A low-voltage boost converter using a forward converter with integrated Meissner oscillator

This paper describes a novel boost converter to be used with energy harvesters that provide only low output voltages. The device is self-supplied from electric power delivered to its input. With peak power conversion efficiencies above 30% at start-up voltages down to 10 mV this circuit sets best values in comparison with the state-of-the-art. This is achieved by the novel combination of a Meissner oscillator, used as stand-alone in most low-voltage step-up converters today, with a forward converter usually applied in high power systems.