Switch-mode power supply

A power converter that regulates voltage or current by rapidly switching electronic devices. It transfers energy in pulses, enabling efficient conversion across a wide range of input and output voltages.

Pulse-width modulation: A control method that varies a pulse train’s on-time to regulate the energy delivered to a load. Changing switch on-time is a common way to set the converter’s output.
Power semiconductor device: A semiconductor component designed to control or convert substantial electrical power. Switch-mode supplies rely on power devices to interrupt current at high speed.
AC adapter: An external power supply that converts mains electricity into a form suitable for an electronic device. Many modern adapters use switch-mode conversion to stay compact and efficient.
Linear regulator: A regulator that controls output voltage by operating a transistor in its variable-resistance region. It trades the switching supply’s efficiency for simpler circuitry and lower switching noise.
Inductor: A passive electrical component that stores energy in a magnetic field when current flows through it. Its magnetic field stores energy during one part of a switching cycle and releases it during another.
MOSFET: A voltage-controlled transistor widely used as an electronic switch in power circuits. MOSFETs commonly serve as the rapidly switched devices in low- and medium-power supplies.
Computer power supply: A power unit that converts electrical input into regulated voltages for a computer’s components. Personal computers use switch-mode supplies to provide several high-current output rails.
Hard switching: A switching condition in which a device changes state while substantial voltage and current overlap. That overlap creates switching losses and electrical stress in conventional converters.
Flyback converter: An isolated switching converter that stores energy in a coupled inductor while its primary switch is on. This topology shows how a switch-mode supply can combine energy storage with galvanic isolation.
Diode: A two-terminal semiconductor device that conducts current primarily in one direction. Diodes provide current paths and rectify voltage in many supply topologies.

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