High efficiency AC-DC converter with power factor corrector

Abstract

A power converter includes a boost converter, a DC/DC converter and a coupler chain. The boost converter receives a rectified AC input and generates a high voltage output. The boost converter includes a zero-voltage-switching transistor that is operable to adjust the power factor of the rectified AC input to generate the high voltage output. The DC/DC converter is coupled to the high voltage output of the boost converter and is configured to generate a regulated output voltage. The DC/DC converter includes a complementary pair of zero-voltage-switching transistors that are operable to regulate the high voltage output of the boost converter to generate the regulated output voltage.; The coupler chain is coupled between a current-carrying terminal of the zero-voltage-switching transistor of the boost converter and current-carrying terminals of the complementary pair of zero-voltage-switching transistors in the DC/DC converter The coupler chain is operable to reduce the voltage across the current-carrying terminals of at least one of the zero-voltage-switching-transistors.