Reconfigurable Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator with Improved Light Load Efficiency in Data Center Applications

In data centers, the trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) is emerging as a promising topology for point-of-load converters, designed to deliver high-current, fast-transient power to the XPU. Since XPUs typically operate under light load conditions, enhancing TLVR light load efficiency is essential. This paper proposes a novel reconfigurable TLVR design that incorporates a 4-quadrant switch within the secondary side coupling loop of the trans-inductor. At heavy load, the configuration retains the characteristics of a conventional TLVR. While at light load, the TLVR is reconfigured to decouple the interleaved phases, thus improving light load efficiency. A 12V/1.8V, 500kHz, 80A 4- phase TLVR with this secondary switch was designed and tested, with experimental results demonstrating an average light load efficiency improvement of 2.9%.