Cascoded power switches usable in DC-DC converter applications

A cascoded power switch, comprising:

• a high-side (HS) switch coupled between an output node configured to provide an output voltage and a first voltage supply terminal configured to provide a first voltage supply, wherein the HS switch comprises:
• a first transistor, a second transistor, and a third transistor coupled in series between the first voltage supply terminal and the output node,
• a fourth transistor, fifth transistor, and sixth transistor coupled in series between the first voltage supply terminal and the output node, wherein the fourth transistor is coupled in parallel with the first transistor between the first voltage supply terminal and a first middle node, the fifth transistor is coupled in parallel with the second transistor between the first middle node and a second middle node, and the sixth transistor is coupled in parallel with the third transistor between the second middle mode and the output node;
• a low-side (LS) switch coupled between the output node and a second voltage supply terminal configured to provide a second voltage supply, lower than the first voltage supply;
• and
• a HS driver circuit having a voltage monitoring circuit, the HS driver circuit configured to begin turning on the first transistor in response to assertion of a first control signal and delay turning on the fourth transistor until both the first control signal and a second control signal are asserted, wherein the voltage monitoring circuit includes a logic circuit which asserts the second control signal in response to a rise of the output voltage triggering the logic circuit.