Fully integrated multi-phase buck converter with coupled air core inductors

Patent · Tue Dec 10 00:00:00 EST 2019

OSTI ID:1600398

Zhang, Xin; Takken, Todd E.; Wang, Naigang; Chang, Leland

A multi-phase buck switching converter having grouped pairs of phases, each phase using two magnetically coupled air-core inductors. For each group, a first driver circuit controlling switching of a first power transistor switching circuit coupled to a first air-core inductor output for driving an output load at the first phase. A second driver circuit controlling switching of a second power transistor switching circuit coupled to a second air-core inductor output for driving said output load at the second phase. The first and second phases are spaced 180° apart. The coupled air-core inductors per group of such orientation, separation distance and mutual inductance polarity relative to each other such that magnetic coupling between the two or more inductors at each phase results in a net increase in effective inductance per unit volume. Each air-core inductor is a metal slab of defined length, height and thickness formed using back-end-of-line semiconductor manufacturing process.

• Research Organization: International Business Machines Corp., Armonk, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: 95083063
• Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
• Patent Number(s): 10,505,456
• Application Number: 16/124,334
• OSTI ID: 1600398
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 09/07/2018
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English