Powering the core rails of high-end field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) requires high current as well as precise transient control. In recent years, the rapid advancements in FPGAs, ASICs, and related systems have necessitated significant updates to power delivery regulations to address the increased complexity. These designs demand a delicate balance between efficiency, dynamic response, and the size and power loss of MOSFETs.

The most commonly used method to meet these requirements is to place multiple power supplies in parallel. This method distributes current equally between these power supplies (also called phases), which delivers the required power more easily and efficiently. A phase difference can be set between each power supply branch to further improve performance, thereby reducing the overall current and voltage ripple. However, this process can be complex since phases must be distributed equally, and the current must be balanced through all phases.

To meet the low-voltage, high-current demands of FPGA and ASIC core rails, and to manage precise transients’ control, power systems are now operating at higher frequencies using multi-phase power solutions.

For simplification, power modules such as the MPM3698 and MPM3699 implement advanced multi-phase control methods, including automatic interleaving and phase-shedding. This article will describe the design process for multiple-phase converters and explain the key aspects of multiple-phase power supply design.