High speed shunt regulator

摘要

A high speed shunt regulator comprises a DC current source, a DC voltage reference/current shunt circuit, and first and second Schottky diodes connected in series with each other between the DC current source and the DC voltage reference/current shunt circuit. An output port for the load is connected between the first and second Schottky diodes. The Schottky diodes have little parasitic capacitance and virtually no reverse recovery. Consequently, the amount of current passing through the Schottky diodes can change in one nanosecond and the shunt regulator can accommodate high frequency fluctuations in the load while maintaining rated voltage. In other words, the Schottky diodes serve the function of "isolating" the slower semiconductors of the DC current source and reference voltage/current shunt circuit from the load.