Source for LGA sockets for Linear Technology's switching regulators

You probably won't find a socket. And they get rid of heat through the pads, so a socket is a bad idea anyhow.

We like them. They work great.

If you don't like the package, look at National's equivalents, sort of TO220 packages.

John

John, Thank you for your reply

Does this mean the PCB has pads and the LGA package makes direct contact with the pads? All LGA sockets I have seen in the past have a lever for ensuring a good contact is made between the socket and a LGA CPU. What is used with a PCB to ensure good electrical contact and heat transfer?

Howard

Yes.

All LGA sockets I have seen in the past have a

Solder!

Here's a bare board...

ftp://jjlarkin.lmi.net/LTM1.jpg

and loaded:

ftp://jjlarkin.lmi.net/LTM2.jpg

You just solder paste and pick+place/reflow them like any other BGA or LGA-type part. The higher the load current, the more thermal vias you need to big copper pours, to get rid of the heat. This board has 16 thermal vias per chip, but they're hard to see in these pics.

When I say "thermal vias" I mean the opposite of the usual "thermal" via. The ones here are flood-over, with no spokes.

If you don't have good assembly and rework available, I wouldn't use these parts.

John

You do not want to socket any sort of switching regulator chip, for heat and inductance reasons.

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John, a super thank you. Obviously I had a mental block when I saw the acronym LGA.

Howard

As others have said, these solder directly to the pcb to remove heat. Sockets would be a bad idea. You can toaster oven solder these (I've done it with a hot air system) if you're doing a prototype. I've also soldered wires to the pads to run some basic tests on these parts.