Converter output stage with MOSFETs having different characteristics

1. A switching converter, comprising:

a controller configured to generate one or more digital control signals, each having one of a first and a second state; and

a plurality of serially connected switches connected between first and second voltage sources and connected to an output terminal, wherein the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to receive the one or more digital control signals, wherein, in response to receiving a first digital control signal having the first state, the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to provide an electrically conductive path between the output terminal and the first voltage source having a first voltage, and to cause a voltage at the output terminal to be equal to the first voltage, and wherein, in response to receiving a second digital control signal having the second state, the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to provide an electrically conductive path between the output terminal and the second voltage source having a second voltage, and to cause the voltage at the output terminal to be equal to the second voltage,

wherein a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a first type of switch,

wherein a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a second type of switch,

wherein the first type of switch is characterized as having a first gate oxide thickness,

wherein the second type of switch is characterized as having a second gate oxide thickness,

wherein the first gate oxide thickness is less than the second gate oxide thickness,

wherein only the second switch of the first and second switches is directly connected to the output terminal, and

wherein the second switch is configured to receive a first bias voltage, wherein the first bias voltage is fixed.

2. The switching converter of claim 1 , wherein the first switch is configured to receive the first digital control signal of the one or more digital control signals and to selectively conduct current according to the first digital control signal.

3. The switching converter of claim 2 , wherein the first switch is configured to receive an input voltage from an input voltage terminal and to provide current from the input voltage terminal to the output terminal through the second switch.

4. The switching converter of claim 3 , wherein a third switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is connected between the first and second switches, wherein the third switch is a third type of switch having a third gate oxide thickness, wherein the third gate oxide thickness is substantially equal to the first gate oxide thickness, and wherein the first switch is further configured to provide current from the input voltage terminal to the output terminal through the third switch.

5. The switching converter of claim 4 , wherein a fourth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a fourth type of switch having a fourth gate oxide thickness and a fifth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a fifth type of switch having a fifth gate oxide thickness, wherein the fourth switch is configured to receive the second digital control signal of the one or more digital control signals, wherein the fourth gate oxide thickness is less than the fifth gate oxide thickness, wherein a sixth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is connected between the fourth and fifth switches, wherein the sixth switch is a sixth type of switch having a sixth gate oxide thickness, wherein the sixth gate oxide thickness is substantially equal to the fourth gate oxide thickness, and wherein the fourth switch is configured to source current to the output terminal through the fifth and sixth switches.

6. The switching converter of claim 5 , wherein the third switch is configured to receive a second bias voltage, the fifth switch is configured to receive a third bias voltage, and the sixth switch is configured to receive a fourth bias voltage, and wherein the first and third bias voltages are equal.

7. The switching converter of claim 6 , wherein the first digital control signal is configured to switch between the voltage of the input voltage and the voltage of the second bias voltage, and wherein the second digital control signal is configured to switch between the voltage of the fourth bias voltage and a ground voltage.

8. The switching converter of claim 5 , wherein the third switch is configured to receive a second bias voltage, the fifth switch is configured to receive a third bias voltage, and the sixth switch is configured to receive a fourth bias voltage, and wherein the first and fourth bias voltages are equal and the second and third bias voltages are equal.

9. The switching converter of claim 5 , further comprising first and second inverters configured to respectively generate the first and second digital control signals, wherein the third switch is configured to receive a second bias voltage, the fifth switch is configured to receive a third bias voltage, and the sixth switch is configured to receive a fourth bias voltage, and wherein the first inverter has a ground connection connected to the second bias voltage and the second inverter has a power connection connected to the fourth bias voltage.

10. The switching converter of claim 9 , further comprising a bias voltage generator configured to generate the second bias voltage, wherein the bias voltage generator comprises a current path between the ground connection of the first inverter and the power connection of the second inverter.

11. The switching converter of claim 9 , further comprising a bias voltage generator configured to generate the second bias voltage, wherein the second bias voltage is equal to the input voltage minus the fourth bias voltage.

12. The switching converter of claim 1 , wherein the first and second switches are both P-type or are both N-type switches.

13. The switching converter of claim 1 , further comprising a filter configured to receive the voltage at the output terminal from the first and second switches and to generate an output voltage signal, wherein the output voltage signal has a value based on an average voltage of the voltage at the output terminal.

14. The switching converter of claim 1 , wherein:

the first type of switch is characterized as having a first gate to source breakdown voltage, a first gate to drain breakdown voltage, and a first drain to source breakdown voltage, the second type of switch is characterized as having a second gate to source breakdown voltage, a second gate to drain breakdown voltage, and a second drain to source breakdown voltage, and

at least one of:

the first gate to source breakdown voltage is less than the second gate to source breakdown voltage,

the first gate to drain breakdown voltage is less than the second gate to drain breakdown voltage, and

the first drain to source breakdown voltage is less than the second drain to source breakdown voltage.

15. A switching converter, comprising:

a plurality of serially connected switches connected between first and second voltage sources and connected to an output terminal, wherein the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to receive one or more digital control signals, each having one of a first and a second state, wherein, in response to receiving a first digital control signal having the first state, the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to provide an electrically conductive path between the output terminal and a first voltage source having a first voltage, and to cause a voltage at the output terminal to be equal to the first voltage, and wherein, in response to receiving a second digital control signal having the second state, the plurality of serially connected switches are configured to provide an electrically conductive path between the output terminal and a second voltage source having a second voltage, and to cause the voltage at the output terminal to be equal to the second voltage,

wherein a first switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a first type of switch,

wherein a second switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a second type of switch,

wherein the first type of switch is characterized as having a first gate oxide thickness,

wherein the second type of switch is characterized as having a second gate oxide thickness,

wherein the first gate oxide thickness is less than the second gate oxide thickness,

wherein only the second switch of the first and second switches is directly connected to the output terminal, and

wherein the second switch is configured to receive a first bias voltage, wherein the first bias voltage is fixed.

16. The switching converter of claim 15 , wherein the first switch is configured to receive a first of the one or more digital control signals and to selectively conduct current according to the first digital control signal, wherein the first switch is configured to receive an input voltage from an input voltage terminal and to provide current from the input voltage terminal to the output terminal through the second switch, wherein a third switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is connected between the first and second switches, wherein the third switch is a third type of switch having a third gate oxide thickness, wherein the third gate oxide thickness is substantially equal to the second gate oxide thickness, wherein the first switch is further configured to provide current from the input voltage terminal to the output terminal through the third switch, wherein a fourth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a fourth type of switch having a fourth gate oxide thickness and a fifth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is a fifth type of switch having a fifth gate oxide thickness, wherein the fourth switch is configured to receive a second of the one or more digital control signals, wherein the fourth gate oxide thickness is less than the fifth gate oxide thickness, wherein a sixth switch of the plurality of serially connected switches is connected between the fourth and fifth switches, wherein the sixth switch is a sixth type of switch having a sixth gate oxide thickness, wherein the sixth gate oxide thickness is substantially equal to the fourth gate oxide thickness, and wherein the fourth switch is configured to sink current from the output terminal through the fifth and sixth switches.

17. The switching converter of claim 16 , wherein the third switch is configured to receive a second bias voltage, the fifth switch is configured to receive a third bias voltage, and the sixth switch is configured to receive a fourth bias voltage, and wherein the first and third bias voltages are substantially equal.

18. The switching converter of claim 17 , wherein the first digital control signal is configured to switch between the voltage of the input voltage and the voltage of the second bias voltage, and wherein the second digital control signal is configured to switch between the voltage of the fourth bias voltage and a ground voltage.

19. The switching converter of claim 16 , wherein the third switch is configured to receive a second bias voltage, the fifth switch is configured to receive a third bias voltage, and the sixth switch is configured to receive a fourth bias voltage, and wherein the first and fourth bias voltages are substantially equal and the second and third bias voltages are substantially equal.

20. The switching converter of claim 15 , wherein the first and second switches are both P-type or are both N-type switches.

21. The switching converter of claim 15 , wherein:

the first type of switch is characterized as having a first gate to source breakdown voltage, a first gate to drain breakdown voltage, and a first drain to source breakdown voltage,

the second type of switch is characterized as having a second gate to source breakdown voltage, a second gate to drain breakdown voltage, and a second drain to source breakdown voltage, and

at least one of:

the first gate to source breakdown voltage is less than the second gate to source breakdown voltage,

the first gate to drain breakdown voltage is less than the second gate to drain breakdown voltage, and

the first drain to source breakdown voltage is less than the second drain to source breakdown voltage.