High voltage multiplier for a microphone and method of manufacture

• US 9,059,630 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Knowles Electronics Llc (Knowles Corporation)
• Inventors: Gueorguiev, Svetoslav Radoslavov
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Norman
• Application Number:
  US13/596,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20130051583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 327535-537, 381/111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/073 Charge pumps of the Schenkel-type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 19/04 Microphones H04R19/01 takes precedence

Abstract

A microphone circuit includes a condenser microphone and a charge pump. The condenser microphone is configured to receive sound energy and responsively convert the sound energy into a microphone output voltage. The charge pump is implemented in a low voltage CMOS process. It is coupled to the microphone and is configured to supply a bias voltage to the microphone allowing the microphone to operate. By using a proper circuit topology, whose maximum output voltage is limited by the breakdown voltage between the NWELL and the substrate, and by blocking the formation of the PWELL around the NWELL at a predetermined distance so that the NWELL is surrounded by a very lightly doped substrate from all sides, the maximum output voltage of the charge pump is increased significantly.

Claims

1. A microphone circuit comprising:

a condenser microphone, the condenser microphone configured to receive sound energy and responsively convert the sound energy into a microphone output voltage;

a charge pump, the charge pump coupled to the microphone and configured to supply a bias voltage to the microphone allowing the microphone to operate, the charge pump comprising;

a circuit topology including an NWELL region and a substrate, the circuit topology having a maximum output voltage limited by a breakdown voltage between the NWELL region and the substrate, the topology being implemented in a low voltage CMOS process;

wherein the breakdown voltage between the NWELL region and the substrate is increased by blocking the formation of a PWELL region around the NWELL region at a predetermined distance so that the NWELL region is surrounded by the substrate from substantially all sides thereby increasing the maximum output voltage of the charge pump;

a deep NWELL region disposed in the substrate.

2. The microphone circuit of claim 1 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the condenser microphone.

3. The microphone circuit of claim 1 wherein the deep NWELL region is disposed adjacent to the NWELL region.

4. The microphone circuit of claim 1 wherein the substrate completely surrounds the NWELL region.

5. A charge pump that is configured to supply a sufficient output/bias voltage to a condenser microphone allowing the microphone to operate with sufficient sensitivity, the charge pump comprising:

a circuit topology including an NWELL region and a substrate, the circuit topology having a maximum output voltage limited by a breakdown voltage between the NWELL region and the substrate, the topology being implemented in a low voltage CMOS process;

wherein the breakdown voltage between the NWELL region and the substrate is increased by blocking the formation of a PWELL region around the NWELL region at a predetermined distance so that the NWELL region is surrounded by the substrate from substantially all sides thereby increasing the maximum output voltage of the charge pump;

a deep NWELL region disposed in the substrate.

6. The charge pump of claim 5 further comprising an amplifier coupled to the condenser microphone.

7. The charge pump of claim 5 wherein the deep NWELL region is disposed adjacent to the NWELL region.

8. The charge pump of claim 5 wherein the substrate completely surrounds the NWELL region.