Double-Gate Charge Pump Circuit Body Effect Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional charge pump circuits face performance degradation due to body effects and parasitic capacitances, resulting in lower output voltages and inefficiencies as the number of stages increases, limiting their ability to achieve high voltage levels efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The use of double-gate transistors with synchronized control signals to minimize body effects and reduce parasitic capacitances, combined with voltage level shifter circuits to progressively raise the voltage level applied to the second control gate across pumping stages, enhancing charge transfer efficiency and reducing power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the number of pumping stages is increased to achieve higher output voltage, then the output voltage level is improved, but the body effects and parasitic capacitances degrade the performance and charge transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control voltage parameter applied to the second gate of the double-gate transistor. By progressively increasing the control voltage level from one pumping stage to the next (e.g., from Vdd to 2*Vdd to 3*Vdd), the transistor threshold voltage is adjusted to compensate for body effects accumulated across multiple stages, thereby maintaining high charge transfer efficiency even with increased number of stages
2Area of stationary object
If conventional bulk transistors are used in charge pump circuits, then the circuit area is reduced, but the body effects cause the actual output voltage to be lower than the ideal value
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the control voltage on the second gate of the double-gate transistor. This allows the transistor threshold to be tuned to compensate for body effects, achieving ideal output voltage levels without increasing circuit area significantly, as the same transistor structure is used but with optimized control parameters
3Strength
If the control voltage level is increased to compensate for body effects in later stages, then the output voltage is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the control voltage levels for different pumping stages. Each stage receives a control voltage appropriate to its position in the cascade, with earlier stages using lower control voltages and later stages using progressively higher control voltages. This localized optimization compensates for body effects where needed while minimizing unnecessary power consumption in earlier stages
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 approach results in improved charge transfer efficiency, higher output voltages, reduced power dissipation, and smaller circuit area, enabling the generation of higher voltages with lower input voltages and reduced parasitic capacitances, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional bulk charge pump circuits.
Implementation Method 1
the body effects of the transistors in each stage, as well as the parasitic capacitances in the capacitors, degrade the performance of the conventional charge pump circuits
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a charge pump circuit comprising an input node for inputting a voltage to be boosted; an output node for outputting a boosted voltage; a plurality of pumping stages connected in series between the input node and the output node, each pump stage comprising at least one charge transfer transistor, wherein the at least one charge transfer transistor is a double-gate transistor comprising a first gate for turning the transistor on or off according to a first control signal applied to the first gate and a second gate for modifying the threshold voltage of the transistor according to a second control signal applied to the second gate, wherein the first and second control signals have the same phase.