An experimental approach for locating the current distribution in multiphase buck converters

The objective of this paper is to present a methodology for identifying the current flow in the capacitors of a multiphase buck converter by synchronously measuring the capacitor currents. A multiphase buck converter uses multiple parallel buck converters with different switching times to source a large amount of current. Currents in the primary capacitors of a multiphase buck converter are drawn by all phases of the converter; however, the phases switch asynchronously. Synchronizing to the switching of a specific phase reveals how the current from that phase is distributed among the capacitors throughout a circuit board. The proposed measurement method is illustrated by comparing an initial printed circuit board design to a new design to show the effect of better capacitor placement and the addition of a ground plane. The new design confines the phase currents to the capacitors close to the field effect transistors of the specific phase.