How to Invert Voltages (Download)
Power converters are commonly used to generate a regulated supply voltage for a circuit from an existing voltage rail. In most applications, a voltage is lowered with a buck-converting switching regulator. Sometimes, though, a voltage is increased, which often happens with an upconverting boost converter. These two topologies, buck and boost, are used in a wide range of applications.
However, there are times when a voltage needs to be inverted. In most cases, a positive supply voltage must be converted into a negative voltage. This is necessary to supply sensors in the signal path to process a signal with positive and negative voltage deflection.