Internal Voltage Generation Circuit for Pumping Voltage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor devices face challenges in generating internal pumping voltages efficiently due to the high breakdown voltage requirements of pumping units, which lead to increased circuit size and chip area consumption.
Innovation Solution
An internal voltage generation circuit that stepwise controls the input voltage based on breakdown voltage information, using a control unit with a depletion type transistor and multiplexing units to minimize the number of pumping units and optimize voltage levels, thereby overcoming breakdown voltage limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the breakdown voltage of the pumping unit is set high to generate high pumping voltage, then the pumping voltage can be increased, but the size of the pumping unit needs to be large which increases chip area
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping voltage generation is divided into multiple stages with multiple pumping units connected in series. Each pumping unit generates a portion of the total pumping voltage, allowing the system to achieve high voltage without requiring any single unit to have a large breakdown voltage. This segmentation enables the use of smaller, more compact pumping units while still achieving the desired high output voltage.
Solution Approach 2:
The input voltage to each pumping unit is dynamically adjusted based on its position in the series chain and the desired output voltage. By controlling the input voltage levels adaptively, each pumping unit operates at optimal voltage levels that minimize its size while contributing to the overall high pumping voltage generation.
2Power
If multiple pumping units are connected in series to generate high pumping voltage, then the desired voltage level can be achieved, but the number of pumping units increases which complicates the circuit
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple pumping units are designed with identical or similar structures that can be replicated and connected in series. This universal design allows the same circuit block to be reused multiple times, simplifying the overall circuit design process and making the complexity manageable through modular repetition rather than unique custom designs for each stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The pumping units operate in a periodic manner with coordinated clock signals, where each unit is activated in sequence or in parallel with synchronized operation. This periodic control simplifies the timing and coordination of multiple units, reducing the complexity of control logic while achieving the desired voltage multiplication effect.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an internal voltage generation circuit for generating a pumping voltage. The internal voltage generation circuit may include a pumping unit suitable for generating a pumping voltage by pumping an input voltage and a control unit suitable for stepwise controlling a voltage level of the input voltage based on the breakdown voltage information of the pumping unit.