Hi,
I'm playing with AVR microcontrollers (I'm more a software/digital person).
I'm after a simple efficient on-a-chip inexpensive voltage regulator for the main power rail for a battery powered device.
Say 3-6V nominal in, fixed output of somewhere between 3.5-5V. About
0.2A-0.3A max current.Actual voltage is less important than the fact it is stable so I can design to it.
Classic linear regulators are rather inefficient needing typically 2V more input than the output voltage. So it sounds like a job for a switching device - but I'm after a ready to run as near to single component option as possible - certainly no more than say 5 supporting components.
Are there any bog standard options these days for that type of problem?
Battery choice is flexible so if a step-down only is simpler than one that can step-up and step-down that's fine.
Sorry if that is a dumb question - I took hope from the ".basics" group name that it would be tolerated ;-)
Thank you in advance,
Tim