Integrated inductor optimization for Power Supply on Chip

New needs in power efficiency and integration are driving the research to ever shrinking converters. One of the most crucial and hardest to optimize device inside the integrated converter is the inductor. In this paper, a computer-assisted optimization is done for the racetrack shaped microinductor used in this kind of system. The design methodology is described and the inductor model is validated using a Finite Element simulator. The results closely match the design equations and are compared with data reported in past publications. Since the inductor is only one element of the whole converter, some conclusions are drawn concerning the trade-offs when optimizing the converter as a whole.