Charge pump circuit for a substrate voltage generator of a semiconductor memory device
First Claim
1. A charge pump circuit in a substrate bias voltage generator for pumping a bias charge to a voltage output terminal twice during a complete clock cycle so as to maintain a substantially constant negative voltage level thereto, said charge pump circuit comprising:
- first and second pump capacitors for respectively receiving first and second in-phase rectangular wave signals, of different pulse width from one another, at a respective end thereof;
third and fourth pump capacitors for respectively receiving in-phase third and fourth rectangular wave signals, of different pulse width from one another, at a respective end thereof;
a first transistor having a channel connected between a first pumping node and the voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said first pump capacitor, said first pumping node being electrically coupled to said second pumping capacitor;
a second transistor connected between said first pumping node and a ground voltage terminal;
a third transistor having its channel connected between a second pumping node and said voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said fourth pump capacitor, said second pumping node being electrically coupled to said third pumping capacitor;
a fourth transistor connected between said second pumping node and said ground voltage terminal;
first means connected to said first pump capacitor and to said fourth pump capacitor for electrically isolating said first pumping node from said second pumping node;
second means connected to a control terminal of said second transistor and to a control terminal of said fourth transistor for controlling the operation of said second and fourth transistors; and
third means connected to said first and second pumping nodes and to said control terminal of said second transistor and to said control terminal of said fourth transistor, for complementarily operating said second and fourth transistors in response to a signal from said second means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A charge pump circuit for a substrate voltage bias generator. The charge pump circuit generates a negative substrate bias voltage to a semiconductor substrate by performing a charge pumping operation twice during a clock cycle. Additional pumping capacitors are provided to prevent discharging of the substrate bias voltage to ground during transistor switching operations. The transistor switching provides the necessary charge pumping operations within the charge pumping circuit. This circuit provides increased charge pump efficiency and lower stand-by current than conventional charge pump circuits.
59 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A charge pump circuit in a substrate bias voltage generator for pumping a bias charge to a voltage output terminal twice during a complete clock cycle so as to maintain a substantially constant negative voltage level thereto, said charge pump circuit comprising:
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first and second pump capacitors for respectively receiving first and second in-phase rectangular wave signals, of different pulse width from one another, at a respective end thereof; third and fourth pump capacitors for respectively receiving in-phase third and fourth rectangular wave signals, of different pulse width from one another, at a respective end thereof; a first transistor having a channel connected between a first pumping node and the voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said first pump capacitor, said first pumping node being electrically coupled to said second pumping capacitor; a second transistor connected between said first pumping node and a ground voltage terminal; a third transistor having its channel connected between a second pumping node and said voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said fourth pump capacitor, said second pumping node being electrically coupled to said third pumping capacitor; a fourth transistor connected between said second pumping node and said ground voltage terminal; first means connected to said first pump capacitor and to said fourth pump capacitor for electrically isolating said first pumping node from said second pumping node; second means connected to a control terminal of said second transistor and to a control terminal of said fourth transistor for controlling the operation of said second and fourth transistors; and third means connected to said first and second pumping nodes and to said control terminal of said second transistor and to said control terminal of said fourth transistor, for complementarily operating said second and fourth transistors in response to a signal from said second means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A charge pump circuit in a substrate bias voltage generator for pumping a bias charge to a voltage output terminal twice during a complete clock cycle so as to maintain a substantially constant negative voltage level thereto, said charge pump circuit comprising:
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capacitive means for generating first, second, third, and fourth source signals in response to a plurality of different pulse clock signals; a first transistor having a channel connected between a first pumping node and the voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said first source signal, said first pumping node being electrically coupled to said second source signal; a second transistor connected between said first pumping node and a ground voltage terminal; a third transistor having its channel connected between a second pumping node and said voltage output terminal, and a control terminal connected to said fourth source signal, said second pumping node being electrically coupled to said third source signal; a fourth transistor connected between said second pumping node and said ground voltage terminal; first means connected to said first source signal and to said fourth source signal for electrically isolating said first pumping node from said second pumping node; second means connected to a control terminal of said second transistor and a control terminal of said fourth transistor for controlling the operation of said second and fourth transistors; and third means connected to said first and second pumping nodes and to said control terminal of said second transistor and said control terminal of said fourth transistor, for complementarily operating said second and fourth transistors in response to a signal from said second means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification