A Memory-Targeted Dynamic Reconfigurable Charge Pump to Achieve a Power Consumption Reduction in IoT Nodes

Abstract

Targeting the more recently adopted low-power memories for data-logging operation in IoT nodes, this paper presents a simple reconfigurable dual-branch cross-coupled charge pump (CP) topology in which clock amplitude scaling and modulation of the number of stages are exploited to improve power efficiency and/or change the output voltage without degrading speed performance. The proposed solution allows a reduction of the power conversion losses, maintaining speed, maximum output voltage and silicon area unaltered as compared to the conventional charge pump. Post-layout simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed topology which can be adapted to any other kind of linear charge pump.

Keywords

• DC-DC converter
• Dickson Charge Pumps
• power management for solid-state memories
• ultra-low power