REFERENCE CURRENT GENERATION CIRCUIT

• US 20120056609A1
• Filed: 03/10/2011
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Satoh, Yuji
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,143 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

One embodiment provides a reference current generation circuit. The circuit has first and second reference current generation circuits for generating first and second reference currents respectively, and a current output circuit for outputting a third reference current by adding the first and second reference currents. The first reference current generation circuit includes first and second current-voltage conversion circuits and a first current supply circuit. The first current supply circuit provides substantially equal amounts of current to the first and second current-voltage conversion circuits respectively. The second reference current generation circuit includes third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits and a second current supply circuit. The second current supply circuit provides a current to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, divide and provide amounts of current substantially equal to that of the current provided to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, to the third and fifth current-voltage conversion circuits respectively.

Claims

1. A reference current generation circuit, comprising first and second reference current generation circuits for generating first and second reference currents, respectively, and a current output circuit for outputting a third reference current by adding the first and second reference currents, the first reference current generation circuit including:

a first current-voltage conversion circuit provided with a first series circuit having a first resistor and a first diode, and a second resistor connected in parallel with the first series circuit;

a second current-voltage conversion circuit having a second diode; and

a first current supply circuit to provide a substantially equal amount of current to the first and second current-voltage conversion circuits respectively,

the second reference current generation circuit including;

a third current-voltage conversion circuit provided with a second series circuit having a third resistor and a third diode;

a fourth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth diode;

a fifth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth resistor; and

a second current supply circuit to provide a current to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, and to divide and provide an amount of current substantially equal to that of the current provided to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, to the third and fifth current-voltage conversion circuits respectively.

2. The circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first reference current has a negative second-order temperature coefficient, and the second reference current has a positive second-order temperature coefficient, the absolute value of the positive second-order temperature coefficient being substantially equal to that of the negative second-order temperature coefficient.

3. The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a resistor connected between the second diode and the first current supply circuit and a resistor connected between the fourth diode and the second current supply circuit.

4. The circuit according to claim 1,

wherein the first current supply circuit is provided with a first current mirror circuit and a second current mirror circuit connected in series to the first current mirror circuit, the first current mirror circuit being provided with first insulated-gate field effect transistors of a first conduction channel, the second current mirror circuit being provided with second insulated-gate field effect transistors of a second conduction channel connected to the first and second current-voltage conversion circuits,

the second current supply circuit being provided with a third current mirror circuit and a fourth current mirror circuit connected in series to the third current mirror circuit,

the third current mirror circuit being provided with third insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fourth current mirror circuit being a multiple output type and being provided with three fourth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the second conduction channel connected to third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively,

and wherein the current output circuit is provided with a parallel circuit having fifth and sixth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fifth insulated-gate field effect transistor being additionally connected to the first current mirror circuit and forming a multiple output type current mirror circuit,

the sixth insulated-gate field effect transistor being additionally connected to the third current mirror circuit and forming a multiple output type current mirror circuit.

5. The circuit according to claim 4, further comprising seventh insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel and eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channels,

wherein the seventh insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel are cascode-connected to the first current mirror circuit and/or the second current mirror circuit, and the eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel are cascode-connected to the third current mirror circuit and/or the fourth current mirror circuit.

6. The circuit according to claim 5, further comprising a resistor connected between the second diode and the first current supply circuit and a resistor connected between the fourth diode and the second current supply circuit.

7. The circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth resistor and a third series circuit having a sixth resistor and a seventh insulated-gate field effect transistor of the second conduction channel, the drain and gate of the seventh insulated-gate field effect transistor being connected to each other,

wherein the fifth resistor is connected in parallel with the second diode, and the third series circuit is connected to a current input node of the fourth current mirror circuit.

8. The circuit according to claim 7, wherein the first reference current has a negative second-order temperature coefficient, and the second reference current has a positive second-order temperature coefficient, the absolute value of the positive second-order temperature coefficient being substantially equal to that of the negative second-order temperature coefficient.

9. The circuit according to claim 7,

wherein the first current supply circuit is provided with a first current mirror circuit and a second current mirror circuit connected in series to the first current mirror circuit, the first current mirror circuit being provided with first insulated-gate field effect transistors of a first conduction channel, the second current mirror circuit being provided with second insulated-gate field effect transistors of a second conduction channel connected to the first and second current-voltage conversion circuits,

the second current supply circuit being provided with a third current mirror circuit and a fourth current mirror circuit connected in series to the third current mirror circuit,

the third current mirror circuit being provided with third insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fourth current mirror circuit being a multiple output type and being provided with three fourth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the second conduction channel connected to third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively,

and wherein the current output circuit is provided with a parallel circuit having fifth and sixth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fifth insulated-gate field effect transistor being additionally connected to the first current mirror circuit and forming a multiple output type current mirror circuit,

the sixth insulated-gate field effect transistor being additionally connected to the third current mirror circuit and forming a multiple output type current mirror circuit.

10. The circuit according to claim 9, further comprising seventh insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel and eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channels,

wherein the seventh insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel are cascode-connected to the first current mirror circuit and/or the second current mirror circuit, and the eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel are cascode-connected to the third current mirror circuit and/or the fourth current mirror circuit.

11. A reference current generation circuit, comprising a second reference current generation circuit for generating a second reference current, and a fourth series circuit, the fourth series circuit having a ninth insulated-gate field effect transistor of a first conduction channel and a load indicating a negative second-order temperature coefficient, the second reference current generation circuit including:

a third current-voltage conversion circuit provided with a second series circuit having a third resistor and a third diode;

a fourth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth diode;

a fifth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth resistor; and

a second current supply circuit for providing a current to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, for providing an amount of current substantially equal to that of the current provided to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, to the fourth series circuit, and for dividing and providing an amount of current substantially equal to that of the current provided to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, to the third and fifth current-voltage conversion circuits respectively.

12. The circuit according to claim 11, wherein the second reference current has a positive second-order temperature coefficient, the absolute value of the positive second-order temperature coefficient being substantially equal to that of the negative second-order temperature coefficient.

13. The circuit according to claim 11, wherein

the second current supply circuit being provided with a third current mirror circuit and a fourth current mirror circuit connected in series to the third current mirror circuit,

the third current mirror circuit being provided with third insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fourth current mirror circuit being a multiple output type and being provided with three fourth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the second conduction channel connected to third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively.

14. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein the second reference current has a positive second-order temperature coefficient, the absolute value of the positive second-order temperature coefficient being substantially equal to that of the negative second-order temperature coefficient.

15. The circuit according to claim 13, wherein

the second current supply circuit being provided with a third current mirror circuit and a fourth current mirror circuit connected in series to the third current mirror circuit,

the third current mirror circuit being provided with third insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fourth current mirror circuit being a multiple output type and being provided with three fourth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the second conduction channel connected to third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively.

16. A reference current generation circuit, comprising:

a third current-voltage conversion circuit provided with a second series circuit having a third resistor and a third diode;

a fourth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth diode;

a fifth current-voltage conversion circuit having a fourth resistor; and

a second current supply circuit for providing a current to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, and for dividing and providing an amount of current substantially equal to that of the current provided to the fourth current-voltage conversion circuit, to the third and fifth current-voltage conversion circuits respectively, wherein

a reference current has a positive second-order temperature coefficient is produced.

17. The circuit according to claim 16, further comprising a resistor connected between the second diode and the first current supply circuit and a resistor connected between the fourth diode and the second current supply circuit.

18. The circuit according to claim 17, wherein

the second current supply circuit being provided with a third current mirror circuit and a fourth current mirror circuit connected in series to the third current mirror circuit,

the third current mirror circuit being provided with third insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel,

the fourth current mirror circuit being a multiple output type and being provided with three fourth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the second conduction channel connected to third to fifth current-voltage conversion circuits, respectively.

19. The circuit according to claim 18, further comprising eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channels,

wherein the eighth insulated-gate field effect transistors of the first conduction channel and/or the second conduction channel are cascode-connected to the third current mirror circuit and/or the fourth current mirror circuit.

20. The circuit according to claim 19, further comprising a resistor connected between the second diode and the first current supply circuit and a resistor connected between the fourth diode and the second current supply circuit.