Microprocessors (µPs) and system-on-chip (SoC) integrated circuits impose very demanding large and fast load current changes of 10 A/µs to 50 A/µs yet require ultra-small transient voltage overshoot to settle very quickly. This is currently handled by up to 12 synchronous buck converters operating in parallel at 5MHz from 12V input, resulting in poor efficiency, large size, and high cost!
This legacy solution requires an intermediate bus converter (IBC) to convert 48V bus voltage to 12V. Some companies are attempting to eliminate such intermediate converters and provide a direct 48V to 1V, 200A converter. Besides using an inefficient two-stage conversion solution, all of these also fail to address fast load transient requirements other than using the multi-stage synchronous buck solution.
A direct 48V to 1V, 200A solution based on the new Hybrid Switching method and its implementation in novel converter topology employs a new magnetics structure designated the Hybrid transformer. The present µP drives all use the 12V to 1V legacy solution, since all other proposed 48V to 1V solutions cannot handle fast transients
One additional advantage of the described solution for 48V to 1V conversion is that it could be directly utilized for the present 12V, 1V µP drives by simply adjusting the transformer turns ratio and using appropriate lower-voltage-rated switching devices. This will also allow for a smooth transition from the present market of 12V to 1V to new, advanced 48V to 1V µP drives that will be needed in the near future.