Keysight Technologies

Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the

Keysight DC Power Analyzer

Application Note
Introduction

Power system technology used in modern electronic equipment faces extreme challenges due to
the need for increased system power efficiency, especially in battery powered devices. The main
system block involved in power conversion and delivery is the DC-DC converter, which converts
DC power from an unregulated to a regulated voltage. Many designers want to verify or character-
ize the performance of the DC-DC converter in terms of efficiency, load and line regulation, power
supply rejection ratio (PSRR) analysis, transient response, ripple, and turn-on time. Performing
these tests on DC-DC converters in a benchtop environment; however, requires different test
instruments such as a digital multimeter (DMM), oscilloscope, power supply, and electronics load.
The main challenge here is in being able to properly synchronize the instruments to execute the
various needed measurements.

This application note explains how to easily carry out DC-DC converter testing using a Keysight
Technologies, Inc. N6705C DC Power Analyzer and MSOX2/3/4000 Series oscilloscope. Keysight’s
BenchVue software provides the framework for developing simple automated tests to completely
characterize the DC-DC converter without having to write any code, substantially saving time.
03 | Keysight | Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the Keysight DC Power Analyzer - Application Note

Using a N6705C DC Power Analyzer and BenchVue

Software for DC-DC Converter Parameter Testing
In general, the test setup is dependent on the type of test being performed. To
characterize the DC-DC converter, for example, you first have to connect it between
the power source and the electronic load in order to sink the converter’s current
(Figure 1). Then, you must measure the voltage and current across the input (V in and Iin.
respectively) and output (Vout and Iout, respectively). These values constitute the input
power (Pin) and the output power (Pout).

Figure 1. DC-DC converter connection

The DC characterization can be simplified by replacing the power supply, DMM and
electronic load with the N6705C DC Power Analyzer. A built-in feature offering highly
accurate, flexible measurement capabilities helps designers perform the necessary tests.

The N6705C combines one to four programmable DC power and measurement units
(i.e., a 2- or 4-quadrant source and measurement unit, aka SMU), a DMM for each
channel; an oscilloscope that shows voltage, current and power versus time, which
allows designers to view the signal in real time; and a data logger—all in one integrated
package (Figure 2A).

Each of the four output characteristics are determined by the plug-in power module used
for that output. There are 34 different power modules available for N6705C; their key
specifications make them a good match for wide DC-DC validation with different power
values. BenchVue software allows designers to build a simple test flow for the DC-DC
converter with the N6705C power analyzer, without any of the programming hassles.
This software’s intuitive user interface makes it easy to connect and synchronize the
different Keysight instruments to run custom validation test, and enables quick capture
and viewing of any data coming from those instruments (Figure 2B).

Figure 2. A) Keysight DC power analyzer, B) Keysight BenchVue interface

04 | Keysight | Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the Keysight DC Power Analyzer - Application Note

Efficiency Test
Typically, the most important DC test for the DC-DC converter is efficiency. This is especially
true for battery-powered devices, because efficiency has a direct impact on the life of a device.
The efficiency of the converter is the ratio between the output power and the input power.
To run the test, use one channel of the N6705C as input voltage and monitor the converter
input current, and use another channel, configured as a load by setting it to sink current, and
measure the voltage on the output of the converter. Use BenchVue to draw the flow of the test.

In this particular example, the DC-DC converter was configured to output a constant voltage of
15 V. The efficiency was measured at three different input voltage values: 6 V, 9 V and 12 V. The
load channel was configured to sweep a load current from 0 to 10 mA and measure the output
voltage. Figure 3A shows the flow diagram representing the test described in BenchVue, while
Figure 3B shows the results.

Figure 3. A) BenchVue efficiency test flow, B) Efficiency test results

Load Regulation Test

The load regulation test measures the ability of the DC-DC converter to sustain the specified
voltage output when the load current (Iload) varies at constant input voltage. To execute
this test, after powering up the product, slowly vary the output load between the specified
minimum and maximum current values. The measured output voltage changes should be
within the range specified in the product’s technical specification. For the test setup, use the
same connection employed for the efficiency test.

Figure 4A shows a test flow on BenchVue that can be used to run a load regulation test.
Figure 4B shows a typical result of this test when the constant input voltage is applied at 9 V
and the channel of the N6705C is configured to sweep the current from 0 to 50 mA.

Figure 4. A) BenchVue load regulation test flow, B) load regulation test results
05 | Keysight | Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the Keysight DC Power Analyzer - Application Note

Line Regulation Test

The line regulation test represents the ability of the DC-DC converter to sustain the specified
output voltage while the input voltage is varied between a specified range of voltages. To carry
out this test, set the input power source to a value within the input range of the product and
power up the product. While monitoring the product output voltage, slowly vary the input
voltage between the specified minimum and maximum values. The measured output voltage
changes should be within the range specified in the product’s technical specification.
For this test, the channel of the N6705C on the input voltage of the DC-DC converter sweeps
over the specified voltage range, while the channel on the output of the DC-DC converter
measures the output voltage. Figure 5A shows a test flow on BenchVue to run a line regulation
test. Figure 5B shows a typical result of this test when the sweep of the input voltage from 2 to
12 V is applied and the other channel measures the output voltage of the DC-DC converter.

Figure 5. A) BenchVue line regulation test flow, B) Line regulation test results

In addition to the DC parameter testing performed by the SMU, some tests require the use
of an oscilloscope to characterize the AC parameters of the DC-DC converter. These tests
include ripple test, start-up time and transient response. In order to perform these tests,
Keysight’s DC-DC converter test solution includes the MSOX4000 Series oscilloscope, as
shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6. Keysight’s MSOX4000 series oscilloscope

06 | Keysight | Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the Keysight DC Power Analyzer - Application Note

Start-Up Time Test

The start-up time test measures the time delay between when the input voltage is applied
to the DC-DC converter and the time it takes to reach to the steady output voltage. For this
test, one SMU channel of the N6705C is applied to the input voltage and one channel of the
oscilloscope is connected across the input of the DC-DC converter. Another oscilloscope
channel is connected on the output of the DC-DC converter. Using BenchVue, the start-up
time is automatically calculated. Additional measurements on the signal (e.g., rise-up time,
fall-down time and peak-to-peak voltage) can also be extracted. Figure 7A shows a test flow
on BenchVue to run a start-up time test. Figure 7B shows a typical result of this test.

Figure 7. BenchVue start-up test flow, B) Results of a start-up test, time-based measurement

Ripple Test
The DC-DC converter has different internal topologies used at different internal switching
frequencies that are reflected in the output ripple frequency. The ripple on the output voltage
is measured as rejected input noise on the output voltage using an oscilloscope, with one
channel on the input and one channel on the output of the converter. The N6705C DC
Power Analyzer creates the arbitrary waveform required in this application as a mixed signal
comprising a DC signal with a ripple, which is used to power the DC-DC converter.

To perform a ripple test of the DC-DC converter, one channel of the N6705C was configured
as an arbitrary waveform generator to reproduce a DC signal with a small sine wave added,
and one channel of the oscilloscope was connected to the input of the DC-DC converter.
Another oscilloscope channel was connected to the output of the DC-DC converter. The
voltage peak for the sine wave was 250 mV (v0), the DC voltage was 9 V (v1), and the
frequency was 250 Hz (f). Figure 8A shows the arbitrary waveform setup screen of the
output voltage used as input voltage to power the DC-DC converter. Figure 8B shows the
screenshot of the time-based measurement of the ripple test.

Figure 8. A) Power analyzer screenshot arbitrary waveform setup, B) Screenshot of the scope view results
07 | Keysight | Easily Test DC-DC Converters Using the Keysight DC Power Analyzer - Application Note

Other Workable Tests on the DC-DC Converter and

Scaling-Up of Keysight’s Solution
Another built-in test function of the N6705C is spectral analysis, which enables designers
to analyze the AC components of the output voltage and measure the frequency domain. To
cover more power applications such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), uninterruptable power
supplies (UPS), and many other bidirectional energy systems and devices that operate at
multi-kilowatt power levels, it’s possible to replace the N6705C with a Keysight APS N6900/
N7900 DC Power Supply. The APS DC Power Supply covers DC power levels up to 2 kW using
the same methodologies presented in this application note.

Summary
Testing the DC-DC converter is a process that usually requires several different instruments,
with additional effort needed to synchronize the instruments together. The Keysight
solution presented here is flexible, with a built-in capability to produce a complete setup to
power and test DC-DC converters in a wide variety of test conditions without the hassle of
programming. Other related applications that can benefit from this flexible solution are IC
regulator testing, power supply testing and several different charging-system tests.
08 | Keysight | M9037A PXIe Embedded Controller - Data Sheet

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© Keysight Technologies, 2017
Published in USA, December 1, 2017
5992-2278EN
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