Booster circuits

In an electronic clockwork, in combination:

• input means for supplying a square-wave voltage;
• a field-effect transistor provided with a semiconductive substrate, a source electrode connected directly to said substrate, a drain electrode coupled to said substrate through a P/N junction with a predetermined threshold voltage, said drain and source electrodes being located at opposite ends of a channel region of said substrate, and a gate controlling the conductivity of said channel region;
• circuit means connecting said source electrode to a point of fixed reference potential;
• a first lead extending from said input means to said drain electrode for delivering said square-wave voltage thereto;
• a series capacitor in said first lead;
• and
• a second lead extending from said input means to said gate for delivering said square-wave voltage thereto in inverted relationship with the square-wave voltage supplied to said drain electrode through said series capacitor, the relative polarities of the voltages at said drain electrode and said gate reversing during successive alternations of said square-wave voltage whereby said transistor is cut off during every other alternation and conducts in the intervening alternations with resulting equalization of the voltages of said drain and source electrodes.

In a voltage-boosting circuit, in combination:

• input means for supplying a voltage wave alternating between a first and a second level;
• a pair of complementary field-effect transistors each provided with a semiconductive substrate, a source electrode connected directly to said substrate, a drain electrode coupled to said substrate through a P/N junction, said drain and source electrodes being located at opposite ends of a channel region of said substrate, and a gate controlling the conductivity of said channel region;
• first circuit means connecting the source electrode of each transistor to a point of fixed reference potential;
• capacitive second circuit means connecting said input means to the drain electrodes of both transistors for delivering said voltage wave thereto;
• third circuit means connecting said input means to the gates of both transistors for delivering said voltage wave thereto in inverted relationship with the voltage wave supplied to said drain electrodes by said second circuit means, the relative polarities of the voltages at the drain electrode and the gate of each transistor reversing during successive alternations of said voltage wave whereby each transistor is cut off during every other alternation and conducts in the intervening alternations with resulting equalization of the voltages of the drain and source electrodes thereof;
• and
• joint output means for said transistors producing a magnified replica of said voltage wave.

In an electronic clockwork, in combination:

• input means for supplying a square-wave voltage;
• a pair of complementary field-effect transistors each provided with a semiconductive substrate, a source electrode connected directly to said substrate, a drain electrode coupled to said substrate through a P/N junction, said drain and source electrodes being located at opposite ends of a channel region of said substrate, and a gate controlling the conductivity of said channel region;
• first circuit means connecting the source electrode of each transistor to a point of fixed reference potential;
• capacitive second circuit means connecting said input means to the drain electrodes of both transistors for delivering said square-wave voltage thereto;
• third circuit means connecting said input means to the gates of both transistors for delivering said square-wave voltage thereto in inverted relationship with the square-wave voltage supplied to said drain electrodes by said second circuit means, the relative polarities of the square-wave voltages at the drain electrode and the gate of each transistor reversing during successive alternations of said square-wave voltage whereby each transistor is cut off during every other alternation and conducts in the intervening alternations with resulting equalization of the voltages of the drain and source electrodes thereof;
• and
• joint output means for said transistors producing a magnified replica of said square-wave voltage.

In a voltage-boosting circuit, in combination:

• a chain of serially interconnected diodes forming junctions therebetween;
• a first circuit branch with a first input and with a series of first capacitive networks connected between said first input and odd-numbered junctions of said diodes;
• a second circuit branch with a second input and with a series of second capacitive networks connected between said second input and even-numbered junctions of said diodes;
• semiconductive supply means for respectively applying two mutually dephased square waves to said inputs;
• and
• an output capacitor connected between the last diode of said chain and a point of fixed reference potential, said last diode and said capacitor having a common load terminal whose potential relative to said reference potential varies with an amplitude substantially exceeding those of said square waves.

In a voltage-boosting circuit, in combination:

• two relatively inverted chains of serially interconnected diodes forming junctions therebetween;
• a first circuit branch with a first input and with a series of first capacitive networks connected between said first input and odd-numbered junctions of each of said chains;
• a second circuit branch with a second input and with a series of second capacitive networks connected between said second input and even-numbered junctions of each of said chains;
• semiconductive supply means for respectively applying two mutually dephased square waves to said inputs;
• and
• a pair of output capacitors respectively connected between the last diode of each chain and a point of fixed potential, said last diodes respectively defining with said capacitors a pair of load terminals whose relative potential varies with an amplitude substantially exceeding those of said square waves.

In an electronic clockwork, in combination:

• a chain of serially interconnected diodes forming junctions therebetween;
• a first circuit branch with a first input and with a series of first capacitive networks connected between said first input and odd-numbered junctions of said diodes;
• a second circuit branch with a second input and with a series of second capacitive networks connected between said second input and even-numbered junctions of said diodes;
• semiconductive supply means for respectively applying two mutually dephased square waves to said inputs;
• and
• an output capacitor connected between the last diode of said chain and a point of fixed reference potential, said last diode and said capacitor having a common load terminal whose potential relative to said reference potential varies with an amplitude substantially exceeding those of said square waves.

In an electronic clockwork, in combination:

• two relatively inverted chains of serially interconnected diodes forming junctions therebetween;
• a first circuit branch with a first input and with a series of first capacitive networks connected between said first input and odd-numbered junctions of each of said chains;
• a second circuit branch with a second input and with a series of second capacitive networks connected between said second input and even-numbered junctions of each of said chains;
• semiconductive supply means for respectively applying two mutually dephased square waves to said inputs;
• and
• a pair of output capacitors respectively connected between the last diode of each chain and a point of fixed potential, said last diodes respectively defining with said capacitors a pair of load terminals whose relative potential varies with an amplitude substantially exceeding those of said square waves.