Power Electronics

Power electronics encompasses the conversion, control and conditioning of electrical energy through semiconductor switching devices. At its core are inverter, rectifier and DC–DC converter topologies that manipulate voltage, current and frequency to meet application-specific requirements. Modern advances in wide-bandgap materials—silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN)—have enabled higher blocking voltages, faster switching speeds and greater thermal tolerance, driving greater efficiency and power density. From grid-tied renewable inverters to electric-vehicle chargers and high-frequency resonant converters, power electronics underpins the global transition to low-carbon energy, high-efficiency industrial drives and resilient distributed networks. Key challenges include minimising losses across conduction and switching cycles, managing electromagnetic compatibility, balancing passive-component counts, and integrating digital control to ensure robust performance under variable loads and network conditions.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A novel phase-shift modulation technique for the isolated dual-active-bridge (DAB) DC–DC converter has demonstrated up to 25 % reduction in peak current stress, enabling higher efficiency and lower device losses with minimal control complexity. Employing two independent phase-shift angles preserves soft-switching across a wide load range without the circulating power penalties of conventional single-phase-shift schemes.

A multifunction boost converter circuit capable of four distinct power-conversion modes—DC-DC, DC-AC, AC-AC and AC-DC—has been realised using only four bidirectional switches. Frequency-response analysis confirms stable operation across modes, and experimental tests report total harmonic distortion below 5 % in all configurations, illustrating the versatility of logic-based control in compact power stages.

An experimental validation of a nine-level active–neutral-point-clamped inverter for photovoltaic applications shows self-balancing of DC-link capacitors without auxiliary circuitry. The level-shifted pulse-width-modulation scheme delivers stepped output waveforms with reduced switching frequency, achieving peak efficiency above 97 % under varying irradiance and load conditions.

Research from all publishers

A comparative review of non-isolated high-step-up DC–DC converters establishes a standardised set of figures of merit—voltage gain, device stresses, current ripple, component count and overall efficiency—to guide fair comparisons among topologies. The study proposes new weighted metrics that better predict real-world performance across diverse renewable-energy and vehicular applications.

An interleaved boost converter integrating coupled inductors and a voltage-multiplier cell achieves high voltage gain with reduced semiconductor stresses. A 400 W prototype operating at 100 kHz attains over 95 % peak efficiency while maintaining input current ripple below 10 %, validating the interleaved-energy-recycling approach for grid-interface converters.

A survey of non-isolated DC–DC converter topologies for fuel-cell powertrains categorises multistage boost, switched-inductor and switched-capacitor structures. The analysis identifies optimal trade-offs among size, efficiency and reliability, highlighting hybrid converter schemes as promising solutions for high-power automotive and stationary fuel-cell systems.

Power Electronics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in power electronics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Pulse-width modulation (PWM): A switching-based control technique in which the duty cycle of a high-frequency waveform is varied to regulate the effective output voltage or current.

Wide-bandgap semiconductor: Material (e.g. SiC, GaN) with a larger energy bandgap than silicon, enabling higher voltage ratings, faster switching and improved thermal performance.

Dual-active-bridge (DAB) converter: An isolated DC–DC topology using two full-bridge converters and a high-frequency transformer to achieve bidirectional power flow and soft-switching capability.

Neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter: A multilevel converter topology that employs clamping diodes to create multiple voltage levels from a split DC-link, reducing harmonic distortion and device stress.

Interleaving: A technique in which multiple converter stages operate out of phase to share current, reduce input/output ripple and improve transient response.

References

1. Fundamentals of More-Electronics Power Systems.
2. Current stress minimization for isolated dual active bridge DC–DC converter. Scientific Reports (2022).
3. Design, implementation and performance evaluation of multi-function boost converter. Scientific Reports (2023).
4. Experimental validation of new self-voltage balanced 9L-ANPC inverter for photovoltaic applications. Scientific Reports (2021).
5. Nonisolated High Step-Up DCDC Converters: Comparative Review and Metrics Applicability. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (2023).
6. A High Step-Up Interleaved DC-DC Converter With Voltage Multiplier and Coupled Inductors for Renewable Energy Systems. IEEE Access (2020).
7. Survey of DC-DC Non-Isolated Topologies for Unidirectional Power Flow in Fuel Cell Vehicles. IEEE Access (2020).