Issues and advances in high-frequency magnetics for switching power supplies

Magnetic components have been and will continue to be an essential element in power conversion and management circuits. Due to this pivotal role, magnetic components have seen continuous efforts to develop materials, winding structures, and manufacturing and assembly techniques toward the never ending goals of high efficiency, smaller size, and automated manufacturing. The authors present an up-to-date view as well as an outlook for the future covering the technologies that have enabled the advanced in magnetic components for power electronics in telecommunications. Finally, they also provide their view on emerging technologies in this field in line with broader developments in the telecommunications, electronics and semiconductor industries.

I. Introduction

The essential role that magnetic components play in electronic power conversion schemes has driven a continuum of advancement efforts. With the advent and proliferation of distributed power architectures, board-level-power, point-of-load power, and ultimately power-on-a-chip, advances in magnetics technology have occurred to keep up with these needs. It is clear that this evolution is primarily driven by the needs for higher power densities (both in volume and area) and for higher efficiencies. These drivers are heavily influenced by the overall trends in the digital and analog electronics industry that rely on the power conditioning, regulation, and control provided by such power converters, regulators, and controllers.