These thermally enhanced LDOs can generate a stable voltage source under cold-start conditions for ripple-sensitive loads in automotive applications, including infotainment systems, ADAS, telematics, and lighting systems. The excellent output protection of these tracking LDOs allows their use in body control modules, zone control units, and powertrain systems, even in scenarios involving external loads such as sensors. Beyond automotive applications, these LDOs are well-suited for industrial applications such as power tools, e-bikes, and battery packs.

In battery-powered automotive applications, low quiescent current (Iq) and turn-off current (ISHUT) are critical for energy efficiency and extended battery life. Always-on systems require ultra-low Iq and a stable output cross-temperature range. In CAN-wake systems and some sleep-state systems, an ultra-low ISHUT (In-Sleep Power Supply) is essential to minimize battery consumption, even in deep sleep (disable) mode. Consuming only 5.3 μA (typical) quiescent current under light load and 300 nA (typical) turn-off current in disabled mode, these LDOs are ideal for powering always-on components such as microcontrollers (MCUs), controller area network (CAN) transceivers, or local interconnect network (LIN) components in standby and CAN-wake systems.

These tracking LDOs also address off-board or off-PCB power scenarios, such as sensor powering. These applications often require a robust output that needs protection, including safeguards against short circuits to ground, short circuits to battery, and reverse current conditions. These challenges are met by the comprehensive protection features of the tracking LDOs in this series, ensuring reliable operation in demanding environments. Furthermore, for radiometric detection or measurement applications, tracking LDOs offer exceptional output accuracy, following the supply voltages of analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) or microcontrollers (MCUs) within ±5 mV.

General-purpose LDOs generate a stable output (±2% accuracy) of 3 V or 5 V from a wide input voltage range (3–40 V), allowing them to be connected directly to a car battery without additional pre-regulation. Built-in protection features include short-circuit, overcurrent, and thermal shutdown, and these LDOs can operate in a temperature range of -40 °C to 125 °C (ambient) and -40 °C to 150 °C (junction). The series also includes devices with a PG (Power Good) output voltage status monitor that can be used to support safety-related functional system designs.

The NEX90x30-Q100 LDOs provide a 300 mA output current capability and are available in a selection of packages, including an 8-pin HTSSOP package with bottom cooling and thermal enhancement measuring 3 mm x 3 mm and a DFN6 package measuring only 2 mm x 2 mm. For lower load current applications, the NEX90x15-Q100 devices with a 150 mA output current capability are more cost-effective, with flexible package options including SOT23-5, SOT223-4, and HWSON6 (DFN-6). The NEX91207-Q100 trace LDO has a 70 mA output current and comes in SOT23-5 and SOT23-5S packages.

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