Negative voltage switch architecture for a nonvolatile memory

摘要

A negative voltage switching circuit in a nonvolatile memory includes a switching transistor coupled to an output of the negative voltage switching circuit and a first voltage source that has a voltage level substantially lower than zero volts. A pull-up circuit is coupled to a control terminal of the switching transistor and selectively to a second voltage source having a voltage level substantially above zero volts. The pull-up circuit applies the second voltage source to the control terminal of the switching transistor when the pull-up circuit is coupled to the second voltage source such that the switching transistor does not couple the first voltage source to the output. A pull-down circuit is coupled to the first voltage source and the control terminal of the switching transistor. The pull-down circuit applies the first voltage source to the control terminal of the switching transistor when the pull-up circuit is not coupled to the second voltage source such that the switching transistor couples the first voltage source to the output.