Computer-Aided Multi-Layer Design of Switch-Mode Power Circuits

Switch-mode circuits are used as power processors, e.g. DC/DC converters, synchronous rectifiers, high-frequency resonant power amplifiers. Their efficient computer-aided design is a technical problem only partly resolved so far. This paper presents a multi-layer CAD methodology for switch-mode power circuits. It discusses several levels of modeling of switching devices. First rough design verification is feasible using ideal switch models. It gives a satisfactory first-cut design. Then full models and general-purpose tools provide more exact verification of the design. At this exact step the design procedure makes use of interactive improvement followed by automatic optimization of some quality based objective functions. The proposed methodology is shown to be especially useful for high power class-D voltage-switching resonant amplifiers, where the so far used experimental optimization is extremely cost consuming.