Comparison of different technologies to develop inductors for low-power, low-voltage DC/DC converter modules

Miniaturization has become a major issue in portable and telecom applications. This pressure has also reached low-power, low-voltage converters, which are continuously being demanded to have an ever-increasing power density. Since passive components, especially magnetics, remain the bulkiest and heaviest devices in this kind of module, it is obvious that the overall power density of these converters can be improved by optimizing the magnetic components they include. This paper compares how different types of inductors perform when included in a 5 V-to-3.3 V power converter. The goal of this paper is trying to determine the limitations of the approaches analyzed in terms of power density, electromagnetic interference, cost, availability, simplicity, etc. It is then up to final manufacturers which strategy to use.