Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Francesco Sorrentino

Maurizio Giovanni Gaibotti

Carmelo Ucciardello

Gaetano Palumbo

Domenico Pappalardo

Giuseppe Maganuco

Rosa Di Mauro

Marco Costanzo

Protecting the devices of a charge pump includes the connection of a high-voltage transistor between the output node of the charge pump and the load being supplied, and in controlling this transistor with a fraction of the output voltage of the charge pump. This control is accomplished by connecting the control node of the high-voltage transistor to a node of connection between two stages of the multi-stage charge pump onto which a fraction of the controlled output voltage of the multi-stage charge pump is produced. The high-voltage output transistor protects the low voltage devices of the multi-stage charge pump, by preventing the controlled output voltage from undergoing excessively abrupt variations, that could damage the transistors of the last stage of the charge pump.

Multi-stage charge pump voltage generator with protection of the devices of the charge pump

A shielded electrical connection of the integrated type comprises a connection element and a shielding element. The connection element includes a first substantially planar structure of a first conducting material and is placed vertically above and isolated from a semiconductor substrate and which occupies a first flat region. The shielding element includes a second substantially planar structure of a second conducting material and is placed vertically between the first structure and the substrate and which occupies a second flat region. A third substantially planar structure made of a third conducting material is placed vertically above the first structure and which occupies a third flat region. The first region does not extend outside the second and third regions. Furthermore, the second and third structures are connected electrically together and to a reference of potential and are electrically insulated from the first structure and the substrate.

Integrated shielded electric connection

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Cantania, Italy

Francesco Sorrentino