July 17, 2017 — A sequential linear LED driver for offline lighting applications is now available from Microchip Technology Inc. The CL88020, an extension of Microchip’s CL88XX family, is designed to drive a long string of LEDs directly from the 120 VAC line input. The product allows customers to create LED lighting applications by having High Power Factor (PF) without the need for switch-mode power conversion which is typically required for LED lighting design.
The CL88020 was designed to minimise driver circuit component count to allow for a small and efficient design. The design allows for a single layered Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design. The basic driver circuit consists of the CL88020 IC, two small ceramic capacitors and a bridge rectifier only. High-voltage capacitors, transformer or inductors, electromagnetic interference (EMI) filters or Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuitry are not required.