Abstract
An on-chip transformer with a ferrofluid magnetic core has been developed and tested. The transformer consists of solenoid-type coil and a magnetic core of ferrofluid, with the former fabricated by MEMS technology and the latter by a chemical co-precipitation method. The performance of the MEMS transformer with a ferrofluid magnetic core was measured and simulated with frequencies ranging from 100 kHz to 100 MHz. Experimental results reveal that the presence of the ferrofluid increases the inductance of coils and the coupling coefficient of transformer; however, it also increases the resistance owing to the lag between the external magnetic field and the magnetization of the material.
Highlights
IntroductionOn-chip transformers have been widely used and in highly demand for small-size
In recent years, on-chip transformers have been widely used and in highly demand for small-sizeDC/DC converter applications
The graph shows that the self-inductance and leakage inductance increased with the presence of 1 M Fe3O4 ferrofluid
Summary
On-chip transformers have been widely used and in highly demand for small-size. Other than the above factors, a portion of the papers have indicated that the core loss from the “solid” magnetic core significantly affects the performance of the transformers. Solutions for the core loss were further discussed in [1,14,19]. Only a handful of papers have discussed transformers with “liquid” magnetic cores. These liquid-core transformers with their distinguishing features of low electric conductivity and the super-paramagnetism of oil-based ferrofluids, have became a solution to the core losses of eddy currents and hysteresis losses. A ferrofluid is applied as a “liquid” magnetic core in the transformer, and the performance of this transformer is compared to that of a transformer with an air core
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