IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,422,877
Granted Patent B2
US 12,422,877 · App. 18/765,706 · Granted Sep 23, 2025

Voltage reference circuit and method for providing reference voltage

Inventors: Yen-Ting Wang (Round Rock, TX); Alan Roth (Leander, TX); Eric Soenen (Austin, TX); Alexander Kalnitsky (San Francisco, CA); Liang-Tai Kuo (Zhudong Township, Hsinchu County, TW); Hsin-Li Cheng (Hsin Chu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
G05F3/262G05F3/24G05F3/247
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,422,877
App. No.
18/765,706
Granted
Sep 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Voltage reference circuits are provided. A voltage reference circuit includes a transistor, a flipped-gate transistor, a first current mirror unit, a second current mirror unit, and an output note. A gate and a drain of the flipped-gate transistor are coupled to a gate and a drain of the transistor. A bulk and a source of the flipped-gate transistor are coupled to a ground. The first current mirror unit is configured to provide a first current to the flipped-gate transistor and a mirroring current in response to a bias current. The second current mirror unit is configured to drain a second current from the first transistor in response to the mirroring current. The output node is coupled to a source of the transistor and the second current mirror unit, and configured to output a reference voltage. Size of the flipped-gate transistor is less than that of the first transistor.

Claims (78)

1. A voltage reference circuit, comprising:

a transistor;

a flipped-gate transistor, wherein a gate and a drain of the flipped-gate transistor are coupled to a gate and a drain of the transistor, and a bulk and a source of the flipped-gate transistor are coupled to a ground;

a first current mirror unit configured to provide a first current to the flipped-gate transistor and a mirroring current in response to a bias current;

a second current mirror unit configured to drain a second current from the first transistor in response to the mirroring current; and

an output node coupled to a source of the transistor and the second current mirror unit, and configured to output a reference voltage,

wherein size of the flipped-gate transistor is less than that of the first transistor;

wherein the flipped-gate transistor and the transistor form a diode pair.

2. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first current and the second current are currents flowing through different current paths.

3. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a startup and biasing unit, comprising:

a first resistor coupled to a power supply;

a first N-type transistor coupled between the first resistor and the ground;

a second resistor coupled between a gate of the first N-type transistor and the ground; and

a second N-type transistor coupled between the second resistor and the first current mirror unit, having a gate coupled to the first resistor,

wherein the bias current is a current flowing through the second resistor and the second N-type transistor.

4. The voltage reference circuit claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first current mirror unit comprises:

a first P-type transistor coupled to the power supply, wherein a gate and a drain of the first P-type transistor are coupled to a startup and biasing unit;

a second P-type transistor coupled between the power supply and the second current mirror unit, having a gate coupled to the gate and the drain of the first P-type transistor;

a third P-type transistor coupled between the power and the drain of the flipped-gate transistor, having a gate coupled to the gate of the first P-type transistor; and

a fourth P-type transistor coupled between the power and the drain of the transistor, having a gate coupled to the gate of the first P-type transistor,

wherein the bias current is a current flowing through the first P-type transistor, and the mirroring current is a current flowing through the second P-type transistor.

5. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second current mirror unit comprises:

a third N-type transistor coupled between the ground and the first current mirror unit; and

a fourth N-type transistor coupled between the ground and the output node, having a gate coupled to a gate and a drain of the third N-type transistor,

wherein the mirroring current is a current flowing through the third N-type transistor.

6. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a bulk of the transistor is coupled to the output node.

7. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a current ratio of the first current and the second current is equal to a first value such that the reference voltage has a temperature coefficient of zero.

8. A voltage reference circuit, comprising:

a first diode-connected transistor, wherein a bulk and a source of the first diode-connected transistor are coupled to a ground;

a second diode-connected transistor, wherein gates and drains of the first and second diode-connected transistors are coupled together; and

an output node coupled to a source and a bulk of the second diode-connected transistor, and configured to output a reference voltage,

wherein size of the first diode-connected transistor is less than that of the second diode-connected transistor,

wherein the flipped-gate transistor and the transistor form a diode pair.

9. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

a first current unit configured to provide a first current to the first diode-connected transistor; and

a second current unit configured to provide a second current to the second diode-connected transistor.

10. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 9 , wherein a current ratio of the first current and the second current is equal to a first value such that the reference voltage has a zero temperature coefficient.

11. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the first diode-connected transistor and the second diode-connected transistor are arranged in independent current paths.

12. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 8 , further comprising:

a first current mirror unit configured to provide a first current to the first diode-connected transistor and a mirroring current in response to a bias current; and

a second current mirror unit configured to provide a second current to the second diode-connected transistor in response to the mirroring current.

13. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising:

a startup and biasing unit, comprising:

a first resistor coupled to a power supply;

a first N-type transistor coupled between the first resistor and the ground;

a second resistor coupled between a gate of the first N-type transistor and the ground; and

a second N-type transistor coupled between the second resistor and the first current mirror unit, having a gate coupled to the first resistor,

wherein the bias current is a current flowing through the second resistor and the second N-type transistor.

14. The voltage reference circuit claimed in claim 12 , wherein the first current mirror unit comprises:

a first P-type transistor coupled to a power supply, wherein a gate and a drain of the first P-type transistor are coupled to a startup and biasing unit;

a second P-type transistor coupled between the power supply and the second current mirror unit, having a gate coupled to the gate and drain of the first P-type transistor;

a third P-type transistor coupled between the power supply and a drain of the first diode-connected transistor, having a gate coupled to the gate of the first P-type transistor; and

a fourth P-type transistor coupled between the power supply and a drain of the second diode-connected transistor, having a gate coupled to the gate of the first P-type transistor,

wherein the bias current is a current flowing through the first P-type transistor, and the mirroring current is a current flowing through the second P-type transistor.

15. The voltage reference circuit as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the second current mirror unit comprises:

a third N-type transistor coupled between the ground and the first current mirror unit; and

a fourth N-type transistor coupled between the ground and the output node, having a gate coupled to a gate and a drain of the third N-type transistor,

wherein the mirroring current is a current flowing through the third N-type transistor.

16. A method for providing a reference voltage, comprising:

obtaining a first current ratio of a first current of a first flipped-gate transistor to a second current of a first non-flipped-gate transistor in a first circuit, wherein the first current ratio corresponds a temperature coefficient of zero, and the first flipped-gate transistor and the first non-flipped-gate transistor are the same size;

mirroring a bias current to generate a third current across a second flipped-gate transistor and to generate a mirroring current in a second circuit;

mirroring the mirroring current to generate a fourth current across a second non-flipped-gate transistor in the second circuit; and

outputting the reference voltage in response to the fourth current,

wherein a second current ratio of the third current to the fourth current is equal to the first current ratio,

wherein the flipped-gate transistor and the transistor form a diode pair.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first circuit comprises:

a first current source configured to provide the first current to the first flipped-gate transistor;

the first flipped-gate transistor having a drain and a gate coupled to the first current source;

the first non-flipped-gate transistor having a gate coupled to the gate of the first flipped-gate transistor; and

a second current source configured to drain the second current from the first flipped-gate transistor.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second circuit comprises:

a startup and bias unit configured to generate the bias current.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second circuit comprises:

a first current mirror unit configured to provide the third current to the second flipped-gate transistor and the mirroring current in response to the bias current; and

a second current mirror unit configured to drain the fourth current from the second non-flipped-gate transistor in response to the mirroring current,

wherein the second flipped-gate transistor and the second non-flipped-gate transistor are diode-connected, gates of the second flipped-gate transistor and the second non-flipped-gate transistor are coupled together, a bulk and a source of the second flipped-gate transistor are coupled to a ground, and a source and a bulk of the second diode-connected transistor are coupled to the second current mirror unit.

20. The method as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second flipped-gate transistor and the second non-flipped-gate transistor are arranged in independent current paths of the second circuit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 8, 2024
From: WANG, YEN-TING; ROTH, ALAN; SOENEN, ERIC; KALNITSKY, ALEXANDER; KUO, LIANG-TAI; CHENG, HSIN-LI
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 067925/0888 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18308887 · Apr 28, 2023
Continuation 17143369 · Jan 7, 2021
Provisional Application 62977437 · Feb 17, 2020
Related Publication 20240361795A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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