Semiconductor circuit having switching element, capacitor, and operational amplifier circuit

• US 8,803,559 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Toyotaka, Kohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Kenneth B.
• Application Number:
  US13/453,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 327/94, 327/95, 327/337, 327/344, 327/345
• US Class Current: 327/94
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/45551 the IC comprising one or more switched capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/005 using switched capacitors, e.g. dynamic amplifiers; using switched capacitors as resistors in differential amplifiers H03F3/45 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45 Differential amplifiers differential sense amplifiers G11C7/062
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45071 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45475 using IC blocks as the active amplifying circuit

Abstract

A semiconductor circuit which can have stable input output characteristics is provided. Specifically, a semiconductor circuit in which problems caused by the leakage current of a switching element are suppressed is provided. A field-effect transistor in which a wide band gap semiconductor, such as an oxide semiconductor, is used in a semiconductor layer where a channel is formed is used for a switching element included in a switched capacitor circuit. Such a transistor has a small leakage current in an off state. When the transistor is used as a switching element, a semiconductor circuit which has stable input output characteristics and in which problems caused by the leakage current are suppressed can be fabricated.

Claims

1. A semiconductor circuit comprising:

a first switching element and a first capacitor connected in series to each other;

a second switching element and a second capacitor connected in parallel to each other;

an operational amplifier circuit; and

a third switching element,

wherein the third switching element is directly connected to the first switching element and the first capacitor and is directly connected to an output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit,

wherein an input signal is sampled and a discrete time signal is output, and

wherein at least one of the first, second, and third switching elements comprises a field-effect transistor whose leakage current in an off state is less than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

17</sup> A per channel width of 1 μ

m.

2. The semiconductor circuit according to claim 1, wherein in the field-effect transistor, an oxide semiconductor is comprised in a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed.

3. A semiconductor circuit comprising:

an operational amplifier circuit;

a first switching element which is electrically connected to a first input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit through a first capacitor;

a second capacitor which is electrically connected between the first input terminal and a first output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit;

a second switching element which is electrically connected between the first input terminal and the first output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit;

a third switching element which is electrically connected to a second input terminal of the operational amplifier circuit through a third capacitor;

a fourth capacitor which is electrically connected between the second input terminal and a second output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit;

a fourth switching element which is electrically connected between the second input terminal and the second output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit, and

a fifth switching element which is directly connected to the first switching element and the first capacitor and is directly connected to the first output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit,

wherein the second switching element and the second capacitor are connected in parallel to each other, and

wherein at least one of the first switching element, the second switching element, the third switching element, the fourth switching element, and the fifth switching element comprises a field-effect transistor whose leakage current in an off state is less than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

17</sup> A per channel width of 1 μ

m.

4. The semiconductor circuit according to claim 3, wherein in the field-effect transistor, an oxide semiconductor is comprised in a semiconductor layer in which a channel is formed.

5. The semiconductor circuit according to claim 3, further comprising a sixth switching element,

wherein the sixth switching element is electrically to the first input terminal and the second input terminal, and

wherein the sixth switching element comprises a field-effect transistor whose leakage current in an off state is less than or equal to 1×

10<sup>−

17</sup> A per channel width of 1 μ

m.