National Semiconductor has introduced a family of light-emitting diode (LED) drivers designed to power the new generation of 1 W to 5 W, high-brightness LEDs found in automotive, industrial and general illumination applications. National's LM3402, LM3404 and LM3405 LED drivers offer the wider input voltage range required by this fast-growing market segment. In addition, National's new LED drivers provide a constant current to regulate the LED brightness and low feedback voltage to minimize power dissipation.

Optimized for 1 W LEDs, National offers two versions of the LM3402 LED driver that provide wide input voltage ranges of either 6 V to 42 V or 6 V to 75 V. For 3 W and 5 W LEDs, the LM3404 and LM3405 provide additional output current drive capability.

The LM3402 is a compact, constant-current buck regulator with up to 95% efficiency that drives up to 525 mA of current. The LM3404 and LM3404HV share the same functionality as the LM3402 and LM3402HV, but have the ability to drive currents up to 1.2 amperes. These products are well-suited to power 3 W and 5 W LEDs at current levels of 700 mA or 1 ampere, respectively. Whereas the LM3405 constant-current, buck regulator delivers up to 1 ampere of current to drive 3 W or 5 W LEDs.

The LM3402 and LM3402HV are available in production quantities. Samples of the LM3404 and LM3404HV are also available and production quantities will become available in November. Samples of the LM3405 are expected in November and production quantities in January 2007. Prices for these LED drivers start at $1.35 for the LM3402 and $1.65 for the LM3402HV in 1000-unit quantities.

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