The LM340 and LM7805 Family monolithic 3-terminal positive voltage regulators employ internal current-limiting, thermal shutdown and safe-area compensation, making them essentially indestructible. If adequate heat sinking is provided, they can deliver over 1.5-A output current. They are intended as fixed voltage regulators in a wide range of applications including local (on-card) regulation for elimination of noise and distribution problems associated with single-point regulation. In addition to use as fixed voltage regulators, these devices can be used with external components to obtain adjustable output voltages and currents.

Considerable effort was expended to make the entire series of regulators easy to use and minimize the number of external components. It is not necessary to bypass the output, although this does improve transient response. Input bypassing is needed only if the regulator is located far from the filter capacitor of the power supply.

LM7805 is also available in a higher accuracy and better performance version (LM340A). Refer to LM340A specifications in theLM340A Electrical Characterisitcstable.Read more