Single-Chip DC-DC Converter for Harsh Environments

Alphacore Inc. will develop a digitally controlled, high switching rate, digital hysteresis based DCDC converter suitable for space and harsh environment applications. Alphacore will collaborate with ASU scientists to develop a RHBD, digital intensive, single-chip hysteretic DC-DC converter module to achieve: - Utilizing 180nm digital CMOS process, supporting up to 4.5V input supply, and up to 4A of load current utilizing a stacked power stage. - First all-digital hysteretic converter, achieving 10MHz switching rate, with reduced output component sizing - A digital slow-start (SS) option to sequence and daisy chain and sequence power supplies - Digitally controlled regulation loop parameters, including switching speed, hysteresis window, settling time The switching regulator will be fully digitally controlled, enabling portability across various process technologies. Alphacore's design provides a very fast transient response and high efficiency operation across the full load range of operation using digital. Having a fast-transient design is critical when operating a digital ASIC or FPGA that typically require a large amount of decoupling capacitance (lots of area on the board) to be able to respond to dynamic load change within their core. The main characteristics of this design are: 1 to 5 V input voltage, 0.8 - 4.5 V regulated output voltage, fully integrated, load current scalable power train, high efficiency (peak efficiency at 94%) digital hysteretic converter. The main deliverable of this research will be a single chip, all digitally hysteretic controlled solution, where a fully integrated all digital DC-DC point-of-load regulator with programmable hysteresis window will deliver a load current of 0.1A to 2A. Due to its fully integrated solution, the controller design will be 2.5x2.5 mm2 on a 0.13um 18um CMOS process. The converter will utilize drain extended power devices to achieve high voltage compliance.