Wide Conversion Research Articles

A new positive output DC–DC buck–boost converter based on modified boost and ZETA converters

A new DC–DC buck–boost converter with a wide conversion ratio is presented in this paper. The proposed buck–boost converter consists of a combination of modified boost converter and ZETA converter, which has the advantages of both converters such as continuous input/output current and positive polarity of the output voltage. The combination of these two converters achieves semi-quadratic voltage gain and makes the proposed converter suitable for industrial and renewable energy applications. With a voltage gain higher than that of the ZETA converter and modified boost converter, the proposed converter also reduces input current stress due to its continuity. Two operating states are available for this converter in continuous conduction mode. This converter has two switches that operate simultaneously and can be easily controlled. The converter's output voltage ripple and output capacitor current stress are reduced as a result of continuous output current. Computational analysis and the introduced structure efficiency considering the influence of parasitic elements are presented in this paper. The small signal modelling and closed-loop control, as well as simulation and experimental results are also presented. This converter has also been compared with other similar and recently presented topologies. Finally, a 40–60 W, 20–76 V for boost mode and 10 V for buck mode prototype was implemented to verify the accuracy of the computational analysis.

New single-switch buck–boost converter with continuous input/output currents and a wide conversion range

The main aim of this paper is to introduce a new high step-up/down buck-boost converter with a minimum number of switches which provides the benefit of having the continuity of the input/output current. This single-switch semi-quadratic converter is suitable for high step-up applications while being able to provide step-down voltage gains. Also, by applying some minor changes to the circuit elements, another single-switch buck-boost converter is suggested which has two operative outputs with different voltage gains. One of the outputs of this topology has quadratic buck-boost converter voltage gain which is appropriate for high step-up/step-down applications. The other output could vary from input voltage to minus infinity, ideally. After studying the steady-state operation of the proposed converters in Continuous Conduction Mode (C.C.M), the simulation results are presented. In addition, a comparison among related converters proposed in the literature is made. Finally, experimental results are evaluated by implementing a laboratory prototype of the proposed converter in both step-down and step-up modes. Theoretical, simulation, and experimental results are compatible with each other.

Generation of second harmonic at wide conversion band in GRIN multimode fibers

Optical poling of multimode graded-index fibers (GRIN) has emerged as a promising technique for creating periodic inscriptions of the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibility χ(2), enabling the generation of a second harmonic in silica fibers. In this work, we investigate the generation of multiple spectral peaks using a continuous broadband source in the infrared domain, generated in the same fiber by a femtosecond laser with a central wavelength different from the one used for the poling process. Building upon theoretical foundations, this work contributes at explaining how second and third-order nonlinear processes participate to the broad generation of the second harmonic in GRIN fibers.

Review, Properties, and Synthesis of Single-Switch Non-Isolated DC-DC Converters with a Wide Conversion Range.

The cascaded connection of power converters extends conversion ranges but requires careful consideration due to high component count and efficiency concerns, as power is processed redundantly. Furthermore, using several active switches that must be turned on simultaneously may introduce significant drive and control complexity. To overcome this limitation, single-switch quadratic DC-DC converters have been proposed in the literature as a prominent choice for various applications, such as light-emitting diode (LED) drivers. Nevertheless, the motivation behind the conception of such topologies, beyond extending the conversion ratio, remains unclear. Another unexplored issue is the possibility of obtaining single-switch versions of cascaded converters consisting of multiple stages. In this context, this work investigates the synthesis of single-switch non-isolated DC-DC converters for achieving high step-down and/or high step-up based on the graft scheme. Key issues such as the voltage gain, additional stresses on the active switches, component count, and behavior of the input current and output stage current are addressed in detail. An in-depth discussion is presented to identify potential advantages and shortcomings of the resulting structures.

Design and Characterization of Dispersion-Tailored Silicon Strip Waveguides toward Wideband Wavelength Conversion

One of cost-effective ways to increase the transmission capacity of current standard wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) transmission systems is to use a wavelength band other than the C-band to transmit in multi-band. We proposed the concept of multi-band system using wavelength conversion, which can simultaneously process signals over a wide wavelength range. All-optical wavelength conversion could be used to convert C-band WDM signals into other bands in a highly nonlinear fiber (HNLF) by four-wave mixing and allow to simultaneously transmit multiple WDM signals including other than the C-band, with only C-band transceivers. Wavelength conversion has been reported for various nonlinear waveguide materials other than HNLF. In such nonlinear materials, we noticed the possibility of wideband transmission by dispersion-tailored silicon-on-insulator (SOI) waveguides. Based on the CMOS process has high accuracy, it is expected that the chromatic dispersion fluctuation could be reduced in mass production. As a first step in the investigation of the broadness of wavelength conversion using SOI-based waveguides, we designed and fabricated dispersion-tailored 12 strip waveguides provided with an edge coupler at both ends. Each of the 12 waveguides having different widths and lengths and is connected to fibers via lensed fibers or by lenses. In order to characterize each waveguide, the pump-probe experimental setup was constructed using a tunable light source as pump and an unmodulated 96-ch C-band WDM test signal. Using this setup, we evaluate insertion loss, input power dependence, conversion bandwidth and conversion efficiency. We confirmed C-band test signal was converted to the S-band and the L-band using the same silicon waveguide with 3 dB conversion bandwidth over 100-nm. Furthermore, an increased design tolerance of at least 90 nm was confirmed for C-to-S conversion by shortening the waveguide length. It is confirmed that the wavelength converters using the nonlinear waveguide has sufficiently wide conversion bandwidth to enhance the multi-band WDM transmission system.

Continuous wideband microwave-to-optical converter based on room-temperature Rydberg atoms

The coupling of microwave and optical systems presents an immense challenge due to the natural incompatibility of energies, but potential applications range from optical interconnects for quantum computers to next-generation quantum microwave sensors, detectors and coherent imagers. Several of the engineered platforms that have emerged are constrained by specific conditions, such as cryogenic environments, impulse protocols or narrowband fields. Here we employ Rydberg atoms that allow the wideband coupling of optical and microwave photons at room temperature with the use of a modest set-up. We present continuous-wave conversion of a 13.9 GHz field to a near-infrared optical signal using an ensemble of Rydberg atoms via a free-space six-wave mixing process designed to minimize noise interference from any nearby frequencies. The Rydberg photonic converter exhibits a conversion dynamic range of 57 dB and a wide conversion bandwidth of 16 MHz. Using photon counting, we demonstrate the readout of photons of free-space 300 K thermal background radiation at 1.59 nV cm−1 rad−1/2 s−1/2 (3.98 nV cm−1 Hz−1/2) with a sensitivity down to 3.8 K of noise-equivalent temperature, allowing us to observe Hanbury Brown and Twiss interference of microwave photons.

Efficiency Optimization and Control Strategy of Four-Switch Buck–Boost Converter for Wide Conversion Ratio

An improved control strategy for the four-switch buck-boost (FSBB) converter is proposed to improve the efficiency in a wide conversion ratio and wide loads. The conventional duty-cycle-controlled FSBB converter can not achieve the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) for all the switches, while the converter has a dead zone issue. The proposed control strategy is controlled by the duty cycle and phase shift control. The control law is derived from the analytical solution of the optimized current stress with the constraint of the ZVS for all the switches. The working modes in the proposed control strategy can cover the whole load in a wide conversion ratio. Furthermore, the dead zone issue is removed. The modulation surface and output power surface versus the conversion ratio and control variable demonstrate the working modes are switched seamlessly. The control strategy is implemented in the digital controller. Finally, the experimental results verify the higher efficiency and dynamic performance of the control strategy.

Implementation of a novel buck‐boost converter based on coupled inductor for renewable energy applications

SummaryA coupled inductor based on dual switches buck‐boost converter is proposed in the article, which can be used in renewable energy applications. A wide conversion ratio can be realized by regulating turns ratio of the coupled inductor and the duty cycle. The topology has a quadratic‐like voltage gain, and the low voltage stress and current stress. Combing the passive clamping circuit to recover leakage energy, the voltage spikes of power switches are suppressed, improving the efficiency. Moreover, it has the merits of continuous input current and common ground. To demonstrate the superior performances of the presented converter, the principle of operation and steady‐state analysis are presented in detail. At last, a 100‐W experimental prototype was designed to verify the correctness of the theoretical analysis, with a maximum efficiency of 95.7% in step‐up mode and 96.8% in step‐down mode.

SEPIC-Based DC–DC Converter with Soft Switching Operation for Wide Conversion Operation of E-Automobiles

The article introduces a novel approach for designing a DC-to-DC converter utilizing the single-ended primary inductor converter topology for wide conversion operation in Electric Automobiles (E-Automobiles), with a focus on soft switching operation. A maximum power point tracking approach based on hierarchical multi-heuristic chicken swarm optimization is used to optimize the performance of the solar. The output of the converter is then fed into a three-phase inverter, where pulse width modulation is generated using a fuzzy logic controller (FLC). The inverted output is filtered using a low-pass filter before being supplied to the load, which is a brushless direct current motor in this case. The performance of the system is evaluated using traditional proportional-integral-derivative controllers and FLC controllers, considering parameters such as maximum amplitude (rise time), the time at which the system achieves its peak value (peak time), the time delay between input and output (delay time), the amplitude of the output voltage and current (output voltage and output current), and the discrepancy between the desired and actual values in a stable state (steady-state error). Comparative analysis indicates that the proposed design incorporating an FLC controller yields superior results compared to other approaches.

A systematic review of metabolism of methionine sources in animals: One parameter does not convey a comprehensive story.

The goal of this review article, based on a systematic literature search, is to critically assess the state of knowledge and experimental methodologies used to delineate the conversion and metabolism of the 2 methionine (Met) sources DL-methionine (DL-Met) and DL-2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (HMTBa). The difference in the chemical structures of HMTBa and DL-Met indicates that these molecules are absorbed and metabolized differently in animals. This review explores the methodologies used to describe the 2-step enzymatic conversion of the 3 enantiomers (D-HMTBa, L-HMTBa and D-Met) to L-Met, as well as the site of conversion at the organ and tissue levels. Extensive work was published documenting the conversion of HMTBa and D-Met into L-Met and, consequently, the incorporation into protein using a variety of invitro techniques, such as tissue homogenates, cell lines, primary cell lines, and everted gut sacs of individual tissues. These studies illustrated the role of the liver, kidney, and intestine in the conversion of Met precursors into L-Met. A combination of invivo studies using stable isotopes and infusions provided evidence of the wide conversion of HMTBa to L-Met by all tissues and how some tissues are net users of HMTBa, whereas others are net secreters of L-Met derived from HMTBa. Conversion of D-Met to L-Met in organs other than the liver and kidney is poorly documented. The methodology cited in the literature to determine conversion efficiency ranged from measurements of urinary, fecal, and respiratory excretion to plasma concentration and tissue incorporation of isotopes after intraperitoneal and oral infusions. Differences observed between these methodologies reflect differences in the metabolism of Met sources rather than differences in conversion efficiency. The factors affecting conversion efficiency are explored in this paper and are mostly associated with extreme dietary conditions, such as noncommercial crystalline diets that are very deficient in total sulfur amino acids with respect to requirements. Implications in the diversion of the 2 Met sources toward transsulfuration over transmethylation pathways are discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of some methodologies used are discussed in this review. From this review, it can be concluded that due to the inherent differences in conversion and metabolism of the 2 Met sources, the experimental methodologies (e.g., selecting different organs at different time points or using diets severely deficient in Met and cysteine) can impact the conclusions of the study and may explain the apparent divergences of conclusion found in the literature. It is recommended when conducting studies or reviewing the literature to properly select the experimental models that allow for differences in how the 2 Met precursors are converted to L-Met and metabolized by the animal to enable a proper comparison of their bioefficacy.

The Design of 2S2L-Based Buck-Boost Converter with a Wide Conversion Range

This manuscript proposes a novel nonisolated negative output buck-boost converter topology for wide voltage conversion applications. To design this converter, a typical buck-boost converter configuration is used. In conventional buck-boost converter, the active switches designed are replaced by two switches-two inductors (2S2L) cells. The proposed converter operates in the continuous conduction mode (CCM) operation under steady-state conditions. This converter has a lower component count and low voltage stress on the switches and diodes. Moreover, the major advantage of this buck-boost converter topology is that a wide range of step-down and step-up voltage conversions can be achieved. The performance of the proposed system is designed in MATLAB/SIMULINK. A few other comparisons are also presented to demonstrate the competitiveness of the proposed buck-boost converter.

A Wide Conversion Ratio Bidirectional Modified SEPIC Converter with Non dissipative Current Snubber

This article presents a wide conversion ratio bidirectional dc-dc converter based on a bidirectional modified Single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC converter). A key feature of this modified SEPIC converter is the non-dissipative current snubber circuit, which is used to achieve zero current switching and to suppress voltage spikes that occur during MOSFET switching. The snubber is made up of a capacitor, an inductor, and a diode that work together to form a resonant circuit that absorbs the voltage spike and returns it to the circuit without dissipating it. Even with conventional MOSFETs, high efficiency is achieved. The SEPIC converter differs from other bi-directional DC-DC converters in that it provides continuous output current, has fewer components, and can provide high conversion ratios of step-up and step-down voltage without exceedingly low or high duty-cycle. This paper presents a theoretical analysis with stages of operation in both step-up and step-down modes, theoretical waveforms, and the design procedure, as well as a comparison with other bidirectional dc-dc converter topologies. The experimental results are presented to validate the performance of the proposed converter using a 500-W prototype with Voltage Source V1 = 48 V and Voltage SourceV2 = 300 V.

Broadband Wavelength Conversion for Hybrid Multiplexing Signals Based on a Parallel Dispersion-Engineered Silicon Waveguide

Broadband all-optical wavelength conversion (AOWC) for hybrid wavelength- and mode-division multiplexing (WDM-MDM) signals is experimentally demonstrated based on degenerate four-wave mixing in a silicon chip with a parallel dispersion-optimized multimode nonlinear waveguide and mode (de)multiplexers. By simultaneously coupling two modes into the waveguide using an optical fiber array, the intermodal crosstalk is measured to be as low as −25.9 dB for the fundamental mode of the transverse electric mode (TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> ) (or −23.6 dB for the first-order mode TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> ), and the conversion efficiency is −25.4 dB for TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> (or −26.3 dB for TE <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">1</sub> ) mode. A wide conversion bandwidth of ∼68 nm is measured except for the influence of the crosstalk, which is the first time to experimentally demonstrate the broadband wavelength conversion for MDM signal. Using a 4 × 10 Gbit/s on-off keying (OOK) hybrid WDM-MDM signal, four AOWC channels are obtained on the idlers and the power penalty of each channel is less than 2.7 dB at the bit-error-ratio of 1 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−9</sup> .

New Single-Switch Buck–Boost Converter with Continuous Input/Output Currents and a Wide Conversion Range

New Single-Switch Buck–Boost Converter with Continuous Input/Output Currents and a Wide Conversion Range

Hybrid Inverter and Control Strategy for Enabling the PV Generation Dispatch Using Extra-Low-Voltage Batteries

This paper proposes a dispatchable photovoltaic (PV) hybrid inverter for output power tracking without any dependency on the converter’s efficiency and with no power closed loop. The system uses an extra-low-voltage battery energy storage system (BEES) based on a Li-ion battery pack to be applicable for use inside homes and other installations close to the end-user. A bidirectional isolated current-fed dual-active bridge (CF-DAB) converter associated with the batteries provides a wide conversion voltage ratio and ensures safety for the users. The proposed control system shares the DC bus voltage controller between the ac grid interfacing converter (AC-DC) and CF-DAB (DC-DC), eliminating the converter’s efficiency in the reference equations. When dispatchable power is not required, or according to the user’s request, the battery’s charge/discharge current can be specified. A disturbance rejection technique avoids low-frequency current ripple on the battery side. It contributes to the battery’s lifespan. Experimental results presenting the dc bus voltage control, current disturbance rejection, and power dispatching are included to validate the proposal.

A new transformerless semi‐quadratic buck–boost converter based on combination of Cuk and traditional buck–boost converters

AbstractIn this paper, a new transformerless buck–boost converter is proposed. This converter is based on combining two basic converters, including Cuk and traditional buck–boost converters, along with a voltage multiplier (VM) at the output side. The proposed semi‐quadratic buck–boost converter operates in continuous conduction mode (CCM) and provides two operation modes by turning the switches on and off. This converter has some merits such as a wide conversion ratio and continuous input current. The proposed converter consists of two switches with simultaneous operation resulting in simplicity in control. A modular configuration and a wide range of duty cycles are available through the proposed converter, which causes higher or lower output voltage and facilitates the converter maintenance. The calculations of the ideal and the real voltage gain, voltage stress of switches and diodes, efficiency, and design consideration of elements are given in this paper. Finally, a prototype is implemented, and experimental waveforms are obtained to prove and validate the simulation results as well as the theoretical analysis of the proposed converter.

A Current-Fed Dual-Half-Bridge-Based Composite Converter With Improved Light-Load Efficiency Through a Multi-Variable Optimization

Due to its frequent occurrence in the electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications, light-load efficiency of the dc–dc converter is critical. Different from the conventional boost converter, in this work, a novel composite converter is proposed and investigated to achieve significantly improved light-load efficiency. The proposed converter consists of a current-fed dual-half-bridge (CF-DHB) converter module and a boost converter module, which can be controlled and optimized independently. The interconnection of the two modules leads to advantages, such as lower voltage stress across the power device and a wide conversion ratio. In this article, a multi-variable efficiency optimization method is proposed utilizing the topology advantages of the proposed converter to address the light-load efficiency issue. Based on the loss model, the power sharing between the two converter modules and the switching frequency of the boost converter module are optimized at light load. A 30-kW silicon carbide (SiC)-based composite dc–dc converter prototype is built to validate the proposed multi-variable efficiency optimization method in the light-load operating conditions. Extensive experimental results are presented to demonstrate the noticeable efficiency improvement brought by the proposed method.

1- and 80-MS/s SAR ADCs in 40-nm CMOS With End-to-End Compilation

This paper presents an end-to-end successive-approximation-register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) compiler that generates design solutions from top-level specification to GDSII layout with a short turnaround time of 5 hours. Two prototype SAR ADCs operating at 1MS/s and 80MS/s are compiled in 40nm CMOS. Measurement results demonstrate a wide conversion range, presenting both analog and technology-limited performances. The compiler requires minimum manual involvement and can significantly boost design efficiency for performance retargeting, technology migrations, and agile development of IP blocks.

New family of transformer‐less quadratic buck‐boost converters with wide conversion ratio

New family of transformer‐less quadratic <scp>buck‐boost</scp> converters with wide conversion ratio

Noncascading Quadratic Buck-Boost Converter for Photovoltaic Applications.

The development of switching converters to perform with the power processing of photovoltaic (PV) applications has been a topic receiving growing interest in recent years. This work presents a nonisolated buck-boost converter with a quadratic voltage conversion gain based on the I–IIA noncascading structure. The converter has a reduced component count and it is formed by a pair of L–C networks and two active switches, which are operated synchronously to achieve a wide conversion ratio and a quadratic dependence with the duty ratio. Additionally, the analysis using different sources and loads demonstrates the differences in the behavior of the converter, as well as the pertinence of including PV devices (current sources) into the analysis of new switching converter topologies for PV applications. In this work, the voltage conversion ratio, steady-state operating conditions and semiconductor stresses of the proposed converter are discussed in the context of PV applications. The operation of the converter in a PV scenario is verified by experimental results.