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Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (한국전자통신연구원)
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Efficiency improvement of a DC/DC converter using LTCC substrate

  • Jung, Dong Yun (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Jang, Hyun Gyu (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Kim, Minki (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Junbo (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Jun, Chi-Hoon (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Park, Jong Moon (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) ;
  • Ko, Sang Choon (ICT Materials & Components Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute)
  • Received : 2018.10.29
  • Accepted : 2019.04.07
  • Published : 2019.12.06
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Abstract

We propose a substrate with high thermal conductivity, manufactured by the low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) multilayer circuit process technology, as a new DC/DC converter platform for power electronics applications. We compare the reliability and power conversion efficiency of a converter using the LTCC substrate with the one using a conventional printed circuit board (PCB) substrate, to demonstrate the superior characteristics of the LTCC substrates. The power conversion efficiencies of the LTCC- and PCB-based synchronous buck converters are 95.5% and 94.5%, respectively, while those of nonsynchronous buck converters are 92.5% and 91.3%, respectively, at an output power of 100 W. To verify the reliability of the LTCC-based converter, two types of tests were conducted. Storage temperature tests were conducted at -20 ℃ and 85 ℃ for 100 h each. The variation in efficiency after the tests was less than 0.3%. A working temperature test was conducted for 60 min, and the temperature of the converter was saturated at 58.2 ℃ without a decrease in efficiency. These results demonstrate the applicability of LTCC as a substrate for power conversion systems.

Keywords

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