Charge pump

A charge pump, comprising:

• a plurality of sequentially connected charge-pump stages;
• a plurality of first switches, each coupled between an output of a corresponding one of the charge-pump stages and an output of the charge pump;
• a plurality of second switches, each coupled between an output of a corresponding one of the charge-pump stages and an input of an immediately succeeding one of the charge-pump stages;
• and
• a plurality of third switches, each coupled between an output of a corresponding one of the charge-pump stages and an input of the charge pump,
• wherein a charge-pump cascade structure is formed by individually configuring an open or close status of each of the first, second and third switches, and wherein a number of series-connected charge-pump stages and a number of parallel-connected charge-pump stages in the charge-pump cascade structure are determined by the open or close status of the respective first, second and third switches, and
• wherein a greater number of the series-connected charge-pump stages in the charge-pump cascade structure enables a higher output voltage of the charge pump, and a greater number of the parallel-connected charge-pump stages in the charge-pump cascade structure enables a higher drive current produced by the charge pump.