Driver for 2.5 MHz self-oscillating electronic ballast designed with descriptive function

This paper presents a fairly straightforward driver for self-oscillating electronic ballast. This driver simplifies the ballast design method, allowing it to operate even in a frequency near of 2.5 MHz. It separates the MOSFET gate of the self-oscillating driver, in order to avoid MOSFET parasitic capacitances affect the oscillation frequency. This driver was used in self-oscillating ballast based on a class E Amplifier. The feedback of the ballast was designed according to descriptive function method and Nyquist extended criterion. Two prototypes were implemented to test the operation of the proposed driver at frequencies of 1 and 2.5 MHz. The experimental results verified and validated the correct driver design. An efficiency of 81.2 % was obtained and the error percentage between the operation frequency and the design frequency was 3.8% for the 2.5 MHz ballast.