Title: Temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit
Abstract: Temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit A temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit (1) comprises a first part with a first temperature dependence and a second part with a second temperature dependence, which is different from the first temperature dependence. A charge storage device (C2), a controllable upward-integration current source (T2) for charging the charge storage device (C2), a controllable downward-integration current source (TB3) for discharging the charge storage device (C2) and two resistors (R2, R1) having the same temperature coefficients are contained in each case in one of the two parts.
Patent Number: 6,992,533 Issued on 01/31/2006 to Höllinger, et al.
| Inventors:
|
Höllinger; Werner (Villach, AT);
Motz; Mario (Wernberg, AT)
|
| Assignee:
|
Infineon Technologies AG (Munich, DE)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
850677 |
| Filed:
|
May 21, 2004 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Nov 22, 2001[DE] | 101 57 292 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
331/143; 331/111; 331/176 |
| Current Intern'l Class: |
H03B 5/24 (20060101) |
| Field of Search: |
331/111,143,175,176
|
References Cited [Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
| 4205279 | May., 1980 | Beutler.
| |
| 5250914 | Oct., 1993 | Kondo.
| |
| 5352934 | Oct., 1994 | Khan.
| |
| 5491456 | Feb., 1996 | Kay et al.
| |
| 5760657 | Jun., 1998 | Johnson.
| |
| 6157270 | Dec., 2000 | Tso.
| |
| 6870433 | Mar., 2005 | Motz.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 0 219 994 | Apr., 1987 | EP.
| |
| 0 944 169 | Sep., 1999 | EP.
| |
| 2 783 372 | Sep., 1998 | FR.
| |
| WO 99/3826/0 | Jul., 1999 | WO.
| |
Other References
M.P. Flynn et al.; "A 1.2-μm CMOS current-Controlled Oscillator"; IEEE
Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 27, No. 7, pps. 982-987, Jul. 7, 1992.
I.M. Filanovsky et al.; "A Novel CMOS Multivibrator"; Analog Integrated Circuits
and Signal Processing, vol. 2, Boston, pps. 217-222, 1992.
G. Ferri et al.; "A novel low voltage low power oscillator as a capacitive sensor
interface for portable applications"; Sensors and Actuators, vol. 76, pps. 437-441, 1999.
U. Tietze et al.; "Halbleiter-Schaltungstechnik"; Springer Verlag, Berlin, 11th
Edition, p. 618, 1999.
Dr. R. Holberg et al., "CMOS Analog Circuit Design"; New York, Oxford University
Press, The Oxford Series in Electrical and Computer Engineering, "Equivalent Circuit
of the 555 CMOS Timer", p. 655, 1888.
|
Primary Examiner: Mis; David
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Baker Botts L.L.P.
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of copending International Application No.
PCT/DE02/03907 filed Oct. 15, 2002 which designates the United States, and claims
priority to German application no. 101 57 292.1 filed Nov. 22, 2001.
Claims
We claim:
1. A temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit based on cyclic charging and discharging
of a charge storage device, comprising:
a charge storage device,
a controllable upward-integration current source for charging the charge storage device,
a controllable downward-integration current source for discharging the charge
storage device,
a bandgap reference circuit for generating a reference voltage, which is dropped
across a first resistor contained in the bandgap reference circuit,
a second resistor, across which is dropped a voltage which is proportional to
the reference voltage, the two resistors essentially having the same temperature coefficients,
a comparator for controlling the upward-integration current source and the downward-integration
current source in a manner dependent on the charge state of the charge storage
device, a predetermined lower comparator threshold and a predetermined upper
comparator threshold,
a first circuit branch containing the controllable upward-integration current
source or the controllable downward integration current source, and
a second circuit branch containing the comparator and/or serving to generate
the two comparator thresholds (VCL, VCH), wherein
the first circuit branch and/or the second circuit branch comprising, at least
occasionally, in each case two mutually superposed partial currents with different
temperature dependences,
the first circuit branch and the second circuit branch and in particular at least
one further circuit branch of the oscillator circuit in each case having, at least
occasionally, a sum or a difference of two superposed partial currents with different
temperature dependences,
the partial currents being able to be set or being set in such a way that linear
terms and quadratic terms and in particular higher-order terms of the temperature
dependence of the oscillator frequency are essentially minimized, and
the partial currents being generated in particular by the bandgap reference circuit.
2. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first resistor and the second resistor are of the same type of resistor.
3. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
at least one of the partial currents can be generated by means of the bandgap
reference circuit.
4. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the bandgap reference circuit is connected to the first and/or to the second
circuit branch via at least one current mirror.
5. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the at least one current mirror is designed for dynamic element matching.
6. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
at least one current mirror which feeds the first circuit branch and/or the second
circuit branch and to whose output a third resistor is connected, the third resistor
having in particular the same temperature coefficient and/or the same resistance
as the first and second resistors.
7. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
a first MOS transistor as controllable upward-integration current source, a second
MOS transistor for switching the upward-integration operation on and off and the
charge storage device are connected in series in the first circuit branch.
8. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
in the second circuit branch, the comparator in the form of a third MOS transistor,
the gate terminal of which is connected to the charge storage device, is connected
in series with the second resistor, across which is dropped a differential voltage
formed from the difference between the upper comparator threshold and the lower
comparator threshold.
9. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the controllable downward integration current source in the form of a bipolar
transistor or a fourth MOS transistor, a fifth MOS transistor for switching the
downward-integration operation on and off and the charge storage device are connected
in series.
10. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the charge storage device is formed at least partly as a gate oxide capacitance.
11. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a sixth MOS transistor, which is connected in series with the third MOS transistor
and has in particular the same conductivity type as the third MOS transistor.
12. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit, as claimed in claim 11, wherein
the sixth MOS transistor is connected as a diode.
13. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first resistor and the second resistor have small variations of their temperature
coefficient and/or small variations of their absolute value.
14. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
all the resistors of the oscillator circuit essentially have the same temperature
coefficients and, in particular, are of the same type of resistor.
15. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the components of the oscillator circuit are monolithically integrated on a common
fixed substrate.
16. The temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit as claimed in claim 15, wherein
the oscillator circuit is realized by means of CMOS technology.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to an oscillator circuit based on cyclic
charging and discharging of a charge storage device. In particular the invention
relates to an oscillator circuit which provides an operating clock for apparatuses
in standby operation.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Integrated circuits generally obtain their operating clock during normal
operation from a crystal oscillator. During standby operation, integrated circuits
are often supplied with the operator clock by an oscillator circuit or a phase
shifter oscillator circuit, since these circuits are distinguished by a low current consumption.
Oscillator circuits have a charge storage device which is alternately
charged and discharged by an upward-integration current source and by a downward-integration
current source, respectively. The charge storage device is furthermore connected
to a comparator, which measures the charge state of the charge storage device and,
upon reaching a predetermined upper comparator threshold, changes over from the
charging process to the discharging process. Correspondingly, in the event of the
charge state falling to a lower determined comparator threshold, the discharging
process is deactivated and the charging process is activated instead.
Such oscillator circuits which are suitable for integration into an integrated
circuit are described for example in the articles "A 1.2 μm CMOS Current-Controlled
Oscillator" by Michael P. Flynn and Sverre U. Lidholm, published in IEEE Journal
of Solid-State Circuits, volume 27, No. 7, July 1992, pages 982-987, and "A Novel
CMOS Multivibrator" by I. M. Filanovsky and H. Baltes, published in Analog Integrated
Circuits and Signal Processing, volume 2, 1992, pages 217-222, and "A novel low
voltage low power oscillator as a capacitive sensor interface for portable applications"
by Giuseppe Ferri and Pierpaolo De Laurentiis, published in Sensors and Actuators,
volume 76, 1999, pages 437-441. In the oscillator circuits presented in these articles,
a capacitor is in each case provided as the charge storage device.
The principle of a univibrator, on which the oscillator circuits are based, is
illustrated in figure 6.50 on page 618 of the book "Halbleiter-Schaltungstechnik"
["Semiconductor circuitry"] by Ulrich Tietze and Christoph Schenk, published by
Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1999, 11
th edition.
Applications of an oscillator circuit in the field of telecommunications
require a high frequency stability. Therefore, the free-running frequency of an
oscillator circuit, with the crystal frequency, is adjusted by digital divider
ratios. Furthermore, the frequency generated by an oscillator circuit is intended
to be largely independent of temperature fluctuations, operator voltage fluctuations,
phase noise and also technology variations. Moreover, the oscillator circuit is
intended to require a low operating voltage, have a low operating voltage dependence,
take up little chip area and be able to be implemented in an integrated circuit.
The abovementioned quality requirements made of oscillator circuits also apply
to applications in sensors. However, adjustment to a very precise crystal frequency
is not usually necessary in applications of this type.
In order to obtain a greatest possible stability of the oscillator frequency
with
respect to temperature fluctuations, it is known to provide oscillator circuits
with resistors having different temperature coefficients. However, what is disadvantageous
about such compensation of temperature fluctuations is that technologically governed
variations both of the temperature coefficients and of the absolute values of the
resistors used bring about only a low temperature stability of the oscillator frequency.
Furthermore, it is known to bring about a temperature stability of the
oscillator frequency by means of additional external components, such as e.g. external
resistors, with low temperature coefficients or by means of adjustment on the wafer
using an EEPROM or by means of zener zapping. What is common to these known measures
is a large production outlay with the high costs associated therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an oscillator circuit by means of
which the temperature coefficient of the oscillator frequency can be set to a predetermined
value and by means of which, in particular, a high temperature stability of the
oscillator frequency, an operating voltage suppression and a low 1/f noise are achieved.
The formulated object on which the invention is based can be achieved by a temperature-stabilized
oscillator circuit based on cyclic charging and discharging of a charge storage
device, comprising a charge storage device, a controllable upward-integration current
source for charging the charge storage device, a controllable downward-integration
current source for discharging the charge storage device, a bandgap reference circuit
for generating a reference voltage, which is dropped across a first resistor contained
in the bandgap reference circuit, a second resistor, across which is dropped a
voltage which is proportional to the reference voltage, the two resistors essentially
having the same temperature coefficients, a comparator for controlling the upward-integration
current source and the downward-integration current source in a manner dependent
on the charge state of the charge storage device, a predetermined lower comparator
threshold and a predetermined upper comparator threshold, a first circuit branch
containing the controllable upward-integration current source or the controllable
downward integration current source, and a second circuit branch containing the
comparator and/or serving to generate the two comparator thresholds (VCL, VCH),
wherein the first circuit branch and/or the second circuit branch comprising, at
least occasionally, in each case two mutually superposed partial currents with
different temperature dependences, the first circuit branch and the second circuit
branch and in particular at least one further circuit branch of the oscillator
circuit in each case having, at least occasionally, a sum or a difference of two
superposed partial currents with different temperature dependences, the partial
currents being able to be set or being set in such a way that linear terms and
quadratic terms and in particular higher-order terms of the temperature dependence
of the oscillator frequency are essentially minimized, and the partial currents
being generated in particular by the bandgap reference circuit.
The first resistor and the second resistor can be of the same type of resistor.
At least one of the partial currents can be generated by means of the bandgap reference
circuit. The bandgap reference circuit can be connected to the first and/or to
the second circuit branch via at least one current mirror. The at least one current
mirror can be designed for dynamic element matching. The circuit may further comprise
at least one current mirror which feeds the first circuit branch and/or the second
circuit branch and to whose output a third resistor is connected, the third resistor
may have in particular the same temperature coefficient and/or the same resistance
as the first and second resistors. A first MOS transistor as controllable upward-integration
current source, a second MOS transistor for switching the upward-integration operation
on and off and the charge storage device can be connected in series in the first
circuit branch. In the second circuit branch, the comparator in the form of a third
MOS transistor, the gate terminal of which is connected to the charge storage device,
can be connected in series with the second resistor, across which is dropped a
differential voltage formed from the difference between the upper comparator threshold
and the lower comparator threshold. The controllable downward integration current
source in the form of a bipolar transistor or a fourth MOS transistor, a fifth
MOS transistor for switching the downward-integration operation on and off and
the charge storage device can be connected in series. The charge storage device
can be formed at least partly as a gate oxide capacitance. The temperature-stabilized
oscillator circuit may further comprise a sixth MOS transistor, which is connected
in series with the third MOS transistor and has in particular the same conductivity
type as the third MOS transistor. The sixth MOS transistor can be connected as
a diode. The first resistor and the second resistor may have small variations of
their temperature coefficient and/or small variations of their absolute value.
All the resistors of the oscillator circuit essentially may have the same temperature
coefficients and, in particular, are of the same type of resistor. The components
of the oscillator circuit can be monolithically integrated on a common fixed substrate.
The oscillator circuit can be realized by means of CMOS technology.
A temperature-stabilized oscillator circuit according to the invention operates
according to the principle of cyclic charging and discharging of a charge storage
device. For this purpose, the oscillator circuit comprises a first circuit part
having a first electrical property characterized by a first temperature dependence,
and a second circuit part having a corresponding second electrical property characterized
by a second temperature dependence. The two temperature dependences have an oppositely
directed or at least different behavior. The electrical properties of the two circuit
parts may be understood to be, by way of example, currents or voltages. Furthermore,
the oscillator circuit comprises, as components, the charge storage device, a controllable
upward-integration current source for charging the charge storage device, a controllable
downward-integration current source for discharging the charge storage device,
a first resistor and a second resistor. The oscillator circuit components present
above may be contained in each case in the first circuit part or in the second
circuit part or in another part of the oscillator circuit. Furthermore, the two
resistors have essentially identical temperature coefficients and are preferably
also of the same type of resistor. In this case, the temperature coefficient specifies
the change in the resistance with a temperature change. A type of resistor is understood
to be the kind of resistor, such as e.g. a carbon film resistor or a metal film resistor.
In the case of the oscillator circuit according to the invention, a temperature
change is compensated for by the oppositely directed or at least different temperature
dependences of the two circuit parts of the oscillator circuit. If the temperature
changes, then one electrical property, which determines one circuit part, rises
and the other electrical property, which determines the other circuit part, simultaneously
falls or rises with a different temperature coefficient. Overall, this brings about
an equalization between the two electrical properties, so that, by way of example,
the sum or the difference or the product of the two electrical properties remains
constant over a certain temperature range. As a result, it is possible ultimately
to set the temperature dependences of those quantities which determine the oscillator
frequency. Consequently, the temperature coefficient of the oscillator frequency
can be set to a predetermined value and, in particular, it is possible to obtain
a high temperature stability of the oscillator frequency.
In the case of the oscillator circuit according to the invention, it is furthermore
advantageous that the two resistors essentially have the same temperature coefficients
and, in particular, are also of the same type of resistor. The temperature dependence
of the oscillator frequency is minimized further as a result. Some known oscillator
circuits employ the opposite principle, i.e. resistors having different or oppositely
directed temperature coefficients are used for the purpose of temperature compensation.
In this case, however, technological variations of the resistors result overall
in a poorer temperature compensation than that achieved by the present invention.
The oscillator circuit according to the invention advantageously comprises a
comparator, a first circuit branch and a second circuit branch. The comparator
controls the upward-integration and downward-integration current sources. This
control is carried out by the comparator in a manner dependent on the charge state
of the charge storage device, a predetermined lower comparator threshold and a
predetermined upper comparator threshold. The first circuit branch contains the
controllable upward-integration current source, and the second circuit branch contains
the comparator and/or serves to generate the lower and upper comparator threshold.
In accordance with a preferred refinement of the invention, two mutually superposed
partial currents having different temperature dependences flow, in each case at
least occasionally, through the first circuit branch and/or the second circuit
branch. By way of example, it may be provided that, in the circuit branches, a
sum or a difference is formed in each case from the two partial currents. Furthermore,
the two partial currents may preferably have oppositely directed or at least different
temperature dependences. By means of such partial currents whose temperature dependences
mutually compensate for one another, the desired temperature coefficient of the
oscillator frequency can be set technologically independently in a simple manner.
Furthermore, these measures make it possible to realize an arrangement for the
compensation of temperature dependences with only a small area requirement and
also a low current consumption.
The oscillator circuit according to the invention advantageously contains a bandgap
reference circuit, which provides a reference voltage. The bandgap reference circuit
may preferably provide at least one of the partial currents. Furthermore, it is
advantageous if the bandgap reference circuit is connected to the first and/or
to the second circuit branch via at least one current mirror. The bandgap reference
circuit may, for example, also contain the first resistor, across which is dropped
the reference voltage generated by the bandgap reference circuit. What is advantageous
about the measures relating to the bandgap reference circuit is that the bandgap
reference circuit can generate a partial current which counteracts another partial
current in terms of its temperature dependence and thus overall effects compensation
of the temperature dependences. In this case, the other partial current may for
example be predetermined and serve as a charging current of the charge storage
device or for generating the comparator thresholds.
It is likewise advantageous if the at least one current mirror is designed for
dynamic element matching. The element matching may be controlled for example by
a control unit and be clocked with the operating clock provided by the oscillator
circuit. Since this measure largely suppresses matching errors between the elements,
this results in an even higher accuracy and temperature stability of the oscillator frequency.
In order to obtain an oscillator frequency with the highest possible temperature
stability, it is advantageous to dimension the mutually superposed partial currents
in the first and second circuit branches and in particular also partial currents
in at least one further circuit branch such that linear and quadratic terms and
in particular also higher-order terms of the temperature dependence of the oscillator
frequency are compensated for. This reduces curving of the temperature response
of the oscillator frequency. The partial currents may be generated for example
in the bandgap reference circuit.
A further particularly advantageous refinement of the invention is characterized
in that the oscillator circuit according to the invention contains at least one
current mirror which, on the output side, feeds the first and/or the second circuit
branch and to whose output a third resistor is connected. The third resistor has
in particular the same temperature coefficient and/or the same resistance as the
first and second resistors.
The circuit arrangement described above is based on the principle of a source
degeneration circuit. A circuit of this type exploits the fact that a current mirror,
which is temperature-independent, in principle, is detuned by the supplementary
connection of a resistor, as a result of which the current mirror is subjected
to a temperature dependence. Overall, compensation of the temperature dependences
can be achieved by means of the source degeneration circuit. Furthermore, this
measure may possibly obviate further current mirrors which, as described above,
serve to generate further partial currents. The power consumption of the oscillator
circuit is reduced as a result of obviating the further partial currents.
The first circuit branch preferably contains a first MOS transistor as controllable
upward-integration current source, a second MOS transistor for switching the upward-integration
process on and off and the charge storage device.
The components mentioned are connected in series in the first circuit branch.
In a further advantageous refinement, it is provided that, in the second circuit
branch, the comparator has a third MOS transistor, the gate terminal of which is
connected to the charge storage device. Furthermore, the comparator is connected
in series with the second resistor. A differential voltage resulting from the difference
between the upper and lower comparator thresholds is dropped across the second resistor.
Furthermore, it is advantageous to realize the controllable downward-integration
current source with a bipolar transistor or with a fourth MOS transistor and to
provide a fifth MOS transistor for switching the downward-integration process on
and off. The bipolar transistor or the fourth MOS transistor and the fifth MOS
transistor are arranged in series together with the charge storage device.
In a further advantageous refinement of the invention, the charge storage device
is formed at least partly as a gate oxide capacitance. A gate oxide capacitance
has a particularly small chip area requirement.
A further, particularly advantageous refinement of the invention provides for
a
sixth MOS transistor and the third MOS transistor to be connected in series via
their drain-source paths. By means of this circuit arrangement, a second time constant
is added to the main time constant which would determine the oscillator frequency
without the sixth MOS transistor. The second time constant may have a temperature
coefficient that deviates from the main time constant and thereby contribute to
compensation of the temperature dependence of the oscillator circuit. Furthermore,
the sixth MOS transistor, which, in particular, has the same conductivity type
as the third MOS transistor, results in better operating voltage suppression since
the two MOS transistors refer to the same supply line. The sixth MOS transistor
is advantageously connected up as a diode.
The first and second resistors may advantageously be designed in such a way that
they have small variations of their temperature coefficient and/or small variations
of their absolute value. In this case, a small variation of the temperature coefficient
entails a low temperature coefficient of the oscillator frequency and is advantageous
in the implementation of the oscillator circuit according to the invention in a
telecommunications chip. By contrast, when using the oscillator circuit for sensors,
the absolute value of the oscillator frequency is more important than the temperature
dependence of the oscillator frequency. Therefore, when implementing the oscillator
circuit in a sensor, it is advantageous to use a type of resistor having only a
small variation of its absolute value for the two resistors.
In an advantageous manner, all the resistors of the oscillator circuit have essentially
the same temperature coefficients and, in particular, are of the same type of resistor.
This ensures optimum stability of the oscillator frequency with respect to temperature fluctuations.
The oscillator circuit according to the invention is advantageously suitable
for implementation in an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit with the oscillator
circuit can advantageously be produced by means of CMOS (complementary metal oxide
semiconductor) technology.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with
reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of the temperature-stabilized
oscillator circuit according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 shows a circuit diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of the temperature-stabilized
oscillator circuit according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit diagram of a temperature-stabilized oscillator
circuit
1 as a first exemplary embodiment of the invention. The oscillator
circuit
1 has a charge storage device C
2, which is connected on the
one hand to a common fixed potential, in particular a ground VSS, and on the other
hand to a node K. The gate terminal of a MOS transistor TC
1 is furthermore
connected to the node K. The node K may be fed by an upward-integration circuit
branch, which connects the node K to a supply voltage VDD via the drain-source
paths of MOS transistors TS
2 and T
2. A further circuit branch formed
by the drain-source path of a MOS transistor TS
3, the collector-emitter
path of a bipolar transistor TB
3 and also the drain-source path of a MOS
transistor TS
4 serves for drawing current from the node K. This circuit
branch conducts the drawn current away to ground VSS.
The drain-source path of the MOS transistor TC
1 is connected by a comparator/reference
voltage circuit branch on the one hand to ground VSS via a resistor R
1 and
on the other hand to the supply voltage VDD via the drain-source path of a MOS
transistor T
1. A MOS transistor TS
1 is arranged in parallel with
the resistor R
1. The drain terminal of a MOS transistor T
5 is connected
to the connection path of the MOS transistors T
1 and TC
1. The gate
terminal of the MOS transistor T
5 is connected to its drain terminal, and
the source terminal of the MOS transistor T
5 is connected to ground VSS.
Furthermore, the input of an inverting amplifier IV
1 is connected between
the MOS transistors T
1 and TC
1. Inverting amplifiers IV
2,
IV
3 and IV
4 are connected in series downstream of the inverting amplifier
IV
1. The output of the inverting amplifier IV
3 is connected to the
gate terminals of the MOS transistors TS
1, TS
2, TS
3 and TS
4.
The output of the inverting amplifier IV
4 is the output OUT of the oscillator
circuit
1.
The oscillator circuit
1 contains a bandgap reference circuit BGR formed
from MOS transistors T
3 and T
4, bipolar transistors TB
1 and
TB
2 and also a resistor R
2. The gate terminals of the MOS transistors
T
3 and T
4 and also the base terminals of the bipolar transistors
TB
1 and TB
2 are respectively connected to one another. The drain-source
path of the MOS transistor T
3 and T
4, respectively, is on the one
hand connected to the supply voltage VDD and on the other hand connected to the
collector terminal of the bipolar transistor TB
1 and TB
2, respectively.
Furthermore, the drain terminal of the MOS transistor T
3 is connected to
its gate terminal. The emitter terminal of the bipolar transistor TB
1 is
connected to ground VSS. The resistor R
2 is arranged between the emitter
terminal of the bipolar transistor TB
2 and ground VSS.
The MOS transistor T
3 represents the input transistor of a current source
bank which serves for generating current in the drain-source paths of the MOS transistors
T
1, T
2 and T
4. For this purpose, the gate terminal of the
MOS transistor T
3 is coupled to the gate terminals of the MOS transistors
T
1, T
2 and T
4.
A MOS transistor T
6 is connected in series with a resistor R
3 between
the supply voltage VDD and ground VSS. The gate terminal of the MOS transistor
T
6 is connected to the drain terminal of the MOS transistor T
4. Furthermore,
the gate terminal of the MOS transistor T
6 is connected to the gate terminals
of MOS transistors T
7 and T
8. The source terminals of the MOS transistors
T
6, T
7 and T
8 are connected to the supply voltage VDD. The
drain terminal of the MOS transistor T
7 is connected to the drain terminal
of the MOS transistor T
1. The drain terminal of the MOS transistor T
8
is connected to the drain terminal of the MOS transistor T
2. A capacitor
C
1 is arranged between the gate terminal of the MOS transistor T
6
and the supply voltage VDD.
The base terminals of the bipolar transistors TB
1 and TB
2 are connected
to the connection path between the MOS transistor T
6 and the resistor R
3
and are also connected to the base terminal of the bipolar transistor TB
3.
In the case of the present oscillator circuit
1, the MOS transistors TC
1,
TS
1, TS
3, TS
4 and T
5 are n-channel MOSFETs. The MOS
transistors TS
2, T
1, T
2, T
3, T
4, T
6,
T
7 and T
8 are realized by p-channel MOSFETs. The bipolar transistors
TB
1, TB
2 and TB
3 are designed as npn transistors.
The function of the oscillator circuit
1 is to cyclically charge and discharge
the charge storage device C
2. In this case, the upward-integration circuit
branch formed by the MOS transistors C
2 and TS
2 serves for charging
the charge storage device C
2. The MOS transistor T
2 represents an
upward-integration current source. The current flow from the MOS transistor T
2
into the charge storage device C
2 can be switched by the MOS transistor
TS
2. The circuit branch formed by the bipolar transistor TB
3 and
also the MOS transistors TS
3 and TS
4 is used for discharging the
charge storage device C
2. In this case, the bipolar transistor TB
3
is a downward-integration current source which can be connected to the charge storage
device C
2 and ground VSS by the MOS transistors TS
3 and TS
4,
respectively. In order to obtain a referenced current, the upward-integration and
downward integration current sources are connected by their control terminals in
each case to the bandgap reference circuit BGR.
A comparator in the form of the MOS transistor TC
1, which detects the
charge
state of the charge storage device C
2 with its gate terminal, serves for
the changeover between charging and discharging of the charge storage device C
2.
The bandgap reference circuit BGR generates a reference voltage VREF across the
resistor R
2, which reference voltage is mirrored by means of the current
mirror comprising the MOS transistors T
3 and T
1 in such a way that
a voltage VR1 proportional to the reference voltage VREF is dropped across the
resistor R
1. The voltage VR1 is the difference between an upper comparator
threshold voltage VCH and a lower comparator threshold voltage VCL. In this case,
the lower comparator threshold voltage VCL is calculated from the sum of the threshold
voltage of the MOS transistor TC
1 and the effective gate-source voltage
of the MOS transistor TC
1. The upper comparator threshold voltage VCH is
calculated from the sum of the lower comparator threshold voltage VCL and the voltage VR1.
The inverted amplifiers IV
1, IV
2 and IV
3 control the MOS
transistors TS
2 and TS
3, which are intended for switching the charging
or discharging process on and off. The downward integration from the charge storage
device C
2 is effected after the upper comparator threshold voltage VCH has
been reached, while the upward integration to the charge storage device C
2
is effected after the lower comparator threshold voltage VCL has been reached.
In this case, a triangular voltage forms across the charge storage device C
2.
The frequency of this oscillator triangular voltage is 1/(2·R
1·C
2),
where R
1 specifies the resistance of the resistor R
1 and C
2
specifies the capacitance of the charge storage device C
2.
Furthermore, the MOS transistors TS
1 and TS
4 are controlled
via the inverting amplifiers IV
1, IV
2 and IV
3. In this case,
the MOS transistor TS
1 short-circuits the resistor R
1 during the
downward integration from the charge storage device C
2. The MOS Transistor
TS
4 reduces the base currents of the bipolar transistors TB
1 and
TB
2 during the downward integration from the charge storage device C
2.
An amplified signal representing the oscillator frequency can be tapped off at
the output OUT of the inverting amplifier IV
4.
In the present first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the charge storage
device C
2 is realized by a gate oxide capacitance, which is preferably constructed
vertically like the MOS transistor TC
1.
The bias voltage required for the operation of the charge storage device C
2
is equal to the sum of the threshold voltage of the MOS transistor TC
1 and
a few hundred mV. The fact that the lower comparator threshold voltage VCL is equal
to the sum of the threshold voltage and the effective gate-source voltage of the
MOS transistor TC
1 always ensures the specified bias voltage for the charge
storage device C
2.
The comparator/reference voltage circuit branch formed from the MOS transistors
T
1 and TC
1 and also the resistor R
1 simultaneously satisfies
three requirements. Thus, this circuit branch serves to realize the comparator
threshold voltages VCL and VCH, to realize the comparator function and also to
generate the bias voltage required for the charge storage device C
2.
In the present first exemplary embodiment, the temperature stabilization of the
oscillator frequency is effected by the addition of suitable currents. In this
case, two currents are respectively superposed on one another, said currents having
different or even oppositely directed temperature dependences or temperature coefficients.
The superposed currents can flow statically or be switched by means of the oscillator
clock. Overall, this results in compensation of temperature dependences, so that
the oscillator frequency assumes a predetermined temperature coefficient or an
essentially temperature-independent value.
The resistor R
1 directly influences the value of the oscillator frequency
and, in accordance with equation (1), has a temperature dependence which is to
be compensated for by means of the invention:
R1=
R10·(1
+a·(
T-T0)+
b·(
T-T0)
2), (1)
where T specifies the temperature, a specifies the temperature coefficient
relating to the linear temperature term, and b specifies the quadratic temperature
coefficient. R
10 denotes the resistance of the resistor R
1 at a reference
temperature T0 of 25° C., for example.
In the oscillator circuit
1, the temperature dependence of the resistor
R
1 as described by equation (1) is compensated for by the addition of the
currents generated by the MOS transistors T
1 and T
7. The current
flowing through the MOS transistor T
1 is generated in the bandgap reference
circuit BGR and mirrored into the MOS transistor T
1 by the MOS transistor
T
3. The current flowing through the MOS transistor T
3 is proportional
to a PTAT (proportional to absolute temperature) voltage, which is proportional
to the temperature in kelvins. This corresponds to a positive temperature coefficient.
Since a current mirror itself ideally has no temperature dependence, the current
through the MOS transistor T
1 is also proportional to a PTAT voltage. By
contrast, the current through the MOS transistor T
7 is generated by mirroring
of the current flowing through the MOS transistor T
6. On account of the
arrangement of the bipolar transistor TB
2, the current flowing through the
MOS transistor T
6 is proportional to a base-emitter voltage. Consequently,
the same also applies to the MOS transistor T
7, and the latter accordingly
has a negative temperature coefficient.
Overall, this results in a superposition of two currents which flow through
the resistor R
1 and whose temperature coefficients exhibit different signs.
The known bandgap equations thus yield the following for the voltage VR1 dropped
across the resistor R
1:
VR1=
k1·(
T/T0)-
k2·(1-(
VG0
-VBE0)/
VG0)·(
T/T0), (2)
where k
1 and k
2 denote current mirror ratios, and VG0 and VBE0
specify gate and base-emitter voltages, respectively. The first addend in equation
(2) rises with the temperature, while the second addend falls as the temperature
rises. Since k
1 and k
2 are only current mirror ratios, it is possible
to generate a correction voltage across the resistor R
1 in a technology-independent
manner. The voltage thus corrected can be set to the same temperature coefficient
as the resistor R
1.
Owing to its comparatively small temperature coefficient, the gate oxide capacitance
of the charge storage device C
2 has only very little influence on the oscillator frequency.
Furthermore, the invention provides for the resistors R
1 and
R
2 and preferably also the resistor R
3 to have identical temperature
coefficients and preferably also identical resistances. In particular when implementing
the oscillator circuit
1 in a telecommunications chip, it is advantageous
if a type of resistor having only a small technological variation of its temperature
coefficient is used for the resistors R
1, R
2 and R
3. This
results in an optimum temperature stability of the oscillator frequency, and a
technological variation which would be caused by the use of different resistors
is obviated.
In contrast to this, known oscillator circuits in which attempts are made to
obtain
a temperature stability through mixing ratios of resistors have a fundamental temperature
dependence caused by technological resistor variations. For two resistors R
1
and R
2 having the temperature coefficients a
1 and a
2, respectively,
this dependence of the temperature coefficient is approximately (a
1-a
2)·R
1/(R
1+R
2).
This means that, given a difference between the two temperature coefficients a1
and a
2 of 3000 ppm/K, for example, and given resistances of similar magnitude
of the resistors R
1 and R
2, as a result of a sheet resistance change
of 20% the temperature coefficient already changes by 250 ppm/K.
In the present first exemplary embodiment of the invention, the above-described
measure for the compensation of the temperature dependence of the comparator/reference
voltage circuit branch is also used in an analogous manner for the upward-integration
circuit branch. For this purpose, the MOS transistor T
8 is used in a manner
corresponding to the MOS transistor T
7, a current mirrored by the MOS transistor
T
6 likewise flowing through said MOS transistor T
8 and the latter
thereby also having a proportionality to the base-emitter voltage. The current
flowing through the MOS transistor T
2 is once again proportional to a PTAT
voltage, thus resulting in temperature compensation in the same way as described above.
In the case of currents which are proportional to a base-emitter voltage, according
to the bandgap equations the non-linear components are given by the term ((n-1+a)·k·T/q·ln(T/T0))/VG0,
where n denotes a technology parameter. The nonlinear components of a PTAT current
are essentially given by the term 1+b. The admixture of currents through the MOS
transistors T
7 and T
8 increases or decreases the nonlinear components,
thus resulting in the possibility of compensation of the quadratic components of
the resistor R
1.
In order that the temperature compensation described above is made reproducible
and errors of the temperature coefficients are not caused by matching errors in
the current mirrors, it is advantageous to compensate the respective transistors
within a current mirror by means of dynamic element matching.
The first exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 exhibits a
further possibility for temperature compensation, which can possibly also be realized
independently of the admixture of currents through the MOS transistors T
7
and T
8. This possibility results from the arrangement of the MOS transistor
T
5 at the drain terminal of the MOS transistor TC
1. This results
in an increase in the pole frequency at the output of the comparator and, at the
same time, in the generation of a second very short and well-defined time constant
which contributes to the oscillator frequency in addition to the main time constant
formed from the term 2·R
1·C
2.
The second time constant generated by the MOS transistor T
5 is determined
by the transconductance gm of the transistor T
5. The transconductance gm
is given by equations (3) and (4):
##EQU1##
In equations (3) and (4), all the parameters refer to the MOS transistor T
5.
Specifically, β denotes the transconductance coefficient, I
D denotes
the drain current, W and L denote the channel width and length, respectively, μ
denotes the mobility of the charge carriers in the channel, and C
ox denotes
the capacitance of the gate oxide of the MOS transistor T
5.
The temperature coefficients of the mobility μ and of the drain current
I
D are for example -5000 ppm/K and 3000 ppm/K, respectively. This results
in a value of approximately -1000 ppm/K for the temperature coefficient of the
transconductance gm, whereas the resistor R
1 may have a temperature coefficient
of 200 ppm/K. It becomes clear from this that a summation of the main time constant
with the second time constant enables compensation of the temperature dependence
of the total time constant and thus of the oscillator frequency.
A further advantage of the MOS transistor T
5 is that its arrangement at
the drain terminal of the MOS transistor TC
1 defines the voltage swing at
the output of the comparator.
The two MOS transistors TC
1 and T
5 preferably have the same conductivity
type and refer to the same supply line. These measures have the advantage that
the potentials at the input and at the output of the comparator are thereby independent
of the supply voltage VDD.
A further possibility for compensating for the temperature dependences is given
by a source degeneration circuit. In this case, resistors having the same resistances
as the resistors R
1 and R
2 are connected for example to the drain
terminals of the MOS transistors T
1 and/or T
2. These resistors detune
the current mirrors formed from the MOS transistors T
3 and T
1 and,
respectively, T
3 and T
2. In principle, current mirrors have a temperature-independent
behavior. However, the detuning of the current mirrors impresses on said current
mirrors temperature coefficients which can be used to compensate for other temperature
coefficients. What is advantageous about this measure is that the MOS transistors
T
7 and T
8 can be obviated, thereby reducing the power consumption
of the oscillator circuit
1.
The output current IOUT of a current mirror that is detuned by means of a source
degeneration circuit is given by equations (5) and (6):
##EQU2##
in equation (5) IIN specifies the input current of the current mirror and R
SD
denotes the resistor arranged at the output of the current mirror. The remaining
parameters are defined in an analogous manner to equation (4).
The following results from this for the temperature-dependent oscillator frequency
f(T):
##EQU3##
In this case, the mobility μ(T) and the transconductance coefficient β(T)
are very well-defined parameters with an error of in each case typically ±5%.
Provided that the temperature coefficient of the type of resistor used is small
enough, the temperature compensation is insensitive to fluctuations in the absolute
values of the resistors.
In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the bipolar transistors
TB
1, TB
2 and TB
3 may be replaced by MOS transistors which
are operated in the weak inversion range.
The MOS transistors TS
1, TS
2, TS
3 and TS
4 may also
be formed by other switches.
Digital gates may be provided instead of the inverting amplifiers IV
1,
IV
2, IV
3 and IV
4.
A mirrored PTAT current which is generated in the bandgap reference circuit BGR
in each case flows through the MOS transistors T
1 and T
2. As a result,
a noise generated in the bandgap reference circuit BGR is also superposed on said
currents. A current through the MOS transistor T
1 that is increased by noise
increases both the lower comparator threshold voltage VCL and the upper comparator
threshold voltage VCH. The oscillator frequency remains uninfluenced in the case
of a current through the upward-integration circuit branch that is likewise increased
by noise. However, the two comparator threshold voltages VCL and VCH increase to
the same extent only in the event of low-frequency noise. This means that low-frequency
1/f noise does not lead to an increase in the frequency jitter.
The first exemplary embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 does not have
more than one threshold voltage of a MOS transistor or more than one base-emitter
voltage of a bipolar transistor in series in any circuit branch between the supply
voltage VDD and ground VSS. Therefore, the present exemplary embodiment is suitable
for very low supply voltages VDD. By virtue of the fact that the comparator/reference
voltage circuit branch is designed jointly for the comparator, the generation of
the comparator threshold voltages VCL and VCH and also the bias voltage generation
for the charge storage device C
2, the oscillator circuit
1, owing
to the very low current consumption resulting from this, is particularly well suited
to the generation of an operating clock during standby operation. Moreover, the
oscillator circuit
1 has a small chip area requirement.
FIG. 2 illustrates a circuit diagram of a temperature-stabilized oscillator
circuit
2 as a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. The oscillator
circuit
2 corresponds in many circuit parts to the oscillator circuit
1
shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, the same or comparable functional elements are provided
with the same reference symbols.
In the oscillator circuit
2, the charge storage device C
2 is a
capacitor,
one terminal of which is connected to the supply voltage VDD instead of ground
VSS. The reference potentials of the remaining components in the oscillator circuit
2 are correspondingly modified in comparison with the oscillator circuit
1.
In the oscillator circuit
2, the downward-integration current source is
realized by a MOS transistor T
9 having a p-doped channel. Furthermore, the
oscillator circuit
2 has operational amplifiers OP
1 and OP
2
for the application of the gate potentials of the MOS transistors T
3 and
T
4 and, respectively T
6.
The oscillator circuit
2 contains MOS transistors T
10, T
11,
T
12, T
13 and T
14, whose channel is p-doped, and MOS transistors
T
15, T
16, T
17 and T
18, whose channel is n-doped. Some
of these MOS transistors and some of their connecting lines to the other components
are depicted by dashed lines in FIG. 2. This indicates that the relevant MOS transistors
can optionally be included in the oscillator circuit
2 or can be designed
in switchable fashion.
In FIG. 2, on account of the circuitry of the MOS transistor T
6, the current
flowing through the MOS transistor T
6 has a proportionality with a CTAT
(complementary to absolute temperature) voltage. The temperature coefficient of
this current is accordingly negative. It is mirrored into the MOS transistors T
11,
T
12, T
13 and T
14 by current mirror arrangements. On account
of the fundamental temperature independence of a current mirror, the currents flowing
through said MOS transistors also have an oppositely directed behavior with respect
to the temperature.
The currents flowing through the MOS transistors T
3 and T
4 are
proportional to a PTAT voltage. A current which is proportional to the temperature
is generated for example in the MOS transistor T
10 too, by current mirroring.
By means of the MOS transistors depicted by dashed lines in FIG. 2, it is possible
to form differences or sums with already existing currents, thereby compensating
for temperature dependences. Specifically, the MOS transistor T
12 serves
for difference formation with the current generated by the MOS transistor T
1
in the comparator/reference voltage circuit branch. The MOS transistors T
13
and T
14 in each case generate currents which are subtracted from the current
generated by the MOS transistor T
2 in the upward-integration circuit branch.
The currents generated by the MOS transistors T
16 and T
18 in each
case form a sum with the currents generated by the MOS transistors T
1 and
T
2, respectively, in the comparator/reference voltage or upward-integration
circuit branch.
*
