Optimal Control for DC-DC Buck Converters

Buck converters are the most commonly used power conversion technology in PCs for producing the high current low voltage CPU, GPU and RAM supplies.  As core voltages reduce and current levels increase, it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet efficiency, regulation and cost requirements of next generation systems.

Researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario Canada have developed optimal control technologies, for both analog and digital implementations, that address the needs of next generation systems.   Based on the Charge Balance approach, these controllers minimize output capacitance requirements, and may be implemented either a stand alone discrete controller or as a control block integrated in a larger semiconductor. 

A detailed technology opportunity bulletin is available here: http://parteq.technologypublisher.com/files/sites/tob_optimal_control.pdf