Texas Instruments Corporation

John C Teel

David Alexander Grant

Tony Ray Larson

A bandgap reference circuit as may be used in ultra-low current applications is provided. An exemplary bandgap circuit can be configured to generate a positive temperature coefficient without the need for a resistor to offset a negative temperature coefficient. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a bandgap circuit comprises a negative temperature coefficient generated from a junction device and a positive temperature coefficient generated from an FET-based device. An exemplary junction device can comprise a bipolar, junction diode or any other device for generating a negative temperature coefficient, while an exemplary FET-based device comprises a gate-drain connected device configured to provide a gate-source voltage having a positive temperature coefficient coupled in series with the bipolar device. In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, the bandgap circuit can be configured with a threshold voltage elimination device comprising a second FET-based device configured to subtract out a threshold voltage component of the first FET-based device.

Bandgap reference circuit for ultra-low current applications

The leakage current correction circuit uses a dummy device Mleak to detect leakage current. The dummy device is a scaled down version of the pass element Mpass. A current router is used to either gain up the dummy leakage current and apply it to the output Vout or simply dump the small un-gained current to ground GND.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

John C Teel