Power Converter Employing a Micromagnetic Device

• US 20090066468A1
• Filed: 09/10/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Enpirion, Inc. (MediaTek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lotfi, Ashraf W., Filas, Robert W., Liakopoulos, Trifon M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,018,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 336/233
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/132 containing cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/138 containing nanocrystallites, e.g. obtained by annealing
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 10/265 Magnetic multilayers non exchange-coupled H01F10/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 41/046 structurally combined with ferromagnetic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/11 Manufacturing methods

Abstract

A power converter including a power train, a controller and a driver. The power train includes a switch that conducts for a duty cycle and provides a regulated output characteristic for the power converter, and a micromagnetic device interposed between the switch and the output of the power converter. The micromagnetic device includes a substrate, and a magnetic core layer formed over the substrate from a magnetic alloy including iron, cobalt and phosphorous. A content of the cobalt is in a range of 1.8 to 4.5 atomic percent. A content of the phosphorus is in a range of 20.1 to 30 atomic percent. A content of the iron is substantially a remaining proportion of the magnetic alloy. The controller provides a signal to control the duty cycle of the switch. The driver provides a drive signal to the switch as a function of the signal from the controller.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

a power train, including;

a switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle and provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of said power converter, and

a micromagnetic device, interposed between said switch and said output of said power converter, including;

a substrate, and

a magnetic core layer formed over said substrate from a magnetic alloy including iron, cobalt and phosphorous, wherein a content of said cobalt is in a range of 1.8 to 4.5 atomic percent, a content of said phosphorus is in a range of 20.1 to 30 atomic percent, and a content of said iron is substantially a remaining proportion of said magnetic alloy;

a controller configured to provide a signal to control said duty cycle of said switch; and

a driver configured to provide a drive signal to said switch as a function of said signal from said controller.

2. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said magnetic alloy further includes one of the group consisting of sulfur, vanadium, tungsten, copper, and combinations thereof, with a concentration in a range of 1 to 100 parts per million.

3. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said magnetic alloy is an amorphous or nanocrystalline magnetic alloy.

4. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an insulating layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

5. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a conductive winding layer and an insulating layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

6. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an adhesive layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

7. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a seed layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

8. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a protective layer over said magnetic core layer.

9. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an insulating layer over said magnetic core layer.

10. The power converter as recited in claim 1 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an insulating layer and a conductive winding layer over said magnetic core layer.

11. A power converter, comprising:

a power train, including;

a switch configured to conduct for a duty cycle and provide a regulated output characteristic at an output of said power converter, and

a micromagnetic device, interposed between said switch and said output of said power converter, including;

a substrate,

a magnetic core layer formed over said substrate from a magnetic alloy,

an insulating layer formed over said magnetic core layer, and

another magnetic core layer formed over said insulating layer from a magnetic alloy, wherein at least one of said magnetic alloys include iron, cobalt and phosphorous and a content of said cobalt is in a range of 1.8 to 4.5 atomic percent, a content of said phosphorus is in a range of 20.1 to 30 atomic percent, and a content of said iron is substantially a remaining proportion of said at least one of said magnetic alloys,

a controller configured to provide a signal to control said duty cycle of said switch; and

a driver configured to provide a drive signal to said switch as a function of said signal from said controller.

12. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one of said magnetic alloys further include one of the group consisting of sulfur, vanadium, tungsten, copper, and combinations thereof, with a concentration in a range of 1 to 100 parts per million.

13. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one said magnetic alloys is an amorphous or nanocrystalline magnetic alloy.

14. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a conductive winding layer and another insulating layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

15. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an adhesive layer and a seed layer between said substrate and said magnetic core layer.

16. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a protective layer between said magnetic core layer and said insulating layer.

17. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes an adhesive layer and a seed layer between said insulating layer and said another magnetic core layer.

18. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes a protective layer over said another magnetic core layer.

19. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes another insulating layer over said another magnetic core layer.

20. The power converter as recited in claim 11 wherein said micromagnetic device further includes another insulating layer and a conductive winding layer over said another magnetic core layer.