The Micrel MIC23050 is a high efficiency 500mA PWM synchronous buck (step-down) regulator featuring Hyper Light LoadTM, a patented switching scheme that offers best-in-class light load efficiency and transient performance while providing very small external components and low output ripple at all loads. The MIC23050 also has a very low typical quiescent current draw of 20A and can achieve over 85% efficiency even at 1mA. The device allows operation with a tiny inductor ranging from 0.47H to 2.2H and uses a small output capacitor that enables a sub-1mm height. In contrast to traditional light load schemes Hyper Light LoadTM architecture does not need to trade off control speed to obtain low standby currents and in doing so the device only needs a small output capacitor to absorb the load transient as the powered device goes from light load to full load.