Tutorial: Fundamentals of Switch-Mode Power-Converter Design

Switched-mode power converters are very popular in power management IC designs for voltage conversions and are widely adopted for today’s smart phones and tablets thanks to their high power-conversion efficiency and high-output-power capability. Their applications also include high-voltage and high-power automotive systems, LED lighting, and renewable energy systems. In this tutorial, switched-mode power-converter fundamentals and the design of CMOS switched-mode power converters will be covered. Topics include an overview of non-isolated power-converter topologies such as buck, boost, and non-inverting buck-boost; loss analysis and comparisons between continuous and discontinuous conduction-mode operations; different control schemes; and frequency compensation between voltage-mode and current-mode operations. Topics also include detailed circuit implementations of building blocks like FET-based and filter-based current sensors, dead-time control and gate drivers and the state-of-the-art designs. Practical design examples are used throughout the presentation. Advanced topic includes the discussions of three-level converters.