Patent ID: 8957514
Filing Date: 2015-02-17
Classification: H01L,H02M

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a DC (‘Direct Current’)-DC converter on a chip, the chip comprising: a semiconductor die comprising a first portion and second portion, the first portion surrounding the second portion, the first portion comprising a p-type top side and an n-type bottom side, the second portion comprising an n-type top side and a p-type bottom side; a plurality of micro-power-switching phases comprising magnetic material, with each phase comprising: a high-side switch with a control input for activating the high-side switch, the high-side switch implemented in a cell of the n-type top side of the second portion of the semiconductor die; a low-side switch with a control input for activating the low-side switch, the low-side switch implemented in a cell of the p-type top side of the first portion of the semiconductor die; and an output node, the high-side switch and low-side switch electrically coupled to the output node through the magnetic material, wherein: the output node of each phase extrudes through the magnetic material to form, in each phase, a torodial inductor with a single loop coil, and to form, for the plurality of phases, a directly coupled inductor; the output node of each micro-power-switching phase is coupled to a filter and a load; each high-side switch is configured, when activated, to couple a voltage source to the phase's single loop coil; and the low-side switch of each phase is configured, when activated, to couple the phase's single loop coil to a ground voltage; and the method comprising: alternatively activating each switch, wherein no two switches of any phase are activated at the same time.