Flicker noise free bandgap reference voltage generator circuit
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics International N.V.
InventorsMarc Sabut, Emmanuel Allier, Matthieu Desvergne, Denis Cottin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bandgap voltage generator circuit is formed using only bipolar transistors. The bandgap voltage generator circuit includes an output node at which a bandgap reference voltage is generated. A transconductance amplifier circuit in a current control feedback loop has a differential input which receives a base current. A compensation current sink circuit operates to sink a compensation current from the output node corresponding to the base current received at the differential input of the transconductance amplifier.
Claims20
A circuit, comprising:
- a bandgap voltage generator circuit, wherein the bandgap voltage generator circuit includes a current mirror circuit coupled to an output node at which a bandgap reference voltage is generated and a transconductance amplifier circuit in a current control feedback loop having a differential input which receives a base current;
- wherein transistors used in the current mirror circuit and at the differential input of the transconductance amplifier circuit are only bipolar transistors;
- and
- a compensation current sink circuit configured to sink a compensation current from the output node corresponding to the base current of the bipolar transistors at the differential input of the transconductance amplifier.
A circuit, comprising:
- a current mirroring circuit including a first bipolar transistor, a second bipolar transistor and a third bipolar transistor, wherein an output voltage is generated at an output node in response to a third mirrored current output by the third bipolar transistor;
- a bandgap core circuit including:
- a fourth bipolar transistor and a fifth bipolar transistor coupled, respectively, to the first and second bipolar transistors and configured to use a difference in base to emitter voltages of the fourth and fifth bipolar transistors to generate a complementary to absolute temperature (CTAT) voltage and a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) voltage from first and second mirrored currents output by the first and second bipolar transistors, respectively;
- and
- a transconductance amplification circuit having a differential input coupled, respectively, to the first and second bipolar transistors to receive a base current, and an output coupled to apply a bias current to base terminals of the first, second and third bipolar transistors;
- wherein the transconductance amplification circuit comprises a sixth bipolar transistor in diode connected configuration coupled to a seventh bipolar transistor with a base terminal at the differential input receiving the base current;
- and
- a current sink circuit configured to sink a compensation current from the output node corresponding to the base current at the base terminal of the seventh bipolar transistor of the transconductance amplification circuit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.