To provide a step-down voltage output circuit which causes no latch-up
phenomenon for the period between activation of a power supply and
complete start of operation of a charge pump circuit. The step-down
voltage output circuit of the present invention has the charge pump
circuit with a first oscillator; a timer circuit in which a timer period
is set according to an oscillating frequency of the above-mentioned first
oscillator; and an N-channel MOS transistor in which one N-type diffusion
layer is connected to an output terminal of the above-mentioned charge
pump circuit, the other N-type diffusion layer is connected to ground
potential, and a gate electrode is connected to an output terminal of the
above-mentioned timer circuit to become conductive for the
above-mentioned timer period.