Charge Pump Circuit With Diode Clamping For Voltage Swing Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charge pump circuits face challenges in efficiently converting input voltage to higher or lower output voltage levels due to high voltage swings, which complicates circuit design and increases costs associated with high voltage capability.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a charge pump circuit with a pumping stage and output stage configuration that includes transistors, capacitive devices, and diode devices in an inverse-parallel manner, where diode devices provide discharge paths to limit voltage differences and reduce peak voltage levels, allowing for efficient voltage conversion without the need for large voltage swings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If charge pump circuit uses conventional voltage pumping method, then voltage conversion is achieved, but high voltage swings complicate circuit design and increase costs
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump circuit is divided into multiple pumping stages, where each stage performs a portion of the voltage conversion. This segmentation allows each stage to operate with smaller voltage swings while achieving the desired overall voltage multiplication, thereby simplifying circuit design and reducing costs associated with high voltage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Diode devices are introduced as intermediary elements between the transistor and capacitor to provide discharge paths. These diodes limit voltage differences and reduce peak voltage levels during operation, enabling efficient voltage conversion without requiring the circuit components to withstand large voltage swings, thus simplifying design and reducing costs.
2Power
If charge pump circuit uses conventional voltage pumping method, then voltage conversion is achieved, but costs associated with high voltage capability increase
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the voltage conversion into multiple stages, each handling a smaller voltage increment, the circuit avoids the need for components rated for high peak voltages. This reduces manufacturing costs as standard-voltage components can be used throughout the circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The diode devices act as intermediaries that clamp voltage excursions and provide controlled discharge paths. This protection mechanism prevents high voltage stress on expensive components, reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining voltage conversion capability.
3Device complexity
If charge pump circuit limits voltage swings, then circuit design is simplified, but voltage conversion efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pumping stages are employed where each stage contributes to the overall voltage multiplication. While individual stages operate with limited voltage swings, the cumulative effect across stages achieves efficient voltage conversion, maintaining productivity without requiring any single component to handle large voltage excursions.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit maintains continuous operation with overlapping charging and discharging phases across different stages. This continuous action ensures that voltage conversion proceeds efficiently without interruption, even though each individual transistor-capacitor pair operates with limited voltage swings at any given moment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration simplifies circuit design, reduces costs, and enables efficient voltage conversion by maintaining voltage levels within safe ranges, ensuring reliable operation of the charge pump circuit.
Implementation Method 1
A charge pump circuit includes capacitors as energy storage elements
Implementation Method 2
two diode devices between the gate terminal and a source/drain terminal of the transistor. The two diode devices are coupled in an inverse-parallel manner
Data Source
AI summary
A charge pump circuit includes an output stage coupled to an output, a pumping stage between an input and the output stage, and a control circuit that outputs control signals. A pumping stage transistor includes S/D terminals coupled to input/output terminals, capacitive devices between signal terminals and either a transistor gate or a S/D terminal, and diode devices including either the anode/cathode or cathode/anode coupled to the respective gate and S/D terminal. An output stage transistor includes S/D terminals coupled to an input terminal and the output. One control signal includes a transition from first to second logic levels at a first time and another control signal includes a transition from the first to second logic levels at a second time, and a period between the transitions is sufficiently small to cause a change in a voltage at the pumping stage S/D terminal to be less than 100 millivolts.