Performance of high-speed PWM control chips at cryogenic temperatures

Planetary exploration missions and deep space probes require electronics capable of low-temperature operation. Such electronics will not only improve circuit performance and reliability, but also increase system efficiency, and reduce development and launch costs. DC/DC converters are an essential part of most aerospace power management distribution systems. Therefore, dc/dc converters that can operate at cryogenic temperatures are crucial for space missions where low temperatures are encountered. An important component of a dc/dc converter is the pulse width modulation (PWM) chip that provides the control to the converter main switches. In the process of designing low-temperature dc/dc converters, experimental investigations were carried out to evaluate the performance of a number of high-speed PWM chips as a function of temperature in the range of 25 degreesC to -190 degreesC. These IC chips ranged in their electrical characteristics, modes of control, packaging options, and applications. This paper presents and discusses the experimental procedures along with the experimental data obtained on the investigated chips.