16-SOIC buck controller with synchronous rectification
The MAX797HESE+ is a step-down (buck) switching regulator controller in a 16-SOIC package, designed to drive an external transistor pair. The supply range spans 5V to 30V at Vcc, making it suitable for intermediate bus rails or multi-cell battery inputs without a pre-regulator. It integrates a synchronous rectifier driver, which improves efficiency at low output voltages by replacing the freewheeling diode with a second MOSFET. The switching frequency is pin-selectable between 150kHz and 300kHz, giving the layout engineer a trade-off between inductor size and switching losses.
Control features and temperature grade
The controller includes Enable, Pulse Skipping, and Soft Start control features. Pulse skipping reduces switching losses at light loads, while the soft-start pin sets the output ramp time to limit inrush. Maximum duty cycle is 96%, which allows the output to track close to the input rail — useful when the input is a nominally 5V rail and the output must hold regulation through brownout conditions.
Sourcing and availability
This is an active, in-production part from Analog Devices. The tube package (16-SOIC) is the standard delivery format for this order code.