Theoretical performance of the capacitor-diode voltage multiplier fed by a current source

The theory of the incomplete capacitor-diode voltage multiplier (CDVM) under conditions of impressed input current and constant output voltage is developed. It is demonstrated that, under these conditions, the CDVM operation is quite different from that described in classical treatments. The operating modes of the CDVM are described, and expressions for the voltages and currents are derived from the incomplete configuration. The results can be immediately extended to any input waveform. The case of sinusoidal current input is fully characterized, giving useful design expressions.<>