CMOS voltage divider

US6429731B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Infineon Technologies AG · DE

Inventors

• Thomas Böhm · Zorneding, DE
• Robert Esterl
• Stefan Lammers · Hersbruck, DE
• Zoltan Manyoki · Gatineau, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 23, 2001
• Grant date: Aug 6, 2002
• Expiry date: Mar 23, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05F3/242
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A CMOS voltage divider having a first chain containing series-connected MOS transistors of a first conductivity type is described. Each of the MOS transistors have identical geometrical dimensions and, at the same time, each have identical gate-source voltages. The MOS transistors operate in the linear range of their characteristic curve and between opposite ends of the first chain an input voltage to be divided is present and at whose source terminals the voltage fractions can in each case be picked off. Provision is made of a second chain containing series-connected MOS transistors, complementary to the first MOS transistors. The second chain has the same number of transistors as the first MOS transistors and with the same geometrical dimension in each case. The MOS transistors of the first chain are connected to the MOS transistors of the second chain in such a way that each MOS transistor chain generates the gate-source bias voltage for the respective other MOS transistor chain.