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EP0520858B1 - Unter niedriger Spannung betriebener Stromspiegel - Google Patents

Unter niedriger Spannung betriebener Stromspiegel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0520858B1
EP0520858B1 EP92401666A EP92401666A EP0520858B1 EP 0520858 B1 EP0520858 B1 EP 0520858B1 EP 92401666 A EP92401666 A EP 92401666A EP 92401666 A EP92401666 A EP 92401666A EP 0520858 B1 EP0520858 B1 EP 0520858B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
transistor
current
current mirror
voltage
source
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP92401666A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0520858A1 (de
Inventor
Jean-François Agaesse
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Teledyne e2v Semiconductors SAS
Original Assignee
Thomson SCF Semiconducteurs Specifiques
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomson SCF Semiconducteurs Specifiques filed Critical Thomson SCF Semiconducteurs Specifiques
Publication of EP0520858A1 publication Critical patent/EP0520858A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0520858B1 publication Critical patent/EP0520858B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05F—SYSTEMS FOR REGULATING ELECTRIC OR MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G05F3/00—Non-retroactive systems for regulating electric variables by using an uncontrolled element, or an uncontrolled combination of elements, such element or such combination having self-regulating properties
    • G05F3/02—Regulating voltage or current
    • G05F3/08—Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable is DC
    • G05F3/10—Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable is DC using uncontrolled devices with non-linear characteristics
    • G05F3/16—Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable is DC using uncontrolled devices with non-linear characteristics being semiconductor devices
    • G05F3/20—Regulating voltage or current wherein the variable is DC using uncontrolled devices with non-linear characteristics being semiconductor devices using diode- transistor combinations
    • G05F3/26—Current mirrors
    • G05F3/262—Current mirrors using field-effect transistors only

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a current mirror electronic circuit, the architecture of which has been established with a view to obtaining good operation at a low voltage close to the lower supply voltage, and a low pass resistance.
  • the invention is applicable to circuits produced with different types of transistors: in order to clarify the description, the invention will be explained by relying on a circuit in N-MOS transistors, which does not limit the scope of the 'invention.
  • this type of current mirror has an error (I ′ ⁇ I) due to the gain of the transistors, especially at low gain.
  • This can be remedied by making a Wilson mirror, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2: on the follower branch is added a transistor T3, the gate of which is connected to the reference branch, between the source 1 and T1.
  • the transistor T3 is counter-reacted by a simple mirror.
  • the voltage excursion of point A, between load 2 and T3 is limited to a few 100 mV + V GS above the "lower" voltage V SS : 100 mV corresponds to the voltage drop through T3, and V GS at the voltage drop across T2.
  • a transistor T4 added in the reference branch allows T1 to work under the same conditions as T2, by symmetrizing the circuit, because the pair T3 T4 imposes the same voltage at points B and C, improving current copying. But in the two cases of Wilson mirrors, there are two transistors in series in the feedback branch.
  • V GS can reach values as high as 4 or 5 volts, while circuits operate at 1 volt.
  • V DS sat or V DSS this threshold value, which according to the prior art is too much higher than V SS because there are in the follower branch two transistors T2 and T3 in series, whose pass resistance R on is too high.
  • the object of the invention is to obtain that a current mirror operates with a low voltage V DSS , above the supply voltage V SS , so as to be adapted to the circuits which themselves operate under a low potential difference between V DD and V SS , which does not allow the mirror to operate very above V SS .
  • Another object of the invention is to produce a current mirror which has a low pass resistance R on in its feedback branch, which is moreover a necessary condition for being able to work at a voltage close to V ss .
  • the invention relates to a current mirror operating at low voltage, comprising, in a reference branch, a current source and a first transistor and in an output branch, a load and a second transistor, the gates of these two transistors being combined and controlled from the current source, this mirror being characterized in that it further comprises a voltage feedback circuit which comprises a third transistor, interposed between the current source and the first transistor, and a fourth transistor, interposed between an auxiliary current source and the second transistor, the gates of the third and fourth transistors being joined and controlled from the auxiliary current source.
  • the originality of the mirror of FIG. 5 comes from the fact that it further comprises a voltage feedback circuit, formed by the transistors T5 and T6.
  • the transistor T5 is mounted on the reference branch of the simple mirror, between the current source 1 (point D) and the transistor T1. (point C).
  • the transistor T6 is mounted in parallel with the load 2, that is to say that its source is connected to the point B common to the load 2 and to T2, and that its drain is joined at the point A to an auxiliary current source 10
  • the grids of the transistors T5 and T6 are combined, and controlled from point A.
  • a first simple mirror 1 + T1 + T2 is counter-reacted by a second simple mirror 10 + T 6 + T5, mounted symmetrically so that the feedback branch of one constitutes the branch of other's reference. Only the load 2, mounted in parallel on the current source 10 and T6, breaks the symmetry.
  • the pair of transistors T5 and T6 constitutes a voltage follower which, if neither of the two transistors is blocked, imposes the same voltage at points B and C, which means that the transistors T1 and T2 of the two branches operate under the same conditions.
  • the source 10 supplies a current I ′
  • the load 2 is traversed by a current II ′, since the feedback transistor T2 supplies a total current equal to I.
  • the feedback produced by T5 and T6 makes it possible to keep the current of constant output, in the load, when V B - V SS ⁇ V DSS (T2) V B being the voltage at point B, defined above, V DSS (T2) being the voltage V DS at saturation for the transistor T2.
  • FIG. 8 represents some characteristic curves I (V) of the current mirror according to the invention, for 4 values of V GS different from each other.
  • V current mirror
  • FIG. 8 represents some characteristic curves I (V) of the current mirror according to the invention, for 4 values of V GS different from each other.
  • the arrows 11 show the gap which exists between the characteristics of a known mirror (dotted lines) and those of the invention (solid lines).
  • the current mirror according to the invention is used as an interface with circuits operating at low voltage, for example TTL, or as a switch with low pass resistance.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Nonlinear Science (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Radar, Positioning & Navigation (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Control Of Electrical Variables (AREA)
  • Amplifiers (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Unter niedriger Spannung betriebener Stromspiegel, der in einem Referenzzweig eine Stromquelle (1) und einen ersten Transistor (T1) und in einem Ausgangszweig eine Last (2) und einen zweiten Transistor (T2) enthält, wobei die Steuerelektroden dieser beiden Transistoren (T1, T2) miteinander verbunden sind und von der Stromquelle (1) gesteuert werden, wobei der Stromspiegel dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, daß er außerdem eine Spannungsgegenkopplungsschaltung (T5, T6, 10) enthält, die einen dritten Transistor (T5) aufweist, der zwischen die Stromquelle (1) und den ersten Transistor (T1) eingefügt ist, sowie einen vierten Transistor (T6), der zwischen eine Hilfsstromquelle (10) und den zweiten Transistor (T2) eingefügt ist, wobei die Steuerelektroden des dritten Transistors (T5) und des vierten Transistors (T6) miteinander verbunden sind und von der Hilfsstromquelle (10) gesteuert werden.
  2. Stromspiegel nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Gegenkopplungsschaltung (T5, T6, 10) einen zweiten Stromspiegel bildet, dessen Nachbildungszweig (T5) den Referenzzweig des Hauptstromspiegels (T1, T2, 1) steuert.
  3. Stromspiegel nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Spannungsgegenkopplungsschaltung (T6, 10) parallel zu der Last (2) geschaltet ist.
  4. Stromspiegel nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Ausgangszweig (2, T2) nur einen einzigen Transistor (T2) enthält.
  5. Stromspiegel nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß infolge der Spannungsgegenkopplungsschaltung der zweite Transistor (T2) eine Kennlinie des Drain-Source-Stroms IDS beibehält, die für einen Wert der Drain-Source-Spannung VDS, der kleiner als der Sättigungswert VDS sat ist, gesättigt ist.
EP92401666A 1991-06-27 1992-06-16 Unter niedriger Spannung betriebener Stromspiegel Expired - Lifetime EP0520858B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9108007A FR2678399B1 (fr) 1991-06-27 1991-06-27 Miroir de courant fonctionnant sous faible tension.
FR9108007 1991-06-27

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0520858A1 EP0520858A1 (de) 1992-12-30
EP0520858B1 true EP0520858B1 (de) 1995-11-29

Family

ID=9414415

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP92401666A Expired - Lifetime EP0520858B1 (de) 1991-06-27 1992-06-16 Unter niedriger Spannung betriebener Stromspiegel

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US5252910A (de)
EP (1) EP0520858B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69206335T2 (de)
FR (1) FR2678399B1 (de)

Families Citing this family (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5835994A (en) * 1994-06-30 1998-11-10 Adams; William John Cascode current mirror with increased output voltage swing
JP2638494B2 (ja) * 1994-08-12 1997-08-06 日本電気株式会社 電圧／電流変換回路
US5954572A (en) * 1995-06-27 1999-09-21 Btg International Limited Constant current apparatus
DE19612269C1 (de) * 1996-03-28 1997-08-28 Bosch Gmbh Robert Stromspiegelschaltung
US5801523A (en) * 1997-02-11 1998-09-01 Motorola, Inc. Circuit and method of providing a constant current
US6124753A (en) * 1998-10-05 2000-09-26 Pease; Robert A. Ultra low voltage cascoded current sources
US6396335B1 (en) * 1999-11-11 2002-05-28 Broadcom Corporation Biasing scheme for low supply headroom applications
US6542098B1 (en) * 2001-09-26 2003-04-01 Intel Corporation Low-output capacitance, current mode digital-to-analog converter
US6788134B2 (en) 2002-12-20 2004-09-07 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Low voltage current sources/current mirrors
DE10328605A1 (de) * 2003-06-25 2005-01-20 Infineon Technologies Ag Stromquelle zur Erzeugung eines konstanten Referenzstromes
JP4443205B2 (ja) * 2003-12-08 2010-03-31 ローム株式会社 電流駆動回路
US20090160557A1 (en) * 2007-12-20 2009-06-25 Infineon Technologies Ag Self-biased cascode current mirror
DE102008052614A1 (de) * 2008-10-21 2010-05-27 Khs Ag Vorrichtung zum Verschwenken einer in einem Greifer geförderten Flasche
US8063624B2 (en) * 2009-03-12 2011-11-22 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. High side high voltage switch with over current and over voltage protection
US8253479B2 (en) * 2009-11-19 2012-08-28 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. Output driver circuits for voltage regulators
CN103324229A (zh) * 2012-03-21 2013-09-25 广芯电子技术(上海)有限公司 恒定电流源
CN104684223A (zh) * 2015-03-17 2015-06-03 无锡中星微电子有限公司 Led驱动电路

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE190518C (de) * 1906-06-30 1907-11-19
US3936725A (en) * 1974-08-15 1976-02-03 Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated Current mirrors
US4029974A (en) * 1975-03-21 1977-06-14 Analog Devices, Inc. Apparatus for generating a current varying with temperature
JPS562017A (en) * 1979-06-19 1981-01-10 Toshiba Corp Constant electric current circuit
US4300091A (en) * 1980-07-11 1981-11-10 Rca Corporation Current regulating circuitry
US4471292A (en) * 1982-11-10 1984-09-11 Texas Instruments Incorporated MOS Current mirror with high impedance output
US4550284A (en) * 1984-05-16 1985-10-29 At&T Bell Laboratories MOS Cascode current mirror
US4618815A (en) * 1985-02-11 1986-10-21 At&T Bell Laboratories Mixed threshold current mirror
GB2209254B (en) * 1987-08-29 1991-07-03 Motorola Inc Current mirror
GB2214018A (en) * 1987-12-23 1989-08-23 Philips Electronic Associated Current mirror circuit arrangement
FR2641627B1 (fr) * 1989-01-11 1992-02-28 Sgs Thomson Microelectronics Perfectionnement aux circuits miroirs de courants
GB2228351A (en) * 1989-02-17 1990-08-22 Philips Electronic Associated Circuit arrangement for processing sampled analogue electrical signals

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5252910A (en) 1993-10-12
DE69206335D1 (de) 1996-01-11
DE69206335T2 (de) 1996-04-25
EP0520858A1 (de) 1992-12-30
FR2678399B1 (fr) 1993-09-03
FR2678399A1 (fr) 1992-12-31

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