MSC-PoL: An Ultra-Thin 220-A/48-to-1-V Hybrid GaN-Si CPU VRM with Multistack Switched Capacitor Architecture and Coupled Magnetics

Ping Wang, David Giuliano, Stephen Allen, Minjie Chen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents an ultra-thin microprocessor voltage regulator module (VRM) based on multistack switched-capacitor point-of-load (MSC-PoL) architecture and coupled magnetics. In the MSC-PoL architecture, the stacked switched-capacitor cells split the high input voltage into multiple intermediate voltage rails, which are loaded with the switched-inductor cells to achieve soft-charging and voltage regulation. Many inductors of the switched-inductor cells are coupled into one and operated in interleaving to miniaturize the dc magnetic energy storage, reduce the inductor current ripple, and improve the VRM transient speed. A 48 V-to-1 V, 6-mm-thick MSC-PoL VRM with ladder-structured coupled inductors is built and tested. A leakage magnetic plate of 0.8-mm thickness is designed to adjust the leakage inductance for lower current ripple. The peak efficiency, full-load efficiency and full-load power density of the MSC-PoL prototype with and without using the leakage plate are 92.9% and 91.2%, 86.3% (@220 A) and 85.1% (@210 A), and 607 W/in3 and 677 W/in3, respectively.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAPEC 2023 - 38th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages1967-1974
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9781665475396
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
Event38th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2023 - Orlando, United States
Duration: Mar 19 2023Mar 23 2023

Publication series

NameConference Proceedings - IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition - APEC
Volume2023-March

Conference

Conference38th Annual IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition, APEC 2023
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando
Period3/19/233/23/23

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

  • Switched capacitor circuit
  • coupled inductor
  • point-of-load
  • power-on-package
  • voltage regulation module

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