Ideas for converter datasheet improvements

Thread Starter

BitsNBytes

Joined Mar 22, 2021
35
Hello Power Gurus,

I look at a lot of datasheets across manufactures, and I am wondering what suggestions other engineers may like to see added or refined when they are designing in a buck, boost, etc. Several ideas come to mind:

  1. Additional datasheet graphs over voltage, load, temperature.
    1. provide the temperature, what trim if any, specific inductor, specific capacitor, etc.
  2. Bode plots for the converter?
  3. Details on the suggested inductor/capacitor with an actual part number (not all XR7 dielectrics are the exact same performance)
  4. Layout considerations or examples
  5. Detailed design walkthrough (could be related to #2)
    1. A little difficult due to undocumented slope compensation and other IC trims. "Use this value" is usually the datasheet advice
  6. Detailed description of expected performance (behavior is startup, short circuit, over temperature, etc.)
  7. ABS MAX ratings details
    1. A tough one is the LX node to ground. Often stated to be VDD - 300mV, but in reality this can be -1V or more in normal operation. Worst case is at full current limit at 125C.
  8. And maybe not critical, but graph colors. TI has ugly colors, but I suspect these are for printing and color blindness.

What are your gripes of industry datasheets?
 
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