Modeling and Performance Analysis of Planar Fractal Inductors

Limited available space and some other system requirements for the integration of magnetic components address the importance to improve their overall performance and reduce losses. This article evaluates the performance of planar inductor with Moore fractal design. The inductor is modeled using partial inductance method, where each segment is divided into a certain number of elementary filaments, and then, mutual inductances between filaments are calculated. A developed simulation tool is used for the analysis of high-frequency parameters (equivalent inductance, equivalent resistance, and quality factor), taking into account parasitic effects. The proposed model is verified by measurements and electromagnetic simulations. Two planar fractal inductors, with different segment widths, 2.9 and 3.6 mm, are examined. A good agreement between the results obtained by modeling, measurements, and electromagnetic simulations is achieved. The main advantage of the proposed simulation tool is that it can be easily modified and applied for the modeling and optimization of various inductor geometries, which will be useful in future research.