Review and Performance Analysis of Inductorless Charge Pumps for Low-Power Applications

Charge pumps have long been the DC-DC converters of choice, especially in low-power and space-constrained applications where a part of the circuit requires a voltage different from what the source can supply. Charge pumps are often lauded for their relatively simple design, low cost, and exceptionally high efficiencies. The simplistic design can be attributed to the fact that it only requires a few discrete components or even single-chip solutions are available nowadays. Capacitors and switching devices form the fundamental operational part of these circuits. Specific variants are known to reach efficiencies above 95 percent, making them an excellent choice for modern designs. Before diving deeper and analyzing particular designs, this topic will briefly overview some standard topologies and their operating principles.