Reducing Emissions in DC-DC

Switched Mode Power Supplies

Scott Mee – Johnson Controls

Jim Teune – Gentex

1
Outline

„ Overview of SMPS designs and basic emissions issues

„ Root Causes of Emissions
„ Design Strategies for Reducing Emissions
„ Schematic Design
„ Component Selection
„ Layout Considerations

„ Trade-offs between EMI and other requirements

„ Hardware Demonstration

2
 Power Supplies
Linear vs. switching

„Linear supplies
„Typically used when the input and output voltage levels are similar
„Large voltage drops and high current output cause low efficiency
„Low efficiency = higher heat
„Quiet from RF emissions point of view
„Switching supplies
„Preferred for applications where efficiency is important
„Buck Æ step down Æ i.e. 12Volts to 5Volts logic level
„Boost Æ step up Æ i.e. 12Volts to 40Volts LED lighting level
„Sudden changes in voltage & current cause EMC problems
„Circuit uses a switch, inductor and diode to transfer energy from input to output

3
Buck SMPS

Vout = VIN x D, where D = tON/(tON + tOFF)

4
Buck SMPS

Charge phase

5
Buck SMPS

Discharge phase

6
Buck Circuit Voltages and Currents

Switch State

Iind
Imax

Imin

Vin
Voltage

Vout
Vind
0 volts

7
Boost SMPS

Vout = VIN / (1 – D), where D = tON/(tON + tOFF)

8
Boost SMPS

Charge phase

9
Boost SMPS

Discharge phase

10
Boost Circuit Switching Voltages and Currents

Switch State

Iind
Idiode
Imax

Imin

Vout
Vin
Voltage Level

Vind
0 volts

Timing

11
 Trapezoidal Periodic Signals

Fourier Series Fourier Coefficients

∞
⎛1 ⎞ ⎛1 ⎞
x(t ) = c0 + ∑ 2 c n cos(nω 0 t + ∠c n ) sin ⎜ nω 0τ ⎟ sin ⎜ nω 0τ r ⎟
τ ⎝2 ⎠ ⎝2 ⎠ e − jnω0 (τ +τ r ) 2 ,
n =1 cn = A τ f =τr
T 1 1
nω 0τ nω 0τ r
2 2
τ
c0 = A , τ r = τ f
T
12
Bandwidth of Periodic Waveforms

Bounds on frequency spectrum
1
Above the 2nd break point, πτ r
the harmonics drop off at a rate of -
40dB/decade.
To be conservative we might choose a
point, 3 times this second breakpoint
this is approximately

3 1
πτ r τr

Bandwidth of a
BW = 1 Hz
periodic signal τr

13
Noise Sources in SMPS

„ Switching characteristics
„ dv/dt & di/dt
„ Fundamental frequency
„ Harmonic series

„ Resonances
„ Step response to the RLC network Æ Ringing

„ Secondary effects
„ Power surges at input
„ Ripple on power bus
„ Ripple on system wiring
„ Output ripple
„ Magnetic fields

14
BUCK Supply
Emissions
Investigation

15
Emissions Investigation
BUCK SMPS Circuit

16
Emissions Investigation
BUCK Voltage Measurements

Voltage at Input to SMPS

1

Switch Output Voltage

17
Emissions Investigation
BUCK Voltage Measurements – Zoom

Voltage at Input to SMPS

Switch Output Voltage

18
Emissions Investigation
Narrow Band vs. Broadband Frequency domain

Time domain

19
 Improvement came from
- Front-end filtering (L/C filter)
Emissions Investigation - Slew rate controls
Success Stories – 70kHz SMPS - Layout improvements

Conducted Emissions (150kHz – 2MHz)

Before Techniques Applied After Techniques Applied

20
 Improvement came from
- Front-end filtering (L/C filter)
Emissions Investigation - Layout improvements
Success Stories – 150kHz SMPS (Low band)

Conducted Emissions (150kHz – 2MHz)

Before Techniques Applied After Techniques Applied

21
 Improvement came from
- Diode snubber
Emissions Investigation - Diode switching changes
Success Stories – 150kHz SMPS (High band) - Layout improvements

CISPR 25 – Radiated Emissions (25MHz – 200MHz)

Before Techniques Applied After Techniques Applied

22
BOOST Supply
Emissions
Investigation

23
 Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Case Study

„12volt input & 34volt output

+12 V +34 V

24
 Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply – current loop when switch is closed

„Red = current flow to load, Blue = return current

+12 V +34 V

25
 Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply – current loop when switch is open

„Red = current flow to load, Blue = return current

+12 V +34 V

26
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Radiated Emissions 50MHz – 180MHz BL ON

123MHz 161MHz

27
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Radiated Emissions 50MHz – 180MHz BL OFF

123MHz 161MHz

28
 Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Measurement points

i1
+12 V +34 V

V1

29
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Measurement Setup

„Bench measurement setup overview „LeCroy 6GHz 40GS/s

„Voltage probe
500MHz 1.8pf
„Current probe Langer
HF magnetic field probe

30
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Measurement Setup

„Bench measurement setup overview „Voltage probe used

to show when switch
is open/closed

„Current probe used

to see shape of
current flowing
through the diode

31
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Voltage Measurement Results

„Overview of switching waveforms

V1

i1

32
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Voltage Measurement Results

„Switch turns from off to on

V1

i1

33
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Voltage Measurement Results

„Switch turns from on to off

V1

i1

34
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Radiated Emissions 50MHz – 180MHz BL ON

V1

123MHz 161MHz
i1

35
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Diode Current Æ No changes / Baseline

„ 123MHz ringing corresponds to 123MHz emissions

123MHz

36 Johnson Controls
Emissions Investigation
Boost Supply Æ Diode Current Æ 1nf cap across diode CR6401

„ 77 MHz ringing corresponds to 77MHz emissions

77MHz

37 Johnson Controls
Schematic Design

38
 Schematic Design
Buck topology

Slew rate control Snubber

„12V input
Output
„5V output filter
+5 V
+12 V

Input filtering Snubber

Soft-start capacitor Spread spectrum

39
Schematic Design
Boost topology

Front end Pi filter

Slew rate control Snubber Output

cap

40 Johnson Controls
Schematic Design
Snubber Calculations

FRinging := 126MHz

CSnubber := 1500pF

FTuned := 40MHz

CParasitic = 168.114pF

−9
LParasitic = 9.491 × 10 H

The optimum resistor to damp the overshoot is twice the inductive

impedance at the new resonant frequency. This is calculated by the
following equation:

(
RSnubber := 2⋅ 2π⋅ FTuned ⋅ LParasitic )
RSnubber = 4.771Ω
−9
CSnubber = 1.5 × 10 F
Schematic Design
Combination Selection
Component
Selection

43
Component Behavior
Capacitors, Resistors, Inductances, Ferrites

„All passive components have resistance, capacitance and inductance

„Component behavior is different at low and high frequencies

44
Component Behavior
Ceramic Capacitors

^
Z

-20 dB/decade

ESL - Equivalent Series Inductance (L) 20 dB/decade

Capacitor has low impedance for a

narrow range of frequencies Capacitive Inductive (ESL)

1
f res =
2π L lead C

45
Component Behavior
Electrolytic Capacitors – Example Æ 150uf 10V

„Power supply output filter

BUCK 5V
150uf

What does this

mean???

46
Component Behavior
Electrolytic Capacitors – Example Æ 150uf 10V

„Capacitance measurement over frequency

„HP4284A Precision LCR Meter & 16047D adapter used

47
 Component Behavior
Electrolytic Capacitors – Example Æ 150uf 10V

EPN_1214353_SUNCON 150uF 20% 10V
180

160

140

120
Capacitance (uF)

100

80

Capacitance (uF)
60

40 No real capacitance after a few kHz

20 Long Wave Band Medium Wave Band

0
10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000

‐20

Frequency (Hz)
48
Component Behavior
Inductors

^
Z

0 dB/decade

-20 dB/decade

20 dB/decade
Rpar

Inductance resonates with parasitic Resistive Inductive Capacitive

capacitance between windings of the
inductor Rpar 1 f
2π L 2π LCpar
Saturation can happen

1
fres =
2 π LC par

49
 Component Behavior
Inductors

Resonant Frequency Saturation Curves

10uH goes
resonant at
30MHz

10uH has only

~180ohms
impedance at
300kHz Our typical
use cases are
borderline
saturation

50
Component Behavior
Inductors

„Low profile is very important!

LQH44 Murata Vishay IHLP-2020BZ Vishay IHLP-4040DZ EPCOS B82472P6 EPCOS B82477P4

1.1mm 2 mm 4 mm 4.5mm 8.5mm

Too tall!!

„Shorter package Æ flux lines stay closer to the board Æ lower emissions

51
Component Behavior
Resistor
^
Z

0 dB/decade
R

-20 dB/decade

20 dB/decade
Resistors are not purely resistive as
frequency increases
Resistive Capacitive Inductive

1 1 f

2 π RCpar 2 π Llead C par

1
f res =
2π L lead C par

52
Component Behavior
Diodes

Schottkey
Soft start
Slow start
Fast start
Efficiency vs. heat vs. di/dt for emissions

I-V graph of a real diode

53
Component Behavior
Ferrite bead

„Do not trust the curves you see in

the datasheet!!!
„Be sure to understand the circuit
where the ferrite will be used
„Impedance over frequency
graphs change with DC bias

54
Component Behavior
Ferrite bead

„Take care when choosing a ferrite by it’s rating

„Ratings are typically done at 100MHz

3 Devices Having  
1000ohms @ 100MHz

55
Layout Design

56
Buck Power Supply
Layout – Component Placement

INPUT

Controller

Diode

Snubber
OUTPUT

INDUCTOR

57
Buck Power Supply
Layout – Copper Definitions

GND INPUT

PWR
Controller

Diode

Snubber
OUTPUT

INDUCTOR

58
Buck Power Supply
Layout – Switch Closed

„Start by drawing the path of

the current
„Ensure area of loop formed
by current is kept small
„Keep high di/dt components
on same side of PCB
„Allow common ground
between input cap, regulator,
diode, snubber and output cap
„Keep snubber next to diode
„Inductor GND: to fill or not to
fill? (efficiency vs. EMC)

59
Buck Power Supply
Layout – Switch Open

„Don’t forget there are two

switch states!

60
Boost Power Supply
Schematic
Boost Power Supply
Component Placement

„Same as BUCK supply with

these additional items:
„Keep switch node away from
surrounding copper areas
„Make switch node as small
as possible
„Inductor orientation/wiring
makes a difference (node
connected to winding on
inside or outside)
Boost Power Supply
PCB Layout

TOP BOTTOM

Noisy switch node

Ground node
All other copper
1.72pF

„Keep switch node small

„Maintain spacing to surrounding copper areas
Boost Power Supply
PCB Layout dI/dt 2 loops

Noisy loop
Ground loop

„Avoid SMPS loop

within a GND loop Æ
provide continuous
ground fill

• L1 = 50nH
• L2 = 270nH
• K = 0.45 (represents poor coupling between loops; where 1 = perfect coupling)

• Lm = 52nH Æ mutual inductance between loops

Design Trade-Offs

65
Recommendations for a Balanced Design

„Thermal constraints prefer faster switching, larger copper areas and spacing
„EMC constraints prefer slow switching, smaller copper and spacing

0 spacing ∞ spacing

Thermal Constraints Æ

EMC Constraints Æ

Common Solution Æ

66
Recommended Reading

Power Electronics Technology trade magazine (www.powerelectronics.com)

http://www.ridleyengineering.com/

National Semiconductor Application Note 1149, “Layout Guidelines for Switching

Power Supplies”.

Texas Instruments Application Report SLPA005, “Reducing Ringing Through

PCB Layout Techniques”

Demystifying Switching Power Supplies by Raymond A. Mack

67
Thank you for your attention

Questions?

68
Hardware Demonstration

69
Hardware Demonstration
Hardware Demonstration – Buck SMPS

Base unit (no EMC components) Fully populated PCB