A new generation of linear regulators pushes 500mA output while staying stable with sub-1µF capacitors, opening new options for dense automotive, industrial, and infrastructure designs.
Designers struggling to balance higher current demands with shrinking board space now have a new option. A newly introduced family of low-dropout (LDO) regulators by ROHM Semiconductor delivers up to 500mA output current while maintaining stable operation with ultra-small output capacitors—an area that has long constrained power supply design flexibility.
The key features are:
- 500mA maximum output current for high-load applications
- Stable operation with output capacitors below 1µF
- Ultra-low voltage ripple during fast load transients
- Support for ultra-small MLCCs, including 0603M size
- High-accuracy SPICE models for precise power simulation
The devices target 12V and 24V primary power rails commonly found in automotive electronics, factory automation, and communication infrastructure. At the core is an ultra-stable control technology that allows reliable operation with output capacitance well below 1µF, including compact MLCCs previously considered impractical for high-current LDOs.
High-current LDOs typically require larger ceramic or electrolytic capacitors to avoid oscillation and excessive voltage ripple. This limitation becomes a bottleneck in space-constrained designs. By contrast, the new series maintains output voltage ripple of around 250mV even during fast load transients—from 1mA to 500mA within 1µs—using a typical output capacitor of just 470nF. Support extends down to ultra-small 0603M MLCCs, enabling significant reductions in board area and component height.
This launch builds on an earlier low-current generation that proved stable with output capacitors as small as 100nF and saw broad adoption across multiple markets. By increasing output current more than threefold, the latest devices expand the same design philosophy into higher-power applications such as ECUs, industrial controllers, gateways, and always-on consumer electronics.
Production has already begun, with availability through major global distributors. To support faster design cycles, high-accuracy SPICE models are also provided, allowing engineers to simulate transient response and stability behavior with greater confidence before hardware prototyping. With higher current capability, reduced capacitor constraints, and improved transient performance, these LDOs are positioned as a practical solution for engineers pushing toward smaller, denser, and more reliable power architectures.
