Evaluating Voltage Regulator Stability Using Step Load Testing

Engineers are busy replacing and updating their aged PC boards that use traditional transistors, typically super-junction silicon MOSFETs and Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs).

One hot area in this upgrading process is power supplies for pulse-load applications, such as laser pulse drivers, light beacons and RF transmitters. In this article, a voltage regulator (VR) with a 1kW pulse rating at 48V output is used as device under test (DUT) to evaluate stability, but the techniques described also apply to lower or higher voltage VRs and differing power levels.

By the nature of pulse operation, users see the benefit of reduced power loss, based on the ON-time duty cycle. This means less effort is needed in thermal/cooling design, compared with always-ON, 100% operation duty cycle power systems, where the cooling system might be a major part of the whole installation.

Read the full article here: Evaluating Voltage Regulator Stability Using Step Load Testing (powersystemsdesign.com)