A bias circuit for use in bandgap voltage reference circuits and temperature sensors comprises a pair of transistors (Q, Q2), the first of which (Q1) is arranged to be biased at an emitter current lbias , and the second of which (Q2) is arranged to be biased at an emitter current of m.lbi as . The circuit is arranged such that the difference between the base-emitter voltages of the transistors is generated in part across a first resistance means having a value Rbias and in use carrying a bias current equal to lbias and in part across a second resistance means of value substantially equal to Rbias/m and in use carrying a current equal to the base current of the second transistor. This results in use in a bias current I bias which, when used to bias a substrate bipolar transistor via its emitter, produces a collector current therefrom which is substantially PTAT and a base-emitter voltage which is substantially independent of the forward current gain of the substrate bipolar transistor.
1. A bias circuit comprising a pair of transistors (Q 1 , Q 2 ) the first of which (Q 1 ) is arranged to be biased at an emitter current I bias , and the second of which (Q 2 ) is arranged to be biased at an emitter current of m.I bias , the circuit being arranged such that the difference between the base-emitter voltages of the transistors is generated in part across a first resistance means having a value R bias and in use carrying a bias current equal to I bias and in part across a second resistance means of value substantially equal to R bias /m and in use carrying a current equal to the base current of the second transistor.
2. A bias circuit of claim 1 wherein the pair of transistors (Q 1 , Q 2 ) arranged to be biased at a 1:m emitter current ratio are substrate bipolar transistors.
3. A bias circuit of claim 1 wherein the pair of transistors (Q 1 , Q 2 ) arranged to be biased at a 1:m emitter current ratio are matched bipolar transistors.
4. A bias circuit of claim 1 wherein the pair of transistors (Q 1 , Q 2 ) arranged to be biased at a 1:m emitter current ratio have unequal emitter areas.
5. A bias circuit of claim 1 wherein the value of the second resistance means is reduced by an amount substantially equal to R base (m−1)/m to counter effects due to the non-ideal non-zero base resistance R base of the transistor pair.
6. A voltage reference circuit comprising a bias circuit ( 2 ) of claim 1 , and a substrate bipolar transistor (Q), wherein the bias current I bias is used to bias the bipolar transistor via its emitter to produce a base-emitter voltage which is used to generate a substantially temperature-independent bandgap reference voltage (V REF ).
7. A temperature sensor including the circuit of claim 1 .