Active automotive buck converter for 2.7-6V rails
The MAX20073ATBA/V+ from Analog Devices is an automotive-grade (AEC-Q100) synchronous step-down regulator delivering 2A continuous output from a 2.7V to 6V input rail. Switching at 2.2 MHz keeps the inductor and output cap small — the 10-TDFN (3x3 mm) exposed-pad package sheds heat into the PCB copper, so a 2A load at 125°C ambient is viable with proper layout.
What the 2.2 MHz switching frequency buys you
At 2.2 MHz the fundamental ripple sits above the AM broadcast band and most sensor bandwidths — you can get away with a 1 µH inductor and 10 µF output cap and still hold ripple under 20 mVpp at 2A. The trade-off is switching loss: at high line (6V in, 1.8V out) the duty cycle is 30%, and the internal FETs' gate charge times frequency eats about 5% of the output power. That is fine for a 2A rail; it would be painful at 10A.
AEC-Q100 Grade 1 temperature and the exposed pad
The 10-TDFN exposed pad (3x3 mm) is the primary thermal path — the datasheet recommends a 4-via thermal land on the bottom layer. Without it the RθJA climbs past 60°C/W and the 2A output derates above 85°C ambient.