Critical conduction mode PFC controller utilising a transconductance error amplifier

Available now from Farnell element14, the NCP1608 from ON Semiconductor, is an active power factor correction (PFC) controller specifically designed for use as a pre-converter in AC/DC adapters, electronic ballasts, and other medium power off-line converters (typically up to 350W). It uses critical conduction mode (CrM) to ensure near unity power factor across a wide range of input voltages and output power. The device minimises the number of external components by integrating safety features, making it an excellent choice for designing robust PFC stages. It is available in a SOIC-8 package.