A new VRM topology for next generation microprocessors

Modern computing devices, featuring extremely fast load current transients, impose severe issues to the design of voltage regulation modules (VRM) interfacing the microprocessor power bus with the main board power supply. Using conventional design techniques bulk and expensive high quality output filter capacitors are required to cope with load current slew rates higher than 10 A//spl mu/s. This paper proposes an alternative approach to improve the performance of voltage regulation modules, without requiring impractical output filter capacitors. The proposed approach is based on introducing a very low inductance current path on a voltage regulation module based on a multiphase converter.