Finite element modeling of nanoscale-enabled microinductors for power electronics
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ARTICLE Finite element modeling of nanoscale-enabled microinductors for power electronics Eric D. Langloisa) MEMS Technology Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
Todd C. Monsonb) Nanoscale Sciences, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA
Dale L. Huber and John Watt Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA (Received 15 February 2018; accepted 21 June 2018)
This article focuses on the finite element modeling of toroidal microinductors, employing first-of-its-kind nanocomposite magnetic core material and superparamagnetic iron nanoparticles covalently cross-linked in an epoxy network. Energy loss mechanisms in existing inductor core materials are covered as well as discussions on how this novel core material eliminates them providing a path toward realizing these low form factor devices. Designs for both a 2 lH output and a 500 nH input microinductor are created via the model for a high-performance buck converter. Both modeled inductors have 50 wire turns, less than 1 cm3 form factors, less than 1 X AC resistance, and quality factors, Q’s, of 27 at 1 MHz. In addition, the output microinductor is calculated to have an average output power of 7 W and a power density of 3.9 kW/in3 by modeling with the 1st generation iron nanocomposite core material.
I. INTRODUCTION
Switched mode power converters remain popular for battery-powered applications due to their higher efficiency as compared to linear regulators. This higher efficiency allows batteries to last longer and circuits to stay cooler. Pushing the ability of power converters to operate at higher frequencies allows for smaller external components, such as transistors, inductors, and capacitors, enabling smaller converter sizes and lowering component costs.2 There has been a great deal of research lately in wide/ultra-wide band gap SiC, GaN, and AlN transistors for high power electronics. These switches enable great reductions in size and weight due to their material parameters, enabling larger voltages, greater currents, and higher frequencies. Unfortunately, scaling and performance of passive components, such as inductors and capacitors, have not kept pace with the advances made in these high-power transistors. These larger and heavier circuit elements ultimately limit the power densities, operation frequencies, and converter sizes that can be achieved. Inductors are particularly problematic as they are not as easy to microfabricate as transistors and are typically added as a separate discrete component. As a)
Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected] b) This author was an editor of this journal during the review and decision stage. For the JMR policy on review and publication of manuscripts authored by editors, please refer to http://www.mrs. org/editor-manuscripts/. DOI: 10.1557/jmr.2018.236 J. Mater. Res., Vol. 33, No. 15, Aug 13, 2018
much as circuit designers would love to eliminate inductors altogether,
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