What the 550 mA switch current means for your rail
The LTC3526LBEDC#TRMPBF is a step-up (boost) converter with a 550 mA internal switch — that is the peak current the inductor sees, not the output current. It starts from as low as 0.5 V input, so it can keep a rail alive while a single alkaline or NiMH cell is nearly depleted.
Synchronous rectification and package rework
The synchronous rectifier replaces the external Schottky diode, which saves a component and improves efficiency at low output voltages — useful when the output is set near 1.5 V (the minimum adjustable output). At higher outputs the efficiency gain narrows, but the BOM simplification still helps. Pin 1 is marked by a dot on the top; the pad layout matches the standard DFN-6 footprint.