Temperature compensated integrated circuits

1. An integrated circuit comprising:

a first transistor device comprising a carrier type;

a second transistor device comprising said carrier type, configured as a diode device;

wherein source and drain terminals of said first transistor device are coupled to corresponding terminals of said second transistor device; and

wherein size and aspect ratios of said first and second transistor devices are operable to allow operation that is less sensitive to temperature than said first transistor device alone; and

a third transistor device wherein:

a drain terminal of said third transistor device is coupled to said source terminal of said first transistor device; and

a gate terminal of said third transistor device is coupled to said gate terminal of said first transistor device wherein said third transistor device comprises a length dimension substantially larger than a length dimension of said first transistor device.

2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said third transistor device comprises a width dimension substantially similar to a width dimension of said first transistor device.

3. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said second transistor device comprises a width dimension substantially similar to the sum of the width dimensions of said first and said third transistor devices.

4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said second transistor device comprises a length dimension within about 25 percent of a length dimension of said third transistor device.

5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein a source terminal of said third transistor device is coupled to one of power and ground.

6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 embodied in a microprocessor.

7. The integrated circuit of claim 6 embodied in a computer system.

8. The integrated circuit of claim 1 wherein said second transistor device comprises a frequency-operating temperature characteristic that, when combined in opposition with a frequency-operating temperature characteristic of said first transistor device, produces a frequency-operating temperature characteristic of said integrated circuit that is more stable with respect to operating temperature over a range of frequencies than is said first transistor device.

9. An integrated circuit comprising:

first, second and third transistor devices comprising a common carrier type; source and drain terminals of said first transistor device coupled to corresponding terminals of said second transistor device;

a gate terminal and said drain terminal of said second transistor device coupled together;

a drain terminal of said third transistor device coupled to said source terminal of said first transistor device; and

a gate terminal of said third transistor device coupled to a gate terminal of said first transistor wherein said third transistor device comprises a length dimension substantially larger than a length dimension of said first transistor device.

10. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein said third transistor device comprises a width dimension substantially similar to a width dimension of said first transistor device.

11. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein said second transistor device comprises a width dimension substantially similar to the sum of the width dimensions of said first and said third dimensions.

12. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein said second transistor device comprises a length dimension within about 25 percent of a length dimension of said third transistor device.

13. The integrated circuit of claim 9 wherein a source terminal of said third transistor device is coupled to one of power and ground.

14. The integrated circuit of claim 9 embodied in a microprocessor.

15. The integrated circuit of claim 14 embodied in a computer system.

16. An integrated circuit comprising:

first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth transistor devices;

wherein said first, second, fourth and fifth transistor devices are coupled in series via their source and drain terminals;

wherein gate terminals of said first, second, fourth and fifth transistor devices are coupled together;

wherein said third and sixth transistor devices are coupled in series across said second transistor device and said fourth transistor device;

wherein gate terminals of said third and sixth transistor devices are coupled together; and

wherein said gate and drain terminals of said third transistor device are coupled to said drain terminal of said second transistor device;

wherein a frequency response characteristic of said integrated circuit shows substantially less variation with temperature than a frequency response characteristic of a similar inverter circuit absent said third and sixth transistor devices and wherein body terminals of said first and second transistor devices are coupled together wherein said third transistor device comprises a length dimension substantially larger than a length dimension of said first transistor device.

17. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein said first, second and third transistor devices comprise p-type carriers.

18. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein said fourth, fifth and sixth transistor devices comprise n-type carriers.

19. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein a source terminal of said first transistor device is coupled to power.

20. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein a source terminal of said fifth transistor device is coupled to ground.

21. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein a common coupling of gate terminals of said first, second, fourth and fifth transistor devices form an input terminal for said integrated circuit.

22. The integrated circuit of claim 16 wherein a common coupling of gate terminals of said third and sixth transistor devices form an output terminal for said integrated circuit.

23. The integrated circuit of claim 16 embodied in a microprocessor.

24. The integrated circuit of claim 23 embodied in a computer system.

25. A ring oscillator integrated circuit comprising:

an odd number of inverter stages coupled in a ring configuration, each of said inverter stages comprising:

first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth transistor devices;

wherein said first, second, fourth and fifth transistor devices are coupled in series via their source and drain terminals;

wherein gate terminals of said first, second, fourth and fifth transistor devices are coupled together;

wherein said third and sixth transistor devices are coupled across said second transistor device and said fourth transistor device;

wherein gate terminals of said third and sixth transistor devices are coupled together; and

wherein said gate and drain terminals of said third transistor device are coupled to said drain terminal of said second transistor device and wherein body terminals of said first and second transistor devices are coupled together wherein said third transistor device comprises a length dimension substantially larger than a length dimension of said first transistor device.

26. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein said first, second and third transistor devices comprise p-type carriers.

27. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein said fourth, fifth and sixth transistor devices comprise n-type carriers.

28. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein a source terminal of said first transistor device is coupled to power.

29. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein a drain terminal of said fifth transistor device is coupled to ground.

30. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein a common coupling of gate terminals of said third and sixth transistor devices form an output terminal for said inverter stage.

31. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 wherein a frequency response characteristic of said ring oscillator integrated circuit shows substantially less variation with temperature than a frequency response characteristic of a similar ring oscillator circuit absent said third and sixth transistor devices.

32. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 25 embodied in a microprocessor.

33. The ring oscillator integrated circuit of claim 32 embodied in a computer system.