Electrical, Electromagnetic, and Thermal Measurements of 2-D and 3-D Integrated DC/DC Converters

The experimental characterization through electrical, electromagnetic, and thermal measurements of a new dc/dc converter architecture for high-voltage inputs, up to 60 V, is proposed in this paper. The converter has a new multistage integrated circuit (IC) topology, where each stage is inductorless and exploits a switched capacitor solution. The dc/dc converter was implemented in multiple configurations, using a ceramic package or a naked die (directly glued on the testing board), with passive devices stacked on the top of the IC, through an interposer (3-D technology), or mounted near the IC in the testing board (2-D version). The measurement activity in terms of line and load regulations, power supply rejection ratio, electrostatic discharge protection, conductive and radiated electromagnetic interference, efficiency, and thermal behavior, allows analyzing the effects of different circuits and technology choices. The achieved results prove the suitability of the integrated dc/dc converter, using 3-D technology, for applications where low-power loads (e.g., sensors, memories, and processors) have to be supplied by high-voltage power supplies, such as car's electronic control units in 48-V electric/hybrid vehicles.