Analysis and Design of Load-Independent Class-E Zero-Voltage Switching Power Oscillator

This paper proposes the load-independent class-E Zero-Voltage Switching (ZVS) power oscillator. Conventional class-E power oscillator has a load-dependent phase shift, which hinders sustained oscillation under varying load conditions. Hence, we introduce the class-E power amplifier that ensures the load-independent phase shift in the output current. By incorporating it into an LCLC filter with a resonant-capacitor feedback network, the load-independent self-oscillation is realized. The proposed power oscillator satisfies a phase-shift requirement for sustained oscillation regardless of the load resistance. Furthermore, the proposed circuit exhibits load independence in ZVS, output current, and gate-drive voltage. This paper provides a thorough analysis of the proposed power oscillator, covering its operating principle, power loss prediction, design, and limitations. This paper also gives two design examples with 0.8 MHz and 6.78 MHz oscillation frequencies. In the experiment, the prototype power oscillators achieved 93.8 % and 87.4 % power-conversion efficiencies, respectively. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed power oscillator are demonstrated from the experimental verifications.