High-Current Performance Analysis of a Non-Isolated High Step-Down DC-DC Converter and Miniaturization of the Gate Drive Circuit

In recent years, power supply systems for data centers require high-efficiency, high-power-density converters with high step-down ratios for power conversion from 48 V to loads requiring low voltage and high current. A previous study proposed a non-isolated switched capacitor (SC) converter with a high voltage step-down ratio and a compact design. This converter reduces the number of SC stages compared to conventional topologies. While its operation at low output currents has been confirmed, evaluations for application suitability have not yet been conducted. Additionally, the use of isolated power supplies in the gate drive circuit has led to an increase in circuit board size. In this paper, a prototype circuit was developed for high-current applications, and its operation under high-current conditions was verified. As a result, the challenges associated with high-current operation were identified, and solutions to address these problems were clarified.