Interface for communication between voltage domains
First Claim
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1. A device, comprising:
- a substrate;
a dielectric layer over the substrate;
a lower capacitor plate in the dielectric layer, wherein the lower capacitor layer is parallel to a surface of the substrate and is located at a first distance from the surface of the substrate;
two upper capacitor plates in the dielectric layer over and at a second distance from the lower capacitor plate, wherein the two upper capacitor plates combined substantially overlap the lower capacitor plate and wherein the two upper capacitor plates do not touch each other;
wherein the first distance and the second distance are preselected based on a breakdown voltage of a material of the dielectric layer.
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Abstract
In one or more embodiments, circuitry is provided for isolation and communication of signals between circuits operating in different voltage domains using capacitive coupling. The capacitive coupling is provided by one or more capacitive structures having a breakdown voltage that is defined by way of the various components and their spacing. The capacitive structures each include three capacitive plates arranged to have two plates located in an upper layer and one plate located in a lower layer. A communication signal can be transmitted via the capacitive coupling created between the lower plate and each of the upper plates, respectively.
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20 Claims
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1. A device, comprising:
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a substrate; a dielectric layer over the substrate; a lower capacitor plate in the dielectric layer, wherein the lower capacitor layer is parallel to a surface of the substrate and is located at a first distance from the surface of the substrate; two upper capacitor plates in the dielectric layer over and at a second distance from the lower capacitor plate, wherein the two upper capacitor plates combined substantially overlap the lower capacitor plate and wherein the two upper capacitor plates do not touch each other; wherein the first distance and the second distance are preselected based on a breakdown voltage of a material of the dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A communication device fabricated on a substrate, comprising:
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a transmitter fabricated in a first voltage domain; a receiver fabricated in a second voltage domain;
wherein the transmitter is separated from the receiver through a unreferenced voltage domain, wherein the receiver including a capacitive device, the device comprising;a dielectric layer over the substrate; a lower capacitor plate in the dielectric layer, wherein the lower capacitor layer is parallel to a surface of the substrate and is located at a first distance from the surface of the substrate; two upper capacitor plates in the dielectric layer over and at a second distance from the lower capacitor plate, wherein the two upper capacitor plates combined substantially overlap the lower capacitor plate and wherein the two upper capacitor plates do not touch each other; wherein the first distance and the second distance are preselected based on a breakdown voltage of a material of the dielectric layer. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification