98.1%-Efficiency Hysteretic-Current-Mode Noninverting Buck–Boost DC-DC Converter With Smooth Mode Transition

A noninverting buck-boost dc-dc converter can work in buck, boost, or buck-boost mode. Hence, it provides a good solution when the input voltage may be higher or lower than the output voltage. However, a buck-boost converter requires four power transistors, rather than two. Therefore, its efficiency decreases, due to the conduction and switching losses of the two extra power transistors. Another issue of a buck-boost converter is how to smoothly switch its operational mode, when its input voltage approaches its output voltage. A hysteretic-current-mode noninverting buck-boost converter with high efficiency and smooth mode transition is proposed, and it was designed and fabricated using TSMC 0.35-μm CMOS 2P4 M 3.3 V/5V mixed-signal polycide process. The input voltage may range from 2.5 to 5 V, the output voltage is 3.3 V, and the maximal load current is 400 mA. According to the measured results, the maximal efficiency reaches 98.1%, and the efficiencies measured in the entire input voltage and loading ranges are all above 80%.