Integrated-circuit structures and methods for correction of temperature and process-induced parameter errors
US6246353A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 12, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 13, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03M1/167
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Integrated-circuit structures and methods are provided for generating an error signal that represents temperature and process-induced signal changes in transistor parameters. In particular, a reference transistor and a sense transistor are biased to each generate a substantially temperature-insensitive minority-carrier current. The reference transistor is provided with a substantially constant voltage across its current terminals to convert its minority-carrier current into a substantially temperature-insensitive reference current I.sub.R. In contrast, the sense transistor is provided with a temperature-varying voltage across its current terminals to convert its minority-carrier current into a temperature-varying sense current I.sub.S. The reference current and the sense current are then differenced to realize an error signal I.sub.E that contains information that describes temperature and process-induced signal errors in integrated-circuit transistor stages. The error signal is especially useful for correcting signal errors in circuits that cannot accommodate conventional signal-stabilizing circuitry because that circuitry would degrade circuit operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.