Integrated circuit with voltage conversion
AssigneeFinisar Corporation
InventorsHenry M. Daghighian, Curtis Robinson, Lucy Hosking
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An integrated circuit may include a signal generator configured to generate a switching signal and a switching unit coupled to the signal generator. The switching unit may be configured to generate a pulsed current based on the switching signal using a first voltage. The integrated circuit may also include an inductive unit coupled to the switching unit. The inductive unit may be configured to receive the pulsed current and to generate a second voltage different from the first voltage.
Claims19
An integrated circuit comprising:
- an input node configured to be coupled to a first voltage;
- a signal generator configured to generate a switching signal;
- a switching unit coupled to the signal generator, the switching unit comprising a plurality of switches that each comprise a plurality of orthogonal gate extended drain CMOS transistors, the plurality of switches configured to generate a pulsed current based on the switching signal using the first voltage;
- an inductive unit coupled to the switching unit, the inductive unit configured to receive the pulsed current and generate a second voltage different from the first voltage, wherein the second voltage is greater in magnitude than the first voltage and the plurality of orthogonal gate extended drain CMOS transistors are arranged to divide the second voltage across each individual orthogonal gate extended drain CMOS transistor such that each individual orthogonal gate extended drain CMOS transistor only experiences a portion of the second voltage that does not exceed a breakdown voltage associated with each individual orthogonal gate extended drain CMOS transistor;
- an avalanche photodiode configured to receive the second voltage;
- and
- a substrate upon which the avalanche photodiode, the inductive unit, the switching unit, and the signal generator are formed.
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a signal generator configured to generate a switching signal;
- a switching unit coupled to the signal generator, the switching unit configured to generate a pulsed current based on the switching signal using a first voltage, the switching unit configured to operate at frequencies greater than thirty megahertz;
- an inductive unit coupled to the switching unit, the inductive unit configured to receive the pulsed current and to generate a second voltage different from the first voltage, wherein the second voltage is greater in magnitude than the first voltage and the switching unit is configured to divide the second voltage across the switching unit such that the second voltage divided across the switching unit does not exceed a breakdown voltage associated with the switching unit;
- an avalanche photodiode configured to receive the second voltage;
- and
- a substrate, wherein the signal generator, the switching unit, the inductive unit, and the avalanche photodiode are formed on the substrate.
A method of generating a voltage in an integrated circuit, the method comprising:
- generating a switching signal having a frequency of at least thirty megahertz;
- generating a pulsed current by a switching unit using the switching signal and a first voltage;
- generating a second voltage by an inductive unit using the pulsed current, the second voltage being larger in magnitude than the first voltage;
- dividing the second voltage across the switching unit such that the second voltage divided across the switching unit does not exceed a breakdown voltage associated with the switching unit;
- and
- supplying the second voltage to an avalanche photodiode in the integrated circuit, wherein generating the pulsed current and generating the second voltage occur in the integrated circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.