Precision Low Voltage and Current References

Abstract

With shrinking of technologies and its applications, on-chip precision low voltage and current reference generation for analog and mixed signal circuits are becoming difficult. This paper presents on-chip complementary metal oxide semiconductor low voltage and current reference circuits design methodologies for low voltage requirements. The designs are based on the bandgap reference and beta multiplier circuits. These reference circuits are prone to instability and can lock into undesired stable state of operation. To avoid these two conditions one needs to satisfy some conditions. Such issues of these reference circuits for practical implementation are discussed. Circuits like Poweron-reset circuit and startup circuits are used to avoid these state of operations. The peculiarity of theses circuits are that they can be tuned to the specific low voltage and low power requirements.