Need to generate a 3V supply from a 5V input, but don't have the right LDO handy?  Our latest "Application Spotlight" article shows how to build simple, low-cost voltage regulators out of a handful of common components.

Deriving multiple power supplies from a single input is a task common to most embedded systems.  In this article, we explore some simple circuits for stepping down a 5 volt rail to 3 volts.

In most cases, the obvious solution is to use a 3 volt  LDO − it's a simple integrated solution.  However, there are times when using an LDO may not be the best or lowest cost choice.