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MosFet: Source-Bulk-Diode Problem...how to insure Bulk is at highest Voltage?

Hi all, Lets say I intend to design a simple circuit that shoud connect a (large) capacitor with a pulsed voltage-source, if and only if the voltage of the pulsed source is at a higher level than the voltage of the capacitor (the cap is charged). To do this I want to use a (certain) MOS-Fet Transistor.

Now I've got the problem, that there is no signal where the potential is allways at the highest level in the circuit. E.g. If the pulsed source is charging the capacitor with a large current, there will be quite a bit of voltage-drop across the MOS-Fet, and while the source is at level 0 the transistor will be turned off an there will be a voltage drop the other way.

So how schould I connect the bulk of the mosfet in a way that the source-to-bulk-diode never becomes foreward biased (to high)?

I thought maybe a kind of "bulk-switch-circuit" could help? Maybe also just a simple diode (with a foreward voltage lower than that of the transistors-diodes)?

Any ideas, experience?

So far, Thanks for reading, Regards,

Diego

Reply to
Diego Stutzer
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Which one?

Most MOSFETs we use these days are vertical or VMOS types, which have three terminals. Generally the drain is the substrate, with an intrinsic diode to the source. The pre-connected substrate is also present for the popular lateral MOSFETs used in audio amplifiers. Many of the old-style "ordinary" MOSFETs with four terminals, like the 2n4351, etc., had a fourth terminal connected to the case, not to the substrate. So in all these cases as a designer you get to (have to) simply ignore the substrate.

If you're using a 4-terminal MOSFET with a substrate pin, in many cases you can still ignore the substrate, and let it seek its own voltage through occasional substrate-diode conductance and low leakage-discharge currents. In rare cases you'll take charge of this pin to set the voltage, to reduce capacitance, etc.

Yes, this is what some IC designers did, especially with CMOS analog switches, e.g., as first shown in RCA's CD4066 datasheet. Here they wanted to improve Ron as a function of signal voltage and used a second analog switch to connect the n-channel signal FET's substrate to the signal when the switch was on and to Vss when the switch was off. This trick is still commonly used in linear CMOS switches.

As explained, the necessary diode is already present.

BTW, Diego, it's not good to crosspost to so many groups.

--
 Thanks,
    - Win
Reply to
Winfield Hill

You have a "MOS-Fet" with a separate bulk connection?

Post a schematic on a.b.s.e

Your description is clear as mud.

...Jim Thompson

--
|  James E.Thompson, P.E.                           |    mens     |
|  Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
|  Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
|  Phoenix, Arizona            Voice:(480)460-2350  |             |
|  E-mail Address at Website     Fax:(480)460-2142  |  Brass Rat  |
|       http://www.analog-innovations.com           |    1962     |
             
I love to cook with wine.      Sometimes I even put it in the food.
Reply to
Jim Thompson

Hi Diego,

Wouldn't a diode alone do that? Anyway, if you are concerned about the substrate diode shorting your cap back to the source the only way I see is to place a diode in series.

Win is right about too many cross posts. Also, I wouldn't go across language barriers, at least not a lot. Except if you worked at my favorite radio station when I was a student, where they happily jumped between four languages ;-)

Regards, Joerg

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Reply to
Joerg

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