High resolution, fully differential CMOS comparator
AssigneeSGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
InventorsGermano Nicollini, Pierangelo Confalonieri
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AssigneeSGS-Thomson Microelectronics S.A.
InventorsGermano Nicollini, Pierangelo Confalonieri
Estimating the term…
A high resolution, fully differential, CMOS comparator advantageously employs a single high-gain, "folded cascode", fully differential operational amplifier and an output latch circuit and the output common mode control of the high-gain amplifier is implemented without requiring the use of a conventional control circuit, thus improving layout economy. The common mode control is performed by providing the latch with a differential input stage through which a common mode feedback network is realized which acts upon a pair of output transistors of the operational amplifier for effectively controlling the output common mode thereof. The comparator has a simplified layout and is remarkably faster because it has no additional capacitances loading the outputs of the amplifier.
A fully differential CMOS comparator utilizing a single, high-gain, fully differential, operational amplifier having a "folded cascode" configuration and having two input terminals IN+ and IN-, connected respectively to a switched capacitance input circuit for storage-subtraction of an offset voltage of the amplifier and of comparison, and two output terminals OUT+ and OUT- , functionally connected respectively to two input terminals of a latch circuit, said comparator producing on an output terminal of said latch circuit a logic signal indicative of the level of a signal fed to a first input terminal of said switched capacitance input circuit as compared to a constant reference voltage fed to a second input terminal of said switched capacitance input circuit and wherein
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.