Dr. Phinney specializes in electromagnetism and power electronics, particularly in switched-mode power converters, power quality, and electromagnetic-field assessment of utility installations. He has related experience in embedded software development, digital control, and numerical methods for optimization and simulation. Working at the intersection of power electronics and fabrication, Dr. Phinney’s research has focused on techniques for miniaturizing power-processing circuits, improving the efficiency of radio-frequency power amplifiers, and designing high-frequency power passive components. His fabrication experience includes laminate- and package-based processes such as epoxy deposition and patterning, electrodeposition, vacuum deposition, and lithography. While at Exponent, Dr. Phinney has worked with the Health Sciences practice on field measurements associated with the permitting and environmental impact of transmission lines, substations, and traction systems.
Dr. Phinney received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His Ph.D. thesis centered on resonance-based techniques for increasing power-converter switching frequencies into the VHF through the incorporation of compact, non-permeable structures approximating transmission delays. Through the modeling associated with this dissertation, he has become proficient in full-field and quasi-static methods for analyzing the electromagnetic behavior of packages and interconnects, especially planar or filamentous systems of conductors. He has related experience in RF design (particularly phase-locked loops), network synthesis, system identification, and control. Dr. Phinney is the co-inventor on patents for improving the performance of capacitors, EMI filters, and common-mode chokes.
Phinney JP, Perreault DJ, Lang JH. Synthesis of lumped transmission-line analogs. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2007; 22(4):1531–1542.
Phinney JP, Perreault DJ, Lang JH. Radio-frequency inverters with transmission-line input networks. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2007; 22(4):1154–1161.
Phinney JP, Perreault DJ, Lang JH. Multi-resonant microfabricated inductors and transformers. IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference 2004; 4527–4536.
Phinney JP, Perreault DJ. Filters with active tuning for power applications. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2003; 18(2):636–647.
Neugebauer TC, Phinney JP, Perreault DJ. Filters and components with inductance cancellation. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications 2002; 939–947.
Phinney JP, Perreault DJ. Filters with active tuning for power applications. IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference 2001; 363–370.
Batzer MA, Arcot SS, Phinney JP, et al. Genetic variation of recent Alu insertions in human populations. Journal of Molecular Evolution 1996; 42(1):22–29.