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Positive/negative high voltage charge pump system

  • US 6,023,188 A
  • Filed: 01/15/1999
  • Issued: 02/08/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A high voltage charge pump operable from low voltage Vdd and electronically reconfigurable to output from an output port a positive high voltage VPp in a positive mode, or a negative high voltage VPn in a negative mode, comprising:

  • a semiconductor substrate;

    a charge pump circuit, fabricated on said substrate, having an anode node and a cathode node and including a number (N) of series-coupled charge pump stages, each of said stages including a MOS transistor and being AC-coupled to receive one of two non-overlapping phase pulse train signals of amplitude E1, where E1≦

    Vdd, such that adjacent said stages receive different ones of said phase pulse train signals;

    said pump stages multiplying the AC-coupled E1 amplitude pulse train signals to create a larger magnitude potential therefrom; and

    a switching mechanism, fabricated on said substrate, coupled to said charge pump circuit;

    wherein when said charge pump circuit is to operate in said positive mode, said switching mechanism couples a source of said Vdd to said anode node, couples said cathode node to said output port to deliver said VPp, and couples a substrate node of each said MOS transistor to a first potential;

    said larger magnitude potential created by said charge pump circuit having magnitude VPp ; and

    wherein when said charge pump circuit is to operate in said negative mode, said switching mechanism couples a negative potential to said cathode node, couples said anode node to said output port to deliver said VPn, and couples a substrate node of each said MOS transistor to a second potential;

    said larger magnitude potential created by said charge pump circuit having magnitude VPnp.

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