US 4,302,718 AGranted

Reference potential generating circuits

AssigneeRCA Corporation

InventorOtto H. Schade, Jr.

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Abstract

A reference potential generating circuit, suitable for use as an extrapolated band-gap reference potential generator, includes first and second transistors operated at different emitter current densities wherein the difference between their base-emitter offset potentials is applied to a first resistor connected between their respective bases. That difference potential is scaled up across a second resistor to provide a component of the reference potential. Current proportional to the collector current flow in the second transistor is generated and applied to the second resistor, the collector current of the second transistor being only a fraction of the current flow in the second resistor whereby the value of the second resistor is reduced. This generated current can be the current flowing between the collector and emitter electrodes of a third transistor connected emitter-to-emitter and base-to-base with the second transistor, for example.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A potential generating circuit of a type comprising:

first and second transistors of like conductivity type, each having collector, base and emitter electrodes, each having a base-emitter junction, and each having a collector-emitter conduction path, which emitter electrodes respectively connect together at a first node;
a first resistance with a first end to which the base electrode of said first transistor and the collector electrode of said second transistor connect, and with a second end;
a second node to which the base electrode of said second transistor and the second end of said first resistance connects;
a regenerative current feedback connection from the collector electrode of said first transistor to said second node;
a second resistance in predetermined proportion with said first resistance, and having first and second ends;
means arranging said second resistance in series connection with the collector-emitter conduction path of said second transistor, so the current flowing through the collector-emitter conduction path of said second transistor flows through said second resistance to cause a potential drop thereacross for generating an output potential across said series connection;
improved by further comprising:
means for generating a current proportionally related to the current in the collector-emitter conduction path of said second transistor;
and
means applying said proportionally related current to said second resistance for proportionally increasing the potential drop thereacross.

7 more elements

A non-linear current amplifier comprising:

first and second transistors of like conductivity type, having respective collector, base and emitter electrodes, which emitter electrodes connect together;
means for connecting the base electrode of said first transistor to the collector electrode of said second transistor;
resistance means connected between the respective base electrodes of said first and second transistors;
means for applying a current between the base and emitter electrodes of said second transistor for establishing collector current flow therein;
means connected across the base and emitter electrodes of said second transistor for generating a current proportionally related to the collector current flow of said second transistor;
means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said first transistor for receiving the current flow therein.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.