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IN THIS ISSUE:
» Deriving The Control-To-Output Transfer Function Of The Weinberg Converter
» Overcoming Power Challenges In Optical Transceivers With Two-Stage Buck Regulators
» Focus On Magnetics:
Designing An Open-Source Power Inverter (Part 20): Converter Inductor Magnetic Design
» Special Guest Commentary:
Breakthrough In Dynamic RDS(ON) Is Making 1200-V E-Mode GaN FETs Viable
» Power Products
» New on How2Power.com
» Other Top Power News
From the Editor's Desk David G. Morrison
Editor, HOW2POWER TODAY
In power electronics, if you come up with a good idea, chances are that idea will stick around a long time with variations and refinements by those who follow you. A case in point is the Weinberg converter, introduced 50 years ago as a robust, fault tolerant and low-noise power converter for space applications. As Christophe Basso discusses in his article, this topology has been refined and analyzed over the years, but still warrants further analysis, as he demonstrates in deriving a small-signal model and control-to-output transfer function that he verifies in SPICE and SIMPLIS simulations. Meanwhile, when it comes to power components, there’s a continual push to develop better performing devices using new materials, innovative device design and new packaging concepts. A commentary by Daniel Wan and Simon Li discusses their company’s progress in developing 1200-V e-mode GaN FETs, which hold promise for EVs and other applications. A third article by Laurence McGarry, Jim Pflasterer, and Kubo Tatsuya discusses the operation and application of a two-stage buck converter which is benefitting space-constrained, optical transceivers. While the GaN FETs described by Wan and Li are third-generation technology, high-voltage GaN is just in its infancy and likely there will be many new generations of parts to follow in their footsteps. For the two-stage buck converter discussed by McGarry and company, the ongoing push to lower supply voltages for DSPs and ASICs, and higher power density, should present continued opportunities for refinement of their company’s approach. Meanwhile, for fans of magnetics design, Dennis Feucht offers another installment in his Volksinverter design series tackling a coupled inductor design for the battery converter stage, which by coincidence uses the Weinberg converter structure. Enjoy these articles, plus the latest power component news and more in this October issue.
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HOW2POWER EXCLUSIVE DESIGN ARTICLES 
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Deriving The Control-To-Output Transfer Function Of The Weinberg Converter
by Christophe Basso, Future Electronics, Toulouse, France
The Weinberg converter was first documented by Alan Weinberg in 1974 when he was with the European Space Agency. The converter is a buck-derived current-fed push-pull topology and has gained popularity in space applications up to several kilowatts, owing to its robustness and almost ripple-free output current. As with any switching converter intended to be operated in closed loop, the stabilization exercise starts with obtaining the control-to-output transfer function of the power supply. While searching the available literature, I have found several papers describing the small-signal response of this converter, but I could not either match their results with simulations in SIMPLIS or derive a useful expression from a long list of matrices. Finally, since this structure was not analyzed in my previous book on transfer functions, I decided to take a look at its small-signal response here.
Read the article…
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Starting with Vorpérian’s model of the
PWM switch, the author derives large- and
small-signal models of this modified version
of the Weinberg converter operated in
voltage-mode control. |
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In devices produced by pSemi, the
charge pump and buck stages are
integrated in a single, monolithic die. |
Overcoming Power Challenges In Optical Transceivers With Two-Stage Buck Regulators
by Laurence McGarry, Jim Pflasterer, and Kubo Tatsuya, pSemi, San Jose, Calif.
Several challenges face today’s network and datacenter system power designers. The increase in data rates translates to increased power requirements usually in the same or smaller space. Traditional methods of power conversion using buck topologies may be battle-hardened but offer little opportunity to significantly improve the efficiency and size of the converter. They also struggle to provide the performance required to support sub-10-nm loads which require very low output voltages often combined with higher currents. In this article, we introduce the two-stage buck regulator architecture as an innovative method of achieving efficient conversion from high input to low output voltages. This novel architecture consists of a first-stage charge pump to divide the input voltage down to a lower intermediate value, followed by a second-stage buck regulator. Read the article…
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FOCUS ON MAGNETICS
Sponsored by Payton Planar Magnetics
A monthly column presenting information on power magnetics design, products, or related technology |
Designing An Open-Source Power Inverter (Part 20): Converter Inductor Magnetic Design
by Dennis Feucht, Innovatia Laboratories, Cayo, Belize
The final magnetic component in the Volksinverter that remains to be designed is the converter-stage inductor of the boost push-pull (BPP) transfer circuit. From control considerations in part 19, the inductor was modified by adding an additional winding so that inductor energy could be transferred through the winding to the output when the transfer circuit does not operate in boost (CA) mode. The inductor of the Volksinverter converter stage is a two-winding coupled inductor. In this part, in designing the coupled inductor for the BPP stage, we largely follow the generalized transductor design procedure introduced in part 15 for designing the transformer in the BPP stage. As with the transformer design, we’ll begin the coupled inductor design with the magnetic design, establishing those parameters relating to selection of the core and the number of turns, N.
Read the article…
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SPECIAL GUEST COMMENTARY
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Breakthrough In Dynamic RDS(ON) Is Making 1200-V E-Mode GaN FETs Viable
by Daniel Wan and Simon Li, GaNPower International, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
E-mode GaN-on-Si FETs, with their low on-state resistance and fast switching capabilities, have emerged as promising candidates for the next-generation power switches. Compared with SiC MOSFETs, GaN-on-Si switches offer much lower substrate and manufacturing costs, due to their perfect compatibility with the well-developed silicon CMOS technology, which has been further leveraged by the recent success of Infineon’s 300-mm GaN-on-Si technology. These advantages have led to a rapidly growing demand for GaN-on-Si switches in various power applications, such as electric vehicle (EV) chargers and traction inverters; renewable energy systems; and consumer, server, telecom and industrial power supplies. The market has witnessed the successful adoption of GaN-on-Si FETs (with voltage ratings up to 650 V) especially in consumer electronics, providing a strong foundation of confidence for the reliable deployment of higher-voltage GaN devices in more demanding power applications. Read the full story …
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POWER PRODUCTS |
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NEW ON HOW2POWER.COM
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Calendar of Events — Over 400 Listings For 2024
HOW2POWER’s Events Calendar lists selected conferences, tradeshows, workshops and webinars related directly or indirectly to power electronics. Our calendar currently lists over 400 of the electronics industry’s top events for 2024 and over 75 events for 2025.
Visit this section …
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Navigating Success: Essential Questions When Hiring An Event Manager
by Rebecca Krishnamurthy, RNA Associates, Lewisville, TX
In this industry, the event manager’s role spans conferences, trade shows, corporate events, and retreats, requiring a unique blend of organizational expertise, effective communication, and creative problem-solving. When seeking the right event manager for your needs, it's crucial to ask key questions to ensure a seamless and successful event.
Read the article …
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OTHER TOP POWER NEWS
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 November 1 is the call for papers deadline for submitting abstracts for next year’s 3D-PEIM, the Fifth International Symposium on 3D Power Electronics Integration and Manufacturing, which will be held July 8–10, 2025 in Lakewood, Colorado.
Cambridge GaN Devices took part in the G7 and oecd intergovernmental semiconductor events, which were aimed at increasing the resilience of the semiconductor value chain and promoting information exchange and closer coordination between governments on semiconductors.
Infineon is partnering with AWL-Electricity to improve wireless power with GaN power semiconductors.
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CISSOID’s SiC Inverter Control Module has been adopted by hydraulic component manufacturer Hydro Leduc for its new Electric Power Take-Off, which supports the electrification of trucks and other off-road vehicles.
Among the finalists for the 2024 Collegiate Inventors Competition, a diamond-based photoconductive semiconductor switch from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign allows for faster recovery from outages and improves grid stability with rapid switching, high-voltage capabilities and exceptional reliability.
Advanced Energy has opened a new design and service center in Wilmington, Mass., which will focus on the development of advanced power technologies for semiconductor, industrial and medical applications.
A project led by research institute VTT found that fuel cell technology enables reliable, remote controlled and more environmentally-friendly electricity production even in difficult-to-reach locations with extreme conditions.
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