This device is designed to have an ultra-low quiescent current and be stable with a 4.7-uF capacitor. This combination provides high performance at a reasonable cost.

Because the PMOS device behaves as a low-value resistor, the dropout voltage is very low (typically 85 mV at an output current of 150 mA for the TPS76550) and is directly proportional to the output current. Additionally, since the PMOS pass element is a voltage-driven device, the quiescent current is very low and independent of output loading (typically 35 uA over the full range of output current, 0 mA to 150 mA). These two key specifications yield a significant improvement in operating life for battery-powered systems. This LDO family also features a sleep mode; applying a TTL high signal to EN\ (enable) shuts down the regulator, reducing the quiescent current to less than 1 uA (typ).