Charge-controlled memcapacitors for the output voltage ripple reduction in DC-DC buck converters

Memcapacitors, due to their variable capacitance and non-volatile memory effect, are expected to cause a disruption across different areas of research and engineering. In the context of power electronics, memcapacitors have not yet been considered despite their potential for ripple reduction, voltage stabilization and improved energy efficiency. This work presents both simulation and experimental results demonstrating how incorporating a memcapacitor at the output of a DC-DC buck converter can significantly reduce the output voltage ripple. We first propose and validate a memcapacitor emulator that can be implemented using off-the-shelf components. After that, the memcapacitor emulator is used to study the output voltage ripple in the permanent regime of a DC-DC buck converter as well as its effect on the transient response. The results demonstrate that the use of a charge-controlled memcapacitor can reduce the output voltage ripple by up to 90 %. While the memcapacitor emulator serves as a practical tool for this investigation, the goal of this work is demonstrating the potential of memcapacitors for power electronics, evidencing the need for further research and development toward solid-state memcapacitor devices to unlock new possibilities for ripple reduction, energy efficiency, and voltage stabilization in advanced power electronics systems. • Charge-controlled memcapacitors can reduce output voltage ripple in DC–DC buck converters. • Simulation and experimental results using a memcapacitor emulator support the findings. • Validated under different conditions and for memcapacitors with different characteristics.