Power source circuit for generating positive and negative voltage sources

• US 6,084,387 A
• Filed: 02/03/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation (Renesas Electronics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Kazuaki, Kaneko, Masaki, Kobatake, Hiroyuki, Oku, Satoru, Amanai, Masakazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Riley, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US09/243,550
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 363/59, 363/60, 323/274, 323/281, 323/280, 307/110
• US Class Current: 323/281
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 16/30 Power supply circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/073 Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type

Abstract

A power source circuit for a flash memory includes a positive circuit section for generating a positive voltage source, a source follower transistor for converting the impedance of the first voltage source, a negative circuit section for generating a negative voltage source while maintaining a voltage difference between the output of the source follower transistor and the negative voltage source at a first reference potential. The positive circuit section includes a voltage compensating transistor having a threshold voltage equal to the threshold of the source follower transistor.

Claims

1. A power source circuit comprising a first source section for generating a first voltage source having a first polarity, a second source section for generating a second voltage source having a second polarity opposing said first polarity, an impedance converter for receiving said second voltage source to generate a third voltage source having an output impedance different from an output impedance of said first voltage source, a first voltage divider for dividing a voltage difference between said third voltage source and said first voltage source to generate a first divided voltage having said second polarity, and a control unit for controlling a voltage of said first voltage source by maintaining said first divided voltage at a first reference voltage.

2. The power source circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said second source section comprises a second voltage divider for dividing said second voltage source to generate a second divided voltage, and a differential amplifier for controlling a voltage of said second voltage source by maintaining said second divided voltage at a second reference voltage.

3. The power source circuit as defined in claim 2, wherein said impedance converter is implemented by a source follower or an emitter follower transistor.

4. The power source circuit as defined in claim 3, further comprising a voltage compensating transistor connected between an output line delivering said second voltage source and said second voltage divider.

5. The power source circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said first source section comprises a charge pump.

6. The power source circuit as defined in claim 1, wherein said first polarity is a negative polarity.