.................................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................................... xix CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION............................................................................................. 1 1.1 Background ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Challenge in High Slew Rate VR ......................................................................................... 6 1.2.1 Voltage Spikes Estimation in High Slew Rate Load ..................................................... 7 1.2.2 Challenge in Voltage Regulator................................................................................... 12 1.3 Challenge in the High Slew Rate Isolated DC-DC Converter............................................ 16 1.4 Dissertation Outline ............................................................................................................ 20 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF TECHNOLOGIES IN HIGH SLEW RATE VR..................... 25 2.1 Passive Methods to Reduce Voltage Spikes ....................................................................... 25 2.1.1 Combination of Different Types of Capacitors ........................................................... 26 2.1.2 Output Impedance Analysis of Intel Motherboard with SKT478................................ 29 2.1.3 Output Impedance Analysis of Intel Motherboard with LGA775 ............................... 31 2.1.4 Limitation of Passive Methods .................................................................................... 33 2.2 Existing Control Technologies for High Slew VR and Limitations ................................... 35 2.2.1 Control with Slow Feedback Loop .............................................................................. 39 2.2.2 Control with Fast Feedback Loop................................................................................ 40