting VAUX Supply Voltage in Boost and Buck-Boost Mode
This means that depending on the characteristics of the external MOSFET, the gate voltage may not be enough to fully
enhance the power MOSFET. A boot-strap boosting technique can be used to increase the gate drive voltage at low input
voltage. See figure 17 for circuit diagram. This can be particularly important for extended use at low input voltages as this is
when the switch current will be at its greatest – resulting in greatest heat generation within the MOSFET.

Figure 17. Bootstrap Circuit for Boost and Buck-Boost Low Voltage Operations
The Bootstrap circuit guarantees that the MOSFET is fully enhanced reducing both the power dissipation and the risk of
thermal runaway of the MOSFET itself. The bootstrap circuit consists of an extra diode D2 and decoupling capacitor C3
which are used to generate a boosted voltage at VAUX. This enables the device to operate with full output current when VIN
is at the minimum value of 5V. The resistor R2 can be used to limit the current in the bootstrap circuit in order to reduce the
impact of the circuit itself on the LED accuracy. A typical value would be 100 ohms. The impact on the LED current is
usually a decrease of maximum 5% compared to the nominal current value set by the sense resistor.
The Zener diode D3 is used to limit the voltage on the VAUX pin to less than 60V.
Due to the increased number of components and the loss of current accuracy, the bootstrap circuit is recommended only
when the system has to operate continuously in conditions of low input voltage (between 5 and 8V) and high load current.
Other circumstances such as low input voltage at low load current, or transient low input voltage at high current should be
evaluated keeping account of the external MOSFET’s power dissipation.

0.45
TA = 25°C, L = 33µH
0.43 RS = 150mΩ, R9 = 120kΩ
R10 = 36kΩ
0.41 5 LEDs

0.39
LED CURRENT (A)

0.37

0.35

0.33 5 LEDs Bootstrap

0.31

0.29

0.27

0.25
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
VIN (V)
Figure 18. Effect of Bootstrap on LED Current in Buck-Boost Mode

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Over-Voltage Protection
The ZXLD1371 is inherently protected against open-circuit load when used in Buck configuration. However care has to be
taken with open-circuit load conditions in Buck-Boost or Boost configurations. This is because in these configurations there
is no internal open-circuit protection mechanism for the external MOSFET. In this case an Over-Voltage-Protection (OVP)
network should be provided externally to the MOSFET to avoid damage due to open circuit conditions. This is shown in
figure 19 below, highlighted in the dotted blue box.

Figure 19. OVP Circuit

The zener voltage is determined according to: Vz = VLEDMAX +10% where VLEDMAX is maximum LED chain voltage.
If the LEDA voltage exceeds VZ the gate of MOSFET Q2 will rise turning Q2 on. This will pull the PWM pin low and switch
off Q1 until the voltage on the drain of Q1 falls below Vz. If the voltage at LEDA remains above VZ for longer than 20ms
then the ZXLD1371 will enter into a shutdown state.
Care should be taken such that the maximum gate voltage of the Q2 MOSFET is not exceeded.
Take care of the max voltage drop on the Q2 MOSFET gate. Typical devices for Z1 and Q2 are BZX84C and 2N7002

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PCB Layout Considerations
PCB layout is a fundamental to device performance in all configurations. Figure 20 shows a section of a proven
ZXLD1371 PCB layout.

SHP pin

Inductor, Switch
and
Freewheeling
diode

VIN / VAUX
decoupling

Figure 20. Circuit Layout

Here are some considerations useful for the PCB layout using ZXLD1371 in Buck, Boost and Buck-boost configurations:
ƒ In order to avoid ringing due to stray inductances, the inductor L1, the anode of D1 and the drain of Q1 should be
placed as close together as possible.
ƒ The shaping capacitor C1 is fundamental for the stability of the control loop. To this end it should be placed no
more than 5mm from the SHP pin.
ƒ Input voltage pins, VIN and VAUX, need to be decoupled. It is recommended to use two ceramic capacitors of
2.2uF, X7R, 100V (C3 and C4). In addition to these capacitors, it is suggested to add two ceramic capacitors of
1uF, X7R, 100V each (C2, C8), as well as a further decoupling capacitor of 100nF close to the VIN/VAUX pins
(C9). VIN and VAUX pins can be short-circuited when the device is used in buck mode, or can be driven from a
separate supply.
ƒ The underside of the PCB should be a solid copper ground plane, electrically bonded to top ground copper at
regular intervals using plated-thro via holes. The ground plane should be unbroken as far as possible, particularly
in the area of the switching circuit including the ZXLD1371, L1, Q1 D, C3 and C4. Plated via holes are necessary
to provide a short electrical path to minimize stray inductance. Critical positions of via holes include the decoupling
capacitors, the source connection of the MOSFET and the ground connections of the ZXLD1371, including the
centre paddle. These via holes also serve to conduct heat away from the semiconductors and minimize the device
junction temperatures.

Evaluation Boards
To support easier evaluation of the ZXLD1371 three evaluation boards have been developed which available via your
Diodes sales representative for qualified opportunities:
ZXLD1371EV1 Buck configuration
ZXLD1371EV2 Buck-boost configuration
ZXLD1371EV3 Boost configuration

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ZXLD1371

Ordering Information

Reel Reel
Device (Note 19) Packaging Status Part Marking Tape Width
Quantity Size
ZXLD
ZXLD1371EST16TC TSSOP-16EP Preview 1371 2500 16mm 13”
YYWW
ZXLD
ZXLD1371QESTTC TSSOP-16EP Preview 1371 2500 16mm 13”
YYWW
Note: 19. For Automotive grade with AEC-Q100 qualification the ZXLD1371QESTTC should be ordered.
Where YY is last two digits of year and WW is two digit week number

Package Outline Dimensions (All Dimensions in mm)

TSSOP-16EP
Dim Min Max
Pin 1 Indent gauge plane A 4.9 5.10
B L seating plane B 4.30 4.50
F a2 C ⎯ 1.2
D 0.8 1.05
Detail “A” F 1.00 Ref.
G 0.65 Ref.
G K K 0.19 0.30
A L 6.40 Ref.
a1 a1 7°
a2 0° 8°
D C All Dimensions in mm
Detail “A”

Suggested Pad Layout

X2

Value
Dimensions
Y 16x (in mm)
C 0.650
X 0.450
X1 3.290
Y3 Y1 Y2 X2 5.000
X1 Y 1.450
Y1 3.290
Y2 4.450
Y3 7.350

C
X 16x

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ZXLD1371
IMPORTANT NOTICE

DIODES INCORPORATED MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH REGARDS TO THIS
DOCUMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE (AND THEIR EQUIVALENTS UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY JURISDICTION).

Diodes Incorporated and its subsidiaries reserve the right to make modifications, enhancements, improvements, corrections or other
changes without further notice to this document and any product described herein. Diodes Incorporated does not assume any liability
arising out of the application or use of this document or any product described herein; neither does Diodes Incorporated convey any
license under its patent or trademark rights, nor the rights of others. Any Customer or user of this document or products described
herein in such applications shall assume all risks of such use and will agree to hold Diodes Incorporated and all the companies
whose products are represented on Diodes Incorporated website, harmless against all damages.

Diodes Incorporated does not warrant or accept any liability whatsoever in respect of any products purchased through unauthorized
sales channel.
Should Customers purchase or use Diodes Incorporated products for any unintended or unauthorized application, Customers shall
indemnify and hold Diodes Incorporated and its representatives harmless against all claims, damages, expenses, and attorney fees
arising out of, directly or indirectly, any claim of personal injury or death associated with such unintended or unauthorized application.

Products described herein may be covered by one or more United States, international or foreign patents pending. Product names
and markings noted herein may also be covered by one or more United States, international or foreign trademarks.

LIFE SUPPORT

Diodes Incorporated products are specifically not authorized for use as critical components in life support devices or systems without
the express written approval of the Chief Executive Officer of Diodes Incorporated. As used herein:

A. Life support devices or systems are devices or systems which:

1. are intended to implant into the body, or

2. support or sustain life and whose failure to perform when properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided
in the labeling can be reasonably expected to result in significant injury to the user.

B. A critical component is any component in a life support device or system whose failure to perform can be reasonably expected
to cause the failure of the life support device or to affect its safety or effectiveness.

Customers represent that they have all necessary expertise in the safety and regulatory ramifications of their life support devices or
systems, and acknowledge and agree that they are solely responsible for all legal, regulatory and safety-related requirements
concerning their products and any use of Diodes Incorporated products in such safety-critical, life support devices or systems,
notwithstanding any devices- or systems-related information or support that may be provided by Diodes Incorporated. Further,
Customers must fully indemnify Diodes Incorporated and its representatives against any damages arising out of the use of Diodes
Incorporated products in such safety-critical, life support devices or systems.

Copyright © 2012, Diodes Incorporated

www.diodes.com

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