Title :
Modeling of an LTCC Inductor Capable of Improving Converter Light-Load Efficiency
Author :
Lim, Michele H. ; van Wyk, J.D. ; Ngo, K.D.T.
Author_Institution :
Center for Power Electronics Systems, The Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
fDate :
Feb. 25 2007-March 1 2007
Abstract :
A low-profile power inductor fabricated using low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) technology has been demonstrated to improve the light-load efficiency of a 5 V-to-1 V, 12.5 A buck converter operating with a switching frequency of 4 MHz, without the use of additional control circuitry. Variation in inductor geometry is performed experimentally to study the effects on the light-load efficiency of a converter. By decreasing the conductor width of the inductor, the light-load efficiency can be further improved by more than 30 % over that of commercial inductors having similar inductance. An empirical model is developed based on in-circuit large signal measurements to describe the relationship among inductance, average current, and inductor geometry to help in the future design of such planar inductors.
Keywords :
Buck converters; Ceramics; Circuits; Conductors; Geometry; Inductance; Inductors; Lighting control; Switching frequency; Temperature control; Inductor; LTCC; light-load efficiency; low temperature co-fired ceramics; power electronics;
Conference_Titel :
Applied Power Electronics Conference, APEC 2007 - Twenty Second Annual IEEE
Conference_Location :
Anaheim, CA, USA
Print_ISBN :
1-4244-0713-3
DOI :
10.1109/APEX.2007.357499
