Tag Archives: LDO

Why Low Dropout Regulators?

In this era of high-efficiency switching power supplies and voltage regulators, low dropout (LDO) regulators seem almost out of place. Contrary to popular belief, low dropout regulators are small components, simple to use, and cost-effective for obtaining an output of regulated voltage from an input of higher voltage. For system designers, low dropout regulators offer a simple method of obtaining a voltage from a source that is very close to the output voltage. This is one major reason designers Read more [...]

What is an LDO and How Does it Work?

When you need a voltage regulator for your circuit and do not have much of a voltage head room, the trick is to use an LDO or a low-dropout regulator. Normal regulators need voltage headroom of roughly around 3V to allow good regulation, but LDOs can do with a lot less – of the order of a few 100 millivolts. However, there are other considerations as well.

To regulate and control an output voltage, it is necessary to source it from a higher input voltage supply. For normal regulators, the voltage Read more [...]