MC34063ADR2G Integrated Circuits (ICs)

MC34063ADR2G Application Field and Working Principle

PMIC - Voltage Regulators - DC DC Switching Regulators

Switching regulators (or switched-mode power supplies) are widely used in today’s marketplace because they are low cost, easy to design, and efficient. The MC34063A is a versatile, monolithic regulator capable of supplying a constant output voltage from an input voltage as low as 1.25V. It can operate in step-down, step-up, and inverting modes of operation and includes short-circuit protection, current and thermal sensing, and switching current-limit protection. This article explains the application field and working principle of the MC34063A.

Application Field

The MC34063A is most commonly used in the following applications:

• Driving medium power DC motors (12V, 24V, and 36V).
• Powering low voltage DC motors and relays (1.5V, 3V, and 5V).
• Supplying power to small embedded systems (1.5V-5V).
• Charging batteries (NiCd, NiMH, Li-ion).

Working Principle

The heart of the MC34063A is a control circuit consisting of an oscillator, a comparator, and a driver. The oscillator is responsible for controlling the frequency of the regulators operation. It is adjustable from 500kHz to 2MHz. The comparator is responsible for setting the reference voltage for the output (by comparing it to the regulation input voltage). Finally, the driver is responsible for switching the current in and out of the output. This switching action is known as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), and it effectively controls the amount of current going to the load by controlling the “on” and “off” time of the output.

Conclusion

The MC34063A is a versatile, monolithic regulator capable of supplying a constant output voltage from an input voltage as low as 1.25V. It is most commonly used in low voltage DC motor applications, embedded systems, and battery charging applications. It works by using pulse width modulation to control the amount of current going to the load. With its adjustable frequency and fast switching times, the MC34063A is an ideal choice for a wide variety of applications.