9.10 A 93%-Peak-Efficiency Battery-Input 12-to-36V-Output Inductor-in-the-Middle Hybrid Boost Converter with Continuous Input and Output Currents and Fast Transient with No RHP Zero

Abstract

Recent emerging applications, such as LiDAR transceivers for autonomous driving and motor drivers for drones and robots, raise the requirements on boost converters to provide higher voltages and faster transient responses. Conventional boost converters (CBCs) [1], [2] providing 10-to-30V output voltage are limited in low-power and low-speed applications. From the perspective of high voltage conversion ratios (VCRs), CBCs face challenges of very short turn-on pulses, which limit the switching frequency and increase reliability risks. In addition, significant voltage stress on inductors and power transistors leads to high direct current resistance (DCR) losses and increased turn-on resistance in high-voltage (HV) power transistors, negatively affecting the system efficiency, power density, and applicable process options. For transient speed, CBCs inherently suffer from the right-half-plane (RHP) zero. Usually, larger inductors are preferred to reduce the current ripple, which results in lower-frequency RHP zeros. This, in turn, further limits the system bandwidth and consequently slows the transient response.