Quasi-digital low-dropout voltage regulators uses controlled pass transistors

This article presents a low quiescent current output capacitorless quasi-digital CMOS LDO regulator with controlled pass transistors according to load demands. The pass transistor of the LDO is broken up to two smaller sizes based on a breakup criterion defined here, which considers the maximum output voltage variations to different load current steps to find the suitable current boundary for breaking up. This criterion shows that low load conditions will cause more output variations and settling time if the pass transistor is used in its maximum size. Therefore, using one smaller transistor for low load currents, and another one larger for higher currents, is the best trade-off between output variations, complexity, and power dissipation. The proposed LDO regulator has been designed and post-simulated in HSPICE in a 0.35 µm CMOS process to supply a load current between 0-100 mA while consumes 7.6 µA quiescent current. The results reveal 46% and 69% improvement on the output voltage variations and settling time, respectively.Postprint (published version

Current-Steering Switching Policy for a SIDO Linear-Assisted Hysteretic DC/DC Converter

This paper proposes the use of linear-assisted switching power converters in the context of single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) applications. By combining a DC/DC ripplecontrolled switching power converter with the respective voltage linear regulators at each output, improved performance in terms of load and line regulations is obtained. To achieve that aim, a current-steering switching policy is proposed, together with a resource-aware circuit implementation. The ripple-based hysteretic control results in variable switching frequency to guarantee critical conduction mode (boundary of CCM and DCM).Postprint (published version

A PLL control for self-tuning of parallel wireless power transfer receivers utilizing switch-mode gyrator emulated inductors

In multiple receivers wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, it is preferable to retune the resonant frequency of every receiver to the transmitter operating frequency in front of frequency mismatches. This paper discusses a proposal for electronic tuning for WPT receivers by means of a variable active switch-mode inductance. The proposed method benefits from the gyrator concept to emulate a variable inductance. Instead of the conventional approach of linear amplifier based implementation of a gyrator, a switch-mode gyrator circuit is exploited for more efficient operation. Additionally, a PLL-like control is presented to enable self-tuning for the receiver resonant tank. Furthermore, a design-space characterization for the system dynamic behavior has been discussed to show the control robustness and the instabilities (including slow-scale and fast-scale chaotic instabilities) it may undergo.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Tunable wide-band second-order all-pass filter-based time delay cell using active inductor

This paper presents a CMOS RF second-order voltage-mode all-pass filter (APF) as a time delay cell. The proposed filter benefits from a simple structure; consisting of one transistor, three resistors, and one grounded capacitor and inductor. The filter reaches a group delay of 60 ps over a 10 GHz bandwidth, while achieving maximum delay-bandwidth-product (DBW) and it consumes only 10.3 mW power. On the other hand, an active inductor is used in the APF instead of a passive RLC tank in order to control the time delay and improve the size. In this case, the power consumption increases while time delay can be tuned. The proposed APF is designed and simulated in a TSMC 180 nm CMOS process.Postprint (published version

Quasi–digital low–dropout voltage regulators uses controlled pass transistors

This article presents a low quiescent current outputcapacitorless quasi-digital CMOS LDO regulator with controlled pass transistors according to load demands. The pass transistor of the LDO is broken up to two smaller sizes based on a breakup criterion defined here, which considers the maximum output voltage variations to different load current steps to find the suitable current boundary for breaking up. This criterion shows that low load conditions will cause more output variations and settling time if the pass transistor is used in its maximum size. Therefore, using one smaller transistor for low load currents, and another one larger for higher currents, is the best trade-off between output variations, complexity, and power dissipation. The proposed LDO regulator has been designed and post-simulated in HSPICE in a 0.35 µm CMOS process to supply a load current between 0-100 mA while consumes 7.6 µA quiescent current. The results reveal 46% and 69% improvement on the output voltage variations and settling time, respectively.Postprint (published version

Chaos controller for switching regulators aiming enhanced design-space towards miniaturization

This paper tackles the control of fast-scale instabilities in a buck switching power converter aiming to expand its design-space towards miniaturization. After briefly revisiting the working principle of existing chaos controllers, the paper explores an alternative approach based on amplifying the harmonic at the switching frequency. Numerical simulations show that the proposed controller can concurrently improve both fast-scale and slow-scale stability margins. Finally, the paper proposes a chaos controller combined with an output ripple reduction network and studies their interaction with the aim of achieving both low-ripple and improved stability.Preprin

Insight into the dynamics of low temperature dielectric relaxation of ordinary perovskite ferroelectrics

The temperature dependence of the dielectric response of ordinary ferroelectric materials exhibits a frequency-independent anomalous peak as a manifestation of the ferroelectric to paraelectric phase transition. A second anomaly in the permittivity has been reported in different ferroelectric perovskite-type systems at low temperatures, often at cryogenic temperatures. This anomaly manifests as a frequency-dependent local maximum, which exhibits similar characteristics to that observed in relaxor ferroelectrics around their phase transition. The origin of this unexpected behavior is still controversial. In order to clarify this phenomenon, a model-free route solution is developed in this work. Our findings reveal the same critical linear pattern/glass-like freezing behavior previously observed for glass-forming systems. Contrary to current thought, our results suggest that a critical-like dynamic parameterization could provide a more appropriate solution than the conventional Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann equation. The implemented methodology may open a new pathway for analyzing relaxation phenomena in other functional materials like relaxor ferroics.Postprint (published version

The generalized Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation for describing the dynamics of relaxor ferroelectrics

Relaxor ferroelectrics (RF) are outstanding materials owing to their extraordinary dielectric, electromechanical, and electro-optical properties. Although their massive applications, they remain to be one of the most puzzling solid-state materials because understanding their structural local order and relaxation dynamics is being a long-term challenge in materials science. The so-called Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman (VFT) relation has been extensively used to parameterize the relaxation dynamics in RF, although no microscopic description has been firmly established for such empirical relation. Here, we show that VFT equation is not always a proper approach for describing the dielectric relaxation in RF. Based on the Adam-Gibbs model and the Grüneisen temperature index, a more general equation to disentangle the relaxation kinetic is proposed. This approach allows to a new formulation for the configurational entropy leading to a local structural heterogeneity related order parameter for RF. A new pathway to disentangle relaxation phenomena in other relaxor ferroics could have opened.Postprint (published version

Unfolding kinetic fragility in relaxor ferroelectrics

The fragility parameter is one of the most important material constants that is extensively used in glass science, playing a central role in the enhancement of the understanding the glass formation process of disordered systems. Although fragility has been widely used, this concept has never been precisely defined and evaluated in relaxor ferroelectrics. Here, we have filled up this scientific gap. Based on a generalized Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann equation, the fragility parameter is introduced for relaxor ferroelectrics. The new formulation has been quantitatively assessed by combining dielectric spectroscopy and pyroelectric measurements on canonical relaxors. A clear correlation between the fragility and a new local structural heterogeneity related order parameter elucidates new information about the ferroelectric order of relaxor ferroelectrics. A new pathway to disentangle relaxation phenomena in other relaxor ferroics could have opened.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft