This research has followed several directions; selected published results are summarized below.

Modeling, control, and design of PWM power converters

  1. Robert Erickson, Slobodan Cuk, and R. D. Middlebrook, "Large Signal Analysis and Design of Switching Regulators,"听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1982 Record, pp. 240-250.
    State-plane analysis of nonlinear switching regulators having state feedback. Solution for equilibrium points, and the effects of saturation and current limiting.

  2. A series of equivalent circuits models that show a second harmonic in a boost amplifier

    A series of equivalent circuits models the dc, fundamental, second harmonic, and higher harmonics in a boost amplifier.

    Robert Erickson and R. D. Middlebrook,听听Proceedings Fourth Annual International PCI '82 Conference, pp. 567-582, March 1982.
    A perturbation series analysis is employed to predict harmonic distortion in switching amplifiers. This leads to a series of equivalent circuits that predict approximate magnitudes and phases of each harmonic.
  3. Robert Erickson, Bill Behen, R. D. Middlebrook, and Slobodan Cuk, "Characterization of Power MOSFET's in Switching Converters,"听Proceedings Seventh National Solid-State Power Conversion Conference听(Powercon 7), pp. D4.1-D4.17, March 1980.
  4. Slobodan Cuk and Robert Erickson, "A Conceptually New High-Frequency Switched-Mode Amplifier Technique Eliminates Current Ripple,"听Proceedings Fifth National Solid-State Power Conversion Conference听(Powercon 5), pp. G3.1-G3.22, May 1978.
  5. Robert Erickson,听听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1983 Record, pp. 9-22.
    The first paper on systematic systhesis of switched-mode converter topologies. Additional papers on converter synthesis are listed on the rectifier page.
  6. I. Horowitz, M. Sidi, and R. Erickson, "Quantitative Feedback Synthesis for Nonlinear Switched-Mode Uncertain Regulators,"听International Journal of Electronics, Vol. 57, No. 4, pp. 461-476, Oct. 1984.
  7. I. Khan and R. W. Erickson, "Control of Switched-Mode Converter Harmonic-Free Terminal Waveforms through Internal Energy Storage,"听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1986 Record, pp. 13-26, June 1986.
  8. Yungtaek Jang and Robert Erickson,听听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, 1991 Record, March 1991.
  9. Yungtaek Jang and Robert Erickson, "Physical Origins of Input Filter Oscillations in Current Programmed Converters,"听IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol 7, no. 4, pp. 725-733, October 1992.

  10. addition of an input filter to a switching power converter, where power is made into a parallel circuit with a power source on the side of the filter

    Addition of an input filter to a switching power converter.

    R. Erickson,听听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, March 1999.
    This paper extends Middlebrook's original work on optimum damping of input filters to several additional cases. This material was later incorporated into the textbook chapter on input filter damping.
  11. R. Erickson, 鈥淒C-DC Power Converters,鈥� article in听Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, vol. 5, pp. 53-63, 1999.
  12. J. Chen, R. Erickson, and D. Maksimovic, "Averaged Switch Modeling of Boundary Conduction Mode DC-to-DC Converters,"听Proc. IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Annual Conference听(IECON 01), Nov. 2001.
  13. A. Prodic, D. Maksimovic, and R. Erickson, "Design and Implementation of a Digital PWM Controller for a High- Frequency Switching DC-to-DC Power Converter,"听Proc. IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Annual Conference听(IECON 01), Nov. 2001.
  14. P. Athalye, D. Maksimovic, and R. Erickson, "Averaged Switch Modeling of Active-Clamped Converters,"听Proc. IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Annual Conference (IECON 01), Nov. 2001.
  15. Y. Zhang, R. Zane, A. Prodic, R. Erickson, and D. Maksimovic, "Online Calibration of MOSFET On-State Resistance For Precise Current Sensing,"听IEEE Power Electronics Letters, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 100-103, September 2004.
  16. P. Athalye, D. Maksimovic, and R. Erickson, "Variable-Frequency Predictive Digital Current Mode Control,"听IEEE Power Electronics Letters, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 113-116, December 2004.
  17. D. Maksimovi膰, R. Zane, R. Erickson, 鈥淎dvances in practical high-performance digital control,鈥� invited paper,听Digital Power Forum, September 2005.
  18. D. Friedrichs, R. Erickson, and J. Gilbert, 鈥淎 New System Architecture Improves Output Power Regulation in Electrosurgical Generators,鈥澨�33rd Annual International IEEE Engineering In Medicine and Biology Society Conference, Aug. 2011.
  19. Robert W. Erickson,听听SOBRAEP/IEEE Fourth Brazilian Power Electronics Conference, December 1997, invited paper and tutorial seminar.
  20. Dragan Maksimovic and Robert Erickson,听听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1999, tutorial seminar.
  21. Robert Erickson and Dragan Maksimovic,听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Confernce, March 2003, tutorial seminar.
  22. R. White, G. Miller, B. Dudman, and R. Erickson, "Recent Developments in GaAs Power Switching Devices Including Device Modeling,"听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, March 2014.

Magnetics modeling

Winding geometry of four power sources that have a current running through them, where the bottom two are going into the screen, and the top two are coming outThis series of papers is concerned with modeling switching converter waveforms in multiple-winding transformers and coupled-inductors. It specifically addresses prediction of cross-regulation in multiple-output flyback converters, a problem previously considered intractable. An approach is found in which every model parameter can be directly measured in the laboratory, and that explains the observed waveforms and converter performance.

  1. an equivalent circuit model that can be directly measured and that predicts the observed cross-regulation performance.

    Transformer of a three-output flyback converter. Top: winding geometry. Bottom: an equivalent circuit model that can be directly measured and that predicts the observed cross-regulation performance.

    K. Changtong, R. Erickson, and D. Maksimovic,听听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, June 2001.
    The ladder model of multiple-winding transformers has been employed by multiple authors, based on the physical geometry of the windings. It is shown here that this model does not predict the first-order behavior of multiple-output flyback converters: regardless of the winding geometry, a full-order model is required. The extended cantilever model correctly predicts observed waveforms and gives a physical explanation of the relevant phenomena.
  2. R. Erickson and D. Maksimovic,听听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, March 1999, tutorial seminar.
  3. D. Maksimovic and R. Erickson,听听IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference,听March 1999.
    This paper applies the multiple-winding magnetics models of other papers listed here, to the difficult problem of predicting cross-regulation in multiple-output flyback converters. These converters are notorious for exhibiting very poor cross-regulation. This paper explains how winding geometry governs cross-regulation, and it suggests solutions to improve cross regulation.
  4. R. Erickson and D. Maksimovic,听听IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, May 1998.
    This paper describes the modeling of the flyback transformer of a multiple-output flyback converter, with a methodology in which every model parameter is directly measured in the laboratory. The resulting model is shown to accurately predict converter waveforms and cross-regulation performance.
  5. D. Maksimovic, R. Erickson, and C. Griesbach, 鈥淢odeling of Cross-Regulation in Converters Containing Coupled Inductors,鈥澨�IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference, pp. 350-356, Feb. 1998.
  6. D. Maksimovic, R. Erickson, and C. Griesbach,听听IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 607-615, July 2000.

Power conservative networks

While it has been well understood that the transformer and gyrator are the only linear power-conservative two-port networks, in the power electronics field we have found applications that require new nonlinear power-conservative systems. These papers explore the fundamentals of these networks. The听dependent power source听and sink are basic nonlinear elements that arise in the models of these systems whenever听buffering听conditions are met. The听loss-free resistor听is a power-conservative network that arises in a number of applications including low-harmonic rectification and DCM converters.

  1. Loss-Free Resistor power conservative network. The LFR is comprised of an effective resistor and a dependent power source.

    Properties of the ideal rectifier are modeled by the Loss-Free Resistor power conservative network. The LFR is comprised of an effective resistor and a dependent power source.

    S. Singer and R. Erickson, 鈥淥n the buffering condition implied by the stabilization of the output of switched-mode converters,鈥澨�IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference, 1992 Record, pp. 1197-1201, vol. 2, June 1992.
  2. S. Singer and R. Erickson, 鈥淐ontrol-implied input/output buffering of power conservative two-port networks,鈥澨�IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS 鈥�92), pp. 1911-1913, vol. 4, 1992.
  3. S. Singer and R.W. Erickson,听听IEE Proceedings - Circuits Devices and Systems, vol. 141, no. 3, pp. 220-226, June 1994.
  4. S. Singer and R. Erickson,听听IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 7, no. 1, January 1992.