BAND GAP REFERENCE VOLTAGE CIRCUIT

• US 20100072972A1
• Filed: 09/18/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ablic Inc. (MinebeaMitsumi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,990,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 323/313
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 3/30 Regulators using the difference between the base-emitter voltages of two bipolar transistors operating at different current densities G05F3/26 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided is a band gap reference voltage circuit having an improved power supply rejection ratio. Owing to a voltage supply circuit (51), a power supply voltage (V5) does not depend on variation of a power supply voltage (Vdd). A voltage (V3−V2) which is generated across a resistor (41) and has a positive temperature coefficient is determined based not on the power supply voltage (Vdd) but on the power supply voltage (V5), and hence the voltage (V3−V2) does not depend on the variation of the power supply voltage (Vdd). As a result, the power supply rejection ratio of the band gap reference voltage circuit is improved.

Claims

1. A band gap reference voltage circuit for supplying a reference voltage constant with temperature, comprising:

a first power source configured to generate a first voltage;

a second power source powered by the first voltage to generate a second voltage independent of fluctuations of the first voltage from the first power source;

a first temperature sensor having a first temperature characteristic;

a second temperature sensor having a second temperature characteristic;

a first current mirror circuit powered by the second voltage to drive the first temperature sensor to generate a first sensor voltage across the first temperature sensor and caused by the first sensor voltage to flow a first sensor current through the first current mirror circuit;

a second current mirror circuit powered by the second voltage to drive the second temperature sensor via a resistor to generate a second sensor voltage across the second temperature sensor and caused by a sum of the second sensor voltage and a voltage appearing across the resistor to flow a second sensor current having a temperature dependency polarity through the second current mirror circuit;

a current coupler configured to use one of the first and second sensor currents as a reference current to generate the reference voltage having the same temperature dependency polarity as the reference current; and

a polarity offset circuit configured to provide the reference voltage with the opposite temperature dependency polarity to make the voltage reference substantially independent of temperature,

wherein the second power source is responsive to a difference between the first sensor current and the second sensor current to change the second voltage such that the first and second sensor currents become substantially equal, and

wherein when the first and second sensor currents are substantially equal, the resistor produces thereacross a voltage substantially equal to a difference between the first and second sensor voltage and having a temperature dependency polarity determined by the first and second temperature characteristics of the first and second temperature sensors, which polarity determines the temperature dependency polarity of the reference current.

2. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, further comprises a third current mirror circuit to couple the first sensor current and the second sensor current to create a current representative of a difference therebetween.

3. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first current mirror circuit comprises:

a first drive circuit powered by the second voltage to drive the first temperature sensor to generate the first sensor voltage; and

a first current circuit connected with the first drive circuit and caused by the first sensor voltage to flow the first sensor current.

4. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 3, wherein

the first drive circuit comprises a drive transistor serially connected to the first temperature sensor, and

the first current circuit comprises a current transistor coupled to form a current mirror circuit with the first drive transistor.

5. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the first drive circuit and the first current circuit comprises a cascode-connected transistor.

6. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second current mirror circuit comprises:

a second drive circuit powered by the second voltage to drive the second temperature sensor via the resistor to generate the second sensor voltage; and

a second current circuit connected to the second drive circuit and caused by the sum of the second sensor voltage and the voltage appearing across the resistor to flow the second sensor current.

7. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 6, wherein

the second drive circuit comprises a drive transistor serially connected to the second temperature sensor, and

the second current circuit comprises a current transistor coupled to form a current mirror circuit with the second drive transistor.

8. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the second drive circuit and the second current circuit comprises a cascode-connected transistor.

9. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, wherein the second power source comprises a voltage adjusting transistor which turns toward an off-state and increases the second voltage, whereas turning toward an on-state and decreasing the second voltage, according to a change in the difference between the first and second sensor currents.

10. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 6, wherein the current coupler comprises a fourth current mirror circuit formed with the second drive circuit of the second current mirror circuit and powered by the second voltage to copy the reference current.

11. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 10, wherein the current coupler further comprises a fifth current mirror circuit to copy the reference current from the fourth current mirror circuit, and a sixth current mirror circuit powered by the first voltage to copy the copied reference current to generate the reference voltage.

12. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the fifth and sixth current mirror circuits comprises at least one cascode-connected transistor.

13. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, wherein the polarity offset circuit comprises a third temperature sensor functions with the opposite temperature dependency polarity.

14. The band gap reference voltage circuit according to claim 1, wherein the polarity offset circuit comprises an operational amplifier driven by one of the first and second sensor voltages to output an current having the opposite temperature dependency polarity, and wherein the polarity offset circuit further comprises a seventh current mirror circuit configured to copy the current outputted from the operational amplifier to offset the temperature dependency polarity of the reference current.

15. A method for supplying a reference voltage constant with temperature, comprising:

generating a first voltage;

powered by the first voltage, generating a second voltage independent of fluctuations of the first voltage;

powered by the second voltage, driving a first temperature sensor having a first temperature characteristic to generate a first sensor voltage across the first temperature sensor;

caused by the first sensor voltage, flowing a first sensor current;

powered by the second voltage, driving, via a resistor, a second temperature sensor having a second temperature characteristic to generate a second sensor voltage across the second temperature sensor;

caused by a sum of the second sensor voltage and a voltage appearing across the resistor, flowing a second sensor current having a temperature dependency polarity;

using one of the first and second sensor currents as a reference current, generating the reference voltage having the same temperature dependency polarity as the reference current;

providing the reference voltage with the opposite temperature dependency polarity to make the voltage reference substantially independent of temperature; and

responsive to a difference between the first sensor current and the second sensor current, changing the second voltage such that the first and second sensor currents become substantially equal, wherein when the first and second sensor currents are substantially equal, the resistor produces thereacross a voltage substantially equal to a difference between the first and second sensor voltage and having a temperature dependency polarity determined by the first and second temperature characteristics of the first and second temperature sensors, which polarity determines the temperature dependency polarity of the reference current.

16. A band gap reference voltage circuit for supplying a reference voltage constant with temperature, comprising:

means for generating a first voltage;

means powered by the first voltage to generate a second voltage independent of fluctuations of the first voltage;

means powered by the second voltage to drive a first temperature sensor having a first temperature characteristic to generate a first sensor voltage across the first temperature sensor;

means caused by the first sensor voltage to flow a first sensor current;

means powered by the second voltage to drive, via a resistor, a second temperature sensor having a second temperature characteristic to generate a second sensor voltage across the second temperature sensor;

means caused by a sum of the second sensor voltage and a voltage appearing across the resistor to flow a second sensor current having a temperature dependency polarity;

means using one of the first and second sensor currents as a reference current to generate the reference voltage having the same temperature dependency polarity as the reference current; and

means for providing the reference voltage with the opposite temperature dependency polarity to make the voltage reference substantially independent of temperature,

wherein said means for generating the second voltage is responsive to a difference between the first sensor current and the second sensor current to change the second voltage such that the first and second sensor currents become substantially equal, and

wherein when the first and second sensor currents are substantially equal, the resistor produces thereacross a voltage substantially equal to a difference between the first and second sensor voltage and having a temperature dependency polarity determined by the first and second temperature characteristics of the first and second temperature sensors, which polarity determines the temperature dependency polarity of the reference current.