# US 12,117,860 B2 · System and method for a low voltage supply bandgap

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- Number: US 12,117,860 B2
- Document ID: US12117860B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/169,568
- Filed: 2023-02-15
- Published: 2024-04-04
- Granted: 2024-10-15
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-03
- Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
- Inventors: Min-Shin Wu; Shao-Yu Chou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12117860B2

## CPC

- G05F 3/267: {using both bipolar and field-effect technology}
- 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)
- H03F 3/45179: {using MOSFET transistors as the active amplifying circuit (H03F3/45278 takes precedence)}
- H03F 2200/447: the amplifier being protected to temperature influence
- G05F: SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES
- H03F: AMPLIFIERS

## Abstract

In some aspects of the present disclosure, a bandgap reference circuit includes a first current mirror and a first resistor coupled to the first current mirror to provide a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage. The circuit includes a second current mirror and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device coupled to the second current mirror to provide a complementary to the absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage. The circuit includes an output node to provide a bandgap voltage that is a weighted sum of the PTAT voltage and the CTAT voltage. The circuit includes a second resistor coupled between the output node and a first node, wherein the first node is coupled between the first resistor and the first current mirror. The circuit includes a third resistor coupled between the output node and a second node, wherein the second node is coupled between the BJT device and the second current mirror.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bandgap reference circuit comprising:
a first current mirror to receive a bias voltage and provide a first current;
a first resistor coupled to the first current mirror to receive the first current and provide a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage;
a second current mirror to receive the bias voltage and provide a second current;
a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device coupled to the second current mirror to receive the second current and provide a complementary to the absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage;
an output node to provide a bandgap voltage that is a weighted sum of the PTAT voltage and the CTAT voltage;
a second resistor coupled in between the output node and a first node, wherein the first node is coupled in between the first resistor and the first current mirror;
a third resistor coupled in between the output node and a second node, wherein the second node is coupled in between the BJT device and the second current mirror;
an amplifier coupled to the first current mirror and the second current mirror to provide the bias voltage; and
a switch comprising a first signal port and a second signal port, wherein the first signal port is coupled to the amplifier, and wherein the second signal port is coupled to the first current mirror and the second current mirror.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second resistor and the third resistor comprises variable resistor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the switch comprises a third signal port coupled to a third current mirror.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 3, further comprising a comparator comprising an output port that is coupled to a control port of the switch.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 4, wherein the comparator comprises a first input port and a second input port, wherein the first input port receives a supply voltage, and the second input port receives a reference voltage.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the bandgap voltage is less than 750 millivolts.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the bandgap voltage has a temperature coefficient less than 1000 parts-per-million per degree Celsius.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a resistance of the second resistor and a resistance of the first resistor is greater than ten.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 1, wherein the BJT device is a first BJT, and further comprising:
a fourth resistor coupled to a first input of the amplifier;
a second BJT coupled to the fourth resistor; and
a third BJT coupled to a second input of the amplifier.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, wherein the amplifier is a two-stage operational amplifier.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, wherein the amplifier is a three-stage operational amplifier.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, wherein the fourth resistor comprises a variable resistor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, wherein an emitter area of the second BJT is at least two times as large as an emitter area of the first BJT.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, further comprising:
a first metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) device comprising a first port and a second port, wherein the first port is coupled to an output of the amplifier, and wherein the second port is coupled to the first input of the amplifier; and
a second MOSFET device comprising a third port and a fourth port, wherein the third port is coupled to the output of the amplifier, and wherein the fourth port is coupled to the second input of the amplifier.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 9, further comprising:
a fifth resistor coupled in between an output of the amplifier and the first input of the amplifier; and
a sixth resistor coupled in between the output of the amplifier and the second input of the amplifier.

### Claim 16

A bandgap reference circuit comprising:
an amplifier to provide a bias voltage;
a first current branch coupled to the amplifier to receive the bias voltage and provide a first current, the first current branch comprising:
a first p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) device coupled to the amplifier; and
a first resistor coupled to the first PMOS device to receive the bias voltage and provide a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage;
a second current branch coupled to the amplifier to receive the bias voltage and provide a second current, the second current branch comprising:
a second PMOS device coupled to the amplifier; and
a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) device coupled to the second PMOS device to provide a complementary to the absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage; and
a pair of variable resistors coupled in between the first current branch and the second current branch, the pair of variable resistors comprising:
a first variable resistor coupled to the first current branch;
a second variable resistor coupled to the second current branch; and
an output node coupled in between the first variable resistor and the second variable resistor to provide a bandgap voltage that is a weighted sum of the PTAT voltage and the CTAT voltage.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The bandgap reference circuit of claim 16, wherein the bandgap voltage is less than 750 millivolts.

### Claim 18

A method to provide a bandgap reference, the method comprising:
generating a first voltage that is proportional to temperature;
generating a second voltage that is complementary to the temperature; and
providing a bandgap voltage by:
resistor-dividing, using a first variable resistor, the first voltage that is proportional to the temperature;
resistor-dividing, using a second variable resistor, the second voltage that is complementary to the temperature; and
summing the resistor-divided first voltage that is proportional to the temperature and the resistor-divided second voltage that is complementary to the temperature.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
mirroring a first current to a second current and a third current;
generating the first voltage that is proportional to the temperature based on the second current; and
generating the second voltage that is complementary to the temperature based on the third current.