Memristor-Based Pulse Width Modulation Circuit for Power Converters with Programmable Frequencies

Abstract

Memristors can achieve up to a 1000-times reduction in energy consumption in neuromorphic and in-memory computing, but their integration into power converter control remains incomplete. Existing implementations either convert memristor outputs into digital signals for DSP-based pulse-width modulation (PWM), reintroducing computational overhead, or use analog PWM circuits with limited programmability. Since PWM generation is the final essential stage of power converter control, a programmable memristor-based PWM circuit is needed to fully realize the energy-efficiency benefits of memristive computing. This paper presents a programmable memristor-based PWM circuit operating at approximately two hundred kilohertz for switching power converters. The design combines digital-controller programmability with the low power consumption of analog PWM generators. Experimental validation using commercially available memristors achieves a programmable switching frequency from 144.7 kHz to 204.2 kHz. Compared with a commonly used DSP implementation in power converter control, the proposed design achieves a 92% reduction in power consumption.