Modeling, Analysis, and Design of Three-Phase Current-Mode Power Amplifiers

High-frequency, high-power, and high-efficiency multi-phase (MP) power amplifiers are needed for industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) applications. MP systems can reduce the switch voltage and current stress, and improve efficiency compared to single-phase counterparts for a given power. They can also enable higher power for the same semiconductor die area and stress. We investigate the modeling and analysis of three-phase current-mode power amplifiers (TP-CMPAs) by differential-mode and common-mode circuit decomposition and Y-∆ transformation. A systematic design method for the TP-CMPAs under both infinite quality factor (Q) and lower Q conditions with zero-voltage switching (ZVS) is introduced, where an analytical approximation is given for infinite Q and a numerical design method is illustrated for lower Q. Thus, the design method can be applied to a wide resistive load range. Different resonant networks driven by TP-CMPAs are also analyzed. The simulation verification shows that all TP-CMPAs achieve ZVS under a 5X resistive load range.