TI INDIA AUTOMOTIVE SEMINAR

ORLANDO MURRAY

USING AN ACTIVE EMI FILTER IN POWER

CONVERTERS TO REDUCE EMI FILTER SIZE
AND COST
Outline
• Background and context:
– What is electromagnetic interference (EMI)
– How to mitigate EMI
– EMI filters and limitations
• Active EMI filter
– Active EMI filter (AEF)
– AEF compensation
– AEF damping
• Results
2
Background: What is EMI and why do we care?
• EMI: Unwanted noise and signals that cause
capacitive coupling, inductive coupling, or
radiation onto a conductor
BUCK BUCK
12V
• Can interfere with other systems
• Standards limit how much we can emit
– CISPR 25, CISPR 11… standards
– Conducted and radiated tests Radiated,
capacitive/
Radio, sensors, inductive
audio… coupling

12 V Buck
Input ripple
Conducted EMI limits – CISPR 25 Class 5 3
Context: What causes EMI in a buck regulator?
• Switching causes ripple/noise at fSW
and harmonics SW Voltage
VSW
Input current
Input voltage
ripple
• Parasitics cause high-frequency ripple
SW ring and spikes VIN (AC) IIN
Inductor current
ripple
• Jitter, spread spectrum can add IL
VIN IIN
low-frequency noise IOUT
VIN QHS

CIN L IOUT
Buck VSW
VBATT
Jitter, SW controller IL RLOAD
n*fSW QLS
SPSP… fSW ring
COUT
GND
frequency
1 k - 150 k 200 k - 2 M 50 M - 300 M
Simplified buck schematic 4
 EMI filtering: Common passive components
• HF ceramic input capacitor - Reduces SW ringing, improves >10 MHz
• Bulk capacitor - ESR damps resonance with filter components at <1 MHz
• CLC/LCL π/T-filter - Filters up to 10 -100 MHz
• Ferrite bead - Filters >2 MHz, spec’d at 100 MHz
- Filters common-mode noise up to ~100-300 MHz
• Common-mode choke
Common-mode Ferrite
choke Bead LIN

VIN

CFB CF CIN CINBLK CIN CINHF

Buck
VBATT
controller

GND

Common buck input filter components 5

EMI filtering: Designing a CLC π filter
• Three methods:
– A. Check the evaluation board or a reference design
• Check data sheet and user’s guide for EMI results and filter
• Use something similar or adjust to your specs
– B. Calculate/measure
• Calculate attenuation using equation (1) or measure necessary attenuation
• Use AN-2162 application note and spreadsheet to calculate component values
– C. Test in lab and adjust until the filter is optimized
𝐼𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
sin(𝜋𝐷)
𝜋 2 𝑓𝑆𝑊 𝐶𝐼𝑁
|𝐴𝑡𝑡|𝑑𝐵 = 20 log − 𝑉𝑀𝐴𝑋 (1)
1𝜇𝑉
Where:
𝑓𝑆𝑊 = Switching frequency
D = Duty cycle
𝑉𝑀𝐴𝑋 = Max allowed dB𝜇𝑉 for the particular EMI spec
Spreadsheet calculator 6
EMI filtering: Designing a CLC π filter
• After measuring or using (1) to calculate required attenuation in dB
• Use (2) to design EMI filter cutoff frequency
𝐼𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘
• Use (3) to select CF and LIN components 𝜋 2 𝑓𝑆𝑊 𝐶𝐼𝑁
sin(𝜋𝐷)
(1)
|𝐴𝑡𝑡|𝑑𝐵 = 20 log − 𝑉𝑀𝐴𝑋
• Typically select LIN 0.1–10 µH with input current rating 1𝜇𝑉
Where:
• Typically parallel multiple CF to get required value 𝑓 = Switching frequency
𝑆𝑊
D = Duty cycle
• Test and adjust as needed 𝑉𝑀𝐴𝑋 = Max allowed dB𝜇𝑉 for the particular EMI spec
𝑓𝑠𝑤
𝑓𝑐 = 𝐴𝑡𝑡 ൗ (2)
10 40
Where:
𝑓𝑐 = EMI filter cutoff frequency

1
𝐿𝐼𝑁 𝐶𝐹 = 2 (3)
2𝜋𝑓𝑐
Where:
𝐿𝐼𝑁 = EMI filter inductor
Spreadsheet calculator 𝐶𝐹 = EMI filter inductor 7
EMI filtering: Passive filter component limitations
• Concerns:
– Cost – Filter cost can add up. Larger filter for more attenuation means more money!
– Size – Filter can take large board area depending on necessary components
• Considerations:
– Capacitor voltage rating must > VIN_MAX
– Inductor current rating must > IIN_MAX (at VIN_MIN)
–Filter components’ parasitics limit LIN

filtered frequencies to less than self- VIN

resonant frequency (SRF)
CF CINBLK CIN CINHF
–Larger package = more parasitics Buck
controller
•1210 capacitor ~ 1–2 nH
•0402 capacitor ~ < 1 nH GND

Buck input filter 8

Active EMI filter
Active EMI fundamentals
• View Active EMI filter (AEF) as an “active capacitor” compared to passive CF.
• AEF uses an operational amplifier to sense AC-perturbations on the input rail
and inject an 180º out-of-phase signal to cancel the noise.
• Replace passive EMI filter CF with active EMI network; Op-amp requires
feedback and compensation components but these are much smaller in
capacitance, footprint, and cost.
• Op-amp can be integrated in DC/DC controller IC, such as LM25149-Q1.
LIN LIN LIN
VIN VIN VIN

ZSEN ZINJ
CF VNOISE ZCOMP VNOISE GOp× ZINJ VNOISE

VCC
-
Op
VCC
2
+ 10
EMI filtering: Active EMI filter
• Active EMI filter uses an op-amp to replace passive CF with “active capacitor”
LIN
VIN
CINJ CINC
CSEN
ZSEN
VNOISE
ZINJ RDAMP
ZCOMP RINC
CAEFC RAEFC

VCC
-
Op RAEFDC
VCC
2
+
VCC
-
Op
VCC
2
+

11
EMI filtering: Active EMI filter
• Active EMI filter uses an op-amp to replace passive CF with “active capacitor”
• Op-amp gain term (5) LIN
VIN
𝐺𝑂𝑝 ≈ 𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 Τ𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 (5) CINJ CINC
CSEN
Where: VNOISE
𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 = AEF sensing capacitor RDAMP
𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 = AEF compensation capacitor
RINC
CAEFC RAEFC

• Active filter LIN and CINJ selection (6)

1 RAEFDC
𝐿𝐼𝑁 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 = (6)
𝐺𝑂𝑝 2𝜋𝑓𝑐 2 VCC
-
Where: Op
VCC
𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 = AEF injection capacitor +
2

• With 𝐺𝑂𝑝 = 100, filter can reduce LF and CINJ one-tenth compared to passive!
12
EMI filtering: Active EMI filter
Input Inductor
• Input voltage and current ripple Input DC current current ripple
ILIN
cause EMI. Lowest ripple will
ILIN(DC) ΔILIN ILIN(DC)
result in lowest EMI
LIN
• Capacitive sensing and injection
VIN
– No DC current into AEF CINJ CINC
CSEN
• AEF ripple current cancels ripple RDAMP
CIN VNOISE

current of input inductor CAEFC RAEFC

RINC

• AEF is NOT limited to DC power rating

– Limited to ΔIINJ canceling ΔILIN RAEFDC
IINJ
SEN VCC
ΔIINJ
• LIN or CIN can be sized to meet ΔIINJ -
Op
INJ

VCC
requirement 2
+
AEF current
13
cancellation
EMI filtering: Active EMI filter Compensations
No compensation Both LF & HF compensation
• Loop has two crossovers to compensate
• Two compensations:
– Feedback compensation (AEFC)
– Input compensation (INC)
• RAEFDC and CAEFC set LF crossover
– Gain could cross 0 dB close to 180º of phase LIN

CINJ
• RINC and CINC set HF-crossover CSEN CINC
RSRC RDAMP
– Provides phase boost at high-frequency CAEFC RAEFC RINC
RLOAD

– CINJ parasitics limit SRF ~20 MHz

- RAEFDC
VBODE
+ VCC
-
Op
VCC
2
+

14
Why do we need damping?
LIN
iin
VIN

CIND

AEF CIN Converter

RIND

• Jitter, transients, or any other perturbation can cause an undamped response on

an L-C filter.
• CIN and LIN can resonate from regulator perturbations. A damping capacitor, CIND,
with ESR or resistor RIND, is in parallel with CIN for damping.
• AEF can be purely capacitive and resonate with LIN if undamped. This may
cause saturation and increased power loss. 15
Damping basics
For the filter to be damped against resonance,
we need a Q between 0.7 to 1.0.

1 𝐿
R 𝑄=
𝑅 𝐶

Quality factor
16
AEF undamped response
ZSEN ZINJ
ZCOMP 𝑍𝐶𝑂𝑀𝑃
𝐺𝑂𝑝 =
VCC
𝑍𝑆𝐸𝑁
-
Op
VCC
2
+

LIN
𝑍𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 + 𝑍𝑅𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 || 𝑍𝑅𝐷𝐶
𝐺𝑂𝑝 =
𝑍𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 𝑅𝐷𝐶 ≫ 𝑍𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶
CSEN CINJ

𝑍𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 + 𝑍𝑅𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 𝑍𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 𝑍𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 ≫ 𝑍𝑅𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶

CAEFC RAEFC ≈ ≈ ≈
𝑍𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 𝑍𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶
LIN
RAEFDC

-
VCC
𝑍𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 1
Op 𝑍𝐸𝑄 = =
VCC
2
+ 𝐺𝑂𝑝 𝑠𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 𝐺𝑂𝑝 GOp× CINJ

Active EMI Filter (equivalent to a GOp × CINJ capacitor) 17

 Damping method 1 (series damping)
LIN
LIN
Equivalent impedance
CINJ
CSEN with series damping:
RDAMP GOp × CINJ
𝑍𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 + 𝑍𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽
CAEFC RAEFC 𝑍𝐸𝑞𝐷𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑑 =
With 𝐺𝑂𝑝

damping
RDAMP / GOp
RAEFDC
VCC 𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 1
- = +
Op 𝐺𝑂𝑝 𝑠𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 𝐺𝑂𝑝
VCC
2
+

Low-frequency
Active EMI Filter
equivalent circuit
with damping

1 𝐿 𝐿 𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 𝐿𝐼𝑁 𝐿𝐼𝑁 ∙ 𝐺𝑂𝑝

𝑄= = 1, 𝑅 = = 𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 =
𝑅 𝐶 𝐶 𝐺𝑂𝑝 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 ∙ 𝐺𝑂𝑝 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 18
Damping method 1 example, fSW = 2 MHz
LM25149 Synchronous Controller 𝑓𝑠𝑤 2 MHz
Buck + AEF
𝑓𝑐 = = = 63 kHz
EN
10uH 470nH PG

𝐴𝑡𝑡 ൗ 60 ൗ
VIN
LDO REEF FB
1uF VCC
100nF 10uF 47uF

+
-
50nF 100nF
4.7nF
100nF
100m
VCC_AEF
INJ
AEF

R1
+
AEF Control
Gate
CB

SW
470nF
Vout
10 40 10 40
50k
VIN 500nF SEN - Driver
2.2uH
ibandgap R C
SEN INJ 2 1

REFGND
OPGND 100nF 22uF 22uF RL

𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁 100 𝑛𝐹
LISN AGND
PGND PGND

𝐺𝑂𝑝 ≈ = = 21
PBKG

𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶 4.7 𝑛𝐹
OPGND REFGND

Compensation and AEF amplifier

LIN
damping
CSEN
CINJ
1 1
RDAMP 𝐿𝐼𝑁 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 = 2
= 2
= 304 [nH ∙ µF]
CAEFC RAEFC
𝐺𝑂𝑝 2𝜋𝑓𝑐 21 2𝜋 ∗ 63 kHz

RAEFDC
VCC

VCC
-
Op
𝐺𝑂𝑝 ∙ 𝐿𝐼𝑁 21 ∙ 470 𝑛𝐻
2
+
𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 = = = 3.1 Ω
Active EMI Filter
𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 1 𝜇𝐹
19
Series damping summary 𝑓𝑠𝑤
LIN
𝑓𝑐 = 𝐴𝑡𝑡 ൗ
CSEN
CINJ 10 40
RDAMP

CAEFC RAEFC
𝐶𝑆𝐸𝑁
𝐺𝑂𝑝 ≈
𝐶𝐴𝐸𝐹𝐶
RAEFDC

-
VCC
1
VCC
+
Op
𝐿𝐼𝑁 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 = 2
2
𝐺𝑂𝑝 2𝜋𝑓𝑐
Active EMI Filter

• Damping method 1 is simple 𝐺𝑂𝑝 × 𝐿𝐼𝑁

• GOp acts like a capacitive multiplier 𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 =
𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽
• This method can be applied for ~2MHz fSW
• Other damping methods can be used for lower switching frequency 20
Damping method 2 – parallel capacitor (440 kHz)
LIN

LIN
CINJ
CSEN
CDAMP RDAMP
GOp × CINJ
CAEFC RAEFC

GOp × CDAMP RDAMP / GOp

RAEFDC
VCC
-
Op
VCC
2
+

Active EMI Filter

Third-order system, the optimal point
for RDAMP needs to be found
21
 AEF optimal damping for a third-order system LIN
1
CINJ 𝑍𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 =
CSEN
2
CDAMP RDAMP 1 2
+ 2𝜋𝑓𝑠𝑤 · 𝐶𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃
CAEFC RAEFC 𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃

RAEFDC

-
VCC
𝐿𝐼𝑁
VCC
+
Op
𝑍𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 =
2
𝐺𝑂𝑝 · 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽
Active EMI Filter

LIN LIN

GOp × CINJ GOp × CINJ

𝐿𝐼𝑁
𝑅𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃 = 𝐺𝑂𝑝 2
𝐺𝑂𝑝 · 𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐽 − 2𝜋𝑓𝑠𝑤 · 𝐶𝐷𝐴𝑀𝑃
GOp × CDAMP RDAMP / GOp ZDAMP / GOp
22
Passive vs active filter optimized layouts
• Traditional passive layout (left) uses a taller inductor and larger capacitors.
• Active EMI filter (right) uses smaller and cheaper components with improved filter performance.

m m
9 mm 5.
7 9. 8
m
m 1 2.3 m
m

Passive Active
(a) (b)
110 mm2 56 mm2
$2.71* $1.70* *as of April 2021 23
Passive vs active CISPR 25 results comparison
VIN = 13.5 V, VOUT = 5 V, IOUT = 5 A FSW = 440 kHz

No EMI filter Passive EMI filter Active EMI filter

LIN = 2.2 µH, CF = 2 x 10 µF LIN = 1 µH, CINJ = 0.47 µF

CISPR 25 Class 5 peak

Start: 150 kHz CISPR 25 Class 5 average Stop: 30 MHz
24
EMI filtering: Active EMI filter components
• Poorly selected AEF components can negatively impact EMI:
– CINJ with SRF 5 MHz caused resonance (less than system loop crossover of 20 MHz).
• Use a HF crossover lower than the SRF of active EMI components

AEF enabled with

AEF disabled poor components

CISPR 25 Class 5 peak CISPR 25 Class 5 peak

Start: 150 kHz Stop: 30 MHz Start: 150 kHz Stop: 30 MHz
CISPR 25 Class 5 average CISPR 25 Class 5 average 25
EMI filtering: AEF layout and other considerations
• Route SEN and INJ traces differentially INJ

SEN
• Place RAEFDC at SEN and INJ vias
– Place CAEFC and RAEFC to form tight loop
• CDAMP & RDAMP close to AEF compensation (AEFC)
• RINC and CINC away from noisy ground
• CSEN close to AEF compensation
• CINJ close to damping
At the Op-amp / IC:
• AEF amplifier VCC decoupling capacitor close to pin
• AEF amplifier AVSS grounded on quiet ground
26
LM25149-Q1EVM-2100 Buck controller with AEF
•LM25149-Q1EVM-2100 evaluation board uses LM25149-Q1
synchronous buck controller with integrated AEF.

27
Summary
• EMI can cause unwanted interference between electronics
• EMI filters are typically used to mitigate EMI
• EMI filters take cost and size, and come with limitations
• Active EMI filter uses an op-amp as an active capacitor
• AEF compensation
• AEF damping
• Results
• Layout guidelines
28
SLYP833
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