Printable pulsed voltage multiplier with adjustable pulse width and amplitude
View Patent ↗A voltage multiplier includes a supply voltage, at least two multiplier stages electrically connected together, each stage having a trigger voltage terminal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a capacitor, and each stage connected to the supply voltage, an input stage electrically connected to a first of the at least two multiplier stages, and an output stage electrically connected to a final of the at least two multiplier stages.
1. A voltage multiplier, comprising:
a supply voltage;
an input stage;
at least two multiplier stages electrically connected together, and a first of the at least two multiplier stages electrically connected to the input stage, each multiplier stage having a trigger voltage terminal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a capacitor, and each multiplier stage connected to the supply voltage, wherein each stage comprises:
a first diode electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a second diode electrically connected between a second terminal of the capacitor and the input terminal of the stage; and
a thin film transistor electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor by a drain of the transistor, the trigger voltage terminal electrically connected to a gate of the thin film transistor; and
an output stage electrically connected to a final of the at least two multiplier stages.
2. The voltage multiplier of claim 1 , wherein the multiplier stages comprise inkjet printed components.
3. The voltage multiplier of claim 1 , wherein each stage comprises:
a first thin film transistor electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a diode electrically connected between a second terminal of the capacitor and an input terminal to the stage; and
a second thin film transistor electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor.
4. The voltage multiplier of claim 1 , wherein the input stage comprises:
a diode electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a second terminal of the capacitor electrically connected to ground; and
an output terminal of the input stage electrically connected at a point between the diode and the first terminal of the capacitor.
5. The voltage multiplier of claim 1 , wherein the output stage comprises:
an output resistor connected between an output terminal of the final stage and an output terminal of the multiplier; and
a transistor electrically connected to the resistor and the output terminal of the multiplier.
6. A method of manufacturing a voltage multiplier, comprising:
loading an inkjet print head with solution;
sending circuit schematics to drive electronics in communication with the print head;
printing an input stage for a voltage multiplier on a substrate;
printing a pre-determined number of multiplier stages on the substrate such that a first of the multiplier stages connect to the input stage and each multiplier stage connects to other multiplier stages; and
printing an output stage such that a final multiplier stage connects to the output stage.
7. A method of operating a voltage multiplier, comprising:
providing a supply voltage to a diode in a first multiplier stage, the diode electrically connected to the first terminal of a capacitor;
charging the capacitor to the supply voltage;
delivering a trigger signal to a transistor electrically connected to a second terminal of a capacitor, the trigger signal causing the transistor to turn off; and
delivering a voltage output from the first terminal of the capacitor that is higher than the supply voltage.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising delivering a second trigger signal to the transistor of an opposite polarity to the first trigger signal, causing the transistor to turn on and pull the voltage output to ground.
9. A voltage multiplier, comprising:
a supply voltage;
an input stage;
at least two multiplier stages electrically connected together, and a first of the at least two multiplier stages electrically connected to the input stage, each multiplier stage having a trigger voltage terminal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a capacitor, and each multiplier stage connected to the supply voltage, wherein each stage comprises:
a first thin film transistor electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of a capacitor;
a second thin film transistor electrically connected to a second terminal of the capacitor and the trigger voltage by a gate of the second transistor; and
a resistor electrically coupled between the second terminal of the capacitor and the input terminal of the stage; and
an output stage electrically connected to a final of the at least two multiplier stages.
10. The voltage multiplier of claim 9 , wherein the input stage comprises:
a diode electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a second terminal of the capacitor electrically connected to ground; and
an output terminal of the input stage electrically connected at a point between the diode and the first terminal of the capacitor.
11. The voltage multiplier of claim 9 , wherein the output stage comprises:
an output resistor connected between an output terminal of the final stage and an output terminal of the multiplier; and
a transistor electrically connected to the resistor and the output terminal of the multiplier.
12. A voltage multiplier, comprising:
a supply voltage;
an input stage;
at least two multiplier stages electrically connected together, and a first of the at least two multiplier stages electrically connect to the input stage, each multiplier stage having a trigger voltage terminal, an input terminal, an output terminal, and a capacitor, and each multiplier stage connected to the supply voltage, wherein each stage comprises:
a first thin film transistor electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a diode electrically connected between a second terminal of the capacitor and an input terminal to the stage; and
a second thin film transistor electrically connected to the second terminal of the capacitor; and
an output stage electrically connected to a final of the at least two multiplier stages.
13. The voltage multiplier of claim 12 , wherein the input stage comprises:
a diode electrically connected between the supply voltage and a first terminal of the capacitor;
a second terminal of the capacitor electrically connected to ground; and
an output terminal of the input stage electrically connected at a point between the diode and the first terminal of the capacitor.
14. The voltage multiplier of claim 12 , wherein the output stage comprises:
an output resistor connected between an output terminal of the final stage and an output terminal of the multiplier; and
a transistor electrically connected to the resistor and the output terminal of the multiplier.