An On-Chip Transformer-Based Self-Startup Hybrid SIDITO Converter for Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting

A hybrid single-inductor dual-input-triple-output (SIDITO) converter with an on-chip transformer-based starter for thermoelectric energy harvesting is presented. The on-chip transformer-based LC starter makes the system capable of self-startup at an open-circuit-voltage of 160 mV. With the proposed hybrid SIDITO architecture, additional inductor-sharing power switches are eliminated. An adaptive-on-time control scheme is also proposed to improve the efficiency at low input voltage levels. The chip is fabricated in a 0.18- ${\mu }\text{m}$ CMOS process. The measurement results show that the converter can provide an output current range from $1~{\mu }\text{A}$ to 10 mA with a peak efficiency of 83.3%.