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Virginia Tech

Non-Intrinsic Differential-Mode Noise in Switching Power Supplies and Its Implications to EMI Filter Design

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) problems in switching power supplies have been traditionally treated with cut-and-try approaches. In recent years, advancement has been made to better understand the problems and minimize the cut-and-try portion of the design process. However, there are still phenomena difficult to explain in many practical design situations. Often, the problems may be solved by luck but many puzzles remain unsolved. If not fully understood, these puzzles are very likely to come back to haunt the designers. According to the conventional theory, there are two modes of noise: the Differential-Mode (DM) noise and the Common-Mode (CM) noise. Recently, a new noise-coupling mode called Non-Intrinsic Differential-Mode (NIDM) noise was uncovered accidentally in the process of explaining certain EMI filter action [1]. This phenomenon has never been thoroughly studied. The focus of the present thesis is to investigate the NIDM phenomenon and its implications to practical EMI filter design issues. The generation mechanism and basic characteristics of this phenomenon will be briefly reviewed, which is crucial to the understanding of the remaining parts of the research. Two essential diagnostic tools are introduced. One is the DM/CM noise separator and the other is the zero-span mode operation of a spectrum analyzer. The results of the investigation will be presented. The results will be presented using practical examples, which tie the phenomenon to filter design issues. In some examples, explanations are given to dispel the puzzles commonly encountered in the practice. A filter design procedure is suggested for off-line power supplies. This procedure incorporates the NIDM phenomenon into an existing design procedure. Only first-order and second-order filter topologies are included in the discussion.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2004

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Qu, Song
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Chen, Dan Y.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Borojević, Dušan
  • Huang, Alex Q.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-022199-114952
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/9788

Chain of custody

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Virginia Tech
Base URL
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Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
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citation

Qu, Song. Non-Intrinsic Differential-Mode Noise in Switching Power Supplies and Its Implications to EMI Filter Design. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/9788