Fairchild Semiconductor's LED Backlight Boost Switches Reduce Power Losses

Designers of high-power LEDs are challenged with preventing power losses and sub-harmonic oscillations associated with inefficient discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) boost converters. Fairchild Semiconductor's (NYS: FCS) FAN7340 and FAN73402 single-channel boost controllers with integrated high-voltage dimming MOSFETs address these challenges by helping designers achieve greater efficiency, performance and better reliability in high-power lighting applications such as LED backlighting for 3D televisions and monitors.
These backlight driving boost switches use a current-mode control topology with programmable slope compensation to prevent sub-harmonic oscillation. Designed with an internal dimming and analog pulse-width modulation (PWM), these devices overcome the short falls of a DCM boost converter by achieving a fast PWM dimming response.
Both devices offer integrated protection features such as under-voltage lockout, open LED protection, and over-voltage protection that help to minimize component count. Additionally, these devices provide error prevention by generating a FAULT signal with delay if an abnormal LED string condition occurs.