Patent classifications
G05F3/265
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first current mirror having an output end coupled to a first node, a second current mirror having an output end coupled to a second node, a third current mirror having an input end coupled to the second node and an output end coupled to the first node, a fourth current mirror having an input end coupled to the first node, and an output driver that generate a current based on the fourth current mirror. A current flows to the first current source changes at a first ratio with respect to temperature, a current flows to the second current source changes at a second ratio having a negative correlation with respect to temperature, and an absolute value of the first ratio is smaller than that of the second ratio.
CURRENT MIRROR ARRANGEMENTS WITH ADJUSTABLE OFFSET BUFFERS
An example current mirror arrangement includes a current mirror circuit, configured to receive an input current signal at an input transistor Q1 and output a mirrored signal at an output transistor Q2. The arrangement further includes a buffer amplifier circuit, having an input coupled to Q1 and an output coupled to Q2. The offset of the buffer amplifier circuit can be adjusted by including circuitry for an input or an output side offset adjustment or by implementing the buffer amplifier circuit as a diamond stage with individually controlled current sources for each of the transistors of the diamond stage. Providing an adjustable offset buffer in a current mirror arrangement may advantageously allow benefiting from the use of a buffer outside of a feedback loop of a current mirror, while being able to reduce the buffer offset due to mismatch between master and slave sides of the current mirror circuit.
Current mirror arrangements with reduced input impedance
An example current mirror arrangement includes a current mirror circuit having an input transistor and an output transistor, where the base/gate terminal of the input transistor is coupled to its collector/drain terminal via a transistor matrix that includes a plurality of transistors. Transistors of the transistor matrix, together with the input transistor, form two parallel feedback loops, such that the input transistor is part of both loops. The first loop is a fast, low-gain loop, while the second loop is a slow, high-gain loop. At lower input frequencies, the high-gain loop may properly bias and accurately generate voltage at the base/gate terminal of the input transistor, while at higher input frequencies the fast loop may significantly extend the linear operating frequency band. Consequently, a current mirror arrangement with improvements in terms of linearity and signal bandwidth may be realized.
TEMPERATURE SENSOR CIRCUITS FOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DEVICES
An integrated circuit device having insulated gate field effect transistors (IGFETs) having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure has been disclosed. The integrated circuit device may include a temperature sensor circuit and core circuitry. The temperature senor circuit may include at least one portion formed in a region other than the region that the IGFETs are formed as well as at least another portion formed in the region that the IGFETs having a plurality of horizontally disposed channels that can be vertically aligned above a substrate with each channel being surrounded by a gate structure are formed. By forming a portion of the temperature sensor circuit in regions below the IGFETs, an older process technology may be used and device size may be decreased and cost may be reduced.
LOW-VOLTAGE COLLECTOR-FREE BANDGAP VOLTAGE GENERATOR DEVICE
Example implementations include a bandgap voltage device with a first current source operatively coupled to a bandgap input node and a bandgap output node and operable to output a first proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) current, a current mirror including a first bandgap transistor and a second bandgap transistor, and operatively coupled to the bandgap output node, and a second current source operatively coupled to the current mirror and operable to output a second PTAT current. Example implementations also include a bandgap transistor device with a first P+ layer proximate to a center of a planar surface of a transistor device, a first N+ layer at least partially surrounding the first P+ layer along the planar surface, a second P+ layer at least partially surrounding the first N+ layer along the planar surface, a second N+ layer at least partially surrounding the second P+ layer along the planar surface, and a third P+ layer at least partially surrounding the second N+ layer along the planar surface.
Current source using emitter region as base region isolation structure
A current source includes a substrate, a base region of a first doping type formed in the substrate, an emitter region of a second doping type formed in the substrate and surrounding the base region, a first collector region of the second doping type formed in the base region, and at least one second collector region of the second doping type formed in the base region, wherein the emitter region includes a deep-well portion and an extending portion, the deep-well portion situated beneath the base region, the extending portion laterally surrounding the base region, the extending portion joined at its bottom to the deep-well portion, the extending portion being flush at its top with a top surface of the substrate. A method of forming the current source is also disclosed.
VOLTAGE-TO-CURRENT CONVERTER WITH COMPLEMENTARY CURRENT MIRRORS
Voltage-to-current converters that include two current mirrors are disclosed. In an example voltage-to-current converter each current mirror is a complementary current mirror in that one of its input and output transistors is a P-type transistor and the other one is an N-type transistor. Such voltage-to-current converters may be implemented using bipolar technology, CMOS technology, or a combination of bipolar and CMOS technologies, and may be made sufficiently compact and accurate while operating at sufficiently low voltages and consuming limited power.
Power amplifier and temperature compensation method for the power amplifier
A power amplifier configured to amplify a received input signal, and the power amplifier includes a bias circuit and an output stage circuit. The bias circuit includes a reference voltage circuit and a bias generating circuit. The reference voltage circuit receives the first system voltage and provides a reference voltage according to a first system voltage, and the reference voltage changes as the temperature of the wafer changes. The bias generating circuit receives the second system voltage and the reference voltage, and generates an operating voltage. The output stage circuit is coupled to the bias circuit to receive the operating voltage and the driving current to receive and amplify the input signal. When a chip temperature is changed, the bias generating circuit changes the operating voltage according to the reference voltage, such that the driving current approaches a predetermined value as the chip temperature rises.
Current mirror arrangements with reduced sensitivity to buffer offsets
An example current mirror arrangement includes a first portion and a second portion, each of which includes a current mirror having transistors Q1 and Q2, a buffer amplifier that has an input coupled to a base/gate terminal of Q1 and an output coupled to a base/gate terminal of Q2, a master resistor coupled to an emitter/source terminal of Q1, and a slave resistor coupled to an emitter/source terminal of Q2. Furthermore, the slave resistor of the first portion is coupled to the slave resistor of the second portion. Providing additional resistors on master and slave sides of a current mirror arrangement may advantageously allow benefiting from the use of buffers outside of a feedback loop of a current mirror while reducing the sensitivity of the current mirror arrangement to buffer offsets.
Current reference circuit
A current reference circuit includes a native metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The native MOSFET includes a source terminal coupled to ground. The current reference circuit also includes a transistor and an amplifier circuit. The transistor includes a first terminal coupled to a drain terminal of the native MOSFET, a second terminal coupled to a power supply rail, and a third terminal coupled to the drain terminal of the native MOSFET. The amplifier circuit includes an input terminal coupled to the drain terminal of the native MOSFET, and an output terminal coupled to a gate terminal of the native MOSFET.