A High-Efficiency 12/1-V Dual-Path Series-Capacitor Converter With Low V⋅A Metric and Full Duty Range

Abstract

This article presents a dual-path series-capacitor (DPSC) converter with a voltage range of $9~{\sim }~16$ -V input to 1-V output. By forming a capacitive-current path with flying capacitors, the proposed DPSC converter alleviates both voltage and current stresses on both the inductor and switches, enhancing overall efficiency and achieving the lowest $V\cdot A$ metric for the switches. The proposed DPSC converter enables inherent full duty cycle operation and reduced inductor current. The prototype converter demonstrates a measured peak efficiency of 94.5% with a maximum load capacity of 5 A. Besides, the proposed converter can be easily compatible with existing light-load schemes, which shows 89.2% at 0.1-A load for this design. The DPSC converter maintains high efficiency throughout the voltage conversion ratios (VCRs) and load ranges, outperforming prior state-of-the-art solutions.