Method and apparatus for generating regulated isolation supply voltage
High voltage rated isolation capacitors of inductors are formed on a face of a primary integrated circuit die. The isolation capacitors or inductors AC couple the primary integrated circuit in a first voltage domain to a second integrated circuit in a second voltage domain. The isolation capacitors or inductors DC isolate the primary integrated circuit from the second integrated circuit die. Isolated power transfer from the first voltage domain to the second voltage domain is provided through the high voltage rated isolation capacitors or inductors with an AC oscillator or PWM generator. The AC oscillator voltage amplitude may be increased for an increase in power through the high voltage rated isolation capacitors or inductors.
1. A method for generating regulated isolation supply voltage between different voltage domains, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a primary integrated circuit coupled to a first voltage domain;
providing a secondary integrated circuit coupled to a second voltage domain;
providing a first insulating layer over at least a portion of a face of the primary integrated circuit;
providing a plurality of high voltage rated isolation capacitors positioned over the first insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of high voltage rated isolation capacitors comprises
a first electrically conductive layer on the first insulating layer,
a high voltage rated dielectric layer on a portion of a respective first electrically conductive layers, and
a second electrically conductive layer on the respective high voltage rated dielectric layer;
providing a waveform generator in the primary integrated circuit die, the waveform generator having outputs coupled to respective ones of the first electrically conductive layers;
providing an alternating current (AC)-to-direct current (DC) converter in the secondary integrated circuit and having inputs coupled to respective ones of the second electrically conductive layers, whereby AC power is transferred from the waveform generator to the AC-to-DC converter;
providing a voltage regulator coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC converter, the voltage regulator having a reference voltage feedback output; and
providing a pulse width modulator having an input coupled to the voltage regulator reference voltage feedback output and an output coupled to another second electrically conductive layer, wherein the waveform generator has a control input coupled to a respective another first electrically conductive layer, whereby the pulse width modulator controls the output of the waveform generator.
2. A method for generating regulated isolation supply voltage between different voltage domains, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a primary integrated circuit coupled to a first voltage domain;
providing a secondary integrated circuit coupled to a second voltage domain;
providing a first insulating layer over at least a portion of a face of the primary integrated circuit;
providing a plurality of high voltage rated isolation transformers positioned over the first insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of high voltage rated isolation transformers comprises
a first inductor on the first insulating layer,
a high voltage rated dielectric layer on a portion of a respective first inductor, and
a second inductor on the respective high voltage rated dielectric layer;
providing a waveform generator in the primary integrated circuit die, the waveform generator having outputs coupled to respective ones of the first inductor;
providing an alternating current (AC)-to-direct current (DC) converter in the secondary integrated circuit and having inputs coupled to respective ones of the second inductor, whereby AC power is transferred from the waveform generator to the AC-to-DC converter;
providing a voltage regulator coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC converter, the voltage regulator having a reference voltage feedback output; and
providing a pulse width modulator having an input coupled to the voltage regulator reference voltage feedback output and an output coupled to another second inductor, wherein the waveform generator has a control input coupled to a respective another first inductor, whereby the pulse width modulator controls the output of the waveform generator.
3. An integrated circuit device having regulated isolation supply voltage between different voltage domains, comprising:
a primary integrated circuit coupled to a first voltage domain;
a secondary integrated circuit coupled to a second voltage domain;
a first insulating layer over at least a portion of a face of the primary integrated circuit;
a plurality of high voltage rated isolation capacitors positioned over the first insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of high voltage rated isolation capacitors comprises
a first electrically conductive layer on the first insulating layer,
a high voltage rated dielectric layer on a portion of a respective first electrically conductive layers, and
a second electrically conductive layer on the respective high voltage rated dielectric layer;
a waveform generator in the primary integrated circuit die, the waveform generator having outputs coupled to respective ones of the first electrically conductive layers;
an alternating current (AC)-to-direct current (DC) converter in the secondary integrated circuit and having inputs coupled to respective ones of the second electrically conductive layers, whereby AC power is transferred from the waveform generator to the AC-to-DC converter;
a voltage regulator coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC converter, the voltage regulator having a reference voltage feedback output; and
a pulse width modulator having an input coupled to the voltage regulator reference voltage feedback output and an output coupled to another second electrically conductive layer, wherein the waveform generator has a control input coupled to a respective another first electrically conductive layer, whereby the pulse width modulator controls the output of the waveform generator.
4. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , further comprising push-pull drivers in the primary integrated circuit die, having inputs coupled to the waveform generator and outputs coupled to respective ones of the first electrically conductive layers.
5. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , further comprising a second insulating layer over at least a portion of the second electrically conductive layers, over portions of the high voltage rated dielectric layers and the first electrically conductive layers, wherein the second insulating layer has
first openings over the first electrically conductive layers for first bond wires to couple the first electrically conductive layers to circuit connection pads on the primary integrated circuit, and
second openings over the second electrically conductive layers for second bond wires to couple the second electrically conductive layers to circuit connection pads on the secondary integrated circuit.
6. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , further comprising an integrated circuit package encapsulating the primary and secondary integrated circuit and the high voltage rated isolation capacitors.
7. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the primary integrated circuit is a microcontroller.
8. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the high voltage rated dielectric layer comprises silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ).
9. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the high voltage rated dielectric layers each have a thickness of about four (4) microns (μ).
10. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the high voltage rated isolation capacitors each have a capacitance value of about 10 picofarads.
11. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second electrically conductive layers are metal.
12. The integrated circuit device according to claim 11 , wherein the first and second electrically conductive metal layers are comprised of aluminum.
13. The integrated circuit device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the outputs of the push-pull drivers is coupled to at least two of the first electrically conductive layers, and corresponding at least two second electrically conductive layers are coupled to the AC-to-DC converter.
14. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the waveform generator is an oscillator and the pulse width modulator controls the output amplitude thereof.
15. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the waveform generator is an oscillator and the pulse width modulator controls the output frequency thereof.
16. The integrated circuit device according to claim 4 , further comprising a voltage multiplier coupled between a voltage source in the first voltage domain and supplying a multiplied operating voltage to the push-pull drivers.
17. The integrated circuit device according to claim 16 , wherein the voltage multiplier multiplies the voltage source by two.
18. The integrated circuit device according to claim 16 , wherein the voltage multiplier multiplies the voltage source by three.
19. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the AC-to-DC converter further comprises a low pass filter.
20. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the AC-to-DC converter further comprises a voltage doubler.
21. The integrated circuit device according to claim 3 , wherein the waveform generator comprises power switches and the pulse width modulator controls on and off duty cycles of the power switches.
22. An integrated circuit device having regulated isolation supply voltage between different voltage domains, comprising:
a primary integrated circuit coupled to a first voltage domain;
a secondary integrated circuit coupled to a second voltage domain;
a first insulating layer over at least a portion of a face of the primary integrated circuit;
a plurality of high voltage rated isolation transformers positioned over the first insulating layer, wherein each of the plurality of high voltage rated isolation transformers comprises
a first inductor on the first insulating layer,
a high voltage rated dielectric layer on a portion of a respective first inductor, and
a second inductor on the respective high voltage rated dielectric layer;
a waveform generator in the primary integrated circuit die, the waveform generator having outputs coupled to respective ones of the first inductor;
an alternating current (AC)-to-direct current (DC) converter in the secondary integrated circuit and having inputs coupled to respective ones of the second inductor, whereby AC power is transferred from the waveform generator to the AC-to-DC converter;
a voltage regulator coupled to an output of the AC-to-DC converter, the voltage regulator having a reference voltage feedback output; and
a pulse width modulator having an input coupled to the voltage regulator reference voltage feedback output and an output coupled to another second inductor, wherein the waveform generator has a control input coupled to a respective another first inductor, whereby the pulse width modulator controls the output of the waveform generator.
23. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , further comprising push-pull drivers in the primary integrated circuit die, having inputs coupled to the waveform generator and outputs coupled to respective ones of the first inductors.
24. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , further comprising a second insulating layer over at least a portion of the second inductors, over portions of the high voltage rated dielectric layers and the first inductors, wherein the second insulating layer has
first openings over the first electrically conductive layers for first bond wires to couple the first inductors to circuit connection pads on the primary integrated circuit, and
second openings over the second electrically conductive layers for second bond wires to couple the second inductors to circuit connection pads on the secondary integrated circuit.
25. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , further comprising an integrated circuit package encapsulating the primary and secondary integrated circuit and the high voltage rated isolation transformers.
26. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , wherein the primary integrated circuit is a microcontroller.
27. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , wherein the high voltage rated dielectric layer comprises silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ).
28. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , wherein the high voltage rated dielectric layers each have a thickness of about four (4) microns (μ).
29. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , wherein the AC-to-DC converter further comprises a low pass filter.
30. The integrated circuit device according to claim 22 , wherein the waveform generator comprises power switches and the pulse width modulator controls on and off duty cycles of the power switches.