It operates as a two-terminal shunt regulator — the load and a bias resistor set the cathode current, and the device sinks the difference to maintain regulation. The 15 mA output current ceiling and 110 µA minimum cathode current define the resistor sizing: pick the bias resistor so the total current (load + 110 µA) stays between those limits across the supply range.
Noise and drift — the limits that matter for precision
Output noise is specified at 180 µVrms over the 10 Hz to 10 kHz bandwidth — about 18 ppm of the 10V output. That is adequate for a 12-bit ADC reference (1 LSB at 10V is 2.44 mV), but a 16-bit system would see the noise floor at roughly 3 LSBs. The temperature coefficient is 150 ppm/°C, which translates to a 1.5 mV shift over a 10°C change. For a design that holds calibration across a 50°C swing, budget for a 7.5 mV drift — check if your system's reference input tolerance accommodates that.
Package and mounting — SOT-23-3 footprint
The base product number is LM4040, which spans multiple voltage options and tolerance grades in the same SOT-23-3 footprint.