Gate controller for a charge pump converter

Abstract

Provided is a gate controller having a primary signal input which is AC coupled to the gate through a capacitor, one or more bias inputs each connected to the gate through a resistor such as to control the DC voltage bias of the gate and therefore the conductivity o the switching element. The bias inputs can be properly connected to internal nodes of the charge pump, or charge pump stages, such that the gate controller is self-biased, without using bias-reference external to the charge pump. The gate controller is programmable by using potentiometers in place of the bias resistors. The programmable gate controller stages can be connected to form a programmable gate controlled charge pump.