CAREER: Power Converters with embedded passive components

研究目标和方法：本研究的目的是提高电力电子的功率密度，同时降低阻碍学生参与该领域的经济障碍。该方法是制造高效率的开关电源转换器，其频率至少比传统设计高10倍，不使用磁性材料和小值电容器。由此产生的设计将所有的无源元件嵌入在一个廉价的电路板。知识优势：最近在功率密度方面的进步主要是由于改进的半导体开关速度更快，但这些进步在传统电路设计中使用时达到了平台期。这是由于半导体和能量存储设备中的频率相关损耗造成的。本研究希望通过制造具有导电迹线的所有无源器件，将印刷电路板转变为三维谐振结构，从而实现使用廉价印刷电路板的增值策略。这将消除制造后的调整和组件变化，同时以较低的成本保持非凡的性能水平。更广泛的影响：为了加强推广，与研究成果相结合的谐振电源转换器的教育模块将吸引学生，并增加进入这一发展领域的机会。这门课程很少提供给学生，特别是西班牙裔学生，他们将是拟议外展的特别重点。该计划将遵循以下方法：大幅提高密歇根大学的电力电子课程，采用教育推广鼓励西班牙裔学生学习电力电子，并使用低成本技术使谐振转换器的设计和制造更广泛的公众。

Research Objectives and Approaches: The objective of this research is to improve power density inpower electronics, while lowering the economic hurdles keeping students from participating in thisfield. The approach is to make efficient switching power converters with frequencies at least ten timeshigher than conventional designs with no magnetic materials and small-valued capacitors. Resultingdesigns will have all passive components embedded in an inexpensive circuit board.Intellectual Merit: Recent advances in power density have been mostly due to improved semiconductorsthat switch faster but these advances are reaching a plateau when used in conventional circuitdesigns. This is due to frequency-dependent losses in semiconductors and in energy storage devices.This research looks to implement a value-added strategy using inexpensive printed circuit boards byfabricating all passive devices with conductive traces, transforming the printed circuit board into athree-dimensional resonant structure. This will eliminate post-fabrication tuning and component variationwhile maintaining extraordinary levels of performance at reduced cost.Broader Impacts: To enhance outreach, educational modules on resonant power converters tied to theresearch outcomes will engage students and increase access to this developing field. This coursework israrely available to students, specially Hispanic, who will be a particular focus of the proposed outreach.The program will follow the approach of: dramatically enhance the power electronics curriculum at theUniversity of Michigan, employ educational outreach to encourage Hispanic students to learn powerelectronics, and use low-cost technologies to make the design and fabrication of resonant convertersavailable to a wider public.