A charge-pump voltage converter for converting a low voltage provided by a
low-voltage source to a higher voltage. Charge is inductively generated
on a transfer rotor electrode during its transit past an inductor stator
electrode and subsequently transferred by the rotating rotor to a
collector stator electrode for storage or use. Repetition of the charge
transfer process leads to a build-up of voltage on a charge-receiving
device. Connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in series
can generate higher voltages, and connection of multiple charge-pump
voltage converters in parallel can generate higher currents.
Microelectromechanical (MEMS) embodiments of this invention provide a
small and compact high-voltage (several hundred V) voltage source
starting with a few-V initial voltage source. The microscale size of many
embodiments of this invention make it ideally suited for MEMS- and other
micro-applications where integration of the voltage or charge source in a
small package is highly desirable.