A versatile discrete-time approach for modeling switch-mode controllers

This paper presents a universal method for modeling the frequency response of comparators in switch- mode controllers. As the main non-linearity in most switch- mode controllers, understanding the comparator is the key to understanding the system. Based on discrete-time modeling, the proposed method is demonstrated to allow very precise predictions of comparator frequency response in a variety of control schemes. In the presented work, the modeling method is exemplified for the standard PWM and two different self-oscillating (a.k.a. sliding mode) control schemes. The proposed method is believed by the authors to be the first method that is able to handle these fundamentally different control schemes within a single modeling framework. Experimentally measured output impedance and comparator magnitude responses are compared to the model results. Great accuracy is achieved from DC to frequencies far beyond the switching frequency.