Voltage multipliers
Voltage multipliers boost an AC or DC input voltage and produce a higher DC
output voltage.
AC/DC voltage multipliers
These circuits accept an AC input voltage and produce a DC output voltage.
Greinacher voltage doubler
This circuit is named after Swiss physicist Heinrich Greinacher who invented the
circuit in 1913.
C1
10nF
V
V1
D1
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
D2
D1N4002
C2
D1N4002
V
10nF
0
Greinacher voltage doubler
2.0V
1.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(V1:+)
20ms
V(D2:2)
40ms
60ms
80ms
100ms
120ms
140ms
160ms
180ms
200ms
Time
Time domain sweep
On the negative cycle of the input waveform, D1 is forward-biased, D2 is
reverse-biased and C1 charges. Likewise, with the positive cycle of the input
waveform, D2 turns on, D1 is turns off and C1 shares its charge with C2. The
voltage at the output gradually builds up and reaches a value that is not exactly
twice the value of the input because of the voltage drop of the diodes which are
not ideal.
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Delon voltage doubler
This circuit is also known as a bridge voltage doubler.
D1
V
V+
D1N4002
V1
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
C1
10nF
C2
0
10nF
D2
V-
D1N4002
Delon voltage doubler
2.0V
1.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(D2:2)
20ms
V(D1:2,C2:1)
40ms
60ms
80ms
100ms
120ms
140ms
160ms
180ms
200ms
Time
Time domain sweep
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Voltage tripler circuit
This is a generic circuit that triples an AC input voltage and produces a DC
output voltage.
C2
D3
10nF
V
D1N4002
V
D1
D1N4002
V1
D2
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
C3
10nF
D1N4002
C1
10nF
0
Voltage tripler circuit
3.0V
2.0V
1.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(V1:+)
50ms
V(D3:2)
100ms
150ms
200ms
250ms
300ms
350ms
400ms
450ms
500ms
Time
Time domain sweep
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Greinacher voltage quadrupler I
This circuit is a combination of two Greinacher voltage doublers connected in
series.
C3
C1
V
10nF
V1
10nF
D1
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
D2
D1N4002
C2
D3
D1N4002
D4
D1N4002
C4
10nF
D1N4002
V
10nF
0
Greinacher voltage quadrupler I
4.0V
2.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(C1:1)
20ms
V(D4:2)
40ms
60ms
80ms
100ms
120ms
140ms
160ms
180ms
200ms
Time
Time domain sweep
Note: the diodes alternate in direction and the capacitors alternate in position.
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Greinacher voltage quadrupler II
This circuit is a combination of two Greinacher voltage doublers placed on top of
each other.
V
C1
D1
10nF
D1N4002
V1
V+
C2
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
D2
10nF
D1N4002
D3
C3
D1N4002
0
10nF
C4
D4
10nF
D1N4002
V-
Greinacher voltage quadrupler II
4.0V
2.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(C1:1)
20ms
V(C2:1,C3:1)
40ms
60ms
80ms
100ms
120ms
140ms
160ms
180ms
200ms
Time
Time domain sweep
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Voltage quadrupler circuit
This is a generic circuit that quadruples an AC input voltage and produces a DC
output voltage.
D4
C2
10nF
V
C1
V
D1N4002
D3
10nF
D1N4002
D2
V1
VOFF = 0.2V
VAMPL = 1V
FREQ = 2kHz
C4
10nF
D1N4002
D1
C3
10nF
D1N4002
0
Voltage quadrupler circuit
4.0V
2.0V
0V
-1.0V
0s
V(V1:+)
0.1s
V(D4:2)
0.2s
0.3s
0.4s
0.5s
0.6s
0.7s
0.8s
0.9s
1.0s
Time
Time domain sweep
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DC/DC voltage multipliers
These circuits accept a DC input voltage and produce a DC output voltage.
Dickson voltage tripler I
This circuit is a modification of the Greinacher voltage multiplier. It uses two
out-of-phase signals to triple the input voltage. This is the diode implementation
of the circuit.
P1
D2
D5
D1N4001
D1N4001
D1N4001
V
V1
V1 = 0V
V2 = 2V
TD = 1ns
TR = 10ns
TF = 10ns
PW = 4.5us
PER = 10us
D1
P2
V2
V1 = 0V
V2 = 2V
TD = 5us
TR = 10ns
TF = 10ns
PW = 4.5us
PER = 10us
0
V
C1
V3
C2
2Vdc
C3
1nF
1nF
V
0
1nF
V
P1
0
P2
0
Dickson voltage tripler I
6.0V
4.0V
2.0V
0V
0s
V(D1:1)
1ms
V(P1)
V(P2)
2ms
V(D5:2)
3ms
4ms
5ms
6ms
7ms
8ms
9ms
10ms
Time
Time domain sweep
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Dickson voltage quadrupler I
This circuit is a modification of the Greinacher voltage multiplier. It uses two
out-of-phase signals to quadruple the input voltage. This is the diode
implementation of the circuit.
P1
D2
D5
D6
D1N4001
D1N4001
D1N4001
D1N4001
V
V1
V1 = 0V
V2 = 2V
TD = 1ns
TR = 10ns
TF = 10ns
PW = 4.5us
PER = 10us
D1
P2
V2
V1 = 0V
V2 = 2V
TD = 5us
TR = 10ns
TF = 10ns
PW = 4.5us
PER = 10us
0
V
C1
V3
C2
2Vdc
C3
1nF
0
C4
1nF
P1
1nF
P2
1nF
0
P1
0
Dickson voltage quadrupler I
8.0V
6.0V
4.0V
2.0V
0s
V(D1:1)
1ms
V(D6:2)
2ms
3ms
4ms
5ms
6ms
7ms
8ms
9ms
10ms
Time
Time domain sweep
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