Gate leakage compensation in a current mirror

A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for converting a digital input to an analog output, comprising:

• means for steering a plurality of DAC current cells in accordance with the digital input to convert the digital input to the analog output;
• means for replicating a gate leakage current flowing through one of the plurality of DAC current cells using a first current source and to weigh the gate leakage current by a proportionality constant (ψ) to provide a replica leakage current;
• and
• means for providing a reference current using a second current source, different from the first current source, to be mirrored by the plurality of DAC current cells,
• wherein leakage currents of the reference cell module and the plurality of DAC current cells are provided from the replica leakage current.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a current mirror having a reference portion and a mirroring portion, the reference portion and the mirroring portion being implemented using devices that sink leakage currents;
• a first current source configured to provide a reference current to the reference portion and a reference biasing voltage to the reference portion and the mirroring portion;
• a leakage replicator module configured to replicate a gate leakage current that is flowing through the mirroring portion using a second current source, different from the first current source, and to weigh the gate leakage current by a proportionality constant (ψ) to provide a replica leakage current,
• wherein leakage currents of the current mirror are provided from the replica leakage current.