Electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal for polarizing during a reading step UPROM memory cells operating at low feed voltage

Electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal for polarization during a reading step of a UPROM redundancy cell incorporating at least one memory element of EPROM or Flash type, having at least one terminal to be polarized, and MOS transistors which connect the memory element to a low voltage power supply reference, the electronic circuit comprising:

• a current minor structure with a control branch and an output branch, the current mirror structure including:
• a first series of MOS transistors in said control branch between the supply reference and a ground;
• and
• a second series of transistors in said output branch;
• an input terminal connected to the gate terminal of a transistor of the first series of transistors;
• and
• an output terminal corresponding to an interconnection node of the second series of transistors;
• wherein said stable voltage signal being obtained through a current which passes through a pair of transistors of said second series of transistors;
• wherein said first series comprises a PMOS first transistor with short circuited gate and drain terminals connected to a PMOS second transistor having a gate terminal connected to the ground via a resistance.

Electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal for polarization during a reading step of a UPROM redundancy cell incorporating at least one memory element of EPROM of Flash type, having at least one terminal to be polarized, and MOS transistor which connect the memory element to a low voltage power supply reference, the electronic circuit comprising:

• a current mirror structure with a control branch and an output branch, the current mirror structure including:
• a first series of MOS transistors in said control branch between the supply reference and a ground;
• and
• a second series of transistors in said output branch;
• an input terminal connected to the gate terminal of a transistor of the first series of transistors;
• an output terminal corresponding to an interconnection node of the second series of transistors;
• and
• a further transistor which connects to the ground said output terminal, said further transistor having a gate terminal connected to the input terminal via an inverter;
• wherein said stable voltage signal being obtained through a current which passes through a pair of transistors of said second series of transistors.

An electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal, comprising:

• an input terminal that receives an input control signal;
• an output terminal at which the stable voltage signal is produced;
• a current mirror having control and output branches, the control branch including a control node and a control switch having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal and a conduction terminal coupled to the control node, the output branch having an output node coupled to the output terminal and a controlled switch having a control terminal coupled to the control node of the control branch, the control switch turning on the controlled switch to produce the stable voltage signal in response to the input control signal being at a first logic level;
• and
• an output transistor having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal, a first conduction terminal coupled to the output terminal, and a second conduction terminal coupled to a ground reference, the output transistor being structured to electrically connect the output terminal to the ground reference in response to the input control signal being at a second logic level.

An electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal, comprising:

• an input terminal that receives an input control signal;
• an output terminal at which the stable voltage signal is produced;
• a current mirror having control and output branches, the control branch including a control node and a control switch having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal and a conduction terminal coupled to the control node, the output branch having an output node coupled to the output terminal and a controlled switch having a control terminal coupled to the control node of the control branch, the control switch turning on the controlled switch to produce the stable voltage signal in response to the input control signal being at a first logic level;
• and
• a switch-off transistor having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal, a first terminal coupled to a voltage reference, and a second terminal coupled to the control node of the control branch, the switch-off transistor turning off the controlled switch in response to the input control signal being at a second logic level.

An electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal, comprising:

• an input terminal that receives an input control signal;
• an output terminal at which the stable voltage signal is produced;
• and
• a current mirror having control and output branches, the control branch including a control node and a control switch having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal and a conduction terminal coupled to the control node, the output branch having an output node coupled to the output terminal and a controlled switch having a control terminal coupled to the control node of the control branch, the control switch turning on the controlled switch to produce the stable voltage signal in response to the input control signal being at a first logic level;
• wherein the control branch includes a first transistor coupled to a first voltage reference, a second transistor coupled between the first transistor and the control node, and the control switch is coupled between the control node and a second voltage reference.

An electronic circuit for generating a stable voltage signal, comprising:

• an input terminal that receives an input control signal;
• an output terminal at which the stable voltage signal is produced;
• and
• a current mirror having control and output branches, the control branch including a control node and a control switch having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal and a conduction terminal coupled to the control node, the output branch having an output node coupled to the output terminal and a controlled switch having a control terminal coupled to the control node of the control branch, the control switch turning on the controlled switch to produce the stable voltage signal in response to the input control signal being at a first logic level;
• wherein the control branch includes a first transistor coupled to a first voltage reference, a second transistor coupled between the first transistor and the control node, and a resistor coupled between the control switch and a second voltage reference;
• and the control branch includes third and fourth transistors coupled between the output node and the second voltage reference and the controlled switch is coupled between the first voltage reference and the output node;
• the electronic circuit further comprising a fifth transistor having a control terminal coupled to the input terminal, a first conduction terminal coupled to the first voltage reference, and a second conduction terminal coupled to the control node.

A method of producing a stable voltage signal for controlling an UPROM memory cell, the method comprising:

• tuning on a control switch of a first circuit branch of a current mirror in response to an input control signal going to a first logic level, the turned on control switch establishing a first current in the first circuit branch;
• creating in a second circuit branch of the current mirror a current that is substantially equal to the first current in the first current branch in response to the control switch being turned on;
• providing a resistance in the second circuit branch so as to create the stable voltage signal at an output node of the second circuit branch, the resistance being between a first voltage reference and the output node;
• and
• turning off a switch-off transistor, coupled between a second voltage reference and a conduction terminal of the control switch, in response to the input control signal going to the first logic level.