Simple Circuit Converts +5V to -10V

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Abstract

This simple charge-pump voltage inverter produces more than -10V at no load, and more than 200mA while the output voltage remains greater than the input.

The versatile switched-capacitor charge pump is easy to use and requires no inductor. It can double a positive voltage or convert a positive voltage to negative.

For some applications in which only a positive supply is available, the system must generate a negative voltage of larger magnitude than the positive rail. For that purpose, the circuit of Figure 1 inverts the input voltage and doubles the resulting negative output at the same time. The voltage inverter shown (IC1) converts a positive input to a negative output voltage, normally with an absolute magnitude lower than that of the input. But in this circuit, the two Schottky diodes and the two capacitors at the output produce a higher output voltage.

Figure 1. This simple circuit derives -10V from +5V.

Figure 1. This simple circuit derives -10V from +5V.

The expected output is VOUT = -(2xVIN - 2VD- IOUT* RO), where VD is the voltage drop across a diode, IOUT is the output current, and RO is the output resistance. While the maximum expected voltage is -10V, overshoot across the capacitors due to parasitic inductance in the capacitors and traces produces more than -11V at no load (Figure 2).

Figure 2. The circuit in Figure 1 above produces more than -10V at no load, and more than 200mA while the output voltage remains greater than the input.

Figure 2. The circuit in Figure 1 above produces more than -10V at no load, and more than 200mA while the output voltage remains greater than the input.

This design idea appeared in the May 26, 2005 issue of EDN magazine.