A 60V, step-down DC/DC converter from Linear Technology is designed to operate as a three-channel, constant-current LED driver. Each channel of the LT3597 DC/DC converter contains an LED driver with an adaptive-output buck converter. The converter is suitable for applications such as red, green and blue displays, which require different output voltages for each LED string. The converter, with a 48V input, can drive up to three strings of LEDs, each with 10 100mA LEDs in series. The converter's multi-channel capability makes it suitable for backlighting LED billboards as well as industrial, automotive and medical displays. The converter features an input voltage range between 6- and 60V, making it suitable for industrial, automotive and medical applications. Each LED string can be independently programmed to deliver up to 100mA of LED current with 2% current matching between strings. Furthermore, each channel can be independently dimmed with True Color PWM dimming. A programmable 200kHz to 1MHz fixed frequency operation and current-mode architecture ensures stable operation over a wide range of supply and output voltages. The converter's 5x8mm QFN package provides a compact solution footprint for LED lighting applications.
