10.3 Thermal Considerations

Implementation of integrated circuits in low-profile and fine-pitch surface-mount packages typically requires special attention to power dissipation. Many system-dependent issues such as thermal coupling, airflow, added heat sinks and convection surfaces, and the presence of other heat-generating components affect the power-dissipation limits of a given component.

Three basic approaches for enhancing thermal performance are listed below.

1. Improving the power dissipation capability of the PCB design
2. Improving the thermal coupling of the component to the PCB by soldering all pins to traces as wide as possible.
3. Introducing airflow in the system

The maximum recommended junction temperature (T_J) of the TPS63036 device is 125°C. The thermal resistance of this 8-pin chip-scale package (YFG) is R_θJA = 84°C/W, if all pins are soldered. Specified regulator operation is assured to a maximum ambient temperature T_A of 85°C. Therefore, the maximum power dissipation is about 476 mW, as calculated in Equation 9. More power can be dissipated if the maximum ambient temperature of the application is lower.

Equation 9.