An Arithmetic VCR DC–DC Converter for Self-Powered Systems Using Decaying and Degrading Energy Sources
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A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
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en
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14
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IEEE Access, Volume 13, pp. 214253-214266
Abstract
Energy sources such as biofuel cells, microbial fuel cells, zinc-air batteries, etc., exhibit gradual voltage degradation due to substrate depletion, electrolyte evaporation, and environmental factors, requiring efficient power regulation for continuous operation in energy-constrained IoT sensor nodes. A low-ripple multi-cell switched-capacitor DC-DC converter with arithmetic progression voltage conversion ratio (VCR) change is presented to address this challenge. The design eliminates bulky external load capacitors by implementing dual-stage complementary switching, thereby reducing output ripple while enabling compact integration suitable for miniaturized IoT sensor nodes. A floating N-well stacked MIM-on-MOS capacitor implementation minimizes bottom-plate parasitic losses, improving power conversion efficiency (PCE) across varying VCR modes. The arithmetic progression multi-cell (A-PMC) converter dynamically adjusts VCR transitions in 0.125× increments between 0.5× and 2.0× using a simple finite-state machine (FSM)based control, enabling a gradual increase in VCR w.r.t input voltage decay without complex real-time feedback. Fabricated in a 65nm bulk CMOS process, the design occupies 1.28 mm2, operates across a frequency range of 5 kHz to 250 kHz, and supports input voltages from 0.3 V to 1.8 V. The converter achieves a peak PCE of 88.81% at 2× VCR (93.76% at 1× VCR), with a power density of 0.1565 mW/mm2. The converter’s performance is validated under multiple realistic input decay profiles relevant to IoT applications. The combination of fine-grained VCR control, ripple reduction, and optimized parasitic minimization enhances PCE and stability, making this converter well-suited for energy-harvesting and IoT-compatible applications.Description
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Monga, D C & Halonen, K A I 2025, 'An Arithmetic VCR DC–DC Converter for Self-Powered Systems Using Decaying and Degrading Energy Sources', IEEE Access, vol. 13, pp. 214253-214266. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2025.3645862