A new driving scheme for synchronous rectifiers: single winding self-driven synchronous rectification

Abstract

Single winding self-driven synchronous rectification (SWSDSR) approach is a new driving circuit that overcomes the limitations of the traditional driving schemes, becoming an interesting alternative to supply new electronic loads such as microprocessors. Traditional self-driven synchronous rectification (SDSR) technique has shown very good performance to improve efficiency and thermal management in low-voltage low-power DC/DC converters, however it can not be extended to the new fast dynamic, very low voltage applications. SWSDSR scheme is based on an additional winding in the power transformer (auxiliary winding). It allows for maintaining the synchronous rectifiers (SRs,) on even when the voltage in the transformer is zero, which is impossible to do in traditional self-driven approaches. It also makes it possible to drive properly the SRs even in very low voltage applications, 1.5 V or less. Coupling of the windings strongly affects the performance of the SWSDSR technique. The influence of the coupling between the different windings is analyzed through simulations of different transformers designed for the same application. Models of transformers are generated with a finite element analysis (FEA) tool. Goodness of the SWSDSR scheme is validated through experimental results.