Charge Pump Circuit With Isolated P-Well Transistors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits at advanced semiconductor nodes face increasing leakage current issues due to the body effect, limiting the efficiency and voltage range of charge pumps used for independent body biasing of transistors.
Innovation Solution
A charge pump circuit with multiple pump stages coupled in series, each stage comprising five-terminal P-channel and N-channel transistors in isolated P-wells, utilizing capacitors to alternate charge and multiply input voltage, allowing for efficient generation of negative voltages and broader voltage ranges for body biasing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a charge pump is used to generate independent body bias voltage, then transistor leakage current is reduced, but the charge pump efficiency deteriorates and voltage range is limited due to the body effect of pump transistors
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump circuit is divided into multiple pump stages, with each stage comprising separate P-channel and N-channel transistor sets. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each transistor type's body bias, reducing the body effect impact on overall pump efficiency while maintaining the ability to generate negative voltages for leakage reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different body bias voltages to different transistor types (P-channel vs N-channel) within the same charge pump circuit. By providing localized quality improvements through type-specific body terminal coupling, the circuit reduces leakage in each transistor type optimally without the uniform body effect limitations of conventional designs.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a charge pump is used to generate independent body bias voltage, then transistor leakage current is reduced, but the voltage range is limited due to the body effect of pump transistors
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump circuit is divided into multiple pump stages, with each stage comprising separate P-channel and N-channel transistor sets. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each transistor type's body bias, reducing the body effect impact on overall pump efficiency while maintaining the ability to generate negative voltages for leakage reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different body bias voltages to different transistor types (P-channel vs N-channel) within the same charge pump circuit. By providing localized quality improvements through type-specific body terminal coupling, the circuit reduces leakage in each transistor type optimally without the uniform body effect limitations of conventional designs.
3Device complexity
If body terminals are coupled to power supply terminals, then circuit simplicity is maintained, but leakage current reduction capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The charge pump circuit is divided into multiple pump stages, with each stage comprising separate P-channel and N-channel transistor sets. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each transistor type's body bias, reducing the body effect impact on overall pump efficiency while maintaining the ability to generate negative voltages for leakage reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different body bias voltages to different transistor types (P-channel vs N-channel) within the same charge pump circuit. By providing localized quality improvements through type-specific body terminal coupling, the circuit reduces leakage in each transistor type optimally without the uniform body effect limitations of conventional designs.
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
The solution significantly reduces transistor leakage current and enhances voltage range, improving the efficiency and performance of charge pumps in integrated circuits by enabling effective body biasing.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive element having a first terminal coupled to the P-channel transistor and to the N-channel transistor, and a second terminal coupled to receive a clock signal
Data Source
AI summary
A charge pump comprises one or more pump stages for providing a negative boosted output voltage. Each of the one or more pump stages comprises a P-channel transistor formed in an isolated P-well and an N-channel transistor coupled in series with the P-channel transistor. Forming the P-channel transistor in the isolated P-well essentially eliminates a raised threshold voltage due to body effect.